Editor’s Note: Next in line for the THN new player profiles, is offensive lineman Christian Fauria
College: Colorado
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 250
Born: 09-22-71
Experience: 11
Drafted: 1995 – 2nd Round (39th overall) – Seattle Seahawks
How Acquired: UFA – 06
Number: 88
Christian Fauria was signed this off-season to replace Robert Royal, who signed as a free agent with Buffalo. Fauria has spent the last four years with New England, winning two Super Bowl rings. He started 10 of 16 games last season, catching eight passes for 57 yards and two touchdowns.
Fauria has played in 127 of 128 possible games over the last eight seasons and since joining the Pats in ‘02 started 36 games and caught 71 balls for 733 yards and 11 touchdowns. During the ‘02 season, he led not only all Patriots with seven touchdown receptions, but led the league for tight ends, tied with Tony Gonzalez and Bubba Franks. Over his eleven-year career, he has recorded 245 catches for 2,473 yards and 29 touchdowns while playing in 167 games.
Drafted by the Seahawks in the second round (39th overall) in ‘95, Fauria played seven seasons for the ‘hawks and is their all-time leader in receptions (166) and yards (1,683) by a tight end. During the ’98 season in Seattle, he set career highs with 37 receptions and 377 yards.
At Colorado, Fauria majored in communications. As a senior, he earned first-team All-Big 8 Conference and third-team Associated Press All-American while ending the season second on the team in receptions and scoring on a touchdown reception against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. He finished his Colorado career with 98 for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranked fourth in school history in receptions and ninth in yards. He still holds the Big Eight Conference record for pass receptions for a tight end.
In ‘91 as a redshirt freshman, Fauria played every game. His first catch went for a touchdown against Oklahoma. He was first-team All-California Interscholastic Federation and first-team All-Del Rey as a tight end at Crespi (Encino, Calif.) High School and also lettered in track and basketball.
Christian and his wife, Rhonda, own a masonry business along with Christian’s brothers. The Fauria’s have two daughters, Riley (06/06/00) and Camryn (03/29/04) and son, Caleb (08/28/01). Fauria is pronounced “FOUR-EE-AY.”
-Frank Hastings
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Frank Hastings