Dan Connor (American football)

Last updated

Dan Connor
Dan Connor in 2010.jpg
Connor in 2010 with the Panthers
Penn State Nittany Lions
Position:Defensive analyst
Personal information
Born: (1985-11-02) November 2, 1985 (age 38)
Wallingford, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:241 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school: Strath Haven
(Wallingford, Pennsylvania)
College: Penn State
NFL draft: 2008  / round: 3 / pick: 74
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:216
Sacks:1.0
Forced fumbles:1
Fumble recoveries:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Daniel Murphy Connor (born November 2, 1985) is an American football coach and a former linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. He played college football at Penn State University, where he is currently a defensive analyst.

Contents

Early life

Connor was born in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. He attended Strath Haven High School, where he was a four-year starter and was rated the number one linebacker in the country. He was also named to the USA Today Top 25 Supreme Team. [1] He played in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

As a junior, he rushed for over 1,500 yards and scored 29 touchdowns. On defense, he had more than 160 tackles to go along with 3 interceptions. As a senior, he rushed 231 times for 1,807 yards and 28 touchdowns, while making 141 tackles, 11 sacks and 3 interceptions.

Connor started in 59 straight games and helped the team achieve a 56–3 record. He finished his high school career with 461 tackles, 38 sacks, 19 interceptions, 591 carries for 4,556 yards and 77 rushing touchdowns. He also practiced basketball and track.

College career

Connor attended Pennsylvania State University, where he played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 2004 to 2007. He earned All-America honors his junior and senior seasons at Penn State [2] [3] and passed Nittany Lion great Paul Posluszny on November 3, 2007, to become first on Penn State's career tackles list.

Connor's game-high nine tackles along with an interception of a Colt Brennan pass in the 2008 Senior Bowl earned him the game's Under Armour Award—essentially the North team's MVP. [4] [5]

Professional career

Pre-draft

Connor's superlative college career led to his #23 ranking on Sports Illustrated's list of the top 25 2008 NFL draft candidates. [6] He left the NFL Combine after getting sick. [7] He ran a 4.63 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. He also bench pressed 225 lbs 22 times and jumped 35" vertically.

Carolina Panthers (first stint)

Connor was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round (74th overall) of the 2008 NFL draft. [8] [9] Due to the Panthers' wealth of talent at linebacker, Connor played sparingly—mostly on special teams—in the first 3 weeks before a torn ACL suffered during a loss to the Minnesota Vikings ended his season. [10] On September 23, he was placed on the injured reserve list. He had 4 special teams tackles.

In 2009, he played mainly on special teams, collecting 14 special teams tackles (led the team), 19 defensive tackles, one quarterback pressure and one fumble recovery.

In 2010, despite reportedly fielding several trade inquiries during the offseason, the Panthers made it clear Connor would compete for a starting job that season after the team released veteran linebacker Na'il Diggs. [11] He competed for the strongside linebacker position with James Anderson, before he was named the starter at middle linebacker after Jon Beason was moved to weakside linebacker. [12] On November 9, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a fractured hip bone and Beason was moved back to middle linebacker. [13] Connor finished with 60 tackles, one sack, 4 quarterback pressures and one pass defensed.

In 2011, he took over the middle linebacker starter position in the second game after Beason was lost for the year with a torn left Achilles tendon. [14] He was inactive with a shoulder injury against the Detroit Lions. He registered 87 tackles (third on the team), one forced fumble and 3 special teams tackles.

Dallas Cowboys

On March 15, 2012, he was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys to play inside linebacker in the team's 3-4 defense and reuniting him with former Penn State teammate Sean Lee. He became a starter after Lee was lost for the year with a toe injury in the sixth game against the Carolina Panthers. [15] He missed 2 games with a neck injury and was replaced with Ernie Sims. He appeared in 14 games (8 starts), making 58 tackles (3 for loss) and one pass defensed.

On March 11, 2013, Connor was released by the Cowboys. [16]

New York Giants

On March 16, 2013, Connor signed with the New York Giants. [17] On September 12, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a neck injury and Mark Herzlich replaced him as the starter at middle linebacker. [18] On November 4, he was released with an injury settlement.

Carolina Panthers (second stint)

On November 13, 2013, he signed an undisclosed one-year deal to return to the Panthers. [19] He appeared in 5 games as a backup and was not re-signed after the season.

