When Charlie Taumoepeau learned that he had been traded to the Seattle Sea Dragons in late January, his first reaction wasn’t joy. He was more shocked than anything else.
Coming into the 2023 XFL season, the Federal Way High School and Portland State grad was eager to prove himself after being drafted by the St. Louis Battlehawks in the 14th round of the XFL supplemental draft. So when he heard that his new squad had flipped him to Seattle, he was surprised.
“At first, I was kind of like ‘What? They traded me? Are you sure?’” Taumoepeau said. “I was honestly kind of surprised that they did trade me. I felt like I was having a pretty good camp, you know?”
Taumoepeau grew up in a family of Seahawks fans, but his favorite player was San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Right around the time that L.T. retired in 2011, the Seahawks entered the Legion of Boom era, and Taumoepeau became a fan too.
So after he’d had time to process the trade, his confusion quickly gave way to excitement.
“Once everything started to settle in, that’s kind of what I was like, ‘Oh man, like I’m playing for Seattle, like, we’re gonna be playing at Lumen Field. I’m going home,’” Taumoepeau said. “It was truly a blessing in disguise.”
For Taumoepeau, just being back on the field is the biggest blessing of all.
After graduating from Portland State in 2020, Taumoepeau spent some time with the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, and San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Detroit Lions in May 2021.
But that August, Taumoepeau was a passenger in a head-on car crash that injured his neck and fractured his fibula, forcing him to spend the entire season on the non-football injury list before the Lions released him the following March.
A few teams checked in to see how he was doing in the run-ups to OTAs and training camp, but he still wasn’t ready to go when the regular season began.
“I think by the time I was ready to go, the season had already kicked off and the XFL just ended up being that next opportunity,” Taumoepeau said. “Some people felt that I just could’ve waited the entire year, kept working out, and waited for a new year. … I’d already spent the year doing PT and recovering for so long. I wanted to be able to play football.”
Even before his injury, Taumoepeau was no stranger to defying the odds.
In high school, he played wide receiver on a “loaded” Federal Way team, but his only collegiate offer came from the Vikings.
Taumoepeau had a standout career at Portland State as a tight end, earning First Team All-Big Sky and second team All-American honors after his junior and senior seasons, which earned him a spot in the 2020 Senior Bowl.
Despite these accolades, Taumoepeau wasn’t picked in the 2020 NFL draft. But no matter, Taumoepeau is used to being overlooked. It seems to be his comfort zone.
“It’s nothing new,” Taumoepeau said. “I’ve always been in this position. To be honest, I’ve always felt kind of comfortable being counted out, because I was able to just believe in myself.”
The Sea Dragons coaching staff has come to believe in Taumoepeau too. Through two games, he has two receptions for 25 yards, and head coach Jim Haslett expects to see him get a lot more playing time this Saturday when the Sea Dragons travel to Las Vegas to play the Vipers.
“(Taumoepeau) is a guy we’ve had our eyes on as a wideout/tight end/running back kind of guy that can do a little of everything.” Haslett said. “… He’s smart, he can do multiple things for you. He’s good in the run game and the pass game. He’s got great hands, and he’ll play some running back this week also.”
No matter where he plays, Taumoepeau is excited for the opportunity.
“I see myself as a football player,” Taumoepeau said. “Special teams, offense, defense, it don’t really matter. I see myself as a complete football player who can do it all. Whatever this team needs me to do to help them win, I’m more than happy to do whatever it is they ask of me.”