While growing up on the island of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga, former Eagles kick returner Vai Sikahema always dreamed of becoming a professional boxer.

Even at age seven, when his family moved to the United States, he remained focused on that dream. He later fought in the National Golden Gloves Championship and performed well. The eventual national champion was a young talent named Sugar Ray Leonard.

Sikahema's brief boxing stint helps to better explain Sikahema's famous touchdown celebration during the 1992 season.

KR Vai Sikahema

"My greatest moment as an Eagle is definitely when I returned the punt 87 yards for a touchdown to win the game at the Giants, I believe still an Eagles record, and then started punching the Giants goal post in the end zone," said Sikahema, a former two-time All-Pro who played the 1992-93 seasons with the Eagles and then retired.

"I was punching the goal post as a tribute to my father who hoped to see me as a pro boxer. That was my way of saying thanks for all you've done because he was watching the game."

Sikahema, a football standout at Brigham Young University, was a former teammate of Eagles head coach Andy Reid.

"He was a great teammate, extremely smart guy, great mind. He always asked a lot of questions, and would get the chalk and actually diagram plays on the chalkboard," recalled Sikahema.

While attending the Provo campus, Sikahema was able to serve a Mormon mission. That experience left a lasting impression on his life.

"I was sent to South Dakota and that was a very humbling experience," he said. "I was able to learn so much about the church. The whole experience rooted me in both faith and speech."

Sikahema's comunications degree, along with hard work and talent, has helped him become the current sports anchor for NBC 10 News in Philadelphia.

"I was with the Cardinals team during my rookie season and did some sports broadcasting," Sikahema said. "I loved what I was doing and put a small resume together realizing I had some potential in television while playing. And I was fortunate to land a position with NBC-10 after my career was over."

Although working at the station at times can be very demanding, the former Eagle uses athletic competition to relax.

"I enjoy playing golf with my youngest son who is a very good golfer," Sikahema said. "I also really enjoy playing tennis with ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio and Fox Sports analyst and former Eagles teammate Brian Baldinger."

Vai Sikahema

In addition, Sikahema and his family donate a lot of time to the Special Olympics and the Boy Scouts of America.

"All three of my sons are Boy Scouts, with my oldest son being an Eagle Scout and my second oldest is about to become an Eagle Scout," Sikahema said. "And we're big supporters of the Special Olympics and everything they represent, the idea that sports can bring people of all ability levels together and just have a great time."

Sikahema currently resides in Mount Laurel, N.J., with his wife Keala and four children: Landon, L.J., Trey, and Lana.

Even today, Sikahema still has a love for boxing and would recommend his two favorite books to avid sports fans, A Flame of Fire, which is a story about boxing great Jack Dempsey, and When Pride Still Mattered: The Life of Vince Lombardi, because both books display the heart of a champion, which is what Sikahema is all about.