Leki Fotu agreed to terms with the New York Giants on Wednesday, adding a 27-year-old lineman whose path to the NFL has been shaped by loss, faith and a long climb through multiple sports. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Fotu arrives in New York after carving out a career that began far from football’s fast track.
Born Aug. 23, 1998, in Oakland, California, Fotu was raised by Tongan immigrants Toa and Likiliki Fotu and grew up with three brothers who also played college football. His childhood was marked by tragedy when he was 8: his three-year-old sister Ema died in a balcony fall, and his father died of diabetes-related complications just weeks later. The family later relocated to Utah for support, a move that would help reshape his life.
In Utah, Fotu’s athletic route ran through rugby, basketball and eventually football. He earned USA Rugby Boys High School All-American honors and trained with England’s London Wasps before starting football as a senior at Herriman High School. That one season turned into a state championship, all-state honors and MVP recognition, enough to launch him to the University of Utah.
At Utah, Fotu became a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 performer and a third-team All-American, turning size and power into a college résumé that made him an NFL prospect. Teammates remembered him kneeling in prayer before games, and later in his pro career he became known for small acts that fit the same image, including making scratch waffles for the Arizona Cardinals during the holidays.
The signing gives the Giants a veteran presence with a background that stretches well beyond football statistics. Fotu’s story has always carried the weight of family and community, and his next snap will come with a reputation built as much on resilience and kindness as on what he can do at the line of scrimmage.
