Washington state native and crossover athlete Taniela Tupou represented the Seattle Seawolves from 2022-2023.

Tupou played gridiron football for the University of Washington, playing 33 games as a defensive lineman. In May 2016, The Seattle Seahawks signed Tupou as a fullback/defensive tackle option after impressing at a rookie minicamp. Tupou bounced around a number of NFL roster before landing with the San Diego Fleet of the short-lived AAF. When the AAF ceased operations Tupou returned home to the PNW just as the XFL was emerging, and he was drafted by the Seattle Dragons in the 7th Round before the XFL was shut down due to COVID-19.

The American Raptors crossover program invited him to Colorado to try out, and impressed. He rose to Captain the Raptors and participated in the Raptors’ tour of Uruguay in Fall 2021. With the Raptors not finding a home league until 2023, Tupou signed with the Seattle Seawolves ahead of the 2022 season. He opted to return to the XFL in 2023 when that league got up and running post-COVID, but was re-signed by the Seawolves towards the end of the 2023 MLR season, featuring in the last regular season game of the season, which the Seawolves ultimately lost 40-19.