Andre Wadsworth
Encyclopedia
Andre Wadsworth is an American
professional
football
player who is currently a free agent
. He began his college career
as a 215-pound walk-on at Florida State University
and became a highly touted prospect at defensive end
, drafted
3rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
in 1998
. His career went on a long hiatus after 2002, when he was released by the Cardinals after a few injury-plagued seasons. Wadsworth attempted a return to professional football when he was signed by the New York Jets
as a free agent on March 27, 2007.
and Bethune-Cookman College
) coming out of Class A Florida Christian School
in Miami, where he saw most of his time at tight end
, Wadsworth eventually earned a scholarship
as a walk on at Florida State University
. He earned Second-team All-ACC
honors his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons (1994-1996) as a defensive tackle. Despite being a potential top-10 NFL Draft
pick after his junior season, he stayed for his senior year, citing a pinched nerve in his neck that forced him out of four games in 1996 as a concern regarding his physical capabilities to perform for scouts
at full capacity.
He switched from defensive tackle to left defensive end for his senior season, registering 59 tackles, 19 tackles
for a loss and 16 quarterback sack
s, placing him second in both categories in the school's all-time records. One of four finalists for the Lombardi Award
, he was named First-team All-ACC and All-American
. He was also selected ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Defensive Player of the year in 1997.
by the Arizona Cardinals
, making him the highest-selected player in school history.
A lengthy holdout ensued, centered almost directly on both his demand to be paid closer to the contracts signed by the two previous picks, Indianapolis Colts
' Peyton Manning
out of University of Tennessee
at No. 1 and the San Diego Chargers
' Ryan Leaf
from Washington State University
at No. 2 rather than one closer to Heisman Trophy
winner Charles Woodson
selected by the Oakland Raiders
at No. 4, and a provision allowing him to void the contract before expiration if he chose to do so. The holdout lasted until the night before the season-opener (44 days) with a six-year, $42 million contract including a $10.49 million signing bonus (Manning received $11.6 million on a $48 million contract, Leaf got $11.2 million on a five-year contract totaling $31.2 million), though the player-triggered option out was never consummated.
He played in all 16 games his rookie season, finishing with 5.0 sacks and 57 tackles, including 42 solo. Bothered by a knee injury in 1999, he still managed to play in 11 games, tallying 2.0 sacks, 26 tackles, and his only career interception
. Off-season knee surgery, the second of his career, held him out from most of the off-season activities, but still managed 13 tackles and one sack in nine games. At the conclusion of the 2000 season
, Wadsworth underwent microfracture surgery
on his right knee, the third surgery on that knee in his career, and arthroscopic surgery on the left on January 3 with non-team physician Dr. Richard Steadman. Possibly due to concerns after teammate Eric Swann
's semi-recovery from nine knee surgeries, the Arizona Cardinals released Wadsworth before offering a one year, $512,000 tender that was eventually pulled off the table within days after it went unsigned.
On January 28, 2007 the St. Petersburg Times
reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
were planning to give Wadsworth, now 32, a workout. The New York Jets
gave Wadsworth a workout later in the offseason. On March 26, 2007, the New York Jets signed Wadsworth to a minimum-based salary contract. Wadsworth was also said to be healthy enough to compete for an outside linebacker position. On September 1, 2007, the Jets released him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He began his college career
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a 215-pound walk-on at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
and became a highly touted prospect at defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
3rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1998
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
. His career went on a long hiatus after 2002, when he was released by the Cardinals after a few injury-plagued seasons. Wadsworth attempted a return to professional football when he was signed by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as a free agent on March 27, 2007.
Early years
Wadsworth starred at Class A Florida Christian High School where he was named First-team All-Dade County and voted All-conference and Second-team All-state as a defensive lineman. He also returned a kickoff for 98 yds for a TD.Collegiate career
Recruited by only two small colleges (Liberty UniversityLiberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
and Bethune-Cookman College
Bethune-Cookman College
Bethune-Cookman University or B-CU is a private historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida.- History :Mary McLeod Bethune founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School in 1904...
) coming out of Class A Florida Christian School
Florida Christian School
Florida Christian School is a Non-Denominational Christian school in Olympia Heights, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. The school offers co-ed classes from preschool through high school...
in Miami, where he saw most of his time at tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, Wadsworth eventually earned a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
as a walk on at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He earned Second-team All-ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
honors his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons (1994-1996) as a defensive tackle. Despite being a potential top-10 NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
pick after his junior season, he stayed for his senior year, citing a pinched nerve in his neck that forced him out of four games in 1996 as a concern regarding his physical capabilities to perform for scouts
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
at full capacity.
He switched from defensive tackle to left defensive end for his senior season, registering 59 tackles, 19 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
for a loss and 16 quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s, placing him second in both categories in the school's all-time records. One of four finalists for the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
, he was named First-team All-ACC and All-American
1997 College Football All-America Team
The 1997 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News and Football News....
. He was also selected ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Defensive Player of the year in 1997.
Pre-draft
Wadsworth bench pressed 500 pounds and had a personal best in the squat of 690. The Steelers' college personnel director, Tom Modrak, said: "He's like a missile when he comes off the ball. He can keep his pads low and still run full speed. He's flexible, and he's around 280 pounds."Arizona Cardinals
Wadsworth was selected 3rd overall in the 1998 NFL Draft1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
by the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, making him the highest-selected player in school history.
A lengthy holdout ensued, centered almost directly on both his demand to be paid closer to the contracts signed by the two previous picks, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
' Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
out of University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
at No. 1 and the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' Ryan Leaf
Ryan Leaf
Ryan David Leaf is a former American football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons...
from Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
at No. 2 rather than one closer to Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Charles Woodson
Charles Woodson
Charles C. Woodson is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan for the Michigan Wolverines. In 1997, Woodson led the Wolverines to a national championship...
selected by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
at No. 4, and a provision allowing him to void the contract before expiration if he chose to do so. The holdout lasted until the night before the season-opener (44 days) with a six-year, $42 million contract including a $10.49 million signing bonus (Manning received $11.6 million on a $48 million contract, Leaf got $11.2 million on a five-year contract totaling $31.2 million), though the player-triggered option out was never consummated.
He played in all 16 games his rookie season, finishing with 5.0 sacks and 57 tackles, including 42 solo. Bothered by a knee injury in 1999, he still managed to play in 11 games, tallying 2.0 sacks, 26 tackles, and his only career interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
. Off-season knee surgery, the second of his career, held him out from most of the off-season activities, but still managed 13 tackles and one sack in nine games. At the conclusion of the 2000 season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, Wadsworth underwent microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
on his right knee, the third surgery on that knee in his career, and arthroscopic surgery on the left on January 3 with non-team physician Dr. Richard Steadman. Possibly due to concerns after teammate Eric Swann
Eric Swann
Eric Jerrod Swann is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 1st round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 6'5", 317 lbs. defensive tackle, Swann never attended college and was actually drafted from a semi-pro football team called the Bay State...
's semi-recovery from nine knee surgeries, the Arizona Cardinals released Wadsworth before offering a one year, $512,000 tender that was eventually pulled off the table within days after it went unsigned.
On January 28, 2007 the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
were planning to give Wadsworth, now 32, a workout. The New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
gave Wadsworth a workout later in the offseason. On March 26, 2007, the New York Jets signed Wadsworth to a minimum-based salary contract. Wadsworth was also said to be healthy enough to compete for an outside linebacker position. On September 1, 2007, the Jets released him.