Chargers' tight end is Ram tough

By: MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Friday, August 17, 2007 11:41 PM PDT ∞

ST. LOUIS --- Brandon Manumaleuna views his return to St. Louis as a chance to see good friends and former teammates. He attaches no particular significance to going back to the area where he played his first five NFL seasons.

But that doesn't mean the Chargers' tight end won't spend a few minutes reminiscing about some of the memories associated with playing for the Rams.

"I got the chance to play in a few Super Bowls and some playoff games," Manumaleuna said. "I played with a lot of future Hall of Famers, so it was a great experience."

The Chargers visit St. Louis tonight in a preseason game at the Edwards Jones Dome, and Manumaleuna will go about his usual business of doing the overlooked little things that help a team. A renowned blocker, the 6-foot-2, 288-pound Manumaleuna also wouldn't mind doing something that makes Rams fans notice that he's back in the building.

"Maybe catch a pass and get booed a little," Manumaleuna said.

Catching the football is low on the list of what makes Manumaleuna a valued member of the Chargers. When the team extended his contract through 2009 earlier this summer, it was a move made more for his blocking and versatility than his receiving skills.

Simply put, Manumaleuna is a player who excels at doing the dirty work while others are grabbing the glory.

"You need those kind of guys on your team," fellow tight end Antonio Gates said. "Any time you have a group of guys, certain people get recognition and certain people don't, but ultimately it's the group itself. Even though certain things are not always about Brandon, he helps me out. I always refer to him as a partner because without him, there would be no me.

"He does so many things well and helps me in certain aspects of my game. We're very fortunate that we have a guy like that on our team."

Gates isn't the only Chargers star who raves about Manumaleuna. Quarterback Philip Rivers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson also gush over his contributions to the team. New coach Norv Turner, too, has quickly become a fan.

Yet head to a Chargers game, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the stands wearing Manumaleuna's No. 86 jersey. And that is just fine with Manumaleuna, who starred at Arizona before the Rams drafted him in the fourth round in 2001.

"It's more being respected by your peers and teammates and people around the league," Manumaleuna said. "People who watch football might notice me more so than just average fans.

"It's being able to have the respect of the peers. That's a big factor."

Manumaleuna, 27, certainly can catch the ball when it's tossed his way. He has 80 career receptions in six seasons, nine for touchdowns. Last season, he caught 14 passes for 91 yards and three touchdowns in his first year with the Chargers.

The Chargers acquired him in a trade during the 2006 NFL draft, and it was a deal that excited Manumaleuna. Though he started 55 games for the Rams from 2002-05, he decided not to take part in the team's offseason workouts. He knew it was time to move on.

So getting shipped to the Chargers and trading Midwest humidity for Southern California sunshine ---- he grew up in Torrance ---- was like a breath of fresh air. Then the Chargers went 14-2 in the regular season before the playoff loss to New England.

"The teams I had been on in St. Louis were all pretty good," Manumaleuna said. "Then to come here and continue to be on a playoff team and on a team that some people might say is a favorite (this year) is good. It keeps you refreshed and rejuvenated."

If the Chargers end a playoff victory drought that dates to the 1994 season, the credit will mainly go to guys like Tomlinson, Rivers, Gates and linebacker Shawne Merriman. But the players in the locker room will know that the soft-spoken Manumaleuna has done his part.

"Brandon is one of those smooth cats off the field," Gates said. "On the field, he's as tough as they come, man."

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.