Max Starks

Last updated

Max Starks
MaxStarks Steelers 2006.jpg
Starks in 2006
No. 78, 79
Position: Offensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1982-01-10) January 10, 1982 (age 41)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight:345 lb (156 kg)
Career information
High school: Lake Highland Preparatory School
College: Florida
NFL Draft: 2004  / Round: 3 / Pick: 75
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:125
Games started:96
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Maximillian Weisner Starks IV (born January 10, 1982) is an American former college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and also played for the San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, and Arizona Cardinals.

Contents

A longtime fan favorite among Steeler fans, Starks turned to broadcasting after he retired from playing and is currently the sideline reporter for the Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network.

Early years

Starks was born in Orlando, Florida. [1] He attended Orlando Christian School for sixth to eighth graders, where he played basketball and volleyball for the OCS Knights. As an eighth grader he wore size 16 shoes; when he had a difficult time finding shoes that fit, he borrowed shoes from NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, who played at the time for the Orlando Magic; Starks was a ball boy for the Magic at that time. [2] Starks attended Lake Highland Preparatory School, [3] a private prep school in Orlando. He was one of the state's top offensive linemen in 1999, was named to Super Prep's, National Bluechips and Prep Star's high school All-America teams, and was a USA Today honorable mention All-American. [4] He was a two-time all-conference selection in basketball. [4]

College career

Starks accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, [4] where he played for coach Steve Spurrier and coach Ron Zook's Florida Gators football teams from 2000 to 2003. [5] During his time as a Gator, he won a Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship ring (2000) and blocked for record-setting Gators quarterbacks Rex Grossman (2000–2002) and Chris Leak (2003). [4] As a senior, Starks was a team captain and first-team All-SEC selection. [5]

While he was a Florida undergraduate, Starks was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2007.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 7 in
(2.01 m)		350 lb
(159 kg)		35+1⁄2 in
(0.90 m)		10+3⁄4 in
(0.27 m)		5.56 s4.90 s7.88 s30.0 in
(0.76 m)		8 ft 4 in
(2.54 m)		21 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [6]

Pittsburgh Steelers

Starks was among the largest NFL players, standing at 6'8" and 370 pounds with size 19 shoes. Four other relatives of Starks have been professional football players. [7] He was drafted in 2004, round three, pick 12, by the Steelers. [8] He became a starter for the first time in the 2005 season for the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Entering the 2007 season, Starks lost his starting job to Willie Colon; however, he played in all 16 games. He also started 4 games at the end of the season at left tackle in place of the injured Marvel Smith. On February 21, 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers placed the transition tag on Starks. He signed his one-year, $6.85-million tender offer on April 19. He signed another one-year contract with the Steelers following their victory in Super Bowl XLIII. [9]

On June 23, 2009, the Steelers signed Starks to a new four-year, $26.3 million contract. The deal included $10 million in guarantees. [10]

He was released by the Steelers on July 28, 2011, [11] but was later re-signed on October 5, 2011. After the season, he worked on the rehabilitation of a knee injury and said he hoped to return to the Steelers for the 2012 season. In July 2012, he announced on Twitter that he had re-signed with the Steelers. [12] Starks started all 16 Steelers games in 2012. [13]

San Diego Chargers

Starks signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Chargers on May 21, 2013. [14] [15] He was released on August 30, 2013.

St. Louis Rams

On September 18, 2013, he signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Rams; he was released on October 1, 2013.

Arizona Cardinals

On August 1, 2014, Starks signed with the Arizona Cardinals. He was released on August 25, 2014. [16] [17] He announced his retirement from professional football in January 2015.

Broadcasting career

In 2021, Starks returned to the Steelers as the sideline reporter for the Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network. His addition was part of a larger reshuffling, as he replaced fellow former Steelers offensive lineman Craig Wolfley, who moved to the booth alongside longtime play-by-play man Bill Hillgrove to replace former teammate Tunch Ilkin as color analyst following the latter's retirement and death due to complications from ALS. Starks works alongside Missi Matthews during games. [18] Starks would also replace Ilkin as Wolfley's broadcast partner on Steelers Nation Radio for the team's in-season analysis show on WBGG.

Personal

Starks is the son of former professional defensive lineman Ross Browner. Starks discovered he wasn't the biological son of Max Starks III, his stepfather, when he was in high school. [19]

Ross Browner, who was a first-round selection in the 1978 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, started 36 of 43 games during his career. Browner was a two-time (1976, 1977) All-American defensive lineman at Notre Dame and won the Lombardi and Maxwell Awards. The Browner family as a whole is second to the Matthews Family with regard to NFL players in the family. Ross's brothers Joey Browner, Jimmy Browner, and Keith Browner all played in the NFL. Starks's cousin, Keith Browner, Jr., plays with the Houston Texans.

Starks appeared in Chunky Soup commercials eating soup with Steelers back-up quarterback Charlie Batch, defensive tackle Casey Hampton and others.

In 2006, he traveled with Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bryce Fisher and Atlanta Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney on the USO Tour, traveling to United States military bases, a tradition begun by such NFL greats as Frank Gifford and Johnny Unitas. In 2005 Starks visited the USS Theodore Roosevelt at sea, along with members of the Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff.

