FOXBOROUGH – It started as a joke.
While on the Patriots’ practice field, Khyiris Tonga would hear from members of the offensive coaching staff. They told him to get ready for special goal-line packages where the offense would need him to come in at fullback.
A 6-foot-2, 335-pound nose tackle, Tonga has made a living by clogging up the middle of a defensive line. He proved his worth that way in Chicago, Minnesota, and Arizona. This season, Tonga proved his worth to the Patriots by being a forceful presence on their defensive line.
Two weeks ago, however, those jokes turned into reality when Mike Vrabel asked Tonga to play one snap at fullback in the team’s win over Atlanta. On Sunday, in Tampa Bay, Tonga took it to another level, playing a career-high eight snaps on offense to go with 28 snaps on defense and four snaps on special teams as a part of the field goal protection unit.
“It was just a joke,” Tonga said. “‘Alright, get ready. If we ever put you in goal line, can you do it?’ Jokingly, I said yes, and next thing you know, I’m over here sitting with the o-line, looking at d-line fronts.
“It’s fun. I enjoy it. The trust they’ve got in me, I’m grateful to have it. I’m just trying to do whatever they ask me to do.”
Tonga, a 29-year-old NFL veteran of five seasons, is one of the Patriots’ most underrated players. As a defensive tackle, he’s a strong, disruptive force on the defensive line. Tonga started a career-high four games and has 16 tackles, two for loss, with a pass breakup and quarterback hit.
He also puts his body on the line on special teams, working as a protector, stopping incoming players from blocking Andy Borregales’ field goal attempts.
On Sunday, Tonga’s play at fullback had everyone on offense talking. As soon as offensive linemen heard his name announced, they said it gave the group a spark in the huddle.
“It’s so exciting, especially watching him run on the field,” left guard Jared Wilson said. “You’re in the huddle, you’re just like, ‘Tonga!’ It’s the greatest thing ever.”
“It’s a good feeling,” added right guard Mike Onwenu. “I feel like he’s definitely a hard worker and competitor. Anytime he’s out there, I know something good’s going to happen.”
Last weekend, Tonga was first called upon at 9:19 of the first quarter on fourth-and-1. On the snap, he smashed into the back of Wilson and through the Buccaneers’ defensive line, springing Terrell Jennings for a 2-yard gain.
The play that had everyone talking came with 1:43 left in the game. Tonga exploded out of the backfield, leading the way for TreVeyon Henderson. As a fullback, he hit the first Buccaneers defender he saw and then, like a bowling ball, crashed into left tackle Will Campbell and took down several more players.
“I felt bad for my guy, Will. I got him bad,” Tonga said.
By the end, five Buccaneers players were on the ground, and Henderson ran in for a 69-yard touchdown.
“I saw a picture of it – five dudes on the ground,” Henderson said. “Man, I really appreciate Tonga. I know that’s not an easy job to do, playing both sides and on special teams. I got a lot of respect for him.”
Campbell noted the apology wasn’t necessary.
“He’s a great player on defense, and he comes over and helps us on offense,” the rookie left tackle said. “He gets a lot of movement when he hits guys. He’s powerful. He’s awesome.”
Vrabel credited Tonga for his athleticism, saying he does a great job of quickly getting out of his stance and getting in front of the running back. A defensive tackle in the NFL, Tonga played tight end in high school at Granger in West Valley City, Utah. When he went to college, he thought his days of playing offense were over.
Tonga’s first offensive snap in the NFL came during his 2021 rookie season in Chicago. He played fullback one time, clearing the way for a David Montgomery 2-yard touchdown.
After signing a contract with the Patriots in free agency, he’s proven to be a valuable chess piece for Vrabel.
“That’s a guy that plays on three phases. Helped us win defensively, helped us win offensively, and then goes out there and stands in the way of three guys on the field goal protection unit,” Vrabel said. “… We need a little bigger size in there to try to push the pile a little bit and get some movement. I think he does a nice job at it, too. He’s got a good feel for it. Helped us in the short yardage in Atlanta and helped us last week. I know that if asked and called upon, he’ll be willing to help us again.”
Over the last three years, Tonga’s focus was on defense, where he proved to be a valuable nose tackle. That changed this season, much to the delight of his Patriots offensive teammates when they hear his name called.
“We’re fired up. We know he’s about to headhunt someone. That’s a big body that moves with a lot of force,” center Garrett Bradbury said. “The coaches are doing a great job of putting him in positions to help us offensively. He’s doing it on special teams, defense, and offense. He’s a good football player. I was with him in Minnesota, so I knew how good he is.”
“It’s cool to hear his perspective in being in the offensive huddle,” right tackle Morgan Moses added. “He’s like, ‘Damn, you really listen to those play calls like that?’ But man, Tonga’s been great. He’s been great since the first day I got here as a teammate and a brother.
“He’s the definition of what we want to be as a team – selfless. He’s done a great job being in there.”
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