Linebacker Sione Takitaki has been in the league for five seasons since being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft. However, he became a free agent following the 2023 season. Fortunately, he quickly landed a spot with the New England Patriots and has secured a two-year deal with them.
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Takitaki’s road to the NFL was full of setbacks, but his wife Alyssa Penney played a crucial role in transforming his life. He credits her as his biggest supporter and without her, he might not have made it to the NFL.
Sionne and Alyssa first met while they were both students at Brigham Young University. Sionne was playing football for BYU, and Alyssa earned a swimming scholarship. Alyssa, who grew up in Loomis, California, also faced challenges on her journey to swim for BYU.
In high school, she dealt with hip and shoulder injuries that temporarily halted her swimming career. Despite the setbacks, she never gave up on her dream of attending BYU and swimming for the team. She resumed her swimming journey after a coach from the school noticed her, and the next day she earned a scholarship at BYU in 2014. That same year, she met another freshman, Sionne Takitaki, at a bonfire.
Initially, they were just close pals, but two years later, they realized they were meant to be together. They tied the knot in August 2016, bringing them immense joy. However, Takitaki’s challenges were just beginning. In 2016, he faced setbacks in his football career and was eventually expelled from college.
The Support System Behind Sione Takitaki’s Success
In 2015, Sione Takitaki faced charges of two counts of Class B misdemeanor theft. Police claimed that Takitaki stole property from the soccer and track teams in July while he was working a night shift as a campus custodian. Takitaki pleaded guilty to one count of Class B misdemeanor theft. As a result, he was eventually expelled from school in 2016, and to make ends meet, he had to work on construction sites. In an interview back in 2020, Takitaki revealed to WKYC,
“With a good girl by my side, she definitely has me thinking about every decision and things like that. I feel like we just fit. She is a great friend for me. She is going to be a great mom. Smart girl, really smart girl. I got really lucky. She is out of my league.”
Throughout these challenges, Sione’s wife Alyssa stood by him, offering unwavering support. Despite the option to join other less prestigious programs, Alyssa encouraged him to stay and do what was right – to try and return to BYU. Sione followed her advice, earning back the trust of his football coaches who gave him another chance to play college football in 2017.
He played for BYU for two more seasons in 2017 and 2018, giving his all during that time. Across 26 games, he made 198 tackles and 9.0 sacks. A year later, he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, and since then, he hasn’t looked back.
Now, they are celebrating their eighth year of marriage, and despite facing setbacks, they have found the best life for themselves. In January 2024, Sione and Alyssa announced they would be giving birth to a baby boy this year. Sione Takitaki must feel proud of his achievements, but he’s even prouder of the love and support his wife showers him with.
