Keith Traylor
Encyclopedia
Byron Keith Traylor is an American football
nose tackle who is currently retired. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Central Oklahoma
.
Traylor has won a total of three Super Bowl rings; he won two with the Denver Broncos and the other with the New England Patriots.
at Malvern High School in Malvern, Arkansas
. He was also a standout on the basketball
court and the baseball
diamond, earning all-state and all-conference honors in both sports. Traylor was named Player of the Decade for the 1980s by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
, and is second in state history for tackles in a season, amassing 231 tackles in 1985. Traylor was one of several highly rated high school football players in Arkansas during the mid 1980s, including standouts such as Little Rock Parkview's (now named Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
) Keith Jackson and Pine Bluff High School
's Eric Mitchell.
where he played two seasons (1987–88), before transferring and playing two seasons at the University of Central Oklahoma. He was a linebacker all four years and amassed 146 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries at Central Oklahoma. He was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference
selection as a senior when he posted 79 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. On October 18, 2006, Traylor was named one of the top 75 players and coaches in the history of the Lone Star Conference
to commemorate the conference's 75th anniversary.
in the third-round (61st overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft
. He started two of the 16 regular season games in which he played for Denver as a rookie, recorded 27 tackles. His first start of NFL career came against the Seattle Seahawks
on September 15 when he opened at an inside linebacker spot in place of the injured Michael Brooks. Traylor responded with nine tackles in the game. He also started the following week against the San Diego Chargers
and recorded ten stops. He saw action in both playoff games following the season in a reserve role. During the playoffs, he saw some time at fullback
in goal-line situations . Following the season, he was an all-rookie selection by Pro Football Weekly
and Football Digest
.
Traylor opened three of the 16 games in which he played with the Broncos in 1992. He collected 39 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble from his linebacker spot on the season. The first sack of his professional career occurred against the Seahawks on December 20, when he tackled quarterback
Stan Gelbaugh
for a 14-yard loss.
Traylor was waived by the Broncos in June 1993.
on September 14 and played in five games with the team, all in a reserve role. He was also inactive for one contest with the Packers. Traylor was released by the team on November 9.
until being signed by the Kansas City Chiefs
on January 5, 1994. He was inactive for the team's first-round playoff game and was waived the following week. He was re-signed by the Chiefs in May 1994, but was released by the team on August 28 during final cutdowns and spent the entire season out of football.
Traylor was once again re-signed by the Chiefs on February 28, 1995. Playing in the World League of American Football
(now NFL Europa) Traylor began to add mass to his linebacker's body for a move to the defensive line. He started three of the eight games that he played with the Barcelona Dragons
, recording 18 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Traylor made the Chiefs' roster out of training camp and appeared in all 16 games in a reserve role. He was credited with 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and four passes defensed. His best game of the year came against the San Diego Chargers
, when he recorded three tackles and a sack.
Traylor played in 15 games with the Chiefs in 1996, including one start. He notched 42 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a pass defensed. He also blocked a Cole Ford
43-yard field goal attempt against the Oakland Raiders
. He had a season-high six tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers
on Monday Night Football
, while his lone sack of the season occurred against the Detroit Lions
.
when he picked off a Todd Collins pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown
, as the Broncos went on for a 23-20 overtime victory after not arriving in Buffalo until well after midnight the night before because of a snowstorm .
Traylor also started all four playoff games following the season, registering 11 tackles, a sack and two passes defensed. He was awarded a game ball in the Broncos’ Divisional playoff victory at Kansas City
when he recorded three tackles, including two tackles for loss, just two days after his mother passed away. He registered two tackles, including a sack and a pass breakup in AFC
Championship game at Pittsburgh
. He posted two tackles against the Green Bay Packers on January 25, 1998 as his team won Super Bowl XXXII
.
Starting 14 of the 15 games in which he played with the Broncos in 1998, Traylor registered 49 tackles, two sacks, a fumble recovery and two passes defensed. He was part of a unit that ranked third in the NFL in rush defense (80.4 ypg). He was inactive for one game in September with a sprained ankle. Traylor started each of Denver’s three playoff games, including the team's Super Bowl XXXIII
victory over the Atlanta Falcons
in Miami, Florida
. He totaled six tackles and a pass defensed in the playoffs.
In 1999, Traylor started all 15 games that he played with Denver. He collected 42 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a career-high six passes defensed. His lone full sack of the season came against the Detroit Lions, while he forced fumbles against the Jacksonville Jaguars
and San Diego Chargers.
