Julian Peterson
Encyclopedia
Julian Thomas Peterson is a free agent
linebacker
in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Michigan State
. Peterson has also played for the Seattle Seahawks
and the Detroit Lions
.
in Temple Hills, Maryland. He was the 1996 Chesapeake Classic MVP.
for two years before attending Michigan State. In two seasons at Valley Forge he recorded 39.5 sacks
and was first-team NJCAA
All-America
and Seaboard Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore
.
for his junior and senior year. As a junior he was the honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by the media. As a senior he was an All-American selection by Football News and the Sporting News after recording 15 sacks. In his two years at Michigan State he recorded 140 tackles
and 25 sacks in only 23 games.
16th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. As a rookie
he started
seven of 13 games recording 47 tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions. In 2002 Peterson was elected to the Pro Bowl
for the first time after posting 94 tackles. In six seasons in San Francisco he recorded 394 tackles, 21.5 sacks, and five interceptions in 79 games and was elected to two Pro Bowls.
before the 2006 season
. In his first season in Seattle he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time after recording 89 tackles and a career-high 10 sacks. In his second season
with the Seahawks he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year after posting 74 tackles and 9.5 sacks. During the 2008 NFL Training Camp, Peterson switched jersey numbers from #59 to #98, the number he wore during his previous tenure at San Francisco. In his third season
with the team, Peterson made 86 tackles and five sacks, and was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl. In three seasons in Seattle he recorded 249 tackles, 24.5 sacks, and three interceptions in 48 games and was elected to three Pro Bowls.
traded Peterson to the Detroit Lions
for defensive tackle Cory Redding
and a 2009
fifth-round pick on March 14, 2009.
On January 5, 2011, Peterson was given his release by the Lions.
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
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 was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. 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 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
. Peterson has also played for 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...
and the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Early years
Peterson attended Crossland High SchoolCrossland High School
Crossland High School is a public secondary school located in Temple Hills, Maryland. The school serves about 2,000 students in grades 9 to 12 in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. Crossland is named after a prominent early Maryland family...
in Temple Hills, Maryland. He was the 1996 Chesapeake Classic MVP.
Valley Forge Military Academy
Peterson attended Valley Forge Military Academy and CollegeValley Forge Military Academy and College
Valley Forge Military Academy & College is an American all male preparatory boarding school and coeducational junior college in the military school tradition...
for two years before attending Michigan State. In two seasons at Valley Forge he recorded 39.5 sacks
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...
and was first-team 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...
All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
and Seaboard Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
.
Michigan State
Peterson played college football at Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
for his junior and senior year. As a junior he was the honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by the media. As a senior he was an All-American selection by Football News and the Sporting News after recording 15 sacks. In his two years at Michigan State he recorded 140 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....
and 25 sacks in only 23 games.
San Francisco 49ers
Peterson was drafted by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
16th overall in the 2000 NFL 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...
he 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...
seven of 13 games recording 47 tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions. In 2002 Peterson was elected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
for the first time after posting 94 tackles. In six seasons in San Francisco he recorded 394 tackles, 21.5 sacks, and five interceptions in 79 games and was elected to two Pro Bowls.
Seattle Seahawks
Peterson signed with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle 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...
before the 2006 season
2006 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2006 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's 31st season in the National Football League. The season began with the team attempting to improve on their 13-3 record from 2005, repeat as National Football Conference champions, and return to the Super Bowl...
. In his first season in Seattle he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time after recording 89 tackles and a career-high 10 sacks. In his second season
2007 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2007 Seattle Seahawks season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League. The team has improved upon its 9-7 record in 2006 and secured its fourth consecutive NFC West division title and its fifth consecutive playoff appearance...
with the Seahawks he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year after posting 74 tackles and 9.5 sacks. During the 2008 NFL Training Camp, Peterson switched jersey numbers from #59 to #98, the number he wore during his previous tenure at San Francisco. In his third season
2008 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2008 Seattle Seahawks season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League. The Seahawks' streak of four consecutive NFC West divisional championships was broken, as they fell to a 4-12 record...
with the team, Peterson made 86 tackles and five sacks, and was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl. In three seasons in Seattle he recorded 249 tackles, 24.5 sacks, and three interceptions in 48 games and was elected to three Pro Bowls.
Detroit Lions
The Seattle SeahawksSeattle 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...
traded Peterson to the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
for defensive tackle Cory Redding
Cory Redding
Cory Bartholomew Redding is an American football defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
and a 2009
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
fifth-round pick on March 14, 2009.
On January 5, 2011, Peterson was given his release by the Lions.