Manti Malietau Louis Te'o (/ˈmæntaɪ ˈtɛʔoʊ/ MAN-ty TEH-'oh; born January 26, 1991) is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. Te'o played college football at Notre Dame, where he was a consensus All-American and received eight national awards. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, and played in the NFL until 2021. In 2012, Te'o became the victim of a major catfishing scandal when Naya Tuiasosopo created a fake online persona named Lennay Kekua with whom Te'o became romantically involved.