Jeremy Staat
Encyclopedia
Jeremy Ray Staat is a former American Football
defensive end
who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers
from 1998
and the St. Louis Rams
for two games in 2003
. He also played for the Los Angeles Avengers
arena football
team. He is a United States Marine, and has served in Iraq
.
in California, where he was All-Area selection. He then attended Bakersfield College
, a junior college
, for two years before transferring to Arizona State University
.
At ASU, Staat became friends with free safety Pat Tillman
, and was a roommate with Tillman's brother for a semester. Staat and Tillman drank and partied hard during their college careers, and Staat initially did not understand why an NFL-bound player would require higher education. While playing for the Sun Devils, he won the Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the Pac-10 Conference in 1997
.
In the 1998 NFL Draft
, the Pittsburgh Steelers
selected Staat with the 41st overall pick. He played three seasons in Pittsburgh, starting in eleven games in the 1999
season. He was cut by the Seattle Seahawks
in 2001, and began seriously considering joining the military after the September 11, 2001 attacks
. However Pat Tillman, who had quit a lucrative career with the Arizona Cardinals
to become a U.S. Army Ranger
after the attacks, talked Staat into staying in the league for at least three more games to earn his NFL retirement benefits.
Staat eventually earned his pension during stint with the St. Louis Rams
during the 2003 season. The following season, he joined the Los Angeles Avengers
of the Arena Football League. During the 2004 season, he found Tillman had been killed in action in Afghanistan, in what was later revealed to be a "friendly fire
" incident. The loss of his friend further reduced his interest in football, and he soon left the Avengers and professional football.
drug store. Staat, like Tillman's family, was dismayed by the United States Army
's handling of the story surrounding Tillman's death; himself noting that "The fog around his death was thickened by lies." However, after spending time deciding on his own future, he opted to follow his deceased friend and teammate's example and join the military; but instead of the Army, he joined the United States Marine Corps
.
Staat joined the Marine Corps in 2006. He completed his recruit training
at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
in March 2006. ”The way I look at it, we’re spreading freedom, and you have to support the troops and you have to support the war,” Staat, 29, told KITV in Honolulu. ”You can’t just tell some Marine who just lost his buddy that we supported you but not the war, because in that case you’re basically saying that Marine, his buddy, just died for nothing. We’re one team.”http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/3/22/81725.shtml?s=ic In March 2007, Lance Corporal Staat deployed with 1st Battalion 3rd Marines
for a seven month mission in Iraq. He was an infantry machine gunner and drove around in seven-ton armored trucks used to transport soldiers.
Staat's Iraq tour was fairly quiet. His unit suffered two injuries and no one was killed in action. His opinions changed: "It wasn't a blood fest, like some people make it out to be. It was pretty controlled. We had a pretty good sense of security. My eyes were opened up. They[the Iraqis] were just people. I expected to see guys running around with AK-47s, shouting about Allah and shooting into the sky." After returning from his tour, he started to have back, hip and heart problems. He was put on light duty and began the process of seeking a medical discharge.
Reversing his previous opinion of higher education, Staat opted to return and finish his degree. He graduated from Arizona State University in 2009. He plans to move back to his hometown of Bakersfield, marry, and pursue a master's degree in theology or public administration.
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...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
who played for 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...
from 1998
1998 in sports
1998 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
and the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
for two games in 2003
2003 in sports
2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
. He also played for the Los Angeles Avengers
Los Angeles Avengers
The Los Angeles Avengers was an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009.-History:...
arena football
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
team. He is a United States Marine, and has served in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Football career
Staat was a two-sport star in Bakersfield High SchoolBakersfield High School
]Bakersfield High School is a high school located in Bakersfield, California, USA.Institutional names and dates of operation:*Kern County High School 1893-1915*Kern County Union High School 1915-1945*Bakersfield High School 1945–present...
in California, where he was All-Area selection. He then attended Bakersfield College
Bakersfield College
Bakersfield College is a public community college located in Bakersfield, California, USA. Bakersfield College has an official Twitter account at @bcrenegades and an official...
, a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
, for two years before transferring to Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
.
At ASU, Staat became friends with free safety Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman
Corporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the...
, and was a roommate with Tillman's brother for a semester. Staat and Tillman drank and partied hard during their college careers, and Staat initially did not understand why an NFL-bound player would require higher education. While playing for the Sun Devils, he won the Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the Pac-10 Conference in 1997
1997 in sports
1997 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France** Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden-American football:...
.
In the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
, 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...
selected Staat with the 41st overall pick. He played three seasons in Pittsburgh, starting in eleven games in the 1999
1999 in sports
1999 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Alexandra Meissnitzer, Austria-American football:...
season. He was cut 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 2001, and began seriously considering joining the military after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. However Pat Tillman, who had quit a lucrative career with 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...
to become a U.S. Army Ranger
Army Ranger
Army Ranger can refer to:* Canadian Rangers, a component of the army of the Canadian Forces* Irish Army Rangers* Pakistan Army Rangers* United States Army Rangers* Vietnamese Rangers, part of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam...
after the attacks, talked Staat into staying in the league for at least three more games to earn his NFL retirement benefits.
Staat eventually earned his pension during stint with the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
during the 2003 season. The following season, he joined the Los Angeles Avengers
Los Angeles Avengers
The Los Angeles Avengers was an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009.-History:...
of the Arena Football League. During the 2004 season, he found Tillman had been killed in action in Afghanistan, in what was later revealed to be a "friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
" incident. The loss of his friend further reduced his interest in football, and he soon left the Avengers and professional football.
Post-football career
Immediately after football, one of Staat's friends got him a job working at a WalgreensWalgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
drug store. Staat, like Tillman's family, was dismayed by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's handling of the story surrounding Tillman's death; himself noting that "The fog around his death was thickened by lies." However, after spending time deciding on his own future, he opted to follow his deceased friend and teammate's example and join the military; but instead of the Army, he joined the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
Staat joined the Marine Corps in 2006. He completed his recruit training
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego is a United States Marine Corps military installation in San Diego, California. It lies between San Diego Bay and Interstate 5, adjacent to San Diego International Airport and the former Naval Training Center San Diego...
in March 2006. ”The way I look at it, we’re spreading freedom, and you have to support the troops and you have to support the war,” Staat, 29, told KITV in Honolulu. ”You can’t just tell some Marine who just lost his buddy that we supported you but not the war, because in that case you’re basically saying that Marine, his buddy, just died for nothing. We’re one team.”http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/3/22/81725.shtml?s=ic In March 2007, Lance Corporal Staat deployed with 1st Battalion 3rd Marines
1st Battalion 3rd Marines
1st Battalion, 3rd Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Nicknamed the "Lava Dogs", the battalion consists of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors and falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine...
for a seven month mission in Iraq. He was an infantry machine gunner and drove around in seven-ton armored trucks used to transport soldiers.
Staat's Iraq tour was fairly quiet. His unit suffered two injuries and no one was killed in action. His opinions changed: "It wasn't a blood fest, like some people make it out to be. It was pretty controlled. We had a pretty good sense of security. My eyes were opened up. They
Reversing his previous opinion of higher education, Staat opted to return and finish his degree. He graduated from Arizona State University in 2009. He plans to move back to his hometown of Bakersfield, marry, and pursue a master's degree in theology or public administration.