No. 94 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||
Born: | Florence, South Carolina, U.S. | May 14, 1986||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
Weight: | 242 lb (110 kg) | ||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||
High school: | Wilson (Florence, South Carolina) | ||||||||||||
College: | Florida State (2004–2006) | ||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15 | ||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Lawrence Olajuwon Timmons (born May 14, 1986) 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.
Timmons attended Wilson High School in Florence, South Carolina, where he played football and ran track. In football, he played tight end on offense and linebacker on defense. He was teammates with Justin Durant until his junior year. During his senior year, Timmons registered over 150 tackles and two sacks, while also catching 47 passes for over 800 yards and five touchdowns as a tight end, which earned him all-state first-team honors. He was awarded the Defensive Player of the Year and received Super Prep Elite 50 honors, as well as selected to play in the 2003 East-West Shrine Game.
In track & field, Timmons competed in the long jump event. He recorded a career-best leap of 6.55 meters at the 2003 SCHSL State Championships, where he placed sixth in the finals. [1] He was also a member of the 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m relay squads, and was timed at 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Regarded as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com , Timmons was ranked as the No. 5 outside linebacker prospect in the nation. [2] He took official visits to North Carolina, Florida State, Florida, and Tennessee, before committing to the Seminoles.
In his true freshman year, Timmons played in all 12 games including the Seminoles' Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia, although only limited minutes mainly on special teams and as a backup linebacker. He recorded 12 tackles, 11 of which were unassisted, which ranked second among the Seminole freshmen behind Jae Thaxton. A season-high three tackles came against Alabama–Birmingham.
As a sophomore, Timmons ranked second on the Seminoles' depth chart at strongside linebacker behind Ernie Sims. He played in all 13 games, both at linebacker and on special teams, as well as defensive end in some third-and-long formations. Timmons finished the year with 35 tackles (17 solo), which ranked third on the team (behind Buster Davis and Sam McGrew), as well as three quarterback sacks, which also was third-best among all Seminoles (behind Kamerion Wimbley and Marcello Church). His season-best performance came in the ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech, when he recorded eight tackles, six solo, two quarterback sacks and two QB hurries.
After Sims decided to forgo his senior season, Timmons took over as the starter at strongside linebacker. He had a productive season, recording 79 tackles and five sacks, and was honored with All-American third-team and All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team. He finished his college career with 126 tackles and eight sacks.
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 0+7⁄8 in (1.85 m) | 234 lb (106 kg) | 33 in (0.84 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.63 s | 1.56 s | 2.69 s | 4.32 s | 6.89 s | 35 in (0.89 m) | 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) | 25 reps | |
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [3] |
Timmons was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round with the 15th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. [4] He was the first player drafted under head coach Mike Tomlin. [5] [6] He began his rookie season as the backup right outside linebacker to James Harrison. He made his professional debut in the Steelers' season opener against the Cleveland Browns, making one tackle in the Steelers' victory. The following week, he made a season-high two solo tackles during a 26–3 victory over the Buffalo Bills. As a rookie, he was rarely used as a rotational player and on special teams but appeared in all 16 regular-season contests. He made 13 tackles throughout his rookie season. [7]
The following season, he was moved over to right inside linebacker, backing up veteran Larry Foote on a Steelers defensive linebacking corps with veteran depth and talent that included himself, Foote, Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and James Farrior. [8] In the season opener, he made four solo tackles in a 38–17 victory over the Houston Texans. On September 29, 2008, Timmons made four combined tackles, a pass deflection, and sacked Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco for his first career sack, as the Steelers defeated them 23–20 in overtime on MondayNightFootball. In Week 7, he had his best game of the season statistically, finishing with a season-high ten combined tackles and had a season-high two sacks after getting to Bengals' quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick twice during the Steelers' 38–10 victory. On November 3, Timmons earned his first career start in a victory over the Washington Redskins during Monday Night Football and finished the game with four combined tackles. [9]
On November 30, he made four tackles and intercepted Patriots's quarterback Matt Cassel for his first career interception during the Steelers' 33–10 victory. On January 11, 2009, he played in his first career playoff game when the Steelers defeated the San Diego Chargers 35–24 in the wild card round. He finished the game with six combined tackles, three of them being solo. The Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship and went on to play the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. In his first Super Bowl, Timmons recorded five tackle, helping his team win 27–23. He finished his second season with 65 tackles, 5.0 sacks and an interception, while starting three games and playing in all 16 regular-season contests. [10]
Timmons took over as starter for the 2009 season following the release of Larry Foote, who asked for his release, foreseeing Timmons's future emergence as the starter and receiving increased playing time. [11] The latter was slated as the Steelers' starting right inside linebacker to begin the season but missed the season opener against the Tennessee Titans. He returned the following week, making three solo tackles and two pass deflections during a 14–17 loss to the Chicago Bears. The next game, he made his first start of the season during a loss to the Bengals and finished the game with three combined tackles and a pass deflection. During Week 5, Timmons made five tackles and forced two fumbles as the Steelers routed the Cleveland Browns 27–14. He finished the 2009 season with a total of 78 combined tackles, 7.0 sacks, 4 pass deflections, and 3 forced fumbles in 14 games with 13 starts. [12]
Timmons started in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons and finished the 15–9 victory with 11 tackles. The next week, he recorded a career-high 15 combined tackles (12 solo) and a forced fumble during a win over the Tennessee Titans.
