No. 50 | |||||||||
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Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Greenville, North Carolina, U.S. | June 4, 1958||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 224 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Danville (VA) George Washington | ||||||||
College: | North Carolina | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 1980 / round: 2 / pick: 36 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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George Jessel "Buddy" Curry (born June 4, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons from 1980 to 1987. He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels. A second-round pick in the 1980 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons, he and his Falcons teammate Al Richardson were selected as the 1980 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He is currently the head master trainer for USA Football's "Heads Up Football Program", which teaches youth athletes proper tackling techniques. [1]
Buddy Curry was the defensive stalwart on Coach Alger Pugh's fine mid-1970s George Washington Eagles teams in Danville, VA. [2]
As linebacker, Curry was a starter in four seasons for the University of North Carolina. He recorded 12 total interceptions, ending his senior season with five. [3]
In his rookie year, Curry co-shared the Defensive Rookie of the Year award with fellow Atlanta linebacker Al Richardson. In 1983, Curry made 229 tackles, which remains the most by a Falcons defender in a season, followed by Keith Brooking's 212 tackles in 2002. [4] He blocked a field goal during a 26–14 victory against the Los Angeles Rams on October 12, 1986. [5]
His son, Jessel Curry was a 2009 recruit to the Auburn University Tigers Football team. He also has another son named David Curry who is a Linebacker at Georgia Tech. [6] His daughter, Gaby plays libero for Kentucky.
Keith Howard Brooking is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft. Brooking was a five-time Pro Bowl selection with the Falcons. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.
Jeffrey Marc Zgonina is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL draft.
Thomas Antonio Davis Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Georgia in the early 2000s, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American.
Erik Mathews Flowers is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the first round of the 2000 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and Trinity Valley Community College.
Aaron James Hawk is an American sports analyst and former professional football linebacker who played for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Green Bay Packers fifth overall in the 2006 NFL draft and he later won Super Bowl XLV with the team. He was also a member of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he earned All-American honors twice and won the Lombardi Award as a senior. He won the BCS National Championship Game with the Buckeyes as a freshman.
James Richard Laurinaitis is an American football coach and former player. He currently serves as the linebackers coach at the Ohio State University. He played as a linebacker for the St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was a three-time consensus All-American and won numerous awards. He was selected by the Rams in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft.
Bill Davis is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL).
Alpette C. Richardson is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) who spent six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Thomas Myron Braatz was an American former professional football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams, and Dallas Cowboys. He also was the former general manager of the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Marquette University.
Aaron Curry is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who is the inside linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Curry was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round in the 2009 NFL draft out of Wake Forest. Curry also played for the Oakland Raiders in 2011 and 2012.
Franklin De'Sean Weatherspoon is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Missouri, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals.
Frank Bush is a former American football linebacker and coach who is the linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft. He played college football at North Carolina State.
Bruce Edward Carter is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Kenneth Bernard Wright Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is currently the defense quality control coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Bruce Pernell Irvin Jr. is an American professional football linebacker who is a free agent. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round with the 15th overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft. Irvin won Super Bowl XLVIII over the Denver Broncos, and also played in Super Bowl XLIX where he became the first player ever to be ejected from a Super Bowl. He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Deone Ariel Bucannon is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars. Originally drafted as a safety, Bucannon transitioned to play a hybrid safety-linebacker role in the Cardinals's 3–4 defense.
Dante Antwane Fowler Jr. is an American professional football defensive end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was selected third overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2015 NFL draft. Fowler missed his entire rookie season after sustaining an ACL tear. He has also played for the Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, and Dallas Cowboys.
Deion Jones is an American professional football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, and was selected by Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft.
De'Vondre Campbell is an American professional football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Hutchinson Community College before transferring to Minnesota and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. Campbell has also played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers.
Nazair Jones is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.