Manti Malietau Louis Te’o was born on January 26, 1991, in Laie, Hawaii, into a tight-knit Samoan family deeply rooted in faith and football. He attended Punahou School in Honolulu, where he became one of the nation’s top defensive recruits and led his team to a state football championship in 2008. His standout senior season earned him the Butkus Award as the top high school linebacker in the country.

Te’o went on to enjoy a legendary career at Notre Dame, recording 437 career tackles. He led the Fighting Irish to the 2012 BCS National Championship Game and finished second in the Heisman Trophy race. Despite a catfishing hoax that shadowed his pre-draft buildup, he was selected 38th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2013 NFL Draft. He went on to play for the Chargers, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears before retiring in 2023.

In 2024, Matni Te’o joined NFL Network as an on-air analyst. He was then elevated to full-time co-host of Good Morning Football in May 2025, following the departure of Akbar Gbajabiamila. He also appeared as part of Netflix’s broadcasting team for the 2024 NFL Christmas Day games.