NFL career statistics

Legend
BoldCareer high
YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckTFLIntYdsTDLngPDFFFRYdsTD
2008 CAR 304400.00000000000
2009 CAR 160302280.00000000100
2010 CAR 884733141.08000010000
2011 CAR 15117554210.03000001000
2012 DAL 1485632240.03000010000
2013 NYG 102110.00000000000
CAR 502110.00000000000
6227216147691.014000021100

Coaching career

In September 2014, Connor was hired as linebacker coach at West Chester University under Bill Zwaan. [20] In January 2016, Connor accepted the head coaching position at Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor, Pennsylvania. In January 2018, Connor became the defensive coordinator at Widener University. [21]

In February 2022, Connor joined the staff at his alma mater, Penn State as a defensive analyst. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Peppers</span> American football player (born 1980)

Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Davis Sr.</span> American football player (born 1983)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Rivera</span> American football player (born 1972)

Marco Anthony Rivera is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Posluszny</span> American football player (born 1984)

Paul Michael Posluszny is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he won the Chuck Bednarik Award twice and the Dick Butkus Award, and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. Following four years in Buffalo, Posluszny spent the remainder of his career with the Jaguars. Posluszny earned Pro Bowl honors during the 2013 season after leading the league in solo tackles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Scott Allen Shanle is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. He played college football at the University of Nebraska.

Brandon Darrell Short is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning consensus All-American honors in 1999. He played professionally for the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers of the NFL, and was a member the Giants' team that played in Super Bowl XXXV. He is currently Director of Mergers and Acquisitions at Round Hill Capital in London and a member of the Pennsylvania State University's board of trustees.

The 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrin Smith</span> American football player (born 1970)

Darrin Andrew Smith is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes.

The 2007 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Beason is an American former professional football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Lee</span> American football player (born 1986)

Sean Patrick Lee is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He made two Pro Bowls and the 2016 All-Pro Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NaVorro Bowman</span> American football player (born 1988)

NaVorro Roderick Bowman is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is currently the linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. Bowman was also a member of the Oakland Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Hull (American football)</span> American football player (born 1987)

Joshua Lynn Hull is a former American football linebacker. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played college football for Penn State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Carter (American football)</span> American football player (born 1988)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Kuechly</span> American football player (born 1991)

Luke August Kuechly is an American former professional football player who spent his entire eight-year career as a linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Kuechly played college football for the Boston College Eagles, twice earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Panthers ninth overall in the 2012 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micah Parsons</span> American football player (born 1999)

Micah Aaron Parsons is an American professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Parsons played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he was named a consensus All-American, Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and the Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP as a sophomore in 2019. He was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, and was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leighton Vander Esch</span> American football player (born 1996)

Leighton Vander Esch is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise State Broncos, and was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. He spent six seasons with the team, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in his rookie season before neck injuries prematurely ended his playing career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Pry</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Brenton James Pry is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach at Virginia Tech. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at Penn State from 2016 to 2021. He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Reeder</span> American football player (born 1994)

Troy Daniel Reeder is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State and Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Smith (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 2001)

Brandon Nathaniel Smith is an American professional football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Penn State.

References

  1. ↑ "#40 Dan Connor". Penn State. Archived from the original on December 7, 2006. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Trio of Nittany Lions Earn All-America Honors From The Sporting News". Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. December 14, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Tebow, McFadden top All-America team". FoxSports.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Penn State's Connor captures Senior Bowl Under Armour Award". The Phanatic Magazine. January 27, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
  5. ↑ Fernandez, Bernard (April 23, 2008). "Any team will do in NFL draft for Penn State linebacker Connor". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Top 25 NFL Draft Candidates for 2008". SI.com. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  7. ↑ "The real top NFL draft prospects, post-combine" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ "2008 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ Sam Ross, Jr. "PSU's Connor picked by Panthers, WVU's Slaton picked by Texans". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  10. ↑ Schrager, Josh (September 23, 2008). "Knee injury ends Connor's season". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  11. ↑ Yasinskas, Pat (March 24, 2010). "Panthers turn down Connor trade talk". ESPN. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Beason could move to Davis' spot" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Jon Beason re-ups with Panthers" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Jon Beason out for rest of season" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Dan Connor's 'heart breaks' for Sean Lee" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  16. ↑ Rosenthal, Gregg (March 11, 2013). "Dan Connor released on busy day for Dallas Cowboys". NFL.com. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Giants add LB Dan Connor" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Dan Connor (neck) out for season" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Dan Connor returning to Carolina". ESPN. November 13, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Dan Connor: From NFL to assistant's job at West Chester". The Philadelphia Inquirer . September 12, 2014. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  21. ↑ O'Brien, Rick (January 18, 2018). "Dan Connor leaves Archbishop Carroll football for Widener job". Philly.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  22. ↑ Brennan, Mark (February 7, 2022). "Penn State great Dan Connor among Franklin's three new football analysts". 247sports.com. 247Sports. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
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.