Penei Sewell
American Samoan football player (born 2000)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Penei Elama Sewell (/pɛnˈneɪ/ pen-NAY;[1] born October 9, 2000) is an American Samoan professional football offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, winning the Outland and Morris trophies in 2019. Sewell was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Lions in the first round in the 2021 NFL draft. He earned four Pro Bowl selections from 2022 to 2025, and was a first-team All-Pro in 2023, 2024, and 2025. He is the brother of Nephi and Noah Sewell, who both have also played professional football.
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Malaeimi, American Samoa
Sewell with the Detroit Lions in 2022 | |||||||
| No. 58 – Detroit Lions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Offensive tackle | ||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | October 9, 2000 Malaeimi, American Samoa | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 335 lb (152 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Desert Hills (St. George, Utah, U.S.) | ||||||
| College | Oregon (2018–2020) | ||||||
| NFL draft | 2021: 1st round, 7th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||
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Early life
Penei Elama Sewell was born on October 9, 2000, in Malaeimi, a village in American Samoa near the capital of Pago Pago.[2][3] As a child, he began playing American football alongside his three brothers after his father Gabriel became a coach of the sport.[4] Seeing the potential for his children to make it to the National Football League (NFL), Gabriel moved his family to St. George, Utah in 2012.[4][5][6] There, Sewell attended and played football at Desert Hills High School.[4] As a senior in 2017, he played in the US Army All-American and Polynesian Bowls before committing to the University of Oregon to play college football for the Oregon Ducks.[7][8][9]
College career
Sewell became an immediate starter during his freshman year for the Ducks in 2018, starting seven games but missing six due to a high ankle sprain.[10][11] He returned in 2019 and won the Morris Trophy and Outland Trophy.[12][13] In addition, he and former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa were selected as co-recipients of the 2019 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award.[14] Sewell opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and declared for the 2021 NFL draft.[15]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+7⁄8 in (1.95 m) | 331 lb (150 kg) | 33+1⁄4 in (0.84 m) | 10+3⁄8 in (0.26 m) | 6 ft 8+7⁄8 in (2.05 m) | 5.09 s | 1.79 s | 2.97 s | 4.68 s | 7.76 s | 28.0 in (0.71 m) | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) | 30 reps |
| All values from Pro Day[16][17] | ||||||||||||
Regarded as one of the best overall prospects in the 2021 NFL draft, Sewell was selected seventh overall by the Detroit Lions.[18] He tested positive for COVID-19 in May 2021 and had to sit out of minicamp.[19] He signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $24.1 million, the same month.[20] As a rookie, he appeared and started in 16 games, only being inactive for the regular season finale.[21] He was named to the 2021 Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team.[22]
In Week 14 of the 2022 season, Sewell had a nine-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to give the Lions a crucial first down in the 34–23 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.[23] In the 2022 season, he started all 17 games and was named a Pro Bowl alternate.[24][25] In 2023, Sewell started all 17 games and was selected to his second Pro Bowl and first First-team All-Pro, and played in the NFC Championship with the Lions, where they lost 34–31.[26][27] He was ranked 22nd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.[28]
On April 24, 2024, Sewell signed a four-year, $112 million contract extension with the Lions, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season.[29] He started all 17 games in the 2024 season.[30] He earned first team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the 2024 season.[31][32]
NFL career statistics
Personal life
Sewell has three brothers: Gabriel, Nephi, and Noah, who are all professional football linebackers.[33][34] Gabriel plays for the Houston Roughnecks in the United Football League, Nephi and Noah play for the Chicago Bears.[35][36] The brothers are nephews of former NFL players Isaac Sopoaga and Richard Brown.[37]
