![]() Spach at the 2018 Clovis High School football Hall of Fame induction | |||||
No. 41, 82, 83, 81 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Tight end | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Fresno, California, U.S. | July 18, 1982||||
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||
Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | Clovis (Clovis, California) | ||||
College: | Fresno State | ||||
Undrafted: | 2005 | ||||
Career history | |||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||
| |||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||
| |||||
Player stats at PFR |
Stephen Joseph Spach (born July 18, 1982) is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Fresno State. Spach was also a member of the Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Spach attended Clovis High School and was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he helped lead his team to a 12–1 record, a Tri-River Athletic Conference Championship and a Central Section Championship as a senior (1999 season).
Spach walked-on as a freshman (finally earning a scholarship as a redshirt sophomore) at California State University, Fresno and contributed to four winning seasons under Head Coach Pat Hill (2001–2004). During that stretch the Bulldogs became the only BCS non-AQ conference team to record three straight bowl victories over BCS AQ conference schools (2002, 2003, 2004). In the Bulldogs 37–34 win over Virginia in the 2004 MPC Computers Bowl on the final play of his senior season, Spach caught the game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Paul Pinegar on the Bulldogs' first offensive play in overtime. He played both the Tight End and Fullback positions throughout his time at Fresno State.
Spach earned his degree in Recreation Administration, finishing his studies with an internship with Progressive Sports Conditioning in Fresno, California.
Following the NFL draft in 2005, Spach was signed to a 3-year contract as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. He entered training camp in Lehigh at the bottom of the tight end depth chart, but impressed enough in camp and in the preseason to solidify a position on the 53-man regular season roster behind starter L.J. Smith. Spach contributed primarily in a blocking role at tight end and fullback, as well as on special teams throughout the season. A foot injury in a division game against the Washington Redskins midway through the season sidelined Spach three games, and allowed for the return of tight end Chad Lewis to the Eagles roster. Upon returning to the game roster, Spach contributed mainly at fullback and on special teams through the remainder of the Eagles disappointing 2005 season.
After the 2006 preseason, Spach was released by the Eagles as part of the final roster cut. He was out of football for the entire 2006 NFL season.
Spach signed a future contract with the Minnesota Vikings in January 2007 and joined the team in March for offseason training. An overflow of tight ends on the roster (including the newly signed Visanthe Shiancoe) contributed to Spach's eventual release, again on the final roster cut in September following the 2007 NFL preseason.
He was signed by the New England Patriots to a 2-year contract in December 2007. He played in the final three games of the Patriots historic 16–0 regular season, contributing mainly as a blocking tight end and on special teams. He also saw action in the AFC Championship Game victory over the San Diego Chargers on January 20, 2008, but was listed among the team's 8 inactive players for the Super Bowl XLII loss to the New York Giants in Arizona.
In 2008, Spach made the regular season roster for New England and saw action in the first two weeks of the season (both victories), before being released September 15, 2008.
Six weeks later, Spach was signed to a contract with the Arizona Cardinals on October 28, 2008. He played varying roles for the Cardinals throughout the remaining 9 regular-season games, but only caught 2 receptions totaling 15 yards in the regular season. [1] In the Cardinals first round home playoff win over the Atlanta Falcons Spach had 3 receptions, including a 24-yard first down catch from Kurt Warner late in the 4th quarter on third down and 16 that allowed Arizona to kneel the ball for the victory.
A week later Spach suffered a torn ACL in the 4th quarter of Arizona's divisional playoff win against the Carolina Panthers. [2] He was placed on injured reserve and was unable to play in the following NFC Championship and Super Bowl XLIII.
He was re-signed by the Cardinals to a 1-year contract in March 2009 and remained on the roster the entire 2009 season, mainly contributing in a reserve role as a blocker and on special teams, totaling 4 catches for 38 yards on the season. [1]
In March 2010 he was signed by the Cardinals to another 1-year deal and played in 15 games, starting 11. He finished the season with 7 receptions for 40 yards. [1] On January 2, 2011, during warm-ups before the final 2010 regular season game in San Francisco, Spach tore a calf muscle and was unable to play. [3]
He signed again with Arizona for the 2011 season, following the NFL Lockout. He was signed to a 1-year contract but was released after the preseason on September 4, 2011. He signed with the St. Louis Rams the following day. [4]
On September 5, 2011, he was signed by the St. Louis Rams. He saw action in 10 regular season games at both the tight end and fullback positions. [1]
Spach was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 10, 2012. [5]
He was released on September 19, 2012.
Spach resides in Clovis, California with his wife and sons.
Logan Lee Mankins is an American former professional football player who was a guard for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. After playing college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs, he was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. He spent his final two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Selected to seven Pro Bowls and named a first-team All-Pro twice, Mankins was considered a premier guard in his 11 seasons in NFL, and was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
Daniel S. Kreider is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the New Hampshire. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2000.
Lorenzo LaVonne Neal is an American former football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons. Neal played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL draft. A four-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro, he was also a member of the New York Jets, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tennessee Titans, the Cincinnati Bengals, the San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Ravens and the Oakland Raiders. Considered one of the best blocking fullbacks in NFL history, Neal blocked for a 1,000-plus-yard running back in eleven straight seasons from 1997 to 2007.
Kyle Eckel is a former American football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and won Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints, beating the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Navy.
Sean Thomas McHugh is a former American football tight end. He last played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL), winning Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals.
Calais Malik Campbell is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Axel Edward Brian Hoyer is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans. Since joining the NFL in 2009 as an undrafted free agent, he has started for eight different teams, the second-most in league history behind only Ryan Fitzpatrick. Hoyer's longest stint has been with the New England Patriots for eight non-consecutive seasons, primarily as a backup, and he was a member of the team that won Super Bowl LIII. His most successful season was with the Houston Texans in 2015 when he helped lead them to a division title.
Robert Hughes is a former American football fullback. He played college football for University of Notre Dame, where he ran for 1,392 yards on 321 attempts, as well as catching 43 passes for 370 yards. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as undrafted free agent in 2011.
Earl Watford is a former American football guard. He played college football at James Madison, and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Kyle Patrick Juszczyk is an American football fullback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Harvard Crimson, and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft.
James Rittenhouse Develin, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a fullback. He played college football for the Brown Bears as a defensive end. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of the Arena Football League (AFL). He most prominently played for the New England Patriots for seven seasons with whom he won three Super Bowls and appeared in a Pro Bowl. Develin was on the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad for two seasons and played for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League (UFL).
Lawrence Godfrey "Trey" Burton III is a former American football tight end. He played college football for the University of Florida and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2014, and he won Super Bowl LII with the team in his final season with the Eagles, including helping execute the Philly Special. Burton also played for the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts.
Darren Andre Fells is a former American football tight end. He did not play college football, instead playing college basketball at the University of California, Irvine. Prior to his NFL career, Fells played professional basketball in several countries and was then signed by the Seattle Seahawks. He has also played for the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, and Houston Texans. He is the brother of former NFL tight end Daniel Fells.
Pharoh Cooper is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at South Carolina, and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants.
Stephen Todd Anderson Jr. is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at California and signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He has also played for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Gevanni Gerald Rashard Everett is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Alabama, and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Nnamka Samson Ebukam is a Nigerian–American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Washington and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Jacob Hollister is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at Wyoming. He has been a member of the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).
KeeSean Johnson is an American football wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Fresno State and is the program's all-time leader in receiving yards and receptions. Johnson was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Juwuane "JuJu" Hughes is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Fresno State.