Will Tukuafu enters his first season with the Chargers in 2024 as the team's assistant defensive line coach.
Tukuafu joins the Los Angeles staff after spending three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, working with the defensive line each of the last two years in defensive assistant/defensive line (2023) and quality control — defens (2022) roles. The unit recorded 18.5 sacks, led by nose tackle Jarran Reed (7.0) and defensive end Dre'Monte Jones (4.5). Tukuafu's first season in Seattle in 2021 was spent as a coaching assistant primarily working with the special teams unit. His first coaching experience came as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship, where he spent time working with the Atlanta Falcons in Spring 2019 and Denver Broncos during 2019 Training Camp.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Tukuafu played seven seasons in the NFL, starting his career with the San Francisco 49ers (2010-13). He spent his final three years in the Bay Area playing under Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Tukuafu helped the 49ers reach three-straight NFC Championships from 2011-13, seeing action on all three phases in Super Bowl XLVII. He finished his NFL playing career with Seattle, appearing in 30 games for the team from 2014-16, helping the Seahawks during his first season in the Pacific Northwest to their second-straight Super Bowl appearance, contributing on all three phases.
Tukuafu played defensive end at the University of Oregon (2007-09), where he started 37-of-39 games played. During the 2008 season, he ranked fifth in the Pacific-10 in tackles for loss (17.5) and tied for eighth in sacks (7.5). Tukuafu was named co-captain for his final season at Oregon and was awarded Oregon's Joe Schaffeld Award for the team's top defensive lineman.
A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Tukuafu earned All-Region recognition as a junior and senior at East High in Salt Lake City, while adding to team MVP honors his final year. He then went on a two-year mission trip to Jamica. Tukuafu returned to the gridiron at Scottsdale Community College in 2005 and was named All-Western States Football League. He attended Mesa (Ariz.) Community College in 2006.
Tukuafu and his wife, Krystal were married in 2008 and have two daughters, Naiya and Lana and two sons, Kingston and Will II.
