Anthony Spencer
Encyclopedia
Anthony E. Spencer II is an American football
linebacker
for the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Cowboys 26th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Purdue
.
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
. Spencer was a 3 year starter playing nose guard and full back. At fullback, he dominated in the backfield and ran for more than 600 yards, averaging a solid 9.1 yards per carry. By the time Spencer was through, he ended his high school career by setting team records in tackles and sacks. A diverse athlete, Anthony lettered in both football and basketball, and this helped him get accepted to Purdue University
.
Spencer was a two-time all-state selection and three-time all-area and all-conference selection while playing in the Summit Athletic Conference
. He was named the Indianapolis Star's Defensive Lineman of the Year as a senior, when his team went undefeated and won the 2002 Class 2A state championship.
In his 3 years as a starter, Spencer and the Luers team lost a total of 3 games. In addition to the 2002 championship, Luers lost two games on their way to the 2000 Class 2A championship, and their only loss in 2001 came in the 2001 Class 2A championship game.
Spencer committed to Purdue University
on July 8, 2003. Spencer also had FBS scholarship offers from Michigan State
.
at Purdue University
.
Spencer spent the 2002 season on the Purdue scout team
as a redshirt freshman. He appeared in ten games during the 2003 season, recording six tackles and one stop behind the line of scrimmage
.
In 2004, Spencer played in 12 games and started
in 11. He registered 33 tackles and finished third on the team with 7.5 sacks and 9.5 stops for losses. He also batted down six passes and forced three fumbles, earning All-Big Ten Conference
honorable mention.
Even though he started all 11 games in 2005, Spencer failed to match his 2004 performance due to several minor injuries. He was limited to 23 tackles, three sacks, and 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He caused three fumbles and recovered another while also deflecting one pass.
Spencer had a great senior season in 2006. He finished the season ranked second in the nation with 26.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, the fifth-best season total in Big Ten Conference history. He finished second on the team with 93 tackles and first with 10.5 sacks. He also caused five fumbles and recovered another while batting away six passes and blocking one kick. He was named the Purdue football team's Most Valuable Player
.
As a former Indiana high school all-star who also excelled at Purdue, Spencer was co-recipient of the 2007 Rabold Award given by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. Spencer also was invited to play in the 2007 Senior Bowl
.
Anthony received a degree in African-American Studies, with a minor in Law Society.
26th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
in the 2007 NFL Draft
. He recorded his first NFL sack against the Chicago Bears
on NBC Sunday Night Football
.
Anthony Spencer was named the starter at outside linebacker after veteran Greg Ellis was released. He responded by having a breakout season and being named to the 2009 Sports Illustrated All-Pro Team.
, starting the first six games of the season. After Dallas suffered a devastating 48-27 loss to New England in Week 6, Spencer was demoted from his starting position.
Despite this, Spencer recorded 28 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
, starting none. In his limited playing time, Spencer recorded 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
, starting at outside linebacker opposite teammate DeMarcus Ware
. While Dallas was able to win their first playoff game in over a decade, the Cowboys fell to the Minnesota Vikings
in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Spencer pitched in 2 tackles and a sack in the Wild Card game against Philadelphia, and had an outstanding game against the Vikings in the Divisional Round, recording 10 tackles and a sack in a 34-3 Dallas loss.
, Spencer put in a solid 16 starts, recording 63 tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
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 Cowboys 26th overall 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...
. 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 Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
.
High school career
Spencer played high school football at Bishop Luers High SchoolBishop Luers High School
Bishop Luers High School is a Catholic high school located on the south side of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bishop Luers is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The school was founded in 1958 by the Franciscan Fathers of the Saint John the Baptist Province in...
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. Spencer was a 3 year starter playing nose guard and full back. At fullback, he dominated in the backfield and ran for more than 600 yards, averaging a solid 9.1 yards per carry. By the time Spencer was through, he ended his high school career by setting team records in tackles and sacks. A diverse athlete, Anthony lettered in both football and basketball, and this helped him get accepted to Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
Spencer was a two-time all-state selection and three-time all-area and all-conference selection while playing in the Summit Athletic Conference
Summit Athletic Conference (IHSAA)
The SAC is a high school athletic conference consisting of the eight high schools located area of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Three of the schools are private, one being a Lutheran academy, and the other two being Catholic preparatories. The rest are public schools, being part of Fort Wayne Community...
. He was named the Indianapolis Star's Defensive Lineman of the Year as a senior, when his team went undefeated and won the 2002 Class 2A state championship.
