Austin Faoliu Bio
Austin Faoliu is an American football nose tackle who currently plays for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). Born on January 9, 1999, in Santa Ana, California, he developed into a powerful interior defender through a steady climb that took him from California high school fields to the University of Oregon, the National Football League, and the spring football circuit. Faoliu first gained wide recognition in 2023 when he was named to the All-XFL Team after a productive season with the Seattle Sea Dragons.
Listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 305 pounds, Faoliu has built his career on physical play in the trenches, durability, and the ability to contribute immediately at the professional level after going undrafted in 2021. His career has carried him through practice squads, active rosters, and developmental leagues, giving him a reputation as a hard-working defensive lineman who continues to compete for snaps and roster spots at the highest levels of the game.
Early Life and Background
Austin Faoliu was born and raised in Santa Ana, California, a city in Orange County known for producing competitive football talent. He grew up in a region where high school football attracts strong community support, and he began to develop the size and physicality that would later define his style on the defensive line. From an early stage, those who watched him play recognized the traits of a classic interior lineman, including strong hands, leverage, and the willingness to take on multiple blockers.
Faoliu attended Junípero Serra Catholic High School, where he spent his early high school seasons contributing on both sides of the ball. As a sophomore, he carried the ball 48 times for 351 yards and 4 touchdowns, showing his athleticism before fully settling into a defensive role. Ahead of his senior year, he transferred to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, one of the most respected football programs in the country, and was immediately named a starter at nose guard.
During his senior season at Mater Dei, Faoliu tallied 32 tackles, including 9 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble, and he earned All-County honors. He also helped lead the program to a second-place finish in the CIF Southern Section Division 1, gaining valuable experience against some of the top competition in California. His strong senior campaign and national recruiting profile paved the way for a college scholarship.
Path to American Football
Faoliu accepted a football scholarship from the University of Oregon, joining a Pac-12 program that has long produced NFL-ready defensive linemen. The decision gave him the chance to train within a competitive collegiate system and to face high-level offenses week after week, while also developing the strength and conditioning base that would prepare him for professional play.
At Oregon, he appeared in 12 games as a freshman and started the first two contests, finishing the year with 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. He continued to progress through his sophomore and junior seasons, appearing in 11 games with 6 starts as a sophomore and 13 games with 8 starts as a junior, building career totals that included 39 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks in his junior campaign alone.
His senior season was shortened to seven games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he still started six contests and added 21 tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss. By the end of his Oregon career, Faoliu had played in 43 games, recorded 124 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles, a consistent body of work that positioned him for an opportunity at the next level, even as an undrafted free agent.
Austin Faoliu Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, Austin Faoliu signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent on May 14, 2021, beginning his professional career with one of the league’s most established organizations. The transition from college to the NFL was rapid, as he was waived on August 31 before being signed to the practice squad the next day. On September 27, he was promoted to the active roster, giving him a brief window to show what he could do in a regular-season game.
Faoliu appeared in one game for the Cowboys that season and recorded 2 tackles, his first official NFL statistics. He signed a reserve/future contract with Dallas on January 19, 2022, but was waived on August 15, 2022, ending his initial NFL stint. Even so, the experience allowed him to refine his technique, learn a professional defensive scheme, and prepare for the next opportunity.
Seattle Sea Dragons Breakthrough (2023)
In 2023, Faoliu was selected by the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons in the Group 3 fourth round, 31st overall, of the 2023 XFL Draft, giving him a fresh start in the spring football circuit. The move to Seattle placed him in a featured role along the interior defensive line, and he made the most of the opportunity from the opening week of the season.
Faoliu appeared in all 10 games for the Sea Dragons, starting each contest, and finished the year with 24 tackles and one sack. His disruptive play in the trenches, combined with his consistency against both the run and the pass, made him one of the most reliable interior defenders in the league. He was released from his contract on May 15, 2023, but his performance had already earned him league-wide recognition.
