Leigh Bodden
Encyclopedia
Leigh Edmond Bodden is an American football
cornerback
who is currently a free agent
. He was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns
as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football
at Duquesne.
Bodden has also played for the Detroit Lions
and the New England Patriots
.
. He attended Northwestern High School
in Hyattsville. In 1998, his final season with the Wildcats, Bodden helped lead his school to a 10-2 record.
interception record, Bodden picked off seven passes in his senior season, 2002, under head coach Greg Gattuso, including a school record-tying three interceptions versus Iona College
. Duquesne's defense was ranked number one in all of NCAA Division I-AA in 2002 in total and scoring defense and second in pass and pass efficiency defense. He also owns three records for the school's men's track and field
team and was the Atlantic 10 Conference long jump champion in 2002.
In his final season with Duquesne, Bodden was an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division I-AA All-American and the 2002 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Football League Defensive Player of the Year. He also was a consensus All-American as a junior. In total, he caught 28 interceptions during his time at Duquesne, second in the nation during that period.
out of training camp in 2003 and contributed heavily as a special teams player and nickel cornerback, playing in 13 games in his rookie year. He recorded his first career NFL interception against the Arizona Cardinals
off a fourth-quarter pass by Josh McCown
.
The 2004 season saw Bodden further establish himself as a force on special teams. He tied for the team lead with 18 special tackles and recorded his first career forced fumble. Bodden's season ended in the third quarter of a Week 8 match-up against AFC North
rival Baltimore Ravens
. He suffered a left shoulder strain and was later placed on injured reserve
for the remainder of the season due to a biceps injury.
In 2005, Bodden had a breakthrough season. He gained one of the starting cornerback positions under new head coach Romeo Crennel
after an injury to Gary Baxter
. Despite missing Weeks 2 and 3 with an injury, then Weeks 4-6 as inactive, he became a favorite of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham
and secondary coach Mel Tucker
. In a Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals
, he totaled seven tackles, a forced fumble, and his second career interception. He contributed in defensive efforts against Houston (ten tackles and one interception in a 19-16 loss), Miami (five tackles in a 22-0 win), and Oakland (six tackles and one interception in a 9-7 win). In Week 17, Bodden forced a fumble, caught an interception, and tallied five tackles. His contributions helped the Browns to a 20-16 win over the Ravens. As a result of his solid performance in 2005, Bodden received a four-year contract extension. Bodden spent most of the 2006 season battling injuries and only played in nine games, with two interceptions.
On September 5, 2007, Bodden was arrested following an incident outside Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
, where he was picking up his girlfriend and their children. Bodden backed his 2004 GMC Yukon
SUV into a parking spot in the airport's arrivals area. Cleveland police reported that Bodden failed to comply when asked to pull his vehicle over. When asked a second time by police, he reportedly did comply, but pulled his SUV into an illegal parking zone and left it there. Officers alleged that Bodden was verbally abusive when asked for his driver's license. Bodden was released from jail after posting $1,000 bond and entered not guilty pleas to charges of resisting arrest, failing to comply with an officer and a traffic offense. Bodden apologized for the incident on September 6, and did not face a team or league-imposed suspension for conduct.
Despite the incident, Bodden returned to start all 16 games in 2007. On December 23, Bodden recorded two interceptions in a Browns loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. His six interceptions on the season were a career high, as were his 88 tackles.
along with a third round draft choice in a deal for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. Bodden started all 16 games for the 0-16 Lions
in 2008, recording 73 tackles and an interception. Bodden was released by the Lions on February 9, 2009.
on March 11, 2009. He started 14 of the 15 games he played for the Patriots in 2009
. In a Week 11 matchup against the New York Jets
, Bodden intercepted rookie Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez
three times, returning one for a 56-yard score and tying a team high. He finished the season with a team-high five interceptions, along with 55 tackles, 18 passes defended, and one forced fumble.
The Patriots and Bodden were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension prior to the start of free agency in March 2010. After visiting with the Houston Texans
on March 8, 2010, Bodden was reported to have signed a deal with the Patriots the very next day. The following day, details of the contract were released: the total value of the deal was $22 million over 4 years, with $10 million guaranteed. The contract was front-loaded, with nearly two-thirds ($14 million) of the net value coming in the first two years.
Bodden was placed on injured reserve by the Patriots on August 31, 2010, with a shoulder injury. He missed all of the 2010-11 NFL season.
Bodden was released on October 28, 2011.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who is currently a free agent
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....
. He was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2003. 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 Duquesne.
Bodden has also played for 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...
and 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...
.
Early years
Bodden was born in Hyattsville, MarylandHyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
. He attended Northwestern High School
Northwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)
Northwestern High School , established in 1951, is a public comprehensive secondary school located in Hyattsville, Maryland in Prince George's County, less than a mile from the internationally known University of Maryland, College Park. It is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Hyattsville. In 1998, his final season with the Wildcats, Bodden helped lead his school to a 10-2 record.