In his 3 years as a starter, Spencer and the Luers team lost a total of 3 games. In addition to the 2002 championship, Luers lost two games on their way to the 2000 Class 2A championship, and their only loss in 2001 came in the 2001 Class 2A championship game.
Spencer committed to Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
on July 8, 2003. Spencer also had FBS scholarship offers from Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
.
College career
Spencer played college footballCollege 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 Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
Spencer spent the 2002 season on the Purdue scout team
Scout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
as a redshirt freshman. He appeared in ten games during the 2003 season, recording six tackles and one stop behind the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
.
In 2004, Spencer played in 12 games and started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
in 11. He registered 33 tackles and finished third on the team with 7.5 sacks and 9.5 stops for losses. He also batted down six passes and forced three fumbles, earning All-Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
honorable mention.
Even though he started all 11 games in 2005, Spencer failed to match his 2004 performance due to several minor injuries. He was limited to 23 tackles, three sacks, and 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He caused three fumbles and recovered another while also deflecting one pass.
Spencer had a great senior season in 2006. He finished the season ranked second in the nation with 26.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, the fifth-best season total in Big Ten Conference history. He finished second on the team with 93 tackles and first with 10.5 sacks. He also caused five fumbles and recovered another while batting away six passes and blocking one kick. He was named the Purdue football team's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
.
As a former Indiana high school all-star who also excelled at Purdue, Spencer was co-recipient of the 2007 Rabold Award given by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. Spencer also was invited to play in the 2007 Senior Bowl
2007 Senior Bowl
The 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl was a college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2006 college football season and prospects in the 2007 NFL Draft. It was played on January 27, 2007 at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama...
.
Anthony received a degree in African-American Studies, with a minor in Law Society.
Professional career
Spencer was draftedNFL 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...
26th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
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...
. He recorded his first NFL sack against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
.
Anthony Spencer was named the starter at outside linebacker after veteran Greg Ellis was released. He responded by having a breakout season and being named to the 2009 Sports Illustrated All-Pro Team.
2007 season
Spencer played in all 16 regular season games and Dallas's lone playoff game of the 2007 season2007 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2007 Dallas Cowboys season was the 48th season for the team in the National Football League. The Cowboys finished the regular season tied for the best record in the NFC , and earned a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs...
, starting the first six games of the season. After Dallas suffered a devastating 48-27 loss to New England in Week 6, Spencer was demoted from his starting position.
Despite this, Spencer recorded 28 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
2008 season
Spencer played in just 12 games for the Cowboys2008 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2008 Dallas Cowboys season was the 49th season for the team in the National Football League. The season was most noted for week 17, when the Cowboys were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 44–6, their worst loss since the 1985 Chicago Bears came to Texas Stadium and beat the Cowboys 44–0...
, starting none. In his limited playing time, Spencer recorded 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
2009 season
After two years in Dallas's defensive system, Anthony Spencer put together a solid 2009 campaign, recording a career best 67 tackles and 6 sacks, along with 2 forced fumbles and his first career interception. Spencer started all 16 regular season games for the Cowboys in 20092009 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys season is the 50th season for the team in the National Football League. It is the team's first season playing at Cowboys Stadium. Their victory over the Oakland Raiders on November 26 extended their Thanksgiving winning streak to four in a row and also ended a three game...
, starting at outside linebacker opposite teammate DeMarcus Ware
Demarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Troy University...
. While Dallas was able to win their first playoff game in over a decade, the Cowboys fell to the Minnesota Vikings
2009 Minnesota Vikings season
The 2009 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 49th season in the NFL. The Vikings improved upon their 10–6 record and defended their NFC North title from 2008; it was the first time that they had retained a divisional title since they won six NFC Central titles in a row between 1973 and 1978...
in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Spencer pitched in 2 tackles and a sack in the Wild Card game against Philadelphia, and had an outstanding game against the Vikings in the Divisional Round, recording 10 tackles and a sack in a 34-3 Dallas loss.
2010 season
Spencer followed up his 2009 season with a very solid 2010 season, as he again started all sixteen games. For the first time in Spencer's Dallas career, the team finished with a losing record, at 6-10 (the Cowboys were 13-3 in 2007, 9-7 in 2008, and 11-5 in 2009). Despite the overall disappointment of Dallas's season2010 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2010 Dallas Cowboys season is the 51st season for the team in the National Football League, and the second season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium...
, Spencer put in a solid 16 starts, recording 63 tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.