Tedy Bruschi

Tedy Lacap Bruschi (born June 9, 1973) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, who is the senior advisor to the head coach at University of Arizona.

He played college football for the University of Arizona, and was a two-time consensus All-American.

Bruschi attended the University of Arizona, where he played for the Arizona Wildcats football team from 1991 to 1995.

In his four-year college career, he compiled 185 total tackles (137 solos), with 74 tackles for losses, six fumbles and recovered five others and tied the NCAA Division I-A sack record with 52 sacks.

In 1991, he missed the first three games of the season due to a pinched nerve in his neck.

He returned and started two games as a true freshman, but suffered a broken left thumb and was redshirted.

In 1992, he played strongside outside linebacker prior to his transition to the defensive line in 1993 and started just one of 12 games and still managed to post 4.5 sacks for the season.

In 1993, he earned second-team All-America honors after setting a school record with 19 sacks as a sophomore, received first-team All-Pac-10 honors, and was named the Wildcats' most valuable player.

His 27.5 tackles for losses and 19 sacks in 1993 were each career highs.

He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 1994 and 1995, and won the 1995 Morris Trophy as the Pacific-10 Conference's best defensive lineman.

In 1994, he was one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award and again was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection.

He totaled 39 tackles, including 10 sacks and 15 tackles for losses.

In 1995, he totaled 60 tackles (48 solos), including 18.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for losses.

He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and played his entire professional career with the Patriots.

Bruschi won three Super Bowls and was a two-time second-team All-Pro selection.

Bruschi was born in San Francisco, California.

His paternal grandparents were from Bedonia in Italy (specifically, the frazione of Bruschi di Sopra), while his mother is of Filipino ancestry.

He attended Roseville High School in Roseville, California, where he lettered in football, wrestling and track and field (shot put).

He was an all-conference selection as a defensive tackle for the Roseville Tigers.

The New England Patriots selected Bruschi in the third round (86th overall) of the 1996 NFL Draft.

Coming into the draft he was listed at 6'0 250 pounds and was considered too small to be a defensive end but was a good size to be a linebacker, which is the position that the New England coaches moved him to.

He played for the Patriots from 1996 to 2008.

Bruschi never used an agent during his time with the New England Patriots.

In 1996, he played in every game as a rookie, a pass rush specialist who played on many special teams units and finished the season with 11 tackles, including four sacks.

He ranked third on the team with 17 special teams tackles, and ran a blocked punt back for a TD in October.

Bruschi recorded two sacks in Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers, just one shy of the Super Bowl record (Reggie White, 3.0).

In 1997, he saw action in every game for the second consecutive season and posted 30 defensive tackles, including four sacks, and added 13 special teams stops.

His four sacks and 13 special teams tackles each ranked third on the team, and he also forced two fumbles, and recovered one.

In 1998, Bruschi played in every game for the third consecutive year and started the last eight games of the season, including the Patriots wild-card playoff game in Jacksonville (January 3, 1999).

He finished fourth on the team with a career-high 81 tackles, including a pair of sacks.

In 1999, he started 14 games at outside linebacker and recorded a career-high 138 total tackles, including two sacks.

Bruschi finished second on the team in tackles, despite missing two games due to a right knee sprain.

He made his first career interception, one of six passes defensed on the year.

2000 saw Bruschi start all 16 games at weakside linebacker and finished with 105 tackles (68 solos).

It was his second consecutive season with over 100 tackles.

In 2001, he started nine of 15 regular season games at linebacker and finished third on the team with 73 tackles.

He was credited with two sacks, forced three fumbles, recovering one, and two interceptions.

In 2002, Bruschi was voted a defensive captain for the season by his teammates.

Bruschi was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Prior to the NFL Draft, Bruschi was invited to play in the East West Shrine Bowl Game.