Eight-year veteran Frankie Luvu has had a journey in the NFL. He first entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets in 2018, then spent several seasons with the Carolina Panthers before landing with the Washington Commanders ahead of the 2024 season.
Luvu’s hard work and dedication throughout his career haven’t gone unnoticed. He recently earned the No. 70 spot on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2025 list—a ranking voted on by fellow NFL players based on the previous season’s performance. It was a significant jump from his No. 92 ranking the year before, and Luvu is grateful that his peers recognize the effort he’s poured into the game.
“To have respect from the players and, you know, love for the game,” Luvu told NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay. “It’s just a testimony of how hard work and grit and just your routine and everything that I put into this game come into fruition.”
It’s a dream that’s been unfolding since Luvu was a young boy growing up in Tafuna, American Samoa.
“On the island I used to watch [the Top 100 list]—sometimes we didn’t watch it because we didn’t have cable, or sometimes I’d go to the neighbor’s house to watch it,” Luvu said. “So to even be recognized and be one of them, it’s just an honor.”
He recalled the moment he got the call, surprised he had made the list. “I just took that moment in,” he said. It was a full-circle moment for the Commanders linebacker. “Embracing where I was at in the beginning and where I’m at now—and further on down where I see myself 10 years from now. It’s a huge accomplishment for me.”
And while Luvu is appreciative of the recognition, he knows his work isn’t done.
“I never settled for that. You know, the job ain’t done. The job ain’t finished.”
With his sights set on reaching even greater heights, Luvu is determined to keep climbing. “Hopefully I can go for number 10 or number one this year,” he said. If his journey so far is any indication, Frankie Luvu’s rise is far from over, and the best is yet to come.
