When Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton arrived for the NFL draft in Chicago wearing traditional Samoan dress and almost choked the life out of Commissioner Roger Goodell in an on-stage hug, it symbolized the amazing dominance that one tiny island and its Polynesian neighbors have in football.

Five Polynesian players were selected in the first 66 picks of the 2015 NFL draft, the most ever for the first three rounds. More than 70 players in the NFL are of Polynesian descent. There are 30 players from American Samoa in the NFL and more than 200 play Division I NCAA Football. A Samoan male is 56 times more likely to play in the NFL than an American non-Samoan.

Super Bowl champions Jesse Sapolu and Ma'a Tanuvasa along with Kevin Kaplan and his company Coaching Charities decided to pay recognition to the contributions by establishing a Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2013. It had its first group of inductees the next year including players like Junior Seau, Kevin Mawae and Jack Thompson ("The Throwing Samoan").

Earlier this year it inducted players like Sapolu and Mark Tuinei. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, selected second in this year's draft was honored as the 2014 college player of the year. The hall is located in the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu in Hawaii.

A pioneering group of college coaches recognized the uniqueness of Polynesia (Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Easter Island and New Zealand) in the quality of football athletes it produces. Dick Vermeil, Dick Tomey and LaVell Edwards made early trips. Former Hawaii and SMU coach June Jones established a special relationship with Samoa and established a foundation there to help with Samoan athletics.

"They have a unique culture that venerates family and work ethic," coach Jones says."There is an amazing spirit and feeling that one feels interacting with these warm and spiritual people."

The tiny island of Samoa, often referred to as "Football Island," has a population of 65,000 people. This is smaller than my city of Newport Beach, a very active and athletic area that has only Matt Barkley in the NFL. How is the hyper-productivity of Samoa even possible?

It starts with a culture that emphasizes community, self-discipline, respect, and spirituality. Families are close and supportive. The athletes tend to be humble, it may be the last bastion of youth outside the American South that says, "Yes, Sir." There is pride instead of jealousy for the accomplishments of other athletes. Passion for every activity is bred into young Samoans.

Physical anthropology somehow must play into the massive size and strength and speed of most of the athletes. One theory holds that the residents migrated far in the past from much colder climes and needed bodies that could add weight to protect them. Another theory is that there was a history of strife and warfare and a love of contact is part of the culture. There is poverty present in Samoa and other islands which serves as a motivating factor in using sports to advance.

The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame will continue to grow with the rising number of Polynesian players at every level. It celebrates a special culture and tradition. Tiny Samoa is an amazingly anomaly in the history of sports.

-- Leigh Steinberg has represented many of the most successful athletes and coaches in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, boxing and golf, including the first overall pick in the NFL draft an unprecedented eight times, among more than 60 first-round selections. His clients have included Hall of Fame quarterbacks Steve Young, Troy Aikman and Warren Moon, and he served as the inspiration for the movie "Jerry Maguire." Follow him on Twitter @leighsteinberg.

Related: 'Samoan Sage' Jesse Sapolu Reflects On His Career

How Super Bowl Losers Fare Next Season

 

2015 Seattle Seahawks

Lost Super Bowl XLIX to Patriots 28-24 on Feb. 1, 2015.
2015 regular season: 10-6, second in NFC West.
2015 playoffs: Won at Minnesota 10-9 in wild-card game. Lost at Carolina 31-24 in divisional round.
Notable: Overcame 2-4 start to earn wild-card spot.

 

2014 Denver Broncos

Lost Super Bowl XLVIII to Seahawks 43-8 on Feb. 2, 2014.
2014 regular season: 12-4, first in AFC West.
2014 playoffs: Lost at home to Colts 24-13 in divisional round.
Notable: Broncos were the AFC's only unbeaten team at home in the regular season and the only NFL team with its offense and defense ranked in the top five.

 

2013 San Francisco 49ers

Lost Super Bowl XLVII to Ravens 34-31 on Feb. 3, 2013.
2013 regular season: 12-4, second in NFC West. 2013 playoffs: Beat Packers 23-20 in wild-card game. Beat Panthers 23-10 in divisional round. Lost at Seattle 23-17 in NFC championship game.
Notable: 49ers reached the Seahawks' 18-yard line in final minute of NFC championship game, but Seattle held on with an interception in the end zone.

 

2012 New England Patriots

Lost Super Bowl XLVI to Giants 21-17 on Feb. 5, 2012.
2012 regular season: 12-4, first in AFC East.
2012 playoffs: Defeated Houston Texans 41-28 in divisional round. Lost at home to Ravens 28-13 in the AFC championship game.
Notable: Tom Brady passes for 320 yards but throws two interceptions in Ravens' territory.

 

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers

Lost Super Bowl XLV to Packers 31-25 on Feb. 6 2011.
2011 regular season: 12-4, second in AFC North.
2011 playoffs: Lost to Broncos 29-23 in the wild-card game.
Notable: The playoff loss at Denver is also the peak of Tebowmania. The Broncos win on the first play of overtime as Tim Tebow connects with Demaryius Thomas on an 80-yard touchdown pass.

 

2010 Indianapolis Colts

Lost Super Bowl XLIV to Saints 31-17 on Feb. 7, 2010.
2010 regular season: 10-6, first in AFC South.
2010 playoffs: Lost at home to Jets 17-16 in the wild-card game.
Notable: The playoff loss to the Jets is Peyton Manning's final game as a Colt.

