Stephen Paea

Retired

Dallas Cowboys · DT

Stephen Paea recorded 65 indexed regular-season NFL appearances across 7 rostered seasons with Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears.

Best highlights

1.9

tackles/gm

playoff games

indexed seasons

career games

Five defining games

Start here

A provisional five-game introduction to Stephen Paea's most significant indexed performances.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Chicago Bears

Regular Season · Nov 23, 2014

2 tackles · 2 sacks · 0 INT

Chicago Bears vs Denver Broncos

Regular Season · Dec 11, 2011

2 tackles · 1 sacks · 0 INT

Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears

Regular Season · Oct 16, 2011

2 tackles · 1 sacks · 0 INT

New Orleans Saints vs Washington Commanders

Regular Season · Nov 15, 2015

3 tackles · 1 sacks · 0 INT

Chicago Bears vs Atlanta Falcons

Regular Season · Oct 12, 2014

2 tackles · 1 sacks · 0 INT

Single-game peaks

Career highs

Position-relevant single-game records from Stephen Paea's indexed NFL box scores.

Career high: 7 total tackles

Cincinnati Bengals vs Chicago Bears

Regular Season · Sep 8, 2013

7 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 0 INT

Career highs: 2 sacks · 2 tackles for loss · 4 quarterback hits

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Chicago Bears

Regular Season · Nov 23, 2014

2 tackles · 2 sacks · 0 INT

Career high: 1 forced fumble

Washington Commanders vs New England Patriots

Regular Season · Nov 8, 2015

2 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Career chapters

Franchise eras

Follow the team eras that shaped Stephen Paea's career, in chronological order.

Earliest → latest

Franchise era

2004–2012

Stephen Paea

Brian Urlacher

Devin Hester

Takeaways and special teams reach the Super Bowl

Chicago Bears · Urlacher and Lovie's defense

Lovie Smith restored the defense-first formula, and Hester's return brilliance helped the 2006 Bears reach Super Bowl XLI.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

2013–present

Stephen Paea

Khalil Mack

Justin Fields

Elite defensive peaks meet repeated offensive resets

Chicago Bears · The quarterback search continues

The 2018 defense briefly restored contention, but Chicago has continued rebuilding its offense in pursuit of the long-awaited franchise quarterback.

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Franchise era

2012–2022

Stephen Paea

Robert Griffin III

Ryan Kerrigan

A spectacular rookie season gives way to a decade of change

Washington Commanders · RGIII's spark and the identity crisis

Griffin's 2012 offense electrified the league before injury, while the franchise later changed its name and continued cycling through quarterbacks.

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Franchise era

1999–2017

Stephen Paea

Joe Thomas

Josh Cribbs

An expansion-style rebirth becomes a long rebuild

Cleveland Browns · The Browns return

The restored franchise returned in 1999 but cycled through leadership and quarterbacks, with Thomas providing Hall of Fame stability amid the turnover.

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Franchise era

2016–present

Stephen Paea

Dak Prescott

Ezekiel Elliott

Regular-season excellence meets January frustration

Dallas Cowboys · Dak, Zeke and the modern contenders

Prescott's immediate rise and Parsons's defensive impact kept Dallas among the league's most talented teams without a return to the conference championship game.

Read the era story →

Stephen Paea

Start here

Career highs

Franchise eras

Chicago Bears · Urlacher and Lovie's defense

Chicago Bears · The quarterback search continues

Washington Commanders · RGIII's spark and the identity crisis

Cleveland Browns · The Browns return

Dallas Cowboys · Dak, Zeke and the modern contenders

NFL appearances

Stephen Paea

Start here

Career highs

Franchise eras

Chicago Bears · Urlacher and Lovie's defense

Chicago Bears · The quarterback search continues

Washington Commanders · RGIII's spark and the identity crisis

Cleveland Browns · The Browns return

Dallas Cowboys · Dak, Zeke and the modern contenders

Career accomplishments

Team history

NFL appearances

Career accomplishments

Team history