Darnell Stapleton
Encyclopedia
Darnell Robert Stapleton (born September 21, 1985 in Union, New Jersey
) is an American football
offensive lineman who is currently retired due to knee injuries. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Rutgers
.
He has also been a member of the Florida Tuskers and New England Patriots
.
. As a senior in 2002, he was a first-team All-Watchung Conference
selection, and a first-team all-county selection.
for two seasons. In 2003, he earned second-team all-league honors. He started 11 games in 2004, and was a first-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection and a preseason NJCAA
Honorable Mention All-American.
, where he became the team's starting center in spring camps in 2005. He started 12 games on the season. In his senior year, Stapleton started 13 games and was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's best center. The Rutgers offensive line allowed only eight sacks on the season, the fewest in the nation, while Rutgers running back Ray Rice
set a Big East Conference
record with 1,794 yards on the season. Stapleton was awarded the David Bender Trophy, given to the team's best offensive lineman.
following the 2007 NFL Draft
. He made the Steelers' 53-man roster in his rookie season but was inactive for every regular season and playoff game. In 2008
, Stapleton was a reserve for the first four games of the season, before starting the final 12 games at right guard in place of an injured Kendall Simmons
. He also started the team's three playoff games, including the Super Bowl XLIII
victory over the Arizona Cardinals
. He did not play in the team's first three preseason games in 2009
before being placed on injured reserve
on August 31, 2009, with a knee injury. He was not offered a tender by the team as a restricted free agent
following the season.
on August 9, 2010. He was waived on August 11.
, a professional women's football team in the Women's Football Alliance
. The New York Sharks
are the longest running and winningest team in women's football history with 3 conference titles (2002, 2003, 2004 IWFL East), 6 division titles (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 IWFL) and 1 championship title (2002 IWFL).
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
) is an American 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...
offensive lineman who is currently retired due to knee injuries. He was signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. 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 Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
.
He has also been a member of the Florida Tuskers and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Early years
Stapleton played football for Union High SchoolUnion High School (New Jersey)
Union High School is a comprehensive community public high school located in Union Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Union Public School District. In the late 1960s, a new high school was built, expanding on the existing Burnet Junior High School structure...
. As a senior in 2002, he was a first-team All-Watchung Conference
Watchung Conference
The Watchung Conference was a high school sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association . The conference consisted of eleven public high schools covering Essex County, Hudson County and Union County in northern New Jersey. In 2009, the...
selection, and a first-team all-county selection.
Junior college
Stapleton attended Hudson Valley Community CollegeHudson Valley Community College
Hudson Valley Community College, a SUNY associated two-year college, is located in Troy in Rensselaer County, New York. Although about eighty percent of the students are from the local area, the remainder are from other parts of New York, other states and from some 30 countries around the...
for two seasons. In 2003, he earned second-team all-league honors. He started 11 games in 2004, and was a first-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection and a preseason NJCAA
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
Honorable Mention All-American.
Rutgers University
Following junior college, Stapleton enrolled at Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, where he became the team's starting center in spring camps in 2005. He started 12 games on the season. In his senior year, Stapleton started 13 games and was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's best center. The Rutgers offensive line allowed only eight sacks on the season, the fewest in the nation, while Rutgers running back Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
set a Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
record with 1,794 yards on the season. Stapleton was awarded the David Bender Trophy, given to the team's best offensive lineman.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Stapleton was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh 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...
following 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 made the Steelers' 53-man roster in his rookie season but was inactive for every regular season and playoff game. In 2008
2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 76th season in the National Football League . The season concluded with the team winning Super Bowl XLIII to become the first franchise in the NFL with six Super Bowl titles....
, Stapleton was a reserve for the first four games of the season, before starting the final 12 games at right guard in place of an injured Kendall Simmons
Kendall Simmons
Henry Alexander Kendall Simmons is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn....
. He also started the team's three playoff games, including the 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,...
victory over 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 did not play in the team's first three preseason games in 2009
2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 77th season in the National Football League . They were coming off a season in which they compiled a 12–4 regular season record and capped the season by winning the franchise's record sixth Super Bowl...
before being placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on August 31, 2009, with a knee injury. He was not offered a tender by the team as a restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
following the season.
Florida Tuskers
Stapleton signed to play with the United Football League's Florida Tuskers in July 2010.New England Patriots
Stapleton signed with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on August 9, 2010. He was waived on August 11.
New York Sharks
As of 2011 Stapleton is the Head Coach for the New York SharksNew York Sharks
The New York Sharks are a women's American football team playing out of New York City. They are a member of the Women's Football Alliance...
, a professional women's football team in the Women's Football Alliance
Women's Football Alliance
The Women's Football Alliance is a full-contact Women's American football league which began play in the spring of 2009. They have now completed three full seasons and grew to over 60 teams slated for the 2011 season. The women play 11 person tackle football games with rules that basically mirror...
. The New York Sharks
New York Sharks
The New York Sharks are a women's American football team playing out of New York City. They are a member of the Women's Football Alliance...
are the longest running and winningest team in women's football history with 3 conference titles (2002, 2003, 2004 IWFL East), 6 division titles (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 IWFL) and 1 championship title (2002 IWFL).