James Melka

Last updated

James Melka
No. 52
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1962-01-15) January 15, 1962 (age 62)
West Allis, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school: West Allis (WI) Central
College: Wisconsin
NFL draft: 1985  / Round: 12 / Pick: 330
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:1
Player stats at PFR

James David Melka (born January 15, 1962) is a former linebacker in the National Football League (NFL).

Contents

Biography

Melka was born on January 15, 1962, in West Allis, Wisconsin. [1] He attended West Allis Central High School where he was an All-America running back. [2]

Career

Melka played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was named to the All-Big Ten team twice. [2] He was drafted in the twelfth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but broke his navicular bone in his wrist playing in a pickup basketball game. [3] [4] He was placed on waivers on August 19, 1985, [5] and would later go on to be a member of the Green Bay Packers. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</span> National Football League franchise in Tampa, Florida

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The club joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team, along with the Seattle Seahawks, and played its first season in the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Prior to the 1977 season, Tampa Bay switched conferences and divisions with Seattle, becoming a member of the NFC Central division. The Seahawks eventually rejoined the NFC in 2002, leaving the Buccaneers as the only NFL team not to play in their original conference. As a result of the league's realignment prior to the 2002 season, the Buccaneers joined three former NFC West teams to form the NFC South. The club is owned by the Glazer family and plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Harris (cornerback)</span> American football player and coach (born 1974)

Alshinard Harris is an American professional football coach and former player who is the defensive backs coach for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Harris played as a cornerback for 14 seasons in the NFL from 1998 to 2011. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, and St. Louis Rams. He was selected for the Pro Bowl after his 2007 and 2008 seasons in Green Bay. The AP also named him a second-team All-Pro in 2007.

Ronald Wolf is an American former football executive who was a general manager (GM) of the National Football League (NFL)'s Green Bay Packers. Wolf is widely credited with bringing success to a Packers franchise that had rarely won during the two decades prior to Wolf joining the organization. He also played a significant role in personnel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1963 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1990. He joined Green Bay's front office in November 1991 from a personnel director's job with the New York Jets. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Stecker</span> American football player (born 1975)

Aaron Stecker is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Illinois Leathernecks and Wisconsin Badgers. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1999.

Michael Robert Prior is a former American football safety who played 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Illinois State. Prior currently serves as the Football Development Commissioner for the Indianapolis Colts.

The Snow Bowl is the name of a National Football League (NFL) game played on December 1, 1985, between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers. Played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, it is well known for its poor weather conditions, including heavy snow before and during the game. Only 19,856 fans were in attendance, with over 36,000 "no-shows", making it the least attended game in Lambeau Field history up to that point; about two-thirds of the stadium was empty. The entire stormed dropped over 14 inches (36 cm) of snow, before, during and after the game. The game itself saw the Packers dominate the Buccaneers en route to a 21–0 victory. Despite four turnovers, the Packers offense gained 512 total yards on 31 first downs, with the Buccaneers recording only 65 yards on 5 first downs. Packers' wide receiver James Lofton received passes totaling over 100 yards from quarterback Lynn Dickey by halftime. Packers defensive end Alphonso Carreker sacked Buccaneers quarterback Steve Young a then team record four times.

Ervin L. Randle is a former American football linebacker. He played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 1992 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. He attended Baylor University, where he played college football. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He is the older brother of Hall of Famer John Randle.

Gary Lee Kroner is a former American football placekicker and halfback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Crabtree</span> American football player (born 1985)

Thomas Louis Crabtree is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers, with whom he won Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stan Mataele is a Tongan former professional American football nose tackle who played one season in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Sacramento City College and Arizona and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the eighth round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Wagner</span> American football player (born 1989)

Richard Alexander Wagner is a former American football offensive tackle. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin. Wagner was also a member of the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Schum</span> American football player (born 1989)

Jacob Schum is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Buffalo. Schum was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He has also been a member of the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, and Tampa Bay Vipers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Godwin</span> American football player (born 1996)

Rod Christopher Godwin Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State and was selected by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He won a Super Bowl championship in Super Bowl LV over the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Vitale</span> American football player (born 1993)

Dan Michael Vitale III is a former American football fullback. He played college football at Northwestern and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was also a member of the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Cichy</span> American football player (born 1996)

Jack Cichy is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Wisconsin. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamel Dean</span> American football player (born 1996)

Jamel Dean is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Green Bay Packers season</span> 102nd season in franchise history

The 2020 season was the Green Bay Packers' 100th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 102nd overall and their second under head coach Matt LaFleur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Johnson (American football)</span> American football player (born 1998)

Tyler Johnson is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Minnesota, and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He also briefly played for the Houston Texans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krys Barnes</span> American football player (born 1998)

Krystopher Nathaniel Barnes is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UCLA, and originally signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buccaneers–Packers rivalry</span> National Football League rivalry

The Buccaneers–Packers rivalry is an American football rivalry between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers entered the National Football League (NFL) in 1921 and saw significant periods of sustained success under Curly Lambeau in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in the 1960s under Vince Lombardi. However, the Packers entered the 1970s in a sustained slump. They only made the playoffs once from 1968 to 1976. The Buccaneers entered the NFL in 1976 as part of an agreement to expand the league after the AFL–NFL merger. The Packers and Buccaneers played their first game during the 1976 NFL season, with the Packers shutting out the Buccaneers 13–0. The loss was part of the Buccaneers 0–14 record in 1976, the first time an NFL team lost every game in a 14-game season.

References

  1. "Jim Melka". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Scheiber, Dave (July 25, 1985). "Buc pick's big break was anything but a lucky one". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 31, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "1985 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  4. Randle, Ervin (July 19, 1985). "Buccaneers sign draftees Randle, Melka". The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved August 31, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Melka put on waivers". Marshfield News-Herald. August 19, 1985. Retrieved September 1, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "When Packers called Melka responded". Kenosha News. October 10, 1987. Retrieved September 1, 2020 via Newspapers.com.