Marcus Spears (defensive end)
Encyclopedia
For the offensive lineman, see Marcus Spears (offensive tackle)
.
Marcus Raishonie Spears (born March 8, 1983 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
) is an American football
defensive end
for the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
. He was selected in the 1st round (20th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
out of Louisiana State University
.
season at Southern University Lab High School in Baton Rouge. On the football
field, he was rated as the top tight end
prospect in America
and the third best overall prospect after earning consensus All-America
honors. He was named first-team 1A all-state on both offense
and defense following his senior season, becoming the first player to be honored on both in Louisiana
since 1991. He finished his final prep season with 28 receptions
for 435 yards and three touchdown
s and 245 rushing yards and six touchdowns on offense and 22 tackles
for losses, 11.5 sacks
and four fumble
recoveries on defense. The communication studies
major was also one of the nation's top basketball
prospects.
Spears played in the first ever U.S. Army All-American Bowl
game on December 30, 2000 alongside future LSU teammates Ben Wilkerson
, Andrew Whitworth
, and Marquise Hill
.
, Spears played tight end, fullback
and defensive end
as a freshman, recording two catches for 20 yards on offense and eight tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss on defense. His play earned him freshman All-SEC
honors as a tight end.
marked his first season as a full-time defensive player, in which he recorded 46 tackles, 16 quarterback pressures, 3.5 tackles for losses and three sacks.
, during LSU's national championship season, Spears contributed 49 tackles, 23 quarterback pressures, 13 tackles for losses, six sacks and six passes defensed to earn First-team All-SEC honors. Playing against Oklahoma
for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl
, Spears returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 21-7 advantage in their 21-14 victory.
, Spears put together a career year, earning First-team All-America
honors from the Walter Camp Foundation, American Football Coaches Association
, and AP
, and second-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated
, first-team All-SEC honors and was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award
and Lombardi Award
. He finished the year tying his career-high in tackles (49) while setting career-highs for tackles for losses (17) and sacks (nine, a figure that ranks fourth in the LSU single-season records). He also recorded 21 quarterback pressures to help the Tigers finish the year third in the country in total defense.
.
Spears has suffered from bad luck in his first two training camps. In his first training camp in 2005 as a rookie
, He sprained his right knee
and ankle
while straining his calf. What could have been a serious injury was only a minor setback for him. He missed the first three preseason games but bounced back in time for the final preseason game and recorded three tackles and a sack.
Before the 2006 season, Spears underwent minor knee surgery to repair meniscus
damage, which forced him to miss the first two weeks of training camp. He was able to return to play in the final three preseason games, along with the entire regular season and playoff game. Spears finished ninth on the Cowboys' defense with 48 tackles and tied for fifth on the squad with three quarterback pressures.
, Spears progressed, as he started the season as a back-up and eased into a starting role to earn All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly
. His 35 tackles were good for 12th on the team - third among linemen and rookies while his six quarterback pressures were fourth. He added 1.5 sacks and a pass defensed.
In his NFL debut at the San Diego Chargers
, Spears was in the defensive line rotation but did not record a tackle. He recorded his first sack - one he split with Greg Ellis - and his first career tackle against the Washington Redskins
. Spears then led all defensive linemen with four tackles at the San Francisco 49ers
. He helped limit the Philadelphia Eagles
to 129 yards, including just 19 rushing, the fourth lowest in franchise history. Spears earned his first NFL start at defensive end
at the Seattle Seahawks
and responded with three tackles and a batted pass while helping limit Shaun Alexander
, the NFL's leading rusher to 21 carries for 61 yards (2.9 avg.). He officially moved into the starting lineup
full time against the Arizona Cardinals
and led all linemen with four tackles. Spears logged his third career start in Philadelphia and posted a season-high seven tackles to lead all linemen and finish second on the team. He had a three-tackle game at the New York Giants
. Against the Kansas City Chiefs
, Spears recorded four and a fumble recovery. With 1:16 remaining in the first half and Dallas trailing 14-10, Spears scooped up a Trent Green
fumble at the Cowboys 15-yard line and returned it 59 yards to the Chiefs 26-yard line. Three plays later, Drew Bledsoe
completed a pass to Jason Witten
for a touchdown and a 17-14 halftime lead. It was the eighth-longest return in franchise history and the longest ever by a Dallas rookie. In Washington, Spears recorded three tackles. In the season finale against the St. Louis Rams
, he recorded two tackles and his first solo sack of the season.
, with 48 tackles, including 31 solo tackles. He recorded only one sack, but he had three quarterback pressures and two tackles for loss, and three pass deflections.