 

2009 Arizona Cardinals

Lost Super Bowl XLIII to Steelers 27-23 on Feb. 1, 2009.
2009 regular season: 10-6, first in NFC West.
2009 playoffs: Defeated Green Bay Packers 51-45 in wild-card game. Lost at New Orleans 45-14 in divisional round.
Notable: The playoff loss to the Saints is the last game of Kurt Warner's career.

 

2008 New England Patriots

Lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants 17-14 on Feb. 3, 2008.
2008 regular season: 11-5, second in AFC East.
2008 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: The Patriots lose QB Tom Brady for the season to an ACL tear sustained in the opening game when hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard.

 

2007 Chicago Bears

Lost Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts 29-17 on Feb. 4, 2007.
2007 regular season: 7-9, fourth in NFC North.
2007 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: Devin Hester ties the NFL single-season record with four punt returns for touchdowns.

 

2006 Seattle Seahawks

Lost Super Bowl XL to Steelers 21-10 on Feb. 5, 2006.
2006 regular season: 9-7, first in NFC West.
2006 playoffs: Beat Cowboys 21-20 in wild-card game. Lost at Chicago 27-24 in divisional round.
Notable: The playoff win against Dallas is perhaps best remembered for Tony Romo's botching the hold on a short field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter.

 

2005 Philadelphia Eagles

Lost Super Bowl XXXIX to Patriots 24-21 on Feb. 6, 2005.
2005 regular season: 6-10, fourth in NFC East.
2005 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: Midway through the 2005 season, the Eagles suspend Terrell Owens for detrimental conduct, and he never plays for the team again.

 

2004 Carolina Panthers

Lost Super Bowl XXXVIII to Patriots 32-29 on Feb. 1, 2004.
2004 regular season: 7-9, third in NFC South.
2004 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: The Panthers compile a five-game winning streak at one point, but a 1-7 start is too much to overcome.

 

2003 Oakland Raiders

Lost Super Bowl XXXVII to Buccaneers 48-21 on Jan. 26, 2003.
2003 regular season: 4-12, third in AFC West.
2003 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: The Raiders' 2003 home finale becomes a memorable NFL moment as Brett Favre throws for 399 yards and four touchdowns on the night his father dies.

 

2002 St. Louis Rams

Lost Super Bowl XXXVI to Patriots 20-17 on Feb. 3, 2002.
2002 regular season: 7-9, second in NFC West.
2002 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: A hand injury to Kurt Warner leads to friction between his wife, Brenda, a nurse, and coach Mike Martz.

 

2001 New York Giants

Lost Super Bowl XXXV to Ravens 34-7 on Jan. 28, 2001.
2001 regular season: 7-9, third in NFC East.
2001 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: The Giants play the last NFL game before the 9/11 attacks, returning from a Monday night game in Denver just hours earlier.

 

2000 Tennessee Titans

Lost Super Bowl XXXIV to Rams 23-16 on Jan. 30, 2000.
2000 regular season: 13-3, first in AFC Central.
2000 playoffs: Lost at home to Ravens 24-10 in divisional round.
Notable: The Titans defense allows no touchdowns in the final three regular-season games, and in the playoff loss, it gives up just one as Ravens score TDs on special teams and interception return.

 

1999 Atlanta Falcons

Lost Super Bowl XXXIII to the Broncos 34-19 on Jan. 31, 1999.
1999 regular season: 5-11, third in NFC West.
1999 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: Atlanta scores more than 20 points just once its first 10 games of the 1999 season.

 

1998 Green Bay Packers

Lost Super Bowl XXXII to the Broncos 31-24 on Jan. 25 1998.
1998 regular season: 11-5, second in NFC Central.
1998 playoffs: Lost at San Francisco 30-27 in the wild-card game.
Notable: Playoff loss to the 49ers comes on what San Francisco fans call "The Catch II" as Terrell Owens grabs a 25-yard touchdown pass from Steve Young in the end zone on the final play.

 

1997 New England Patriots

Lost Super Bowl XXXI to Packers 35-21 on Jan. 26, 1997.
1997 regular season: 10-6, first in AFC East.
1997 playoffs: Beat Dolphins 17-3 in the wild-card game. Lost at Pittsburgh 7-6 in divisional round.
Notable: This was Pete Carroll's first season as Patriots coach, replacing Bill Parcells, who had gone to the Jets.

 

1996 Pittsburgh Steelers

Lost Super Bowl XXX to Cowboys 27-17 on Jan. 28, 1996.
1996 regular season: 10-6, first in AFC Central.
1996 playoffs: Beat Colts 42-14 in the wild-card game. Lost at New England 28-3 in divisional round.
Notable: This is Jerome Bettis' first season in Pittsburgh after being traded from the Rams, who consider the Bus to be expendable because they drafted Lawrence Phillips.

 

1995 San Diego Chargers

Lost Super Bowl XXIX to San Francisco 49ers 49-26 on Jan. 29, 1995.
1995 regular season: 9-7, second in AFC West.
1995 playoffs: Lost at home to Colts 35-20 in the wild-card game.
Notable: The playoff loss to the Colts features Indianapolis quarterback Jim Harbaugh throwing for two touchdowns and running for another.

 

1994 Buffalo Bills

Lost Super Bowl XXVIII to Dallas Cowboys 30-13 on Jan. 30 1994.
1994 regular season: 7-9, fourth in AFC East.
1994 playoffs: Missed playoffs.
Notable: The Bills return to the playoffs in 1995, but they have not qualified since 1999.

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