College career
The holder of nearly every Duquesne UniversityDuquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
interception record, Bodden picked off seven passes in his senior season, 2002, under head coach Greg Gattuso, including a school record-tying three interceptions versus Iona College
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
. Duquesne's defense was ranked number one in all of NCAA Division I-AA in 2002 in total and scoring defense and second in pass and pass efficiency defense. He also owns three records for the school's men's track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team and was the Atlantic 10 Conference long jump champion in 2002.
In his final season with Duquesne, Bodden was an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division I-AA All-American and the 2002 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
Football League Defensive Player of the Year. He also was a consensus All-American as a junior. In total, he caught 28 interceptions during his time at Duquesne, second in the nation during that period.
Cleveland Browns
Despite his strong collegiate career, Bodden received little press and went undrafted in 2003. However, Bodden made the 53-man roster of the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
out of training camp in 2003 and contributed heavily as a special teams player and nickel cornerback, playing in 13 games in his rookie year. He recorded his first career NFL interception against 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...
off a fourth-quarter pass by Josh McCown
Josh McCown
Joshua Treadwell McCown is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Sam Houston State.McCown has played for the Detroit Lions, Oakland...
.
The 2004 season saw Bodden further establish himself as a force on special teams. He tied for the team lead with 18 special tackles and recorded his first career forced fumble. Bodden's season ended in the third quarter of a Week 8 match-up against AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
rival Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. He suffered a left shoulder strain and was later 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...
for the remainder of the season due to a biceps injury.
In 2005, Bodden had a breakthrough season. He gained one of the starting cornerback positions under new head coach Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and current defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Before becoming the head coach of the Browns, Crennel won three Super Bowls in four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the New England...
after an injury to Gary Baxter
Gary Baxter
Gary Wayne Baxter is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Baylor....
. Despite missing Weeks 2 and 3 with an injury, then Weeks 4-6 as inactive, he became a favorite of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham
Todd Grantham
Todd Grantham is the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was hired on Jan. 15, 2010.-Virginia Tech :...
and secondary coach Mel Tucker
Mel Tucker
Mel Tucker is an American football coach who is currently the interim head coach and defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League .-Early life:...
. In a Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, he totaled seven tackles, a forced fumble, and his second career interception. He contributed in defensive efforts against Houston (ten tackles and one interception in a 19-16 loss), Miami (five tackles in a 22-0 win), and Oakland (six tackles and one interception in a 9-7 win). In Week 17, Bodden forced a fumble, caught an interception, and tallied five tackles. His contributions helped the Browns to a 20-16 win over the Ravens. As a result of his solid performance in 2005, Bodden received a four-year contract extension. Bodden spent most of the 2006 season battling injuries and only played in nine games, with two interceptions.
On September 5, 2007, Bodden was arrested following an incident outside Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is a public airport located nine miles southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The airport lies just within the city limits of Cleveland...
, where he was picking up his girlfriend and their children. Bodden backed his 2004 GMC Yukon
Chevrolet Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
SUV into a parking spot in the airport's arrivals area. Cleveland police reported that Bodden failed to comply when asked to pull his vehicle over. When asked a second time by police, he reportedly did comply, but pulled his SUV into an illegal parking zone and left it there. Officers alleged that Bodden was verbally abusive when asked for his driver's license. Bodden was released from jail after posting $1,000 bond and entered not guilty pleas to charges of resisting arrest, failing to comply with an officer and a traffic offense. Bodden apologized for the incident on September 6, and did not face a team or league-imposed suspension for conduct.
Despite the incident, Bodden returned to start all 16 games in 2007. On December 23, Bodden recorded two interceptions in a Browns loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. His six interceptions on the season were a career high, as were his 88 tackles.
Detroit Lions
On February 29, 2008, Bodden was traded to the Detroit LionsDetroit 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...
along with a third round draft choice in a deal for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. Bodden started all 16 games for the 0-16 Lions
2008 Detroit Lions season
The 2008 Detroit Lions season was the 79th season for the franchise in the National Football League. Although the Lions had a flawless preseason with a 4-0 record, the Lions became the first team in NFL history to compile an 0-16 record in regular season play. They were mathematically eliminated...
in 2008, recording 73 tackles and an interception. Bodden was released by the Lions on February 9, 2009.
New England Patriots
Bodden signed a one-year contract 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 March 11, 2009. He started 14 of the 15 games he played for the Patriots in 2009
2009 New England Patriots season
The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
. In a Week 11 matchup against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Bodden intercepted rookie Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
three times, returning one for a 56-yard score and tying a team high. He finished the season with a team-high five interceptions, along with 55 tackles, 18 passes defended, and one forced fumble.
The Patriots and Bodden were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension prior to the start of free agency in March 2010. After visiting with the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 8, 2010, Bodden was reported to have signed a deal with the Patriots the very next day. The following day, details of the contract were released: the total value of the deal was $22 million over 4 years, with $10 million guaranteed. The contract was front-loaded, with nearly two-thirds ($14 million) of the net value coming in the first two years.
Bodden was placed on injured reserve by the Patriots on August 31, 2010, with a shoulder injury. He missed all of the 2010-11 NFL season.
Bodden was released on October 28, 2011.