Randolph Channing Crowder Jr. (born December 2, 1983) is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 2000s. He played college football for Florida, and was recognized as an All-American. Crowder was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and played his entire professional career for the Dolphins.
He currently co-hosts Hochman & Crowder, weekdays from 2–6PM simulcast on 790 The Ticket and 560 WQAM. He also co-hosts The Pivot, alongside Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark.[1]
He is currently a panelist on the weekly highlight show Inside the NFL a role he has held since the show first moved to The CW in 2023
Early years
Crowder was born in State College, Pennsylvania, the son of All-American defensive lineman Randy Crowder and Pauline Pope-Crowder. He was a highly regarded linebacker for North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, Georgia who garnered prep All-America recognition. He was named to SuperPrep's All-America Team and that publication ranked him among the nation's top 30 linebackers. He collected All-America honors from PrepStar and that publication ranked him among the Southeast's top 10 linebackers. He garnered All-America honors from Rivals.com and that group ranked him among the nation's top 15 outside linebackers. As a senior, he recorded 114 tackles in 2001 with 7.5 sacks sacks while also rushing for over 800 yards. He was named one of the top four linebackers in the state of Georgia by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was team MVP in 2001.
Crowder accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Ron Zook's Florida Gators football team in 2003 and 2004.[2] He was an original member of Florida's 2002 signing class, but delayed his enrollment until January 2003 in order to complete rehabilitation of his knee. He joined the Gators and practiced with the team prior to the 2003 Outback Bowl.
As a freshman in 2003, Crowder played in 11 games with nine starts. Those nine starts were the most by a freshman linebacker in school history. He would end up leading the nation in tackles by a freshman during the season. He ranked first among linebackers, first among Florida's true freshmen and tied for ninth on the team with 816 plays despite missing two games. He became the first true freshman of 2003 to start for the Gators and was the first true freshman linebacker to start since Travis Harris started four games in 2000. Crowder underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on October 1 prior to the Mississippi game, and missed the game against the Rebels. He returned against eventual national champion LSU 10 days after surgery to lead the linebacking unit with seven tackles.
On the year, Crowder led the linebackers with 106 tackles (avg. 9.6 per game) – the second-highest total on the team. He also had five tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. He led the defense with 12 tackles and one pass deflection against Arkansas, and led the defense against Vanderbilt with a then career-high 15 tackles. Crowder caused KentuckyquarterbackJared Lorenzen to throw a game-turning interception, that set up a touchdown and gave Florida the win.
As a team captain in 2004, he finished third on team with 73 tackles, earned the team's outstanding linebacker award. Crowder was the Gators' leader in tackles six games, and was third on squad with 8.5 tackles for loss. He intercepted his first career pass against Arkansas when he picked off a Matt Jones pass and returned it 22 yards in a 45–30 win. Crowder recorded a career-high two quarterback sacks against LSU's JaMarcus Russell. He notched an SEC and career-best 18 tackles and forced the second fumble of his career against Mississippi State. On the year, he started seven of nine games before a mid-foot sprain in the first quarter of the Georgia game and missed almost all of the next three contest. He recovered his third career fumble and notched three tackles in the Peach Bowl against Miami.
Following his second college season, Crowder was recognized as a first-team All-SEC selection and an ESPN All-American.
Crowder was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round (70th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft.[3] The pick used to select him was previously acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Marty Booker-Adewale Ogunleye trade from the year before. Then-head coach Nick Saban was familiar with Crowder, having coached in the SEC at LSU before coming to Miami.
Crowder (#52, right) leading the Dolphins' defense in 2009.
Crowder signed a four-year contract with the team in July and went on to start 13 of the 16 games in which he played during his rookie season. He opened 11 games at the weakside spot and two in the middle. The Dolphins opened with either five or six defensive backs in the only three games he did not start. Along with running backRonnie Brown and cornerbackTravis Daniels, 2005 marked the first time since 1996 that three or more Dolphin rookies opened at least ten games. Crowder ranked second on the team with 90 tackles, the highest total by a Dolphins rookie since Zach Thomas tallied 164 in 1996. It also was the fifth-highest total among NFL rookies in 2005. Crowder added two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed on the year. He replaced an injured Thomas at middle linebacker for games during the season. During the year, he posted a season-high 10 tackles on two occasions. Crowder collected seven tackles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 16 and also recovered an Earnest Graham fumble that led to a Ronnie Brown eight-yard TD run on the next play from scrimmage. Crowder prevented a potential touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons when he forced the ball loose from fullbackJustin Griffith with the Falcons at the Dolphins' 8 yard-line, and was recovered by Travis Daniels. Crowder also recovered a J. P. Losman fumble against the Buffalo Bills on December 4.
