Stephen Paea marries wife, Vika Toetuu Paea, in a beautiful all-white wedding ceremony in 2018.
Stephen Paea had a great career as a defensive tackle in the NFL, and his legacy is hard to match.
Paea was born on May 11, 1988, in Auckland, New Zealand. He grew up in Tonga before his family moved to the United States.
He played college football for the Oregon State Beavers and was named an All-American in 2010.
He also won the Morris Trophy for being the best defensive lineman in the Pac-10.
In the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears picked him.
He then played for three other teams: the Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Browns, and the Dallas Cowboys.
He made news at the NFL Combine before the 2011 season even started by doing 49 reps in the 225-pound bench press, which is still the second-most all-time.
Paea retired from the NFL in October 2017 after dealing with a degenerative knee condition that made him less effective late in his career. His career was defined by raw strength and hard work.
Former Dallas Cowboy Star, Stephen Paea, And His Wife Vika Toetuu Paea Maintain A Strong Family Bond While Keeping Their Personal Life Private
Stephen Paea married Vika Toetuu Paea on May 5, 2018, in what he described as the best day of his life.
He announced the wedding on X (formerly Twitter), calling Vika his “Queen” and best friend and openly admitting that she is “out of his league.”
The couple’s wedding looked like an elegant all-white event, with pictures showing them in formal clothes surrounded by flowers.
It’s official. My Queen and I tied the knot. 05-05-18. Best day of my life I got to marry my best friend. She’s out of my league for sure. I love you my QUEEN and this is just the beginning. #MAY5th #VVFWEDDING #VVF #55 pic.twitter.com/clIseXDb2e
— Stephen Paea (@PAEA_90) May 15, 2018
Stephen Paea wife Vika Toetuu Paea is originally from Juneau, Alaska, where she grew up.
The couple maintains a strong connection to the area, as evidenced by Stephen’s visit there in 2022 for a youth football camp.
Vika is active on social media. She goes by @queenvvf on Instagram, @VikaPaea on X, and @queenpaea on TikTok.
Her bios consistently highlight her roles as a wife and mother; she describes herself as a food lover who values family travel and cherishes a happy, private life.
Stephen and Vika have four kids together: two sons named Stephen II and Peniamina Jeannotte Paea, and a daughter named Lesieli.
Vika shared in November 2019 that they had a second son, Peniamina.
She said that Stephen picked the name and called him a “precious gift.”
In early 2020, not long after, she said with warmth and humor that the couple had two babies in a row.
She said she loved the experience but joked that she needed a break from being pregnant.
Family, faith, and partnership are at the heart of their married life.
Stephen has posted funny things on social media, like a 2019 video from the gym where Vika walks in right after he sets a personal best and asks him to change the baby’s diaper.
Vika, on the other hand, posted a heartfelt Valentine’s Day message in 2020.
It was their fourth Valentine’s Day together, and she said she would always choose him, even when he annoys her.
Stephen has said nice things about her on her birthday, calling her the love of his life, his “why,” and the best mother their kids could have.
They don’t share much about their personal lives, but the little bits they do share show that they are a couple who is very much in love, happy, and enjoying raising a family together.