In what would be his final season as a Bronco, Traylor started all 16 regular season games and recorded a career-high 53 total tackles. He also added one sack, a fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed. His tackle total led all Denver linemen. Over a five-game span during the year, registered 23 tackles, including six against the New England Patriots
, one of which was a sack. He had a fumble recovery and forced fumble against the San Diego Chargers on November 19.
as an unrestricted free agent in 2001 and went on to start 15 of the 16 games in which he appeared. He notched 45 tackles, two sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed. He was part of a defensive unit that ranked second in the NFL, as they allowed an average of only 82.1 yards rushing per contest. Traylor and fellow big man Ted Washington
controlled the middle of the field, allowing young star linebacker Brian Urlacher
to roam the field and make plays practically unchallenged. Traylor's second career interception came in the season finale against Jacksonville, when he picked off a Mark Brunell
pass and returned it 67 yards to the Jaguars’ 9, setting up a Bears touchdown two plays afterward in a 33-13 victory. He started the team's Divisional Playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles
and was credited with four tackles and a pass defensed.
In 2002, Traylor started all 15 games that he played with the Bears. He registered 41 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and two passes defensed. He posted a season-high five tackles and registers his only sack against the St. Louis Rams
in a Monday night game.
Traylor started all ten games in which he played with Chicago in 2003, recording 18 tackles, a forced fumble and three passes defensed. He was inactive for six contests (Weeks 4-8, 15).
in 2004 and went on to start 10 of the 16 regular season games at nose tackle. He posted 33 tackles on the year and was part of a unit that ranked sixth in the NFL in rush defense, allowing an average of only 98.3 yards per game. He started each of the final ten regular season games and opened two of three postseason contests. He recorded two tackles in the playoffs, including one in Super Bowl XXXIX
as the Patriots beat the Eagles and Traylor earned his third Super Bowl ring
. He ended up wearing number 98 because his fellow teammate of the New England Patriots
Ty Warren
took his number 94.
began to implement a hybrid defense that used the 3-4 on occasion. He started all 13 games in which he played and was inactive for three contests with a knee injury. He tallied 40 tackles, a pair of sacks and two passes defensed on the year. His sack total tied a personal single-season high that he achieved on three previous occasions (1997, 1998, 2001). He was part of a defensive line that allowed a 3.7-yard average per rush attempt, a figure that ranked fourth in the AFC and seventh in the NFL. He underwent surgery on December 6 to remove debris in his right knee, and was inactive for two games before returning to starting lineup for final two games. The season finale marked his 200th career regular season game.
For the 2006 season, Traylor had 36 tackles and has four sacks for 18 yards in losses. He was placed on Injured Reserve on December 30 with a knee injury, missing the last game of the season. Before going on IR he started 14 games during the year and was inactive once due to knee problems.
Traylor's four sacks on the season represented a single season career high, surpassing his previous single season high of two sacks, which he accomplished four times (1997, 1998, 2001, and 2005). With six sacks in his last 21 regular season games (all with Miami), Traylor has accounted for almost half the number of sacks in those 21 games as he recorded in the first 193 games of his career.
An unrestricted free agent in the 2007 offseason, Traylor was re-signed by the Dolphins to a two-year deal on March 8. It was previously believed that Fred Evans
was the favorite to replace Traylor at nose tackle in 2007 before the veteran re-signed. After a confrontation with teammate Vernon Carey
before the final game of the 2007 season, Traylor was kicked off the Dolphins by then-coach Cam Cameron
.
On February 11, 2008, Traylor was one of nine players released by the Dolphins.
.
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...
nose tackle who is currently retired. He was originally drafted by 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...
in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
. 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 Central Oklahoma
University of Central Oklahoma
The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a coeducational public university located in Edmond, Oklahoma. The university is the third largest in Oklahoma, with almost 18,000 students and approximately 434 full-time and 400 adjunct faculty...
.
Traylor has won a total of three Super Bowl rings; he won two with the Denver Broncos and the other with the New England Patriots.
Early years
Traylor was a two-time all-state and all-conference linebackerLinebacker
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...
at Malvern High School in Malvern, Arkansas
Malvern, Arkansas
Malvern is the county seat of Hot Spring County, Arkansas. The city had a population of 10,318 at the time of the 2010 census and is also called the "Brick Capital of the World" because of the three Acme Brick plants in the area...
. He was also a standout on the basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court and the baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
diamond, earning all-state and all-conference honors in both sports. Traylor was named Player of the Decade for the 1980s by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is the newspaper of record in the U.S. state of Arkansas, printed in Little Rock with a northwest edition published in Lowell...
, and is second in state history for tackles in a season, amassing 231 tackles in 1985. Traylor was one of several highly rated high school football players in Arkansas during the mid 1980s, including standouts such as Little Rock Parkview's (now named Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School is a magnet school in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States that concentrates heavily on science and the arts. It is Arkansas' first and only interdistrict high school...
