About Scott Fujita – NFL Player
Scott Fujita was born in Ventura, California on April 28, 1979. He was a three-sport standout (football, basketball and track & field) at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, CA before heading to the University of California, Berkeley. As a student at Berkeley, Fujita earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, graduating in 2001 with Honors. He also completed a minor program in Business Administration. In his final year at Berkeley, Fujita earned a Masters degree in Education.
Fujita was originally a walk-on safety at Cal, but ended up making the transition to linebacker as a redshirt Freshman. He was awarded an athletic scholarship at the start of his Sophomore year. As a Junior and Senior, Fujita started every game at linebacker and was named All-Pac 10 honorable mention and Academic All-Pac 10.
Fujita was drafted in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He played 3 seasons with the Chiefs under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, and led the team in tackles in 2003 and 2004. Fujita was traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the start of the 2005 season, where he was coached by Bill Parcells.
As an unrestricted free agent during the 2006 off-season, Fujita signed with the New Orleans Saints, reuniting with former coaches Joe Vitt and Sean Payton. He was the Saints’ first free agent acquisition following Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the Gulf South in the Summer of 2005.
In Fujita’s first season with the Saints, he was selected as the defensive team captain by his teammates and held that title for three years. He also led the team in tackles in 2006 and 2007. In 2009 Fujita was named the Saints’ “Man of the Year” for his contributions on the field and in the community.
During Fujita’s four seasons in New Orleans, the Saints won two NFC South Division championships, appeared in two NFC Championship games, and won Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts.
After winning the Super Bowl, Fujita became an unrestricted free agent and became the first acquisition of Mike Holmgren with the Cleveland Browns. He served as the Browns’ defensive captain for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Off the playing field, Fujita dedicates a lot of time to his community, as well as a number of charities. He is passionate about the environment, namely the protection and restoration of the Gulf South. He also advocates for equal rights for the LGBT community, promotes programs for adoption, and is an avid proponent for breast cancer awareness, as his mother is a two-time breast cancer survivor. Throughout his career, Fujita has also worked with organizations that work to support, encourage and enrich the lives of children afflicted with cancer and other challenges.
Fujita has served on the NFLPA Executive Committee as a Vice President since 2010. He also sits on the Board of Directors for Team Gleason (www.teamgleason.org), which seeks to improve the lives of patients living with ALS and ultimately find solutions to stop this terrible disease.
On April 22, 2013, Fujita signed a one-day contract with the New Orleans Saints and announced his retirement after 11 seasons in the NFL atop Peru’s Machu Picchu.
Focusing on his transition from NFL linebacker to life beyond the field of play, Scott assembled a team to help with his post-NFL career goals. Utilizing his expertise and leadership from the football field and transitioning it to a versatile post-NFL career, Scott joined forces with the New York Times, Fox Sports, foxsports.com and WDSU’s “Saints on 6” Primetime. After a year on the broadcast and sports writing circuit, he was hired as a consultant on a feature film and is now Executive Director for the Gleason Project film. In addition to this, he is a Partner at Radd3, Associate Director of Team Gleason and Co-Executive Director for Team Gleason’s Social Action Campaign.
On a personal note, Fujita is the adopted son of Rod and Helen Fujita. His father Rod is a third generation Japanese-American who was born in an internment camp in the Arizona desert during World War II. Fujita grew up celebrating Japanese customs, and has always considered himself to be culturally half-Japanese.
He is married to Jaclyn and has 3 daughters — twins Isabell and Delilah, and Marlowe.
Fujita has played 11 years in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns. He won Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints.
