David Greenwood (football player)
Encyclopedia
David Mark Greenwood is a former American football
safety who played three seasons in the National Football League
.Considered by many to be the greatest high school athlete in the history of Wisconsin, Greenwood excelled in track and basketball as well as football in high school. He still holds the Wisconsin prep high jump record (7'2") He went on to become a four year starter at both safety and punter for the Wisconsin Badgers. Previously, he played in the United States Football League
also as a punter for the Michigan Panthers
and the Oakland Invaders
. Before joining the USFL, he was expected to be a 1st-round-quality NFL draft pick, a strong hitter and blitzer who performed poorly at man-to-man coverage. He played in all 16 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in 1985
, starting 10, but was cut early in training camp the next year due to inconsistency. He blamed this on burnout, having started in the Buccaneers' season opener only one week after leaving the Invaders.
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...
safety who played three seasons 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...
.Considered by many to be the greatest high school athlete in the history of Wisconsin, Greenwood excelled in track and basketball as well as football in high school. He still holds the Wisconsin prep high jump record (7'2") He went on to become a four year starter at both safety and punter for the Wisconsin Badgers. Previously, he played in the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
also as a punter for the Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
and the Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders was a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League from 1983 through 1985.-In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles:...
. Before joining the USFL, he was expected to be a 1st-round-quality NFL draft pick, a strong hitter and blitzer who performed poorly at man-to-man coverage. He played in all 16 games for 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 1985
1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1985 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began on a hopeful note, with the hiring of Leeman Bennett as the team's head coach. A massive turnover of personnel occurred, which included the offseason career-ending injury of Lee Roy Selmon, the trade of Hugh Green, and the early-season signing of Steve Young...
, starting 10, but was cut early in training camp the next year due to inconsistency. He blamed this on burnout, having started in the Buccaneers' season opener only one week after leaving the Invaders.