In 2010, he had a career year for the Steelers and finished off the season as the highest-rated inside linebacker by Pro Football Focus. He led the team with 135 tackles, and recorded 3.0 sacks, 9 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions. The Steelers finished with the No. 1 run defense in the league, allowing only 63.2 yards per game. Timmons started 15 of the 16 regular season games, while playing in all of them. [13]
At the end of the 2010 season, Timmons and the Steelers appeared in Super Bowl XLV against the Green Bay Packers. He was a starter and had three total tackles in the 31–25 loss. [14]
On August 23, 2011, the Steelers gave Timmons a five-year, $47.79 million contract extension, which included $11 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $10 million for his performance throughout the 2010 NFL season. [15] His rookie deal expired at the end of the 2010 season and he was a free agent; however, the Steelers signed him to an extension after the NFL lockout was resolved. [16] In the season opener against the Ravens, he collected a season-high 12 tackles as the Steelers lost 7–35. Timmons' numbers dropped from the previous season due to his moving from his normal inside linebacker position to outside linebacker, filling in for an injured James Harrison. He recorded 93 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception. [17]
He started the season making five solo tackles in a 19–31 loss to the Denver Broncos. During a Week 6 contest against the Tennessee Titans, he made six total tackles and intercepted Titans' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for his first pick of the season. On November 25, 2012, Timmons racked up ten combined tackles and intercepted Browns' quarterback Brandon Weeden, and scored a 52-yard touchdown for the first of his career. The Steelers went on to lose to the Browns 14–20. During Week 14, he made a season-high 11 solo tackles in a loss to the San Diego Chargers. [18] He finished his sixth NFL season with a total of 106 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a career-high 3 interceptions. This was his first season starting all 16 regular season contests. [19]
On October 20, 2013, Timmons collected a season-high 17 tackles (12 solo) during a 17–13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. [20]
That season, Timmons led the team with 126 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble. This was the second time in the last 3 seasons that he led the team in tackles. He started all 16 games for the second consecutive year. [21]
On September 11, 2014, he made 12 total tackles during a 6–26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. On October 20, Timmons made a season-high 11 solo tackles and an assisted tackle against the Houston Texans. During a Week 10 loss to the Jets, he collected a season-high 13 combined tackles. On December 21, Timmons tied his season-high of 13 combined tackles in a 20–12 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
On December 23, his efforts were recognized for having another excellent season and he was named to his first career Pro Bowl. On January 2, 2015, Lawrence Timmons was named Second-team All-Pro for the first time of his career. He finished the 2014 season with 132 combined tackles, 87 solo tackles, and 2.0 sacks. He played in all 16 games for the third consecutive season. [22]
During Week 4 of the 2015 season, Timmons had a season-high 11 tackles and sacked Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco for his first of the season during a 20–23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. On October 18, 2015, he had six combined tackles and intercepted quarterback Carson Palmer in a 25–13 win over the Arizona Cardinals. On January 3, 2016, he recorded ten combined tackles and a season-high 1.5 sacks in a 28–12 win over the Cleveland Browns. Timmons finished the season with 119 combined tackles, 77 solo tackles, 5.0 sacks, one interception, and a forced fumble. [23]
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season 10–6 and received a playoff berth. On January 9, 2016, Timmons recorded four combined tackles in an 18–16 AFC Wild Card victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. On January 17, he made six combined tackles in a 23–16 divisional loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Denver Broncos. [24]
On October 20, 2016, the Steelers lost to the New England Patriots 27-16 and Timmons racked up a season-high 11 solo tackles during the game. In Week 11, Timmons recorded eight combined tackles and made his first sack of the season in a 24–9 victory over the Cleveland Browns. [25] During Week 13, he made seven combined tackles and intercepted New York Giants' quarterback Eli Manning and returned it 58-yards. [9] He finished the season with 114 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 5 pass deflections, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in 16 games with 16 starts. [26]
On January 8, 2017, Timmons recorded a team-leading 14 combined tackles and sacked quarterback Matt Moore twice in a 30–12 AFC Wild Card Round victory over the Miami Dolphins. [27] On January 22, Timmons repeated a team-leading performance of 14 combined tackles in a 36-17 AFC Championship loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. [28]
On March 10, 2017, Timmons signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. [29] [30]
On September 19, the Dolphins suspended Timmons indefinitely after he went missing before the team's Week 2 match-up against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was revealed that Timmons was reported missing from the team's hotel in Los Angeles, and the Dolphins filed a missing persons report. He was later found at the Los Angeles International Airport, but was headed to see his daughter who lives in Pennsylvania. [31] On September 26, Timmons was reinstated by the team. [32]
On March 13, 2018, Timmons was released by the Dolphins. [33]
Legend | |
---|---|
Won the Super Bowl | |
Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | GP | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | |||
2007 | PIT | 16 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2008 | PIT | 16 | 65 | 43 | 22 | 5.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 89 | 89.0 | 89 | 0 | 3 |
2009 | PIT | 14 | 78 | 56 | 22 | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
2010 | PIT | 16 | 135 | 96 | 39 | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
