Anthony Hargrove
Encyclopedia
Anthony La'Ron Hargrove (born July 20, 1983) is an American football
defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams
in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Georgia Tech
.
Hargrove has also played for the Buffalo Bills
as well as winning Super Bowl XLIV
with the New Orleans Saints
. He was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
in 2011.
at Port Charlotte High School
in Florida. He played quarterback
and free safety for the Pirates, before moving to defensive line in college.
(* represents NFL Combine
**represents Georgia Tech Pro Day)
. On July 24, 2004, Hargrove signed a three-year $1.25 million contract with the Rams, including a signing bonus of $442,000. As a reserve in 2004, Hargrove played in 15 games and started two. He totaled 31 tackles (23 solo) and recorded one sack. In 2005 he was the Rams starting right defensive end, totaling 51 tackles (43 solo) and 6.5 sacks. In 2006 he played in four games with two starts and had five tackles and one-half sack. Early in the 2006 season Hargrove had an unexplained two-day absence which caused him to be made inactive and then traded.
on October 16, 2006, in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft
. Hargrove played in 10 games in 2006 and had 19 tackles (14 solo) and recorded a sack to make his 2006 totals 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks with both the Bills and Rams. On March 1, 2007, Hargrove signed the Bill's one-year tender of $850,000 for the 2007 season. In 2007 he played 12 games and made 28 tackles (18 solo) and had 1.5 sacks after serving a four-game suspension, which cost him $200,000 of his 2007 salary.
On November 8 of the same year Hargrove validated the Saints' decision by recovering a fumble
from the Carolina Panthers
and scoring a 4th-quarter touchdown, sealing a 30-20 victory for the Saints. Besides the rare occurrence of a touchdown scored by a defensive lineman, the game was Panthers coach John Fox's first loss in the Louisiana Superdome
and put New Orleans at a season-starting eight wins and no losses for the first time in Saints history.
Hargrove was a restricted free agent
after the 2009 season, and it was reported that the Detroit Lions
were interesting in signing him, but on April 5, 2010, Hargrove signed the Saints' qualifying tender, and the Saints said he would return to the team in 2010.
signed Hargrove on August 3, 2011. He was released during final roster cuts on September 3, 2011.
adopted him.
Hargrove has said that he began abusing drugs during his time with the Rams. He went through a series of failed drug tests and other difficulties during his tenure with the Rams and the Bills. After his 2008 suspension, he spent more than a year in treatment centers in South Carolina and North Miami Beach
. Eight months after leaving the treatment center, he found himself back in Miami to play in the Super Bowl
. In view of his comeback, Hargrove's Saints teammates voted him the winner of their 2009 Ed Block Courage Award
.
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...
defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 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 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. He played college football
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...
at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Hargrove has also played for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as well as winning Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
with the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2011.
Early years
Hargrove played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Port Charlotte High School
Port Charlotte High School
Port Charlotte High School is a four-year, comprehensive, public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida, US. The school opened in 1982, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools...
in Florida. He played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and free safety for the Pirates, before moving to defensive line in college.
College career
Hargrove started 13 of 24 games for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, with 70 tackles (36 solo) with six sacks, 19 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and three passes defensed. He was academically ineligible for the season as a junior in 2003, but started every game at weakside defensive end as a sophomore.Professional career
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||||||
| Ht | Wt | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yd split | 20-yd split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-3⅜ * | 255 lb * | 4.60 * | 1.59 * | 2.71 * | 4.24 ** | 7.14 ** | 39½ in.** | 10'06" ** | 31 * | 27 * |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
**represents Georgia Tech Pro Day)
St. Louis Rams
Hargrove was selected in the third round (91st overall) by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. On July 24, 2004, Hargrove signed a three-year $1.25 million contract with the Rams, including a signing bonus of $442,000. As a reserve in 2004, Hargrove played in 15 games and started two. He totaled 31 tackles (23 solo) and recorded one sack. In 2005 he was the Rams starting right defensive end, totaling 51 tackles (43 solo) and 6.5 sacks. In 2006 he played in four games with two starts and had five tackles and one-half sack. Early in the 2006 season Hargrove had an unexplained two-day absence which caused him to be made inactive and then traded.
Buffalo Bills
Hargrove was traded by the Rams to the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 16, 2006, in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. Hargrove played in 10 games in 2006 and had 19 tackles (14 solo) and recorded a sack to make his 2006 totals 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks with both the Bills and Rams. On March 1, 2007, Hargrove signed the Bill's one-year tender of $850,000 for the 2007 season. In 2007 he played 12 games and made 28 tackles (18 solo) and had 1.5 sacks after serving a four-game suspension, which cost him $200,000 of his 2007 salary.
Suspensions
On August 11, 2007, Hargrove was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the regular season for breaking the NFL's substance abuse policy. It was reported on January 18, 2008, that Hargrove had failed another drug test. Due to past violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy, Hargrove received a one-year suspension on January 24, 2008. It was announced he had been reinstated by the league on February 23, 2009.New Orleans Saints
On May 18, 2009, Hargrove signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams moved Hargrove inside to defensive tackle where he flourished.On November 8 of the same year Hargrove validated the Saints' decision by recovering a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
from the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and scoring a 4th-quarter touchdown, sealing a 30-20 victory for the Saints. Besides the rare occurrence of a touchdown scored by a defensive lineman, the game was Panthers coach John Fox's first loss in the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
and put New Orleans at a season-starting eight wins and no losses for the first time in Saints history.
Hargrove was a restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
after the 2009 season, and it was reported that the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
were interesting in signing him, but on April 5, 2010, Hargrove signed the Saints' qualifying tender, and the Saints said he would return to the team in 2010.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed Hargrove on August 3, 2011. He was released during final roster cuts on September 3, 2011.
Personal
When Hargrove was 6, the Brooklyn tenement where he lived with his mother and two of his four half-siblings burned down. He lived in homeless shelters and foster care until his mother died when he was 9. An aunt in Port CharlottePort Charlotte, Florida
Port Charlotte is a census-designated place in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. The population was 46,451 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
adopted him.
Hargrove has said that he began abusing drugs during his time with the Rams. He went through a series of failed drug tests and other difficulties during his tenure with the Rams and the Bills. After his 2008 suspension, he spent more than a year in treatment centers in South Carolina and North Miami Beach
North Miami Beach, Florida
North Miami Beach is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Originally named Fulford in 1926 after Captain William H. Fulford of the United States Coast Guard, the city was incorporated in 1927 as Fulford, but was renamed North Miami Beach in 1931. The population was...
. Eight months after leaving the treatment center, he found himself back in Miami to play in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
. In view of his comeback, Hargrove's Saints teammates voted him the winner of their 2009 Ed Block Courage Award
Ed Block Courage Award
The Ed Block Courage Award is an annual award presented to selected players in the National Football League , who are voted by their teammates as role models of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. Named in memory of Ed Block, a well-liked humanitarian and trainer for the Baltimore Colts, the...
.