No. 50 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||
Born: | Waco, Texas, U.S. | May 1, 1986||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
Weight: | 236 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||
High school: | Waco (TX) University | ||||||||||||
College: | Mary Hardin-Baylor | ||||||||||||
Undrafted: | 2008 | ||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Career CFL statistics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Player stats at NFL.com · CFL.ca (archive) |
Jerrell Alexander Freeman [1] (born May 1, 1986) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders under Pete Fredenburg and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL) in 2008. He then played three seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he led the league in tackles 2011. In 2012, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, and spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears.
Freeman played four seasons of collegiate football for the Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders. [2] [3] He was twice named a D3football.com All-American, including being honored as the 2007 D3Football.com Defensive Player of the Year. [4] When he left, he was the school's all-time leading tackler. [5] As a senior, he had 59 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, and six quarterback sacks.[ citation needed ]
Although Freeman was not selected in the 2008 NFL Draft he was signed by the Tennessee Titans immediately following the conclusion of the draft. [6] He became the first Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusader to reach the NFL. [7] Jerrell Freeman was released by the Titans prior to the start of the 2008 NFL season. [8]
In March 2009, Freeman signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. [9] In the 2009 CFL season, Freeman was used primarily as a special teams tackler, recording a team high 25 special teams tackles. He was nominated as the team's Most Outstanding Rookie. In his second season with the Riders, Freeman saw more time as a regular linebacker. He made the starting lineup for one game in the regular season and started in two playoff games and the Grey Cup. [10] Jerrell Freeman won CFL Defensive Player of the Week honors in week 7 after recording three sacks against the BC Lions. [11] He led the team in sacks by the end of the season with seven.
The 2011 season was a breakout year for Freeman. Freeman lead the CFL in tackles with 106. [12] Freeman won CFL Defensive Player of the Week in week 10 and earned CFL Defensive Player of the Month for the month of September. [13]
In January 2012, Freeman signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. [14] In Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, Freeman returned a Jay Cutler interception for a touchdown in the first quarter. [15] Freeman had an outstanding first season with the Colts finishing with 145 tackles (90 solo and 55 assisted) and two sacks. [16] His 145 tackles was the fifth highest total in the league. [17] Freeman won the AFC Defensive Player of the Week award for his performance in a 23–7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on December 22, 2013. He finished the game with seven tackles, one quarterback sack, one forced fumble, one interception, and three passes defended. [18] He was also initially credited with two interceptions, but one was later adjusted to a strip/sack for teammate Robert Mathis and a fumble recovery for Freeman. [19] In the 2013 season, he had 5.5 sacks, 126 total tackles, two interceptions, six passes defended, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. [20] In 2014, he recorded 95 combined tackles, six pass deflections, and one forced fumble in 12 games played. [21] On March 5, 2015, the Colts made a qualifying offer to Freeman, [22] which he signed on April 27. [23] In Week 17 of the 2015 season, Freeman had a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 30–24 victory over the Tennessee Titans. [24] In the 2015 season, he finished with three sacks, 112 total tackles, one interception, two passes defended, and one fumble recovery in 13 games and starts. [25]
On March 12, 2016, Freeman signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Chicago Bears. [26] He was suspended four games on November 21, 2016, for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. [27] In the 2016 season, he appeared in 12 games and finished with 110 total tackles (86 solo) and five passes defended. [28]
On September 12, 2017, Freeman was placed on injured reserve after sustaining a pectoral injury and a concussion in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. [29]
On October 30, the Chicago Bears announced that Freeman had been suspended for 10 games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy for a second time. [30] Freeman apologized for the suspension, adding that his playing career might be in jeopardy due to a head injury and memory loss. [30]
On May 2, 2018, Freeman announced his retirement from the NFL. [31] He was suspended an additional two years by the NFL on May 11, 2018, after failing a third drug test. [32]
Season | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
2012 | Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 16 | 145 | 90 | 55 | 2.0 | – | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4T | 1 | 1 |
2013 | Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 16 | 126 | 83 | 43 | 5.5 | – | 6 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 13 | 0 | 6 |
2014 | Indianapolis Colts | 12 | 12 | 95 | 58 | 37 | 1.5 | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
2015 | Indianapolis Colts | 13 | 13 | 112 | 66 | 46 | 3.0 | – | 2 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 23T | 1 | 0 |
2016 | Chicago Bears | 12 | 12 | 110 | 86 | 24 | 0.0 | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
2017 | Chicago Bears | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 70 | 70 | 598 | 390 | 208 | 12.0 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 23 | 2 | 8 |
Season | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
2012 | Indianapolis Colts | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
2013 | Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 8 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
2014 | Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 1.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
Total | 5 | 4 | 44 | 23 | 21 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Shaun Jamal Phillips is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Phillips also played for the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts.
Eric Taylor is a Canadian football defensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Memphis.
Derek Cameron Wake is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for Penn State Nittany Lions, and was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005.
Marcus Howard is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Erik Lashawn Walden is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Middle Tennessee State and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and Seattle Seahawks. With the Packers, he won Super Bowl XLV in 2010.
Andrew Michael Studebaker is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Wheaton College (IL), and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He is a descendant of the Studebaker brothers, creators of the now-defunct automobile by the same name.
Brian Ndubisi Orakpo is an American former professional football player who was an outside linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was drafted by the Washington Redskins with the thirteenth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for Tennessee Titans, and was selected to four Pro Bowls.
Al Mitchell Afalava is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. He played in college for Oregon State University.
Justin James Watt is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Houston Texans. He played college football at Central Michigan and Wisconsin and was selected by the Texans in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Hénoc Muamba is a Congolese-Canadian football player for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected first overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 2011 CFL Draft, becoming the first player from St. Francis Xavier University to be chosen first overall in the draft. In 2022, he won the Grey Cup with the Argonauts and was named the game's most valuable player (MVP) and Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian; the 2nd player in history to ever earn both awards.
Danny Eugene Trevathan is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky, where in 2010, he was named an All-American by College Football News and was a first-team all-SEC selection.
Christian Jones is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played college football at Florida State, and played for the Detroit Lions from 2018 to 2020.
Brent Urban is a Canadian professional American football defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia. Urban is the 26th Canadian to ever be drafted to the NFL.
Denico Autry is an American football defensive end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He attended Albemarle High School in Albemarle, North Carolina and first enrolled at East Mississippi Community College. He then transferred to play college football at Mississippi State, and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Raiders.
DeForest George Buckner is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. With the 49ers, Buckner made a Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2019. With the Colts, he was selected to the first-team All Pro in 2020 and made the Pro Bowl the following year.
Yannick Nicolas Ngakoue is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Maryland and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He has also played one season each for the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, and Indianapolis Colts.
Jayon Lee Brown is an American football middle linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, after playing college football at UCLA.
Harold Antonio Landry III is an American football linebacker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted by the Titans in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Darius Shaquille Leonard is an American football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Carolina State and was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. In his rookie season, Leonard led the league in tackles and was named a First-Team All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year; he was also voted into the NFL Top 100 the following offseason. Leonard has been informally nicknamed "The Maniac" due to his energetic and productive on-field play.
George Odum is an American football safety and special teamer for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Central Arkansas before signing with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Odum was named to the 2020 and 2022 All-Pro Team for his special team play.