"He was just a good person, always had a smile on his face and always would take time to talk to any individual," Cowboys defensive line coach Jim Bates said. The team canceled a voluntary workout scheduled for Thursday. Several players and coaches who had arrived for the practice left in a solemn mood. Many said they were too shook up to talk to reporters. "It's a sad moment, not just for players but for the whole organization," said linebacker Randall Godfrey, a teammate for one season. "It's sad for his family, but you also hurt for guys like Troy Aikman, Moose (Daryl) Johnston, Charles Haley those guys who had memories with him. Glasscock said he didn't know whether the unidentified friend was a member of the Cowboys. Tuinei's wife, Pono, was in their home state of Hawaii, where she was notified by family members, police said. Tuinei's career ended following the 1997 season because of lingering problems in both knees. The two-time Pro Bowler was released in April 1998 with hopes that he'd return in the fall, but he coldn't make it back.Īll the years of taking on 300-pound defenders had finally caught up to the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Tuinei, leaving him tied for the club record for longevity. Such a record was an unlikely achievement for a player who came to the Cowboys in 1983 as an undrafted defensive lineman after playing just seven games his senior year at Hawaii.īut Tuinei caught the attention of then-coach Tom Landry and played 10 games that season. In 1985, Tuinei was moved to offense and he became a full-time starter in 1987. ![]() ![]() ![]() He saw action at several spots on the line before settling in at left tackle, where he was responsible for blocking the quarterback's back.ĭespite various injuries, tough-guy Tuinei played all but nine games from 1989 to 1996. Over that span, the Cowboys went from 1-15 in Aikman's rookie year to three-time Super Bowl champs (1993, '94, '96).
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