Bryant McFadden
Encyclopedia
Bryant McFadden is an American football
cornerback
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Florida State
.
McFadden has also played for the Arizona Cardinals
. He earned two Super Bowl ring
s during his time with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL
and Super Bowl XLIII
. He is the older brother of Cincinnati Bengals
cornerback Walter McFadden
.
in Hollywood, Florida
. He was ranked the top cornerback by most recruiting services. As a senior, he was a USA Today
All-USA selection, a Parade
All-America
first team selection, and named to the Super Southern 100 team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, after posting two interceptions and 75 tackles. As a junior, he posted one interception and 75 tackles.
at Florida State University
where he finished his career with 107 tackles. He played free safety at FSU, but he also played cornerback. He majored in computer graphics, with a minor in studio art.
, McFadden intercepted a Byron Leftwich
pass in the Steelers' end zone. The interception led to a game-tying Jeff Reed
29-yard field goal
. The Steelers ended up losing, 23-17. Bryant is also well known among Steelers fans for his two big plays in the AFC Divisional Playoffs against the Indianapolis Colts
. After Jerome Bettis
's crucial fumble at the goal line, Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning
threw to the end zone for wide receiver Reggie Wayne
. Bryant tipped the ball away at the last second. On the next play, Manning again went deep for Wayne, and McFadden tipped it away again. Mike Vanderjagt
then missed a game-tying field goal. He finished his debut season with 18 tackles, one interception and a victory at Super Bowl XL
.
In the third game of the 2007 season against the San Francisco 49ers, he intercepted the ball and ran it back for a touchdown. He ended the campaign with 22 tackles and one interception.
, the team he had just beaten in the Super Bowl
, on February 1.
in the Santonio Holmes
trade.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
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 Steelers in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. 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 Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
McFadden has also played for 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...
. He earned two Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s during his time with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
and Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
. He is the older brother of Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
cornerback Walter McFadden
Walter McFadden
Walter McFadden, Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
Early years
Bryant McFadden attended McArthur High SchoolMcArthur High School
McArthur High School is located in Hollywood, Florida. It serves students from both Hollywood and Pembroke Pines in grades 9 through 12. The school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district. Mr. Todd J. Lapace was named the principal in 2010....
in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
. He was ranked the top cornerback by most recruiting services. As a senior, he was a USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-USA selection, a Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
first team selection, and named to the Super Southern 100 team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, after posting two interceptions and 75 tackles. As a junior, he posted one interception and 75 tackles.
College career
McFadden 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 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...
where he finished his career with 107 tackles. He played free safety at FSU, but he also played cornerback. He majored in computer graphics, with a minor in studio art.
First stint with Steelers
Bryant was drafted 62nd overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. As a rookie, his role was nickel back. He recorded his first career interception against Jacksonville in Week 5. Filling in at the starting position for the injured Deshea TownsendDeshea Townsend
Trevor Deshea Townsend is a former defensive back in the National Football League, and is currently a defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals and most recently a player for the Indianapolis Colts...
, McFadden intercepted a Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich
Byron Antron Leftwich is an American football quarterback in the National Football League who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall University.Leftwich has also played...
pass in the Steelers' end zone. The interception led to a game-tying Jeff Reed
Jeff Reed (football)
Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
29-yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. The Steelers ended up losing, 23-17. Bryant is also well known among Steelers fans for his two big plays in the AFC Divisional Playoffs against the 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 ....
. After Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
's crucial fumble at the goal line, Colts' quarterback 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...
threw to the end zone for wide receiver Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
. Bryant tipped the ball away at the last second. On the next play, Manning again went deep for Wayne, and McFadden tipped it away again. Mike Vanderjagt
Mike Vanderjagt
Michael John "Mike" Vanderjagt , is a professional American and Canadian football placekicker and punter who has played in the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League and National Football League...
then missed a game-tying field goal. He finished his debut season with 18 tackles, one interception and a victory at Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
In the third game of the 2007 season against the San Francisco 49ers, he intercepted the ball and ran it back for a touchdown. He ended the campaign with 22 tackles and one interception.
Arizona Cardinals
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, McFadden signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Arizona CardinalsArizona 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...
, the team he had just beaten in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, on February 1.
Second stint with Steelers
McFadden, along with Arizona's sixth round draft pick (which the Steelers used to draft Antonio Brown), was traded back to the Steelers during the 2010 NFL Draft, in exchange for the Steelers' second fifth round draft pick that they received from the New York JetsNew 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...
in the Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Ohio State...
trade.