The New York Giants signed former Colorado Buffaloes defensive tackle Josh Tupou from their practice squad to the active roster Wednesday, adding a familiar Boulder name to the 53-man roster ahead of Monday night’s game at the Los Angeles Rams.

The move was announced via the NFL transaction wire.

Tupou, 32, is a 6-foot-3, 350-pound space-eater who spent four seasons in Boulder from 2012 to 2016 (he missed 2015 after a team suspension).

He started 38 games for the Buffs, finished with 124 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, and earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors in 2014 and 2016.

As a senior, he started all 14 games, including the Alamo Bowl, and shared CU’s Defensive Trench Award as the front seven’s top performer on a defense that ranked second in the Pac-12. He also played in the East-West Shrine Game.

Undrafted in 2017, Tupou stuck in the NFL the hard way.

He spent six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, later bounced between the Baltimore Ravens and a brief Indianapolis Colts stint, and has appeared in 71 regular-season games with 23 starts, 94 tackles and three sacks.

He signed with the Giants in May, reuniting with head coach John Harbaugh after two years in Baltimore, was cut at the end of camp, and returned to the practice squad.

Wednesday’s move puts him back on the 53.

For Colorado fans, the promotion is another reminder of how long a Buffs lineman can last if he can occupy blockers and hold the point.

Tupou was never a headline rusher in Boulder; he was the immovable nose who let others run free. That same profile is why New York called him up as Week 2 depth.

The Giants opened 1-0 with a 28-20 win over Dallas. Tupou’s next chance comes Monday night in Los Angeles.

For a player who once anchored CU’s line through lean years and a Pac-12 revival, another active-roster week is the latest chapter in a career built on staying ready.