Crowder was once again a reliable starter in 2006 and continued to progress as a player. He finished second on the Dolphins with 104 tackles (behind only Zach Thomas) and had one sack for nine yards in losses that season. It was Crowder's first 100-tackle season of his career. He had four games of double-figure tackles, and tied or led the team in tackles three times and finished second on the team in tackles six times during the season. He started all 16 games during the regular season, though he suffered a hip injury on November 19 against the Minnesota Vikings that forced him from that contest permanently. In week 12 of the 2008 season against the New England Patriots, he was ejected from the game after engaging in a fight with Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light.
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Crowder was re-signed to a three-year contract by the Dolphins on February 25, 2009. On December 6, 2009, against the New England Patriots, Crowder made his first career interception and also sealed the win off for the Dolphins. Crowder was placed on injured reserve on December 30. He suffered a right foot injury which made him miss a game versus the Houston Texans.
On July 29, 2011, the Dolphins released Crowder and then signed LB Kevin Burnett from the San Diego Chargers. Just over a week later on August 9, 2011, Crowder abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL.[4]
On February 1, 2012, Crowder appeared on the Super Bowl's Radio Row and announced his intention to restart his professional career.[5]
On January 23, 2008, Crowder lost control of his truck on a wet exit ramp and crashed it into a tree. He was unharmed and was charged with careless driving and leaving the scene of a crash.[6]
Prior to the October 27, 2007 Giants–Dolphins game in London, England, Crowder reportedly stated he "couldn't find London on a map". He later implied that he did not believe there were any black people in London as well.[7]
In a 2012 interview with NFL Films, Crowder confessed to urinating in his pants "every game" while in the NFL.[8]
On June 27, 2011, Crowder insinuated on his new radio show that he had sold his jerseys while playing college football for the Florida Gators, but he later reiterated that he had not sold them.
He was a commentator on WQAM during the 2011 NFL season. His midday show on WQAM with NBC 6 news anchor, Adam Kuperstein, was recently cancelled. He then co-hosted Hochman & Crowder (formerly Hochman, Crowder & Krantz until the departure of co-host Zach Krantz in May 2017) weekdays from 2-6PM on WQAM.
Andra Raynard Davis [pronounced André] is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Florida and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He also played for the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills.
Jason Jamar Allen is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Miami Dolphins 16th overall of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football at Tennessee. Allen also played for the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals.
Jevon Kearse, nicknamed "the Freak", is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the late 1990s and 2000s. Kearse played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.
Kevin Bradley Burnett is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders. He played college football at the University of Tennessee.
Alex James Brown is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a two-time All-American. The Chicago Bears picked Brown in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL draft, and he also played for the New Orleans Saints.
Randy Leonard Shannon is an American football coach and former player. He is the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for Florida State. Shannon was the head coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010 and has served as an assistant coach for the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins and several college teams, including stints as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes, the Florida Gators, and the UCF Knights. He won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top collegiate assistant coach while at Miami in 2001.
Kevin Louis Carter is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons in the 1990s and 2000s. Carter played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors. A first-round pick in the 1995 NFL draft, he played in the NFL for the St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Raymond Lester "Trace" Armstrong III, is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Florida Gators, and was recognized as an All-American. A first-round pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Chicago Bears, the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders. He was formerly the president of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), and he currently works as a sports agent.
Bryan Keith Cox Sr. is an American football coach and former player who is the assistant defensive line coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played professionally as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Miami Dolphins, and was a member of the New England Patriots club that won Super Bowl XXXVI.
Darren Hambrick is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers and the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at the University of Florida, before transferring to the University of South Carolina.
Derrick Trayon Pope is a former American and Canadian football linebacker. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama.
Travis Antwon Daniels is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.
Ralph Ortega is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1970s and early 1980s. Ortega played college football for the University of Florida, and received All-American honors. A second-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins of the NFL.
Marquand Alexander Manuel is an American football coach and former safety who is the safeties coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and as an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks. After playing college football for the University of Florida, he was selected in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played for eight seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions. He was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018.
Reggie Jermaine Torbor is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn.
Lawrence Olajuwon Timmons is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers the following year, and played in Super Bowl XLV two years later. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Byron Bernard "Bam" Hardmon is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker. Hardmon played college football for the University of Florida. He signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent, but spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Hardmon subsequently played professional football for the Hamburg Sea Devils in NFL Europa, and in NFL pre-season games with the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jelani M. Jenkins is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Florida.
Jeffery Neil Roth is a former American football defensive tackle in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Orlando Predators. He also was a member of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. He played college football at the University of Florida.
Ty'Ron Hopper is an American football linebacker for the Missouri Tigers. He previously played at Florida.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
