While New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai may have been conspicuous by his physical absence from the team’s Week 12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium, the seven-year veteran was certainly with the team in spirit.

Despite missing the game due to was disclosed at the time as “personal reasons,” Tavai watched from New England as his teammates earned their 10th win of the season.

What we now know is that Tavai was spiritually willing his team to victory in Week 12 with an incredibly heavy heart. His partner, Kalei Mau, recently revealed that they were mourning the loss of their unborn daughter, Ka ua, who was due to be born in March 2026. Mau was hospitalized at Mass General from Nov. 20 through Nov. 26, accounting for Tavai’s absence during that period.

“I got an extremely rare blood infection,” Mau revealed via Instagram. “On November 20, I was placed in a medically induced coma after I was found unresponsive in my bed. I was asleep for six days. Unfortunately, with my organs failing and the sickness infecting my placenta, our baby passed away in my womb … Hours later, my body went into natural labor and Jahlani watched me deliver our baby unconscious. He said it was like my body just knew what to do.

“Her name is Ka ua, which means ‘The Rain’ in Olelo O Hawai’i. And with Ka ua, everything grows. By the grace of God and the power of prayer, I woke up and it was clear what I had to continue to live. Thank you Jesus.

“The day after I got out of the hospital, I got to kiss my daughter for the first and last time. She was perfect to me. It was so hard to leave her. But when I walked outside it started to rain and it brought me joy to know she’ll always be with me.”

Mau concluded the posting by expressing her gratitude to the doctors and hospital staff for saving her life. She also thanked the Patriots for supporting the family. The couple welcomed their first child, Honua, last year in November.

The 2025 New England Patriots have built gridiron “Ohana”

While the Hawaiian term, “Ohana” is typically reserved to express close familial ties, the 2025 Patriots have seemingly developed a bond which may find itself worthy of such a moniker. During his darkest hour, Tavai’s gridiron “Ohana” rallied to provide their “brother” with a spiritual lift.

“We just wanted him to know how much we love him, how much we care for him, and how much we care for everything he’s got going on. We’re brothers,” said tight end Hunter Henry, who immediately dedicated his Week 12 touchdown catch to the Hawaii product. After the game, the Patriots gathered as a team to FaceTime Tavai from the visitors’ locker room.

Upon his return, head coach Mike Vrabel made Tavai a game captain for the Patriots Week 13 matchup against the New York Giants — his first game back on the field since his daughter’s passing. Overwhelmed by a myriad of feelings, Tavai reportedly broke down postgame inside the locker room. Shortly thereafter, Vrabel reflected on the close ties his team has developed throughout the past few months.

“These guys have built a bond that I want to try to just help nurture and help grow throughout the team,” Vrabel said. “Jahlani is somebody like that. You see everybody reaching out and caring for each other, not just him. But it was great to see him out there, play defense, help us on special teams. He made some plays and contributed to us winning.”

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai (48) and New York Giants guard Jon Runyan (76) get into an argument after a hit on New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Tavai began his career as a second-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2019. While he showed flashes of the prowess he showed at the University of Hawaii. However, Detroit believed that his downs outweighed the ups, and released him after two seasons in September 2021. In total, Tavai appeared in 31 games during his time in the Motor City.

New England signed Tavai to their practice squad shortly after his release. In less than one month, the Pats signed him to the 53-man roster. Since that time, he has been a part of the team’s active roster — appearing in 47 regular season games and one playoff contest in 2021.

Tavai’s breakout season came in 2023 in which he played in all 17 games for the Patriots, making 16 starts. He took part in 74 percent of New England’s defensive plays — registering a career-high 110 tackles (five, for loss) five passes-defensed, four quarterback hits, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack. In fact, Tavai posted the fourth-best Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade among LBs with at least 500 snaps. Last year, Tavai recorded 115 total tackles with seven tackles for loss, a sack, and five passes-defensed.

Tavai began the 2025 season on injured reserve after suffering an undisclosed injury. He was activated ahead of New England’s Week 5 matchup against the Buffalo Bills in early October. In eight games played this season, Tavai has compiled 21 total tackles, and one tackle-for-loss.