No. 64, 73, 63 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Guard | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Mooresville, North Carolina, U.S. | April 8, 1989||||||
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 310 lb (141 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Mooresville | ||||||
College: | NC State (2007–2011) | ||||||
NFL draft: | 2012 / round: 7 / pick: 225 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
| |||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
|
Justin Ross "J. R." Sweezy (born April 8, 1989) [1] is an American former professional football guard. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round, 225th overall, of the 2012 NFL draft. He played college football at NC State.
Sweezy was born in North Carolina, to Bryan and Susan Sweezy. He is the older brother of sister Madison Sweezy. [2] Sweezy grew up a North Carolina State Wolfpack fan, as his grandfather had previously played fullback for NC State. As a linebacker at Mooresville High School in Mooresville, North Carolina, his junior year he recorded 115 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, and three sacks. His senior year he recorded 195 tackles, 14 tackles-for-loss, six sacks, and four forced fumbles in 12 games. [3] He also wrestled in high school, winning the 2007 North Carolina 3A 285-pound state championship.
Sweezy played 35 games with 20 starts playing linebacker, defensive end, and defensive tackle at NC State, starting every game his junior and senior seasons. He recorded 86 tackles (65 solo), 22 tackles-for-loss, 11.0 sacks, 33 quarterback pressures, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He was voted team captain his senior season and was selected honorable mention All-ACC his junior year.
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 4+3⁄4 in (1.95 m) | 298 lb (135 kg) | 34 in (0.86 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 5.01 s | 1.73 s | 2.89 s | 4.41 s | 7.40 s | 36 in (0.91 m) | 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) | 21 reps | |
All values from NFL Combine [4] [5] |
Coming out of NC State, Sweezy wasn't a highly sought after draft prospect at defensive tackle. Seattle Seahawks' offensive line coach Tom Cable set up a private workout with Sweezy and evaluated his footwork and physical strength. Cable, who had successfully converted defensive lineman to offensive lineman throughout his career, thought Sweezy had the tools and ability to successfully transition to an NFL offensive lineman. After agreeing to switch to the offensive line the Seahawks drafted him in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft, reuniting him with former NC State teammate, Russell Wilson. [6] [7] [8]
In his rookie season, Sweezy got the first start of his career in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals replacing second year guard John Moffitt. He again started for the injured Moffitt in the last two games of the regular season against the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams. During the 2012 campaign he had three starts and played in 13 games. For the 2013 season Sweezy started 13 regular season games and in the post season for a Seahawks team that went on to win the Super Bowl that year. In 2014 Sweezy had his first season where he started every regular season game at right guard. The Seahawks would go on to return to the Super Bowl losing to the New England Patriots. [9]
On March 9, 2016, Sweezy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a five-year deal worth $32.5 million. [10] He underwent back surgery after signing with the Buccaneers and was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list which made him unavailable for the first five games of the season. [11] He was placed on injured reserve for the 2016 season on November 12 without appearing in a game for the Buccaneers.
Sweezy started the first 14 games of the 2017 season at right guard, playing all every offensive snap before suffering an injury in Week 15. He was placed on injured reserve on December 20, 2017. [12]
On June 29, 2018, Sweezy was released by the Buccaneers, just two seasons into his five-year deal. [13]
On August 1, 2018, Sweezy was re-signed by the Seahawks. [14] He was a starter in all 15 games he played.
On March 15, 2019, Sweezy signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. [15] He started all 16 games at right guard for the Cardinals in 2019.
In 2020, Sweezy started the first five games at right guard before being placed on injured reserve on October 17, 2020, with an elbow injury. [16] He was activated on November 14, 2020. [17]
On August 2, 2021, Sweezy signed with the New Orleans Saints. [18] He was released on August 31, 2021. [19]
On July 27, 2022, Sweezy signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the Seahawks. [20]
Ellis Rashad Wyms is a former American football defensive tackle. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.
Allan Quay Shipley is an American former football center who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft. Shipley was also a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent the 2021 season as an offensive assistant for the Buccaneers, before making regular appearances on The Pat McAfee Show.
George Russell Hegamin is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at North Carolina State University.
Theodore Larsen is an American former professional football guard. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played college football at NC State.
Michael Iupati is a Samoan-American former professional football player who was a guard for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). A native of American Samoa, Iupati went to high school in southern California, played college football for the Idaho Vandals, and earned consensus All-American honors. Iupati was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played five seasons with the 49ers, four with the Arizona Cardinals, and two with the Seattle Seahawks.
Cody James Grimm is an American football coach and former safety. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Michael Joseph Glennon is an American former professional football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the NC State Wolfpack and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and Miami Dolphins.
Andrus Jamerson Peat is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played the previous nine seasons for the New Orleans Saints, which selected him in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. Before that, he played college football for the Stanford Cardinal. As a high school senior, he was considered the best college football recruit by Sporting News.
Kelvin Lee Beachum Jr. is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Methodist University and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft. He has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets.
Kevin Christopher Minter is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning first-team all-Southeastern Conference honors and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Earl Watford is a former American football guard. He played college football at James Madison, and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft.
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.
Ulrick Tremayne John Jr. is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at Georgia State, and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and New Orleans Saints.
Givens Price is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at Nebraska. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent after the 2016 NFL draft.
Avery Young is an American professional football offensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Auburn, and was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He is also the younger brother of former defensive end Willie Young.
William Price is an American former professional football player who was a center for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2017. He was selected by the Bengals in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Alex Cappa is an American professional football guard for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Humboldt State. He was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Chase Edmonds is an American professional football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Fordham Rams and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He has also played for the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos.
Byron Murphy Jr. is an American professional football cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington.
George "Leki" Fotu is an American professional football defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.