Former Army Ranger and Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva to be Awarded at the 2023 Hula Bowl

Alejandro Villanueva is well known around the NFL, because he dominated for the Pittsburgh Steelers for several years becoming one of the top offensive lineman in the NFL. Villanueva is a true trailblazer because his path to the NFL was not like many others. 

After graduating from the Army football team in 2010, Villanueva would receive a workout with the Cincinnati Bengals as a tight end. Villanueva would not make it with the Bengals, but would eventually get another shot from the Bears on a tryout basis. He failed to get signed by the Bears as well. Villanueva then had to make a life decision. He decided to continue with his military career to serve our country. Villanueva would serve in the Army Rangers, earning a Bronze Star, while serving three tours of duty in Afghanistan. 

Villanueva’s NFL dreams were not over.  In 2014 he returned to the sates, and paid $245.00 dollars to attend a Regional Combine in Flowery Branch, Georgia.  This that would turn out to be the best $245 dollars ever spent. During this time, the NFL held 10 regional combines nationwide and had over 3,000 prospects attend. In April 2014, Big Al was one of 240 prospects invited to the NFL super regional combine in Detroit, where he met with representatives from the Philadelphia Eagles.

On May 5, 2014 he would sign a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to play defensive end. Villanueva was content, that if he did not make the roster he would serve another tour overseas. 

Villanueva would gain 40 pounds in mini camp, however a few months later in August he was released by the team.

It wouldn’t be long after this outing, that Villanueva’s journey would truly begin in the NFL. Mike Tomlin loved Villanueva’s size and athleticism, and signed him to the Steelers practice squad a few days later in August of 2014. 

He made a position switch to offensive tackle and the rest is history! In 2015, Villanueva landed an opportunity to play when Kelvin Beachum tore his ACL against the Arizona Cardinals. The next week against the Chiefs, Villanueva landed his first career start. He would finish with 12 starts throughout the season. 

In 2015, he was named the starting left tackle for the Steelers, and he would hold that spot for the next five years, earning a Pro Bowl selection in both 2017 and 2018. 

Villanueva went on to play with the Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2022. 

This year, the Hula Bowl is proud to announce Alejandro Villanueva will be the 2023 Hula Bowl Trailblazer Award Winner.  Villanueva has been selected for his amazing sacrifice and service as a decorated member of our Armed Forces, as well as a terrific football player. 

The Hula Bowl was established in 1946 as the Hula Bowl All-Star Football Classic game. The top 100 college football players are selected from all across the United States, as well as Australia, Japan, Canada and Polynesia. Football players are given a great opportunity to perform and impress all 32 NFL Scouts and Player Personnel with their abilities. 

The Hula Bowl All-Star game remains one of the longest-running college football all-star games in History.  Over the past 76 years, the Hula Bowl has hosted Heisman Trophy winners, and many legendary players including Deion Sanders, Vince Ferragamo, Eric Dickerson, Drew Brees, Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino, Jesse Sapolu, Samoa Samoa, Billy Sims, Ricky Williams, Tim Brown, Marcus Allen, and more.  Following the 2022 game, the Hula Bowl had over 70 players that were either drafted, signed contracts as free agents, or invited to camp by NFL Teams in pursuing their professional football careers.

The Hula Bowl football game has historically been featured in January each year on the island of Oahu, but will be hosted in Orlando, Florida on the campus of The University of Central Florida (UCF) at its infamous “bounce House” for 2023. To learn more, please visit https://www.hulabowl.com/.