Dante Rosario
Encyclopedia
Dante Santiago Rosario is an American football
tight end
who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers
in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
for Oregon
.
He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins
.
in Dayton, Oregon
.His father is Dominican descent and His mother is from a Dominican descent. In his senior season, Rosario was named the 2002 Oregon 2A state defensive player of the year, and earned first-team all-state honors on both offense and defense in 2002 while leading the Pirates to the state 2A title. In a 45-20 victory against Amity in the 2002 2A state title game, Rosario rushed for 126 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. He was ranked as the No. 6 linebacker on the West Coast by SuperPrep after posting 144 tackles (75 unassisted), three quarterback sacks, and five interceptions as a free safety/middle linebacker. He returned three of those interceptions for touchdowns. On offense, Rosario racked up 1,238 yards and 27 touchdowns rushing, and two more touchdowns on punt returns. The 6-foot-4 Rosario also played center for the school’s two-time defending state basketball champions. As a junior, he was named first-team all-tournament after averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in leading Dayton to its second straight state championship. Rosario was also a competitor in his high school track and field team. Running the 100 and 200 meter dash, Rosario was not the fastest but the reasoning for attending track and field was absolute genius. Rosario figured running against the fastest kids in his 2A division would keep him on his toes, making him strive to keep ahead, and to improve himself, to be able to have that faster start in the take off. Hence his ability to take that faster start off of the line.
As a senior in 2006, Rosario was named as an All-Pac 10 honorable mention selection after making 42 receptions, a school single-season record for tight ends, for 426 yards and one touchdown. He was the co-recipient of the Gordon Wilson Award, given to Oregon's top special teams player, after recording ten tackles and one forced fumble.
In 2005, Rosario's junior season, he moved to tight end from fullback, and caught 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He also record 11 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on special teams.
In his sophomore season (2004), Rosario was shifted to fullback from H-back
, and caught 25 passes for 278 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries.
Rosario began his collegiate career at Oregon in 2003 and played H-back after being recruited primarily as a linebacker. He started three games as a freshman and made 12 catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 55 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries.
against San Francisco on December 2, 2007. Rosario also returned two kickoffs for 39 yards (a 19.5 average).
In the Panthers' 2008 season opener against the Chargers on September 7, Rosario overcame double coverage to catch a 14-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone as time expired, to give Carolina a 26-24 victory against the heavily favored San Diego Chargers
. It is considered to be one of the most memorable catches in Carolina Panther history. When the game ended, Fox's final statistics leaderboard for the game mistakenly displayed the name of actress Rosario Dawson
. He finished the 2008 season with 18 catches for 209 yards and 1 touchdown. He started 22 games for the Panthers over four seasons, but only 6 in 2010. He was felt to be expendable after the signing of free agent Jeremy Shockey
in March 2011.
signed Rosario on September 5, 2011. He was released on September 20.
in July 2011. He was released after the 2011 preseason due to the emergence of rookie tight ends Julius Thomas
and Virgil Green
. Rosario was resigned by the Broncos on September 22, 2011.
, and his father, Pedro, formerly pitched in the Atlanta Braves
' organization. His younger brother, Sergio, is a basketball player at Linfield College
in Oregon. He also has sister Angela, who lives in Oregon.
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...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West 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 drafted by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in the fifth round of 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...
for Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
.
He has also been a member of 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...
.
Early years
Rosario attended Dayton High SchoolDayton High School (Oregon)
Dayton High School is a public high school in Dayton, Oregon, United States. The building was built in 1937 and remodeled in 2000.-Academics:...
in Dayton, Oregon
Dayton, Oregon
Dayton is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,119 at the 2000 census. As of July 2007 its estimated population was 2,495.-History:...
