Brian Schaefering
Encyclopedia
Brian Schaefering is an American football
defensive end
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at Lindenwood Lions
and for the Illinois Fighting Illini
.
Schaefering has also been a member of the New York Jets
.
s at Hazelwood East High School
in St. Louis and was also First-team All-State, two-time First-team All-Suburban North and first-team North District selection and Two-time All-Conference selection. He had seven quarterback sack
s, 130 tackles
and two interceptions as a senior. He posted 60 tackles and six blocked punt
s as a junior and served as the team's punter. He also earned letters in track
.
career with the Illinois Fighting Illini
. In 2001 he played the final nine games of the season along the defensive line as a true freshman and finished the season with eight tackles and one sack. In 2002 he played in all 12 games, earning two starts and finished the season with a team third best of four sacks and a team fifth best with five tackles-for-loss (TFL). He registered 34 tackles on the season. During the 2003 season, he took a medical redshirted due to a shoulder injury. Schaefering appeared in 8 games for Illinois in 2004 totaling 19 tackles, one sack and two forced fumble
s. He did not play in 2005 and 2006 while sitting out during his school transfer. Schaefering played at Lindenwood University
in St. Charles, Missouri for his senior year in 2007, after transferring from the Fighting Illini. He led the team with 7.5 sacks and also recorded 37 tackles, including 19 solo tackles, 9.5 TFL, one recovered fumble and one blocked kick
during 2007, while helping Lindenwood to the NAIA National Football Championship
series.
Schaefering was signed by the Cleveland Browns
as an undrafted
rookie free agent
on May 1, 2008. He was waived
on August 26. Schaefering was signed by the New York Jets
on December 18, 2008. He was waived on December 29 before being re-signed to a future contract on January 1, 2009. He was waived again on June 9. Schaefering was re-signed by the Cleveland Browns
on August 25, 2009, after wide receiver
and former Jets teammate Paul Raymond
was waived. Schaefering was promoted to the active roster on December 2, 2009 when Shaun Rogers was put on the injured reserve list. Schaefering finished the 2009
regular season
with 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
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 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...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
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 signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008. 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 Lindenwood Lions
Lindenwood Lions
The Lindenwood Lions and Lady Lions are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Lindenwood University, located in St. Charles, Missouri. The Lions are currently in the process of transitioning from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to the NCAA Division II...
and for the Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
.
Schaefering has also been a member of 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...
.
Early years
He earned three football varsity letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s at Hazelwood East High School
Hazelwood East High School
Hazelwood East High School is located at 11300 Dunn Road in St. Louis County. The school is one of three high schools in the Hazelwood School District, the others being Hazelwood West High School and Hazelwood Central High School.-History:...
in St. Louis and was also First-team All-State, two-time First-team All-Suburban North and first-team North District selection and Two-time All-Conference selection. He had seven 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, 130 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....
and two interceptions as a senior. He posted 60 tackles and six blocked punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
s as a junior and served as the team's punter. He also earned letters in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
.
College career
He started his 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...
career with the Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
. In 2001 he played the final nine games of the season along the defensive line as a true freshman and finished the season with eight tackles and one sack. In 2002 he played in all 12 games, earning two starts and finished the season with a team third best of four sacks and a team fifth best with five tackles-for-loss (TFL). He registered 34 tackles on the season. During the 2003 season, he took a medical redshirted due to a shoulder injury. Schaefering appeared in 8 games for Illinois in 2004 totaling 19 tackles, one sack and two forced 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...
s. He did not play in 2005 and 2006 while sitting out during his school transfer. Schaefering played at Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University, often referred to as Lindenwood or LU, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States...
in St. Charles, Missouri for his senior year in 2007, after transferring from the Fighting Illini. He led the team with 7.5 sacks and also recorded 37 tackles, including 19 solo tackles, 9.5 TFL, one recovered fumble and one blocked kick
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
during 2007, while helping Lindenwood to the NAIA National Football Championship
NAIA national football championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the championship game has...
series.
Professional career
Schaefering was 6-4¾ and weighed 286 when measured at his NFL Pro Day workout and ran a 4.85 forty-yard dash and did 18 reps of 225 pounds, and a 34½ vertical jump.Schaefering was signed by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
rookie 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....
on May 1, 2008. He was waived
Waivers (American football)
Waivers is a National Football League labor management procedure by which a team makes an American football player contract or NFL rights available to all other teams...
on August 26. Schaefering 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...
on December 18, 2008. He was waived on December 29 before being re-signed to a future contract on January 1, 2009. He was waived again on June 9. Schaefering was re-signed by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 25, 2009, after wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and former Jets teammate Paul Raymond
Paul Raymond (American football)
Paul Renaud Raymond is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
was waived. Schaefering was promoted to the active roster on December 2, 2009 when Shaun Rogers was put on the injured reserve list. Schaefering finished the 2009
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
regular season
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
with 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks.