Former Patriots RB Mosi Tatupu dead at 54

Former New England Patriots running back Mosi Tatupu died Tuesday at the age of 54.

Tatupu, father of Seahawks Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu, had reportedly been “dealing with high blood pressure,” but no cause of death has yet been established. A friend spoke briefly to the Honolulu Star Record about Tatupu’s death:

“He had some health issues,” said Barry Markowitz, a family friend who was told of the death by Tatupu’s ex-wife, Linnea.

Tatupu played 13 seasons for the Patriots, and was named as a special teamer in the 1986 Pro Bowl. Tatupu also played in Super Bowl XX in 1986, where the Patriots saw a 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. When Tatupu retired in 1991 after five games with St. Louis, he held the career record for most games as a running back at 199.

At the time of his death, Tatupu was a coach for running backs at Curry College in Waltham, Massachusetts. A service is being planned by his family in his native state of Hawaii.