) Keith Jackson and Pine Bluff High School
Pine Bluff High School
Pine Bluff High School is a public high school in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, USA. It is the largest public school in the city and county.-Mission:...
's Eric Mitchell.
College career
Traylor began his collegiate career at Coffeyville Junior College in Coffeyville, KansasCoffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville is a city situated along the Verdigris River in the southeastern part of Montgomery County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,295...
where he played two seasons (1987–88), before transferring and playing two seasons at the University of Central Oklahoma. He was a linebacker all four years and amassed 146 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries at Central Oklahoma. He was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
selection as a senior when he posted 79 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. On October 18, 2006, Traylor was named one of the top 75 players and coaches in the history of the Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
to commemorate the conference's 75th anniversary.
First stint with Denver
Traylor was originally drafted by 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 the third-round (61st overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
. He started two of the 16 regular season games in which he played for Denver as a rookie, recorded 27 tackles. His first start of NFL career came against 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...
on September 15 when he opened at an inside linebacker spot in place of the injured Michael Brooks. Traylor responded with nine tackles in the game. He also started the following week against the 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...
and recorded ten stops. He saw action in both playoff games following the season in a reserve role. During the playoffs, he saw some time at fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in goal-line situations . Following the season, he was an all-rookie selection by Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
and Football Digest
Football Digest
Football Digest was a sports magazine for fans interested in professional American football, with in-depth coverage of the National Football League...
.
Traylor opened three of the 16 games in which he played with the Broncos in 1992. He collected 39 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble from his linebacker spot on the season. The first sack of his professional career occurred against the Seahawks on December 20, when he tackled quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Stan Gelbaugh
Stan Gelbaugh
Stanley Morris Gelbaugh is a former professional American football quarterback. Although he played several seasons in the National Football League, he attained his greatest success in the World League of American Football with the London Monarchs, where he was the league's Offensive Most Valuable...
for a 14-yard loss.
Traylor was waived by the Broncos in June 1993.
Short stops in Oakland and Green Bay
Traylor signed with the Los Angeles Raiders on July 19, 1993 but was released just over a month later. Signed with the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on September 14 and played in five games with the team, all in a reserve role. He was also inactive for one contest with the Packers. Traylor was released by the team on November 9.
Kansas City Chiefs
Traylor remained a free agentFree 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....
until being signed by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on January 5, 1994. He was inactive for the team's first-round playoff game and was waived the following week. He was re-signed by the Chiefs in May 1994, but was released by the team on August 28 during final cutdowns and spent the entire season out of football.
Traylor was once again re-signed by the Chiefs on February 28, 1995. Playing in the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
(now NFL Europa) Traylor began to add mass to his linebacker's body for a move to the defensive line. He started three of the eight games that he played with the Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
, recording 18 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Traylor made the Chiefs' roster out of training camp and appeared in all 16 games in a reserve role. He was credited with 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and four passes defensed. His best game of the year came against the 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...
, when he recorded three tackles and a sack.
Traylor played in 15 games with the Chiefs in 1996, including one start. He notched 42 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a pass defensed. He also blocked a Cole Ford
Cole Ford
Cole Ford is a retired American football placekicker in the National Football League. He was born in Tucson, Arizona and is the son of AlphaGraphics founder Rodger Ford.-High school career:...
43-yard field goal attempt against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He had a season-high six tackles against 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...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, while his lone sack of the season occurred against 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...
.
Second stint with Denver
In 1997, Traylor returned to the team that drafted him six years prior, albeit this time with a much different frame and at a new position. He started all 16 regular season games after re-joining the Broncos, posting 51 tackles, two sacks, an interception and two passes defensed for a unit that ranked fifth in the NFL in overall defense (291.9 ypg). His sack total marked a career high and is a figure he has since equaled three times. His tackle total led all Broncos linemen. His first career interception came against the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
when he picked off a Todd Collins pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, as the Broncos went on for a 23-20 overtime victory after not arriving in Buffalo until well after midnight the night before because of a snowstorm .
Traylor also started all four playoff games following the season, registering 11 tackles, a sack and two passes defensed. He was awarded a game ball in the Broncos’ Divisional playoff victory at Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
when he recorded three tackles, including two tackles for loss, just two days after his mother passed away. He registered two tackles, including a sack and a pass breakup in AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Championship game at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. He posted two tackles against the Green Bay Packers on January 25, 1998 as his team won Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
.
Starting 14 of the 15 games in which he played with the Broncos in 1998, Traylor registered 49 tackles, two sacks, a fumble recovery and two passes defensed. He was part of a unit that ranked third in the NFL in rush defense (80.4 ypg). He was inactive for one game in September with a sprained ankle. Traylor started each of Denver’s three playoff games, including the team's Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
victory over the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. He totaled six tackles and a pass defensed in the playoffs.
