Around the same time, his older brother was dealing with every football player’s worst nightmare: a potential career-ending injury. A severe neck injury led doctors to advise him to medically retire.
But Keleki knew his idol wouldn’t take no for an answer. Laiatu battled to get back on the field, using the work ethic he instilled in his younger brother to get medically cleared to play two years after being sidelined.
“He’s relentless towards his choice. He doesn’t give up,” Keleki said. “… He has great standards that he holds upon himself, which I’ve tried to emulate.”
Laiatu returned to the field like he never left and put together an impressive end to his college career. The Indianapolis Colts took notice and selected him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Keleki went undrafted in the 2025 Draft a year after his brother, signing with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent. It was now his turn to fight through his own adversity.
“Everyone goes through their own struggles in life, and that was his,” Keleki said. “Mine is a different story, but no matter what, me and my brother adjust to any problems. We’re never giving up. We love this game too much to sacrifice. We’re just going to take any possible way we can get on the field.”
Using the struggles as motivation
Keleki earned himself a spot on the Bills practice squad for the 2025 season after a standout camp. His coaches noticed the work ethic he inherited from his older brother, watching as he went above and beyond to set himself apart.
“Keleki used that past season [to develop], not just as a practice squad guy,” head coach Joe Brady said. “Not like, ‘I’m just on the practice squad, I’m not going to play…’ He took advantage of it, staying after, doing what he had to do with [TE coach Rob Boras], living in the weight room. And then you saw that translate to the field.”