That recognition came in the form of a selection to the All-XFL Team for 2023, the highest individual honor of his professional career to that point. The award validated his decision to compete in the spring league and reaffirmed his reputation as a player who could anchor a defensive front.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2023)
On May 16, 2023, just one day after his release from the Sea Dragons, Faoliu signed with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL, returning to the league where he had first begun his professional journey. The opportunity placed him back in a top-tier organization, though he faced the challenges of joining a roster mid-offseason and competing for a depth role on the defensive line.
He was placed on the reserve/PUP list on August 29, 2023, and later activated on November 6, before being waived the following day and re-signed to the practice squad. Faoliu was not offered a reserve/future contract after the season, and he became a free agent when his practice squad contract expired, closing the chapter on his second NFL stint.
St. Louis Battlehawks Era (2024–Present)
On February 19, 2024, Faoliu signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the newly formed United Football League, which had merged the XFL and USFL into one spring league. He signed a new contract with the Battlehawks on February 27, solidifying his commitment to the franchise and signaling that he had found a stable professional home after several years of roster movement.
Since joining St. Louis, Faoliu has continued to provide veteran leadership along the Battlehawks’ defensive front, anchoring the middle of the line and serving as a steady presence for younger teammates. His familiarity with spring football schemes, combined with his experience against professional competition, has made him a key piece of the team’s defensive rotation.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a nose tackle, Faoliu is at his best when he can occupy double-teams, control the line of scrimmage, and free linebackers to make plays behind him. He combines upper-body strength with the lower-body leverage needed to anchor against the run, and his quick first step allows him to disrupt plays in the backfield. His track record of tackles for loss and forced fumbles at multiple levels reflects a defensive lineman who plays with consistent urgency on every snap.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Faoliu’s career came in 2023, when his selection to the All-XFL Team confirmed his status as one of the top interior defensive linemen in the spring football landscape. The recognition followed a full season of starts with the Seattle Sea Dragons, during which he delivered his most productive professional statistical output to date.
Austin Faoliu Career Wins
Austin Faoliu’s professional resume is built on consistency, durability, and the ability to contribute at every stop of his career, even as he has shifted between NFL and spring football rosters. While individual game-by-game win totals are not comprehensively recorded in the source material, his body of work includes a complete season as a starter in the XFL and continued production in the UFL.
Spring League Highlights
During the 2023 XFL season, Faoliu started all 10 games for the Seattle Sea Dragons and recorded 24 tackles and one sack, performances that helped earn him All-XFL honors. The season marked his most statistically productive professional year and established him as a reliable anchor on the interior defensive line.
Other Performances
Beyond his headline spring league production, Faoliu has contributed through practice squad roles and brief active-roster stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks. His career NFL regular-season totals include 3 total tackles, accumulated through limited but meaningful opportunities at the highest level of American football.
Austin Faoliu Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly verified details about Austin Faoliu’s immediate family are limited in the available source material. Information regarding his parents and any broader sports lineage is not documented in the supplied records, so additional family context cannot be confirmed for this profile.
Personal Life
Austin Faoliu has maintained a relatively private personal life, with no publicly confirmed information about a spouse, partner, or children available in the verified sources. He continues to be active on social media, including on his official X account, where he engages with fans and shares updates on his football career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Austin Faoliu remained under contract with the St. Louis Battlehawks, providing continuity for a defensive front that has come to rely on his experience. The Battlehawks’ 2025 campaign gave him another opportunity to play a featured role along the interior line, and he was expected to be a central part of the team’s defensive rotation from spring training onward.
The UFL’s 2025 season storyline placed Faoliu among the league’s most seasoned defensive linemen, and his ability to handle double-teams and collapse the pocket remained a key part of the Battlehawks’ game plan. His chemistry with the coaching staff and his familiarity with the league’s tempo and rules positioned him as a stabilizing presence on a roster that values trench play.
With his All-XFL credentials from 2023 and his steady contributions since joining St. Louis, Faoliu entered 2025 with momentum and a clear role within the Battlehawks’ defense. The season offered him a chance to build on his professional production totals, mentor younger linemen, and reinforce his standing as one of the more respected nose tackles in the UFL.