Byron Hardmon
Encyclopedia
Byron Bernard "Bam" Hardmon (born January 7, 1981) is a former American
college and professional football
player who was a linebacker
. Hardmon played college football
for the University of Florida
. He signed out of college with the Miami Dolphins
, but spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Hardmon subsequently played professional football for the Hamburg Sea Devils
in NFL Europa, and in pre-season games with the Seattle Seahawks
and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
.
in 1981. He attended Edward H. White High School
in Jacksonville, and played high school football
for the Ed White Commanders. Hardmon was an all-state and prep All-American who was selected to play in the Georgia-Florida High School All-Star Game at the Georgia Dome
in June 1999.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Steve Spurrier
and coach Ron Zook
's Florida Gators football
teams from 1999 to 2002
. While at Florida, his Gators teammates gave him the nickname "Bam." He was a mainstay of the Gators' defense from 2000 to 2002, appearing in 12 games for the 2000 team
that was ranked No. 10 in the final AP poll, 11 games for the 2001 team
that was ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll, and 13 games for the 2002 that was ranked No. 24 in the final Coaches Poll. Prior to his senior year, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote that Hardmon and fellow senior Mike Nattiel "appear to have the talent, the experience and -- finally -- the maturity to lead Florida's defense." Hardmon established himself as a team captain
on defense in 2002
, as he led the team with 169 tackles and also had two forced fumbles and an interception. At the end of the 2002 season, the USA Today
described Hardmon and Nattiel as the anchors of the Gators defense. Following his senior season, he received the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award, recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."
in April 2003, but he spent his rookie season on "injured reserve" status. In the spring of 2004, Hardmon signed with the Hamburg Sea Devils
in the NFL Europa. After playing well in his first season of professional football with Hamburg, he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks
in June 2004. Hardmon was released by the Seahawks on September 6, 2004. In 2005, Hardmon signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. In 2007, Hardmon was one of the leaders of the Hamburg team that defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy
37-28 in the World Bowl
. He was also named Defensive Player of the Week in Week 5 of the 2007 NFL Europa season, after he led Hamburg to a vcitory over the Amsterdam Admirals
with a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown, four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry and two pass defenses.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college and professional 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 was a 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...
. Hardmon 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...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. He signed out of college with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Hardmon subsequently played professional football for the Hamburg Sea Devils
Hamburg Sea Devils
The Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football team that began play in NFL Europa from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg's AOL Arena . They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions...
in NFL Europa, and in pre-season games with 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...
and 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...
.
Early years
Hardmon was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
in 1981. He attended Edward H. White High School
Edward H. White High School
Edward H. White High School is a public high school operated by the Duval County Public Schools. It is located on Jacksonville's Westside. It is almost exclusively referred to by Jacksonville denizens as "Ed White High School", not "White High School"....
in Jacksonville, and played high school football
High 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....
for the Ed White Commanders. Hardmon was an all-state and prep All-American who was selected to play in the Georgia-Florida High School All-Star Game at the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
in June 1999.
College career
Hardmon received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
and coach Ron Zook
Ron Zook
Ron Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
teams from 1999 to 2002
2002 Florida Gators football team
The 2002 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2002 college football season...
. While at Florida, his Gators teammates gave him the nickname "Bam." He was a mainstay of the Gators' defense from 2000 to 2002, appearing in 12 games for the 2000 team
2000 Florida Gators football team
September 30, 2000The Florida Gators came into Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi ranked third in the nation. The unranked Mississippi State Bulldogs ran for 351 yards, 172 yards and a touchdown for Dicenzo Miller, and 156 yards and a touchdown for Dontae Walker. Bulldogs quarterback...
that was ranked No. 10 in the final AP poll, 11 games for the 2001 team
2001 Florida Gators football team
The 2001 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2001 college football season...
that was ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll, and 13 games for the 2002 that was ranked No. 24 in the final Coaches Poll. Prior to his senior year, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote that Hardmon and fellow senior Mike Nattiel "appear to have the talent, the experience and -- finally -- the maturity to lead Florida's defense." Hardmon established himself as a team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
on defense in 2002
2002 Florida Gators football team
The 2002 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2002 college football season...
, as he led the team with 169 tackles and also had two forced fumbles and an interception. At the end of the 2002 season, the 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...
described Hardmon and Nattiel as the anchors of the Gators defense. Following his senior season, he received the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award, recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."
Professional career
He was signed by the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in April 2003, but he spent his rookie season on "injured reserve" status. In the spring of 2004, Hardmon signed with the Hamburg Sea Devils
Hamburg Sea Devils
The Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football team that began play in NFL Europa from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg's AOL Arena . They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions...
in the NFL Europa. After playing well in his first season of professional football with Hamburg, he was signed by 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...
in June 2004. Hardmon was released by the Seahawks on September 6, 2004. In 2005, Hardmon signed with 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...
. In 2007, Hardmon was one of the leaders of the Hamburg team that defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
37-28 in the World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
. He was also named Defensive Player of the Week in Week 5 of the 2007 NFL Europa season, after he led Hamburg to a vcitory over the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
with a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown, four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry and two pass defenses.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators football players