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Kansas City Chiefs (2002 – 2004)
Dallas Cowboys (2005)
New Orleans Saints (2006-2009)
Cleveland Browns (2010-2012)
Football accomplishments and transactions:
• April 2002: Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 5th Round of the 2002 NFL Draft
• 2002: Recipient of Mack Lee Hill Award, given to the Chiefs top Rookie
• 2002: Selected as Chiefs Defensive Rookie of the Year
• 2002: Pro Football Weekly “All-Rookie Team”
• 2003: Recipient of Chiefs “Most Improved Player” award
• Member of Chiefs 2003 AFC West Division Championship team
• Led the Chiefs defense in tackles in 2003 and 2004
• Traded from the KC Chiefs to the Dallas Cowboys before the start of the 2005 season
• April 2006: Signed a 4-year contract with the New Orleans Saints at the start of the 2006 NFL Free Agency signing period. Was the first Free Agent to join the Saints following Hurricane Katrina.
• 2006-2008: Selected by Saints teammates as a team captain
• September 2006: Chosen as NFC “Defensive Player of the Week” after Monday Night Football
Game vs. the Atlanta Falcons, the re-opening of the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina
• Led the Saints defense in tackles in 2006 and 2007
• Member of Saints 2006 and 2009 NFC South Division Championship teams
• Appeared in 2006 and 2009 NFC Championship games
• Selected as an alternate to the 2009 Pro Bowl
• Member of Saints 2009 Super Bowl XLIV Championship team
• Recipient of Saints 2009 “Most Productive Defensive Player” Award
• 2009: Selected as Saints’ 2009 Man of the Year, voted on annually by members of the Saints front office, local media and local non profit and business executives
• March 2010: Signed 3-year contract with the Cleveland Browns at the start of the 2010 free agency signing period
• 2010-2011: Selected by Browns teammates as a team captain.
IN THE COMMUNITY
NFLPA Service:
• 2008-2009: New Orleans Saints NFL Players Association (NFLPA) team representative
• 2009: Appointed to the transition team of DeMaurice Smith, who was elected as Executive Director of the NFLPA in March 2009
• 2010: Elected to the NFLPA Executive Committee
• 2010-2013: Served two consecutive terms as a Vice President of the NFLPA
• 2010: Accepted “Teamsters Human Rights Award” on behalf of the New Orleans Saints and the NFLPA — acceptance speech here: http://tinyurl.com/aw9y9n7
• April 2010: Appointed to NFLPA “Player Safety and Welfare Committee”
• April 2010: Appointed to NFLPA “Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline”
• January 2012: Recipient of NFLPA PULSE Awards “Union Soldier Award”, given to the NFLPA Executive Committee “for their exemplary and enduring dedication to successfully negotiating the new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL”.
Team Gleason:
• Appointed to the Board of Directors for Team Gleason, created by former Saints teammate Steve Gleason, which seeks to improve the lives of patients living with ALS and ultimately end the disease — www.teamgleason.org
• 2012: Spoke with Steve Gleason at the Social Innovations Summit at the United Nations — http://tinyurl.com/bhrfypr
• Appeared in and helped organize a PSA campaign for ALS awareness, featuring some of the most well-known current and former NFL players and coaches — http://tinyurl.com/am5rucy
Gulf Coast Restoration/Protection:
• Spokesperson for Gulf Restoration Network and America’s Wetlands Foundation.
• Donated half of Super Bowl winnings to Gulf Coast restoration projects
• Recipient of “Certificate of Proclamation” from New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu for “work
on behalf of the city of New Orleans in the battle against coastal erosion”.
Advocacy for LGBT rights:
• Outspoken proponent for marriage equality
• Endorsed “National Equality March” in Washington D.C. in October 2009 — http://tinyurl.com/a3lfnzy
• Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) “Media Circle Member”
• April 2010: Acknowledged at 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles
• 2010: Filmed one of the first videos for the “Devote Campaign” — video here: http://tinyurl.com/
3lx9kxl
• 2010: Selected to receive Human Rights Campaign’s “Ally for Equality” award in Cleveland, OH
• April 2010: Signed a letter on behalf of the Forum for Equality Louisiana in opposition to Senate Bill 521. This letter aimed to expand adoption rights to include unmarried persons.