2011 | PIT | 16 | 93 | 68 | 25 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
2012 | PIT | 16 | 106 | 75 | 31 | 6.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 80 | 27.7 | 53 | 1 | 5 |
2013 | PIT | 16 | 126 | 86 | 40 | 3.0 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 23 | 0 | 6 |
2014 | PIT | 16 | 132 | 87 | 45 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2015 | PIT | 16 | 119 | 77 | 42 | 5.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
2016 | PIT | 16 | 114 | 78 | 36 | 2.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 74 | 37.0 | 54 | 0 | 5 |
2017 | MIA | 14 | 84 | 58 | 26 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Career | 172 | 1,067 | 737 | 330 | 35.5 | 13 | 7 | 35 | 12 | 274 | 22.8 | 89 | 1 | 46 |
Timmons's mother, a huge basketball fan, named Timmons after NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon by giving him the middle name Olajuwon. [34]
Roderick Kevin Woodson is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Woodson was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft and played his first ten years there. He was also a key member of the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship team. He had two shorter stints for the San Francisco 49ers and two seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Widely considered one of the greatest all-time defensive players ever, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12), and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993. His 71 career interceptions are the third-most in NFL history. He was an inductee of the Class of 2009 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on August 8, 2009. Woodson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016. He played most of his career as a cornerback then switched to safety during the later part of his career. Woodson was most recently the head coach of the XFL's Vegas Vipers.
Brian Patrick Dawkins Sr., nicknamed "Weapon X", is an American former professional football player who was a safety for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. In his last three seasons, he played for the Denver Broncos.
Zachary Michael Thomas is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected in the fifth round, 22nd pick, in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, and played for the Dolphins in his first 12 seasons in the NFL, before playing his 13th and final season with the Dallas Cowboys.
Joseph Eugene Porter Sr. is an American professional football coach and former player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colorado State Rams and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Porter won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers and was also a member of the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers drafted his son, Joey Porter Jr., with the thirty-second overall selection of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Ivan "Ike" Taylor is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and spent his entire 12-year career in Pittsburgh. He played college football at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Paul Michael Posluszny is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning consensus All-American honors twice, and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. After four years in Buffalo, Posluszny spent the remainder of his career with the Jaguars and earned Pro Bowl honors during the 2013 season.
James Henry Harrison Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes and was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Harrison won two Super Bowls with the Steelers: XL and XLIII. In 2008, he became the only undrafted player to be named Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Harrison was known for his hard-hitting style during games.
Carnell Augustino Lake is an American former professional football player and coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He was a safety and cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He is a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was the cornerbacks coach for the UCLA Bruins under head coach Rick Neuheisel in 2009 before leaving after one season for family reasons. He was the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs coach until February 2018.
Chad Greenway is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 11-year career as a linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
Clint Mosley Jr. is an American football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. Mosley made 4 Pro Bowls as a member of the Ravens, and has made another as a member of the Jets.
Kyle Van Noy is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Van Noy played college football at BYU was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, with whom he spent his first three seasons. He played his next four seasons for the New England Patriots, where he won Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII. Following a year as a member of the Miami Dolphins, he rejoined New England in 2021. Van Noy signed with the Los Angeles Chargers the following season.
Vincenzo Jerard Williams is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft after his college career at Florida State and played his entire eight-year professional career with the Steelers.
Ryan Dean Shazier is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.
Telvin Trishaun Smith Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. Smith played his entire professional career with the Jaguars, earning second-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection in 2017. He retired after the 2018 season.
Donald “Dee” Ford is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football at Auburn.
Markus Golden is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Golden has also played for the New York Giants.
Keanu Neal is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 17th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida.
Minkah Annane Fitzpatrick Jr. is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft before being traded to the Steelers during the 2019 season.
Trent Jordan Watt is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers before being selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Michael Hilton Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Hilton has also been a member of the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.