Mark Pulemau Tuinei, retired Dallas offensive lineman

---

NFL star Tuinei
dies at 39

The former UH player was
found dead in his car today

Star-Bulletin staff and wire reports

Mark Pulemau Tuinei, a star offensive lineman from Hawaii who helped lead the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s, was found dead in his car today in Plano, Texas. He was 39.

The cause of death was not immediately known. Plano police chief Bruce Glasscock said foul play or drugs were not believed to be involved.

Tuinei graduated from Punahou School in 1978 and played two years of college football at the University of Hawaii after transferring from UCLA.

His wife, Pono, is the sister of Punahou assistant coach Mike Pavich. They had no children.

Tuinei had accepted a football coaching job at Punahou and was to finalize the deal tomorrow in Hawaii, Punahou head coach Kale Ane said.

"Mark was excited about going back to school, sharing his experience and the expertise with today's athletes and the opportunity to return to Hawaii," Ane said in a statement released by the school.

"It was a real shock," Ane told the Star-Bulletin this morning.

Former Punahou baseball coach Pal Eldredge echoed that emotion.

"It's a real stunner. He was always just a real nice guy," said Eldredge, a close friend of the Tuinei and Pavich families.

Tuinei spent last night with friends and was passed out when he arrived home, so the friends left him in his car, sources told Dallas TV station WFAA.

Will Morris, a Punahou alum and friend of the Tuinei's, said he last saw Tuinei about 6 p.m. yesterday.

"He never seemed healthier or happier about going home," Morris said. "He was happy as can be."

Glasscock said an unidentified friend, who had been told to go to Tuinei's house to check on him, found Tuinei unconscious in the vehicle. Efforts to revive him failed, and he was pronounced dead upon arriving at Medical Center of Plano, a north Dallas suburb.

A preliminary report from medical examiners was expected later today. However, Glasscock said it could take several days for any definitive information from an autopsy or toxicology reports.

The chief said he wasn't sure how long Tuinei had been unconscious.

"The only information we have at this point is that it was a good portion of the morning," he said.

Jim Donovan, UH associate athletic director, recalled today how much of a gentleman Tuinei was.

"He was a really nice man," said Donovan, who played on the same team as Tuinei at UH in 1982. "He always led by example."

The Cowboys canceled a voluntary workout scheduled for today. Several players and coaches who had arrived for the practice left in a solemn mood. Many said they were too shook up to talk to reporters.

"It's a sad moment, not just for players but for the whole organization," said linebacker Randall Godfrey, a teammate for one season. "It's sad for his family, but you also hurt for guys like Troy Aikman, Moose (Daryl) Johnston, Charles Haley -- those guys who had memories with him. That's who really feels it."

Glasscock said he didn't know whether the unidentified friend who found him was a member of the Cowboys.

Although Tuinei didn't have as high a profile as teammates such as Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith or even fellow offensive lineman Nate Newton, "Tui" was extremely popular in the locker room and the community.

"He was just a good person, always had a smile on his face and always would take time to talk to any individual," Cowboys defensive line coach Jim Bates said. "He was just a good team guy."

Tuinei's 15-year career ended following the 1997 season because of lingering problems in both knees. The two-time Pro Bowler was released in April 1998 with hopes that he'd return in the fall, but he couldn't make it back.

All the years of taking on 300-pound defenders had finally caught up to the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Tuinei, who shares the club record for longevity.

Such a record was an unlikely achievement for a player who came to the Cowboys in 1983 as an undrafted defensive lineman after playing just seven games his senior year at Hawaii.

But Tuinei caught the attention of then-coach Tom Landry and played 10 games that season. In 1985, Tuinei was moved to offense and he became a full-time starter in 1987. He saw action at several spots on the line before settling in at left tackle, where he was responsible for protecting the quarterback's back.

Despite various injuries, tough-guy Tuinei played all but nine games from 1989 to 1996. Over that span, the Cowboys went from 1-15 in Aikman's rookie year to three-time Super Bowl champs (1993, '94, '96).

One of the highlights of Tuinei's career was playing in the Pro Bowl after the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

There was no immediate word on memorial or funeral services.