| PRO Unquestioned leader of the Buccaneers and arguably the most respected player in the NFL… Dominating linebacker who has been the cornerstone for the league’s best defense of the last decade… Devoted and inspirational player who demands and receives total commitment from his teammates… Leads by example, routinely making game-changing plays and forcing opponents to game plan for him… Prototypical linebacker for Tampa-2 defense, displaying unique skills as a run and pass defender... Excellent open-field tackler who boasts exceptional speed and recognition... Ultimate professional who is a steady force on the field and in the locker room... Long considered one of NFL’s best linebackers, earned club-record 10th consecutive Pro Bowl appearance in 2006… His 10 total Pro Bowl selections are also a team record… His 10 consecutive Pro Bowls rank him tied for second in NFL history for most consecutive Pro Bowls by a linebacker… Has also been named as a Pro Bowl starter eight times… Earned 2006 Pro Bowl MVP honors… Affirmed his status as one of league’s most accomplished defenders after being honored as NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2002... Team captain who was instrumental in leading Tampa Bay to its first Super Bowl championship following 2002 season... Undeniably the most philanthropic athlete in the Tampa Bay community and one of the NFL’s most active off the field… Has received numerous awards for his civic work including the 2000 Walter Payton/NFL Man of the Year award (co-recipient), the 2004 Byron “Whizzer” White Award and the 2003 Bart Starr Award… Only active player, and just the fourth player in NFL history, to be selected to 10 consecutive Pro Bowls, earn AP Defensive Player of the Year honors and win a Super Bowl… Along with former teammate DT Warren Sapp, became first pair of teammates selected in the same draft class (1995) to earn seven Pro Bowl appearances since the Buffalo Bills’ DE Bruce Smith and WR Andre Reed (1985 draft class)... Earned All-Pro honors from the Associated Press for eight consecutive seasons (1998-2005), garnering first-team honors in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005; and second-team honors in 1998, 2001 and 2003... Led defense in tackles for seven consecutive seasons (1998-2004) and paced the club in that category in nine of the past 12 seasons... Tied for the NFL lead (LB Donnie Edwards) with 12 consecutive seasons (1996-2007) of 100 or more tackles… Ranks as the most prolific tackler in franchise history with 2,087 stops... His 2,087 stops lead all active NFL defenders… Ranks fifth in club history with 24 career interceptions... Has totaled six career interception returns for touchdowns during the regular season to rank first in team history… Has scored seven regular season touchdowns in his career, second-most in team history by a defensive player… Ranks first on the club’s all-time games started list (205), first on the all-time games played list (208) and first on the franchise’s all-time playoff games played list (11) and playoff games started list (11)... Has played in 208 consecutive games to rank tied for first among active defensive players (also DE Kevin Carter) and tied for seventh among all active players… His 192 consecutive starts is most in the NFL…. Has not missed a start in each of the last 12 seasons... Named team MVP by the Tampa Sports Club (fan) in 1996, 1998, 1999 (along with Sapp) and 2002… Only linebacker in NFL history to have three interception returns for a touchdown in a season (2002) and his four touchdowns on turnovers (2002) are tied for second-most in a single season in NFL history... Added an interception return for a score in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl XXXVII victory... Has totaled 24 career interceptions, 24 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 13.5 sacks, 127passes defensed and 10 special teams tackles... Started in 11 postseason contests, notching 110 career tackles, 0.5 sack, three passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown)... Has earned NFC Player of the Week honors five times and Player of the Month honors twice during his career… Selected by the Buccaneers in the first round (28th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft.
courtesy of Buccaneers.com |
