Place of birth: Kawanishi, Hyogo Height 1.80 m College: Ritsumeikan University Weight 102 kg | Name Masafumi Kawaguchi Positions Linebacker Role American football player | |
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Date of birth: (1973-02-19) February 19, 1973 (age 42) Education San Clemente High School, Ritsumeikan University | ||
Masafumi Kawaguchi: Football Linebacker
Masafumi Kawaguchi (born February 19, 1973) is a former Japanese player of American football. He was born in Kawanishi, Hyogo and introduced to football during his senior year at San Clemente High School in California, when he moved there at the age of 17. He enrolled at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto as an international relations major. He played for seven years with the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe from 1997 to 2004. He was named to the All-NFL Europe Team in 1999.
In 1998, he was among the first four Japanese players to participate in an NFL training camp when he participated in the Green Bay Packers camp. In 2003, he was invited to the San Francisco 49ers training camp in 2003, and participated in the American Bowl exhibition game in the Osaka game between the 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. He signed with the 49ers in 2003 but was released before the start of the season.
Kawaguchi played a key role on the Japanese national team that won the International Federation of American Football 1999 World Cup.