Netflix's Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist; What Happened To Manti Te'O After The Catfishing
In 2022, many are easily able to tell a real account on social media from a catfish. But ten years ago, the term "catfish" wasn't even popular among internet users, causing them to fall prey to the devious persons behind those accounts. Netflix's two part docuseries Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist tells the story of Manti Te'o, a college football star, who fell in love and got into a relationship with his online girlfriend, Lennay Kukah.
Te'o had an exceptional senior year as a defensive linebacker playing at the University of Notre Dame, a feat he attributed to the death of his grandmother and girlfriend. Te'o's perseverance in the place of pain made his story headline worthy for several media outlets. But in the months following his celebrated strength, it was discovered that his deceased girlfriend, Lennay Kukah, never existed. The shocking revelation saw Te'O's promising career dwindle to spiraling low. Here's what happened to Manti Te'o a decade after the catfishing scandal.
8 Why The Media Turned On Manti Te'o
After Deadspin's expose on the college football player, things began to go left for Manti Te'o. The once celebrated best college football's best defensive player became one of the most disliked athletes in America.
Te'o and his family were hounded for weeks after the story broke out, with many outfits convinced that it was a scheme by the player to have a dramatic tale to push his popularity among football fans.
7 Did The Scandal Affect Manti Te'o's NFL Drafting?
Manti Te'o's insane work ethic and defensive abilities made him one of the likeliest players to be drafted to the biggest teams in the NFL. But, after the scandal, his poor performance and questions bordering on his sexuality cast a cloud of doubt on the minds of NFL recruiters.
Due to the impact of the girlfriend hoax, Te'o, who was projected to be drafted in the first round, dropped to the second round and was drafted to the San Diego Chargers.
6 Manti Te'o Went To Therapy
After the scandal, playing football was never the same for Manti Te'o. In the Netflix documentary, the football player revealed that he started experiencing anxiety whenever he was on the field. As a result, Te'o was unable to give his optimal performance at San Diego Chargers.
Ultimately, he sought a therapist's help to pull through his difficulty. To this day, Te'o continues to see a therapist to deal with uncomfortable challenges in his life.
5 Manti Te'o Never Wavered In His Faith
One of the highlights of the Netflix documentary was the American football Linebacker's devotion to his religion. Like many Polynesian families, his family's ideals were built around family, football, and faith, so he was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Despite the severity of the 2012 scandal that almost buried his career, Manti Te'o remained steadfast in his relationship with God. Recently, the football star was spotted heading to church with his pregnant wife on their anniversary.
4 Manti Te'o Found Love After The Catfish Scandal
Love gave Manti Te'o a second chance, and this time not in the hands of a girlfriend who didn't exist. In 2016, the linebacker and his fitness enthusiast girlfriend, Jovi Nicole Engbino, went Instagram official with their relationship.
Four years after they went public, the couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in California. The couple, who have been married for two years, share a daughter Hiromi and have another son on the way.
3 Is Manti Te'o Still Playing Football?
After he was drafted to the San Diego Chargers as a second-round pick in 2013, Manti Te'o played with the club for four seasons.
In 2017, he joined the New Orleans Saints on a two-year contract before moving to Chicago Bears in 2020. Currently, the defensive linebacker is a free agent with no intention of returning to football. Te'o is content with living his life as a father and a husband.
2 Is Manti Te'O Still Friends WIth Ronaiah?
No, Manti Te'o and Ronaiah Tuiasosopo are no longer friends. With their relationship built on the foundations of lies, and the scandal's aftermath on their individual lives, there was no room for their friendship to continue.
Although estranged, Te'O and Ronaiah hold no grudge against one another. For the linebacker, forgiving Ronaiah was difficult, but it was the first step to healing. Ultimately, forgiving the catfisher helped the NFL star regain peace and focus in his life.
1 Manti Te'o Returned To Notre Dame
Following the debut of the documentary that properly detailed the events of 2012, the NFL star and his wife recently paid a visit to Notre Dame, where it all started.
In September, Manti Te'O addressed the Irish Nation squad at his alma mater before their Victory march. In his emotional speech, he attributed his success as a pro football player to the school. "I owe this school everything, including you all. You're all my friends," he shared.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGiuoZmkYrWivM%2BepZ6cXam8brnAp6uiZaSavG6txa2cq2WknbJur8CtnaKrmJ67qHnSnJinnJGheq%2Bx05%2BjorCjYsKvwM6lm2asmJp6qLXRpZ2roZWjsW7Dx6hknaGUo8Fusdeiqq1n