• May 2010: Recipient of PFLAG “Straight for Equality in Sports” Award — acceptance speech here: http://tinyurl.com/b5a9aqk
• June 2010 – LOGO Network nominee for NewNextNow “Cause You’re Hot” Award — http://tinyurl.com/by32je9
• 2011: Filmed PSA for Human Rights Campaign in support of marriage equality — video here:http://tinyurl.com/bxtzs7u
• 2011: Became an “All-Star Member” of the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) Sports Project — video in support here: http://tinyurl.com/b3e3oaq
• 2011: Joined other celebrities in signing an open letter to President Obama, asking for his support on the Freedom to Marry campaign — http://tinyurl.com/5rh4bok
• 2013: Ambassador for “Athlete Ally”, a nonprofit sports resource encouraging all individuals involved in sport to respect every member of their communities, regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and to lead others in doing the same —http://tinyurl.com/bxorzkn
Adoption Advocacy:
• 2003-2004: Spokesperson for “Monday’s Child” in Kansas City, a program devoted to helping
place foster children in permanent homes
• 2006-2009: Spokesperson for Catholic Charities for Adoption and Adoption Awareness Month in
New Orleans — http://tinyurl.com/a9hljpm
• 2011: Recipient of CCAI (Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute) “National Angel in
Adoption Award” — acceptance speech here: http://tinyurl.com/ahvpgj5
Breast cancer awareness:
• 2002-2004: Spokesperson for Kansas City Cancer Center. Helped launch a new KC cancer treatment center and promoted the campaigns “Tackle Prostate Cancer” and “Got Screened?”, which encouraged men and women to get screened for cancer.
• 2006-2009: Spokesperson for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in New Orleans
• Filmed numerous PSA’s and participated in messaging campaigns each year during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Writing:
• Guest columnist for the Daily Californian at UC Berkeley
• Penned a “Super Bowl Diary” for the New Orleans Times-Picayune — http://tinyurl.com/amq8e65
• Guest columnist for London Times after Super Bowl XLIV
• Contributor to Dedicated to Daughters, a book highlighting the relationships of NFL players and
their daughters
• Numerous blog entries at www.scottfujita.com
TV/Radio:
• 2003-2004: Regular guest host on the “Kendall Gammon Radio Show” in Kansas City
• 2006-2007: Host of “Monday Night Football with Scott Fujita” each week at the House of Blues
in New Orleans
• 2007: Appeared in New Orleans Saints “Earn It” commercial — http://tinyurl.com/amndjoc
• Fall 2007: Regular guest host of the “Saints Radio Show” with Kenny Wilkerson on WWL in New Orleans
• Regular guest with Dave Zirin on Edge of Sports, a show that blends sports and politics
• Color analyst for Arena Football League live TV broadcast in Los Angeles
• 2007-2008: Co-Creator/Host of weekly TV segment called “Who Dat Fish”, which aired Tuesday nights on the evening news on WDSU (the New Orleans NBC affiliate). Portion of proceeds from Saints player sushi rolls donated to Angel’s Place in New Orleans, LA.
• 2009: NFLPA “Strength in Numbers” personal profile video — http://tinyurl.com/ato5uj6
• 2009: Appeared in NFLPA “Strength in Numbers” campaign — http://tinyurl.com/apecfon
• 2010-2011: Co-Creator/Host of webisode series called “Rollin’ at the Rock with Scott Fujita” in which celebrity sushi rolls in the names of Browns players were created. Portion of proceeds donated to Littlest Heroes and to Providence House in Cleveland, OH.