In 1999, Traylor started all 15 games that he played with Denver. He collected 42 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a career-high six passes defensed. His lone full sack of the season came against the Detroit Lions, while he forced fumbles against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and San Diego Chargers.
In what would be his final season as a Bronco, Traylor started all 16 regular season games and recorded a career-high 53 total tackles. He also added one sack, a fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed. His tackle total led all Denver linemen. Over a five-game span during the year, registered 23 tackles, including six against the 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...
, one of which was a sack. He had a fumble recovery and forced fumble against the San Diego Chargers on November 19.
Chicago Bears
Traylor joined the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an unrestricted free agent in 2001 and went on to start 15 of the 16 games in which he appeared. He notched 45 tackles, two sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed. He was part of a defensive unit that ranked second in the NFL, as they allowed an average of only 82.1 yards rushing per contest. Traylor and fellow big man Ted Washington
Ted Washington
Theodore Washington, Jr. is a former American football nose tackle. He was originally drafted out of Louisville by the San Francisco 49ers, 25th overall in the 1991 NFL Draft, but also played for the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland...
controlled the middle of the field, allowing young star linebacker Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
to roam the field and make plays practically unchallenged. Traylor's second career interception came in the season finale against Jacksonville, when he picked off a Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
pass and returned it 67 yards to the Jaguars’ 9, setting up a Bears touchdown two plays afterward in a 33-13 victory. He started the team's Divisional Playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and was credited with four tackles and a pass defensed.
In 2002, Traylor started all 15 games that he played with the Bears. He registered 41 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and two passes defensed. He posted a season-high five tackles and registers his only sack against 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,...
in a Monday night game.
Traylor started all ten games in which he played with Chicago in 2003, recording 18 tackles, a forced fumble and three passes defensed. He was inactive for six contests (Weeks 4-8, 15).
New England Patriots
Traylor joined 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...
in 2004 and went on to start 10 of the 16 regular season games at nose tackle. He posted 33 tackles on the year and was part of a unit that ranked sixth in the NFL in rush defense, allowing an average of only 98.3 yards per game. He started each of the final ten regular season games and opened two of three postseason contests. He recorded two tackles in the playoffs, including one in Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
as the Patriots beat the Eagles and Traylor earned his third Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
. He ended up wearing number 98 because his fellow teammate of the 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...
Ty Warren
Ty Warren
Ty'ron "Ty" Markeith Warren is an American football defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
took his number 94.
Miami Dolphins
Traylor joined the Miami Dolphins in 2005, as the team needed a nose tackle after then-head coach Nick SabanNick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
began to implement a hybrid defense that used the 3-4 on occasion. He started all 13 games in which he played and was inactive for three contests with a knee injury. He tallied 40 tackles, a pair of sacks and two passes defensed on the year. His sack total tied a personal single-season high that he achieved on three previous occasions (1997, 1998, 2001). He was part of a defensive line that allowed a 3.7-yard average per rush attempt, a figure that ranked fourth in the AFC and seventh in the NFL. He underwent surgery on December 6 to remove debris in his right knee, and was inactive for two games before returning to starting lineup for final two games. The season finale marked his 200th career regular season game.
For the 2006 season, Traylor had 36 tackles and has four sacks for 18 yards in losses. He was placed on Injured Reserve on December 30 with a knee injury, missing the last game of the season. Before going on IR he started 14 games during the year and was inactive once due to knee problems.
Traylor's four sacks on the season represented a single season career high, surpassing his previous single season high of two sacks, which he accomplished four times (1997, 1998, 2001, and 2005). With six sacks in his last 21 regular season games (all with Miami), Traylor has accounted for almost half the number of sacks in those 21 games as he recorded in the first 193 games of his career.
An unrestricted free agent in the 2007 offseason, Traylor was re-signed by the Dolphins to a two-year deal on March 8. It was previously believed that Fred Evans
Fred Evans (American football)
Frederick H. Evans is an American football defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
was the favorite to replace Traylor at nose tackle in 2007 before the veteran re-signed. After a confrontation with teammate Vernon Carey
Vernon Carey
Vernon A. Carey is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins 19th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Carey lettered in football and basketball at Miami...
before the final game of the 2007 season, Traylor was kicked off the Dolphins by then-coach Cam Cameron
Cam Cameron
-External links:...
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On February 11, 2008, Traylor was one of nine players released by the Dolphins.
Personal
He and wife Krista have one son, Brandon. He currently resides in Broken Arrow, OklahomaBroken Arrow, Oklahoma
Broken Arrow is a city located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, primarily in Tulsa County but also with a small section of the city in western Wagoner County. It is the largest suburb of Tulsa. According to the 2010 US Census, Broken Arrow has a population of 98,850 residents...
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