Starks was heavily involved in the local community at the University of Florida. He served as a tutor in Gainesville, Florida and worked with Kids Against Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco. Starks also became involved with the charity Cents of Relief which works to prevent human trafficking and allow access to healthcare for vulnerable populations, particularly women of prostitution and their children. [20] [21] He currently serves on the charity's Board of Directors. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Mularkey</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

Michael Rene Mularkey is a former American football coach and tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and lasted until the final round of cuts. Mularkey then signed with the Minnesota Vikings with whom he played for six seasons before playing another three with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lito Sheppard</span> American football player and coach (born 1981)

Lito Decorian Sheppard is an American football coach and former player. During his playing career as cornerback, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Florida Gators. He played for the Eagles for seven seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice. He also played for the NFL's New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders. As a coach, he was the safeties coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ike Hilliard</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Isaac Jason Hilliard is an American football coach and former wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played primarily with the New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunch Ilkin</span> Turkish-American gridiron football player and sports broadcaster (1957–2021)

Tunch Ilkin was a Turkish-American football player and sports broadcaster. A two-time Pro Bowl selection as an offensive tackle with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was the first Turk to play in the National Football League (NFL). He was voted to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team. After his playing career, he was a television and radio analyst for the Steelers from 1998 to 2020.

Josef Ian Scott is an American former college and professional football player who was a nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 2000s. Scott played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers of the NFL.

Keiwan Jevar Ratliff is an American former football cornerback who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Chandler</span> American football player (born 1956)

Wesley Sandy Chandler is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four times, and ranked twelfth in NFL history in receiving yards and thirteenth in receptions when he retired. Chandler is a member of the Chargers Hall of Fame. He played college football for the Florida Gators and was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Dallas Leon Baker is a former American football wide receiver. Baker played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League (AFL). As a member of the Steelers, he won Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals. He is currently the wide receivers coach at Baylor University.

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

Brandon T. Siler is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Gators' 2006 national championship team. He was chosen by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and also played for the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Wolfley</span> American football player (born 1958)

Craig Alan Wolfley is a former football player and current color analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Along with fellow Steeler Max Starks, he hosts a show on 970 ESPN.

Huey L. Richardson, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the 1990s. Richardson played college football for the Florida Gators and earned All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1991 NFL Draft and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and the New York Jets.

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

William Latsko is a former American professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team. Thereafter, he was signed by the NFL's Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2007, and was also a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers of the NFL, and the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (UFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Fike</span> American football player (born 1961)

Dan Clement Fike Jr. is an American former college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

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

Joseph Walter Haden III is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, earning unanimous All-American honors and was a member of a BCS National Championship team. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft and played for them for seven seasons. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for five seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Gagner</span> American football player (born 1943)

Lawrence Joseph Gagner is a former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for parts of five seasons during the 1960s and 1970s. Gagner was born in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up near Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was a multi-sport all-state athlete at Seabreeze High School. He chose to attend college at the University of Florida, where he played several positions on offense and defense for the Florida Gators under head coach Ray Graves. Gagner became a regular starter on the Gators' offensive line during his junior year in 1964. He was a two-time All-SEC guard and was a consensus All-American at that position during his senior year in 1965.

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

LaShawn Maurkice Pouncey is an American former professional football player who was a center for 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, where he was a member of a BCS National Championship team, recognized as a consensus All-American, and won the 2009 Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best college football center. He was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Pouncey was a nine-time Pro Bowler and named to five All-Pro teams, and was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. He is the twin brother of former NFL center Mike Pouncey.

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

James Michael Pouncey is an American former professional football player who was a center for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, was a member of a BCS National Championship team, and earned All-American honors. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and played the final three seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He is the twin brother of former NFL center Maurkice Pouncey.

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

Marcus Christopher Gilbert is a former American football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and played for the Steelers for eight seasons. Gilbert was also a member of the Arizona Cardinals for two seasons, although he never played a game for the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Rainey</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Christopher Rainey is an American professional football running back and kick returner who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of Florida's BCS National Championship team in 2009. The Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) selected him in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He has also played for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts and the CFL's Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts.

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

Jonathan Bullard is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and has also played for the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.

References

  1. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, Max Starks. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  2. ↑ Haugh, David (January 31, 2009). "Pittsburgh Steelers' Max Starks bonds with father Ross Browner". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Max Starks Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com .
  4. 1 2 3 4 GatorZone.com, Football History, 2003 Roster, Max Starks Archived October 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  5. 1 2 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 97, 125, 185 (2011). Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Max Starks, Florida, OT, 2004 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Official site of the Pittsburgh Steelers - Roster". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
  8. ↑ "2004 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  9. ↑ Steelers Retain Essex Yahoo Sports, March 17, 2009
  10. ↑ Source: Starks get $26.3M contract ESPN, June 23, 2009
  11. ↑ "Steelers release Starks, Randle El". Sacramento Bee . Retrieved July 29, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ Max Starks IV [@maxstarks78] (July 17, 2012). "It's real and sealed! I'll be seeing you in Latrobe!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "Steelers.com". Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Max Starks, San Diego Chargers strike contract". NFL.com .
  15. ↑ "Chargers, Max Starks agree to one-year deal". May 21, 2013.
  16. ↑ Max Starks, Arizona Cardinals reach deal
  17. ↑ "Max Starks and Ryan Lindley out in Arizona". Profootballtalk. August 25, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Craig Wolfley to join Steelers radio booth, Max Starks to serve as sideline analyst". August 3, 2021.
  19. ↑ ESPN - Steelers' Starks grew up not knowing of ties to famous NFL family - NFL
  20. ↑ Hines, Raymond (August 4, 2003). "Exclusive Interview: Max Starks the Gentle Giant". Gator Insider. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Mission". Cents of Relief (official site). Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Board of Directors". Cents of Relief (official site). Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
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.