Other:
• 2003: NFL Rookie Symposium speaker: “What to expect in your new life in the NFL”
• 2007: Co-Grand Marshall for Endymion Parade at Mardi Gras 2007 in New Orleans
• Featured extensively in Alan Donnes’ Patron Saints, the story of the 2006 New Orleans Saints
• 2007: Selected by the NFL for annual “Take a Player to School Day” — http://tinyurl.com/a687klj
• 2007: Spokesperson for American Heart Association in New Orleans
• 2007-2009: Spokesperson for Covenant House New Orleans
• April 2007: Accepted “JB Award” (James Brown) for Community Dedication at the Gridiron Gala in Washington, D.C., which aired on CBS Sports
• July 2007: Joined teammates in accepting ESPY Award for “Best Sports Moment” for Saints’
return to the Superdome
• 2007-2008: Co-host of annual fundraiser for New Orleans Children’s Hospital
• 2009: Spokesperson for CrimeStoppers New Orleans
• 2009: Selected as Saints’ 2009 Man of the Year, voted on annually by members of the Saints front office, local media and local non profit and business executives.
• 2010: Presented with a “Key to the City of New Orleans” from New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
• Executive Producer for The Lightkeepers (2010), starring Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner
• 2010-2102: Supporter of Littlest Heroes, which aims to impact the lives of children living with cancer and their families
• Volunteer Coach at football camps for Tony Gonzalez, Mike Karney, Herman Edwards, and Tony Richardson, among others
• Spoken at various schools about Japanese Internment, the importance of education, living an active and healthy lifestyle, etc.
• Numerous motivational speaking engagements for businesses and corporations in Kansas City and New Orleans, Cleveland, and all over California.
• Advisor to “MogoBall”, a revolutionary new social gaming experience that allows users to select
a team each week and compete against friends, fans, and NFL players using a proprietary fantasybased scoring system. It blends the best elements of social gaming and fantasy football to create a dynamic football experience for hard-core and casual fans alike. –www.mogoball.com
COLLEGE CAREER
University of California, Berkeley (1997-2002)
Football accomplishments:
• Fall 1997: Walked onto the California Golden Bears football team
• 1997 & 1999: Recipient of Cal Football’s “Strength Award” for hard work and dedication in the weight room
• Fall 1998: Awarded a full athletic scholarship
• 1998: Recipient of Cal Football’s Clint Evans Award, given to the “most intense Freshman competitor”
• 2000: Recipient of Cal Football’s Ken Cotton Award, given to the “most courageous player”
• 2000-2001: All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention selection
• 2001: Selected by teammates as Team Captain of California Golden Bears football team
• 2001: Recipient of Cal Football’s Andy Smith Award, given to the player with the most “Big C Time” in the Big Game vs. Stanford
• 2001: Recipient of Cal Football’s Stub Allison Award, given to the team’s “most inspirational player”
• January 2002: Selected to play in the East-West Shrine college football All-Star game in San Francisco, CA
On campus & in the classroom:
• Spring 1997: Enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley
• 1998 & 2000: Recipient of Cal Football’s Frank Storment Award, given to the “most outstanding student athlete from Southern California”.
• 1998-2001: Selected to All-Pac-10 Academic Team
• 2001: Guest columnist for UC Berkeley’s school newspaper, the Daily Californian
• May 2001: Graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Political Science with Honors, and a minor degree in Business Administration
• December 2001: Chosen as a Verizon District VIII Academic All-American
• May 2002: Received a Masters Degree in Education from UC Berkeley
HIGH SCHOOL
Rio Mesa High School (1993-1997)
Athletic accomplishments:
• 1995-1997: All-Channel League and All-Ventura County selection in football and basketball
• May 1997: Winner of Defensive MVP award in Ventura County All-Star football game
• May 1997: Winner of Slam Dunk Contest at Ventura County All-Star basketball game
• June 1997: Recipient of Rio Mesa HS “Male Athlete of the Year” award On campus & in the classroom:
• 1993-1995: Served as Freshman and Sophomore Class Presidents
• 1995-1996: Served as ASB Vice President
• June 1997: Graduated from Rio Mesa HS with a 4.2 GPA