Sam Cowart

Last updated

Sam Cowart
No. 55, 56
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1975-02-26) February 26, 1975 (age 49)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:242 lb (110 kg)
Career information
High school: Mandarin (Jacksonville)
College: Florida State
NFL draft: 1998  / round: 2 / pick: 39
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:100
Games started:87
Tackles:715
Quarterback sacks:12.5
Interceptions:4
Player stats at PFR

Samuel Cowart III (born February 26, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning consensus All-American honors. A second-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. [1] Cowart was a Pro Bowl selection in 2000.

Contents

Early life

Cowart was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, and played for the Mandarin Mustangs high school football team. As a senior football player, he was a Super Prep high school All-American selection and a USA Today All-America honorable mention, named the Jacksonville Defensive Player of the Year, and won first-team all-state honors, and helped lead the Mustangs to the district championship in the state playoffs. [2]

College career

Cowart attended Florida State University, where he played for coach Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles football team from 1993 through 1997. He was a reserve linebacker on the Seminoles' 1993 national championship team. In 1995, he led FSU in tackles in with 115 (76 solo), finishing sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in that category. The same year, Cowart had three quarterback sacks and 13 tackles in the FSU-Florida game (at Florida) to earn ABC player of the game honors. Returning in 1997 after a knee injury that kept him out of the 1996 season, Cowart earned consensus first-team All-American recognition, leading the team with 116 tackles. He also set an FSU team record with three fumbles returned or recovered for touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy and winner of the ACC's Brian Piccolo Award for the conference's "Most Courageous Player."

Professional career

Buffalo Bills

Cowart was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1998 NFL draft. [3] He played for the Bills for four seasons and received a trip to the Pro Bowl in the 2000 season.

Before he was cut down by injuries, Cowart, was a sideline-to-sideline force on a playmaking par with Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Cowart was the Pro Bowl heart of Buffalo's defense until he was chopped down by Frank Middleton, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard, resulting in a severe ankle injury that ended his 2000 season after 12 games. Cowart also suffered a season-ending Achilles' tendon tear in Buffalo's 2001 season opener.

"He and Ray Lewis were the best linebackers in the league before Sam suffered that Achilles' injury," said Ted Cottrell, Cowart's defensive coordinator for the Bills from 1998 to 2000. [4]

New York Jets

After the 2001 year, Cowart went to the New York Jets. He played as a starting linebacker for them in one of thirty-one games of the first two seasons. His third season he played nine games and only started two.

Minnesota Vikings

Cowart was indirectly involved in the Minnesota/Oakland trade that sent Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for linebacker Napoleon Harris, a 1st round pick (7th overall) and a 7th round pick. Cowart was then traded by the New York Jets, to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 7th round pick that was received from Oakland. He only played one season for the Vikings starting fourteen of fifteen games he played in.

Houston Texans

After the 2005 season the Vikings released Cowart. Cowart signed with the Houston Texans to become their starting middle linebacker until he was injured and was to miss the whole season. While injured, rookie DeMeco Ryans took over the middle linebacker duties and was so impressive that he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. After the Texans made Ryans their full-time starter they felt that they did not need Cowart any more so he was released after the 2006 season.

NFL statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGPTacklesFumblesInterceptions
CombSoloAstSackFFFRIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
1998 BUF 167153180.02022311.52303
1999 BUF 1612378451.011000.0002
2000 BUF 1213088425.512242.0206
2001 BUF 12020.000000.0000
2002 NYJ 1612791362.000000.0008
2003 NYJ 1514096442.011000.0002
2004 NYJ 9252050.010000.0000
2005 MIN 158572132.000000.0002
Career [5] 10070349820512.5644276.823023

Postseason

YearTeamGPTacklesFumblesInterceptions
CombSoloAstSackFFFRIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
1998 BUF 13120.000000.0000
1999 BUF 111650.000000.0001
2002 NYJ 26510.000000.0000
2004 NYJ 12110.000000.0000
Career5221390.000000.0001

Post NFL career

Cowart now lives in the Jacksonville, FL area and works at the financial firm Northwestern Mutual. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Brooks</span> American football player and executive (born 1973)

Derrick Dewan Brooks is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for his entire 14-year career in the National Football League (NFL) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brooks played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning consensus All-American honors twice. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro, Brooks was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 en route to winning the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVII. Following his retirement, Brooks served as co-owner and president of the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2011 to 2017. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Brian Lamar Allen is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Allen played college football at Florida State University.

<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.

Ernie Sims III is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys.

Michael Boulware is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played in the NFL for the Houston Texans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Washington</span> American football player and coach (born 1982)

Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. is an American former professional football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) as a running back and return specialist and made 2 Pro Bowls and 2 All-Pro teams during his career. Washington holds many kick return records for both the Jets and Seattle Seahawks.

Gregory Tyrone Spires is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

Marvin Maurice Jones is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Jones played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was recognized as a consensus All-American twice. He was selected in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft by the New York Jets and he played his entire professional career for the Jets. In 2018, Jones was the head coach for the Cedar Rapids Titans in the Indoor Football League (IFL) and served as head coach of the Omaha Beef in the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) from 2020-2022. Beginning in 2023, Jones will be the head coach of the IFL's Tulsa Oilers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geno Hayes</span> American football player (1987–2021)

Eugene Antonio Hayes was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Florida State Seminoles, he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He also played for the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL.

Everette D. Brown is an American football coach and former linebacker who is currently the assistant linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in second round of the 2009 NFL draft. Brown also played for the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.

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

Nigel Bradham is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Florida State University. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft, and played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamarcus Joyner</span> American football player (born 1990)

Lamarcus Joyner is an American professional football safety who is a free agent. After being named 2009 Defensive High School Player of the Year by USA Today, he played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Darby</span> American football player (born 1994)

Ronald Darby is an American professional football cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos, and Baltimore Ravens. A world-class sprinter during his high school years, Darby won medals at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xavier Rhodes</span> American football player (born 1990)

Xavier Rhodes is an American professional football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. With the Vikings, Rhodes made three Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalil Mack</span> American football player (born 1991)

Khalil Delshon Mack is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls and was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the fifth overall pick in 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Sweat</span> American football player (born 1997)

Josh Sweat is an American professional football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State.

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

Brian Burns is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Hamsah Nasirildeen is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Florida State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jermaine Johnson II</span> American football player (born 1999)

Jermaine Curtis Johnson II is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Independence and Georgia before transferring to Florida State in 2021 where he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Johnson was drafted by the New York Jets with the twenty-sixth overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft.

References

  1. ↑ Sam Cowart. nfl.com
  2. ↑ "Sam Cowart Bio". Florida State Seminoles. September 19, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  3. ↑ "1998 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  4. ↑ Jim, Corbett (August 10, 2005). "Vikings Retool Defensive Shield". USA Today. Retrieved August 10, 2005.
  5. ↑ "Sam Cowart Stats". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  6. ↑ Ex-FSU LB Sam Cowart Thriving in Business, Financial World, lostlettermen, September 13, 2011, archived from the original on February 15, 2015, retrieved November 22, 2014
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.