.His father is Dominican descent and His mother is from a Dominican descent. In his senior season, Rosario was named the 2002 Oregon 2A state defensive player of the year, and earned first-team all-state honors on both offense and defense in 2002 while leading the Pirates to the state 2A title. In a 45-20 victory against Amity in the 2002 2A state title game, Rosario rushed for 126 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. He was ranked as the No. 6 linebacker on the West Coast by SuperPrep after posting 144 tackles (75 unassisted), three quarterback sacks, and five interceptions as a free safety/middle linebacker. He returned three of those interceptions for touchdowns. On offense, Rosario racked up 1,238 yards and 27 touchdowns rushing, and two more touchdowns on punt returns. The 6-foot-4 Rosario also played center for the school’s two-time defending state basketball champions. As a junior, he was named first-team all-tournament after averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in leading Dayton to its second straight state championship. Rosario was also a competitor in his high school track and field team. Running the 100 and 200 meter dash, Rosario was not the fastest but the reasoning for attending track and field was absolute genius. Rosario figured running against the fastest kids in his 2A division would keep him on his toes, making him strive to keep ahead, and to improve himself, to be able to have that faster start in the take off. Hence his ability to take that faster start off of the line.
College career
In 49 games at the University of Oregon, Rosario recorded 94 receptions for 1,003 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Rosario played four different positions for the Ducks - halfback, H-back, fullback and tight end - and also was a special teams star for Oregon.As a senior in 2006, Rosario was named as an All-Pac 10 honorable mention selection after making 42 receptions, a school single-season record for tight ends, for 426 yards and one touchdown. He was the co-recipient of the Gordon Wilson Award, given to Oregon's top special teams player, after recording ten tackles and one forced fumble.
In 2005, Rosario's junior season, he moved to tight end from fullback, and caught 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He also record 11 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on special teams.
In his sophomore season (2004), Rosario was shifted to fullback from H-back
H-back
An H-Back is an offensive position in American football, and is also known as power back. The position is a hybrid of a fullback and a tight end. The position was made notable in the NFL by the Washington Redskins under head coach Joe Gibbs who ran a two tight end system...
, and caught 25 passes for 278 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries.
Rosario began his collegiate career at Oregon in 2003 and played H-back after being recruited primarily as a linebacker. He started three games as a freshman and made 12 catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 55 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries.
Carolina Panthers
Rosario was chosen by Carolina in the fifth round (155th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie in 2007, Rosario caught six passes for 108 yards (an 18.0 per-catch average) and two touchdowns. Rosario became just the third player in Carolina history to score a touchdown on first career NFL reception when he caught a five-yard pass from quarterback, Vinny TestaverdeVinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
against San Francisco on December 2, 2007. Rosario also returned two kickoffs for 39 yards (a 19.5 average).
In the Panthers' 2008 season opener against the Chargers on September 7, Rosario overcame double coverage to catch a 14-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone as time expired, to give Carolina a 26-24 victory against the heavily favored San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. It is considered to be one of the most memorable catches in Carolina Panther history. When the game ended, Fox's final statistics leaderboard for the game mistakenly displayed the name of actress Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson
Rosario Isabel Dawson is an American actress, singer, and writer. She has appeared in films such as Kids, Men in Black II, 25th Hour, Sin City, Clerks II, Rent, Death Proof, The Rundown, Eagle Eye, Alexander, Seven Pounds, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Unstoppable.-Early...
. He finished the 2008 season with 18 catches for 209 yards and 1 touchdown. He started 22 games for the Panthers over four seasons, but only 6 in 2010. He was felt to be expendable after the signing of free agent Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Charles Shockey is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 14th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
in March 2011.
Miami Dolphins
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...
signed Rosario on September 5, 2011. He was released on September 20.
Denver Broncos
Rosario was reunited with his former coach John Fox when he signed with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in July 2011. He was released after the 2011 preseason due to the emergence of rookie tight ends Julius Thomas
Julius Thomas
Julius Thomas is an American football tight end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He played collegiate football at the Portland State University.-College career:...
and Virgil Green
Virgil Green
Virgil Leo Green is an American football tight end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nevada.-Pre-draft:...
. Rosario was resigned by the Broncos on September 22, 2011.
Personal
Rosario's mother Yvonne (who died from cancer when Dante was a junior in high school) was a volleyball player at Oregon State UniversityOregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
, and his father, Pedro, formerly pitched in the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
' organization. His younger brother, Sergio, is a basketball player at Linfield College
Linfield College
Linfield College is an American private institution of higher learning located in McMinnville, Oregon, United States. As a four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college with a campus in Portland, Oregon, it also has an adult degree program located in eight communities throughout the...
in Oregon. He also has sister Angela, who lives in Oregon.