Craig Sauer
Encyclopedia
Craig Curtis Sauer is a former professional American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
. He played for the Atlanta Falcons
(1996–1999) and Minnesota Vikings
(2000). His father was a professional minor league baseball
player and he has three brothers who have played professional ice hockey
.
at the University of Minnesota
. He was selected in the 6th round (188th overall pick) of the 1996 NFL Draft
by the Atlanta Falcons
. He ended up playing more NFL games than all but 12 of the 87 players taken in the last two rounds of that year's draft. As a rookie
in 1996, Sauer played in all 16 games for the Falcons, but only started
one. He had seven tackles
, four assists and one forced fumble
that season. In 1997, he once again played in all 16 games and started one. He had eight tackles, one assist and one fumble recovery for the season.
In 1998, he played all 16 games again, and started six, primarily at right linebacker
, as the Falcons went on to win the National Football Conference championship and play in the Super Bowl
. He set a career high with 29 tackles, and also had five assists and his only career interception
, and got to play in Super Bowl XXXIII
. In 1999, he again played all 16 games for the Falcons, starting three. He had 18 tackles, six assists and his only career sack
.
Sauer joined the Minnesota Vikings
for the 2000 season
. In what would be his final NFL season, he played in nine games for the Vikings. He did not start any games, and had only one tackle for the season.
player in the Minnesota Twins
system. Three of his brothers, Kent, Kurt
and Michael
have played professional ice hockey
. Kent Sauer was a 4th round draft pick by the Nashville Predators
in 1998, but his professional career was derailed by a knee injury. Kurt Sauer is a defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes
of the National Hockey League
. And Michael Sauer is a defenseman with the National Hockey League's New York Rangers
.
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...
in 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 played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1996–1999) and Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
(2000). His father was a professional minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
player and he has three brothers who have played professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
.
Football career
Sauer 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 the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. He was selected in the 6th round (188th overall pick) of the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 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 20–21, 1996...
by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He ended up playing more NFL games than all but 12 of the 87 players taken in the last two rounds of that year's draft. As a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in 1996, Sauer played in all 16 games for the Falcons, but only 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...
one. He had seven 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....
, four assists and one 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...
that season. In 1997, he once again played in all 16 games and started one. He had eight tackles, one assist and one fumble recovery for the season.
In 1998, he played all 16 games again, and started six, primarily at right 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...
, as the Falcons went on to win the National Football Conference championship and play 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...
. He set a career high with 29 tackles, and also had five assists and his only career interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
, and got to play in Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
. In 1999, he again played all 16 games for the Falcons, starting three. He had 18 tackles, six assists and his only career 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...
.
Sauer joined the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
for the 2000 season
2000 Minnesota Vikings season
-NFC Championship Game:-Awards and records:*Gary Anderson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 8 *Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 14 *Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, December...
. In what would be his final NFL season, he played in nine games for the Vikings. He did not start any games, and had only one tackle for the season.
Family
Sauer's father, Curt Sauer was a minor league baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player in the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
system. Three of his brothers, Kent, Kurt
Kurt Sauer
Kurt Christopher Sauer is a professional ice hockey defenseman who last played for the Phoenix Coyotes in the National Hockey League. He is the older brother of Michael Sauer, also a defenseman who plays for the New York Rangers....
and Michael
Michael Sauer (ice hockey)
Michael "Mike" Curtis Sauer is an American ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the New York Rangers of the NHL. He is the younger brother of Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Kurt Sauer, and of former Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Craig Sauer.He was drafted in the 2nd round,...
have played professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. Kent Sauer was a 4th round draft pick by the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1998, but his professional career was derailed by a knee injury. Kurt Sauer is a defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. And Michael Sauer is a defenseman with the National Hockey League's New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
.