In the season opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars
, Spears had two tackles and a tackle for loss. In Week two's Sunday night
game against the Redskins, Spears recorded his only sack of the season, sacking quarterback Mark Brunell
in the first quarter, he also recorded two tackles. After the Cowboys' bye week, Spears led all defensive linemen with four tackles against the Tennessee Titans
. The Titans, in rookie quarterback Vince Young
first career start, only rushed 27 times for 78 yards. Spears recorded two tackles the next week in Philadelphia, where he also broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage. Against the Houston Texans
, Spears recorded three tackles and a quarterback pressure. He recorded three tackles against the Giants in a Monday night
loss at Texas Stadium
. At the Carolina Panthers
, in a Sunday night victory, Spears had two more tackles and a quarterback pressure. He had five tackles the following week in Washington, followed by four tackles in Arizona
. Against the eventual Super Bowl
champion Indianapolis Colts
, Spears had three tackles and one for loss, limiting the Colts to a season-low 14 points. In the annual Thanksgiving Day game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, he had three tackles. He had two tackles in the Cowboys' 23-20 win over the Giants at the Meadowlands
. The following week Spears recorded a season-high six tackles against the Saints in a home loss. He recorded four tackles in a road win against the Atlanta Falcons
, helping provide pressure on the defensive line that sacked Falcons quarterback Michael Vick
four times. Spears had three tackles in the Cowboys' Christmas Day loss to the Eagles and did not record a stat in the season finale against the Detroit Lions
. In his postseason debut, Spears had one tackle and led the team with two quarterback pressures against the Seahawks.
, Spears appeared in all 16 regular season game and Dallas' lone post season game. For the season Spears recorded 32 tackles (19 solo), two forced fumbles, and a career high two sacks and three passed defensed on the season.
In the season opener against the New York Giants
, Spears recorded one tackle (one solo). During week two at the Miami Dolphins
, he recorded two tackles (two solo). In the week three victory over the Chicago Bears
, Spears recorded two tackles (one solo). During the week four victory over the St. Louis Rams
, he recorded two tackles (one solo), and 0.5 sack. In week five at the Buffalo Bills
, Spears recorded two tackles (one solo). During the Cowboys first loss of the season, to the New England Patriots
, he recorded four tackles. In the week seven win over the Minnesota Vikings
, Spears did not record any stats. During week nine at the Philadelphia Eagles
, he recorded one tackle and 0.5 sacks and a forced fumble. In the week 10 win over the New York Giants
, Spears recorded two tackles (two solo). During the week 11 win over the Washington Redskins
, he recorded one tackle. In the week 12 victory over the New York Jets
, Spears recorded two tackles and one pass defensed. During the week 13 victory over the Green Bay Packers
, he recorded one tackle, and a pass defensed. In the week 14 win over the Detroit Lions, Spears recorded one tackle. During a week 15 loss to the Eagles, he recorded three tackles (two solo). In a week 16 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Spears recorded one tackle and one pass defensed. During the season finale against the Washington Redskins, he recorded a season high five tackles (four solo), one sack, and one forced fumble.
In the Cowboys lone playoff game against eventual Super Bowl XLII
champion New York Giants, Spears recorded two tackles.
. As a rookie, Spears was a member of the Cowboys 2005 Rookie Club, a program designed to introduce rookie team members to community service in the Dallas area which included work with The Salvation Army
, Children's Medical Center Dallas and Meals on Wheels
. In the spring,
Spears was a co-chair, along with fellow teammate DeMarcus Ware
, for the second annual Taste of the NFL: The Ultimate Dallas Cowboys Tailgate Party at Abacus restaurant that benefited The North Texas Food Bank. The event raised enough money to provide 330,000 meals to North Texans
in need.
In 2008 Marcus Spears donated $6,500 to a highschool student by the name of Willie Forbes who was going on a trip to Europe for 21 days with People to People Student Ambassadors. In Europe, Willie visited France, Italy, and Greece. While in those countries, Willie visited sites such as the Eiffel Tower and the Parthenon. He and Marcus now share a great friendship.
Marcus Spears (offensive tackle)
Marcus DeWayne Spears is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was selected with the tenth pick of the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft out of Northwestern State University by the Chicago Bears. He has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the...
.
Marcus Raishonie Spears (born March 8, 1983 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
) is an American football
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...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of 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 selected in the 1st round (20th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
out of Louisiana State University
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
.
High school career
Spears was a highly sought after two-sport athlete in the country following his seniorTwelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
season at Southern University Lab High School in Baton Rouge. On the football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
field, he was rated as the top tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
prospect in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the third best overall prospect after earning consensus 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...
honors. He was named first-team 1A all-state on both offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
and defense following his senior season, becoming the first player to be honored on both in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
since 1991. He finished his final prep season with 28 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 435 yards and three 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:...
s and 245 rushing yards and six touchdowns on offense and 22 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....
for losses, 11.5 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 four fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries on defense. The communication studies
Communication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
major was also one of the nation's top 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...
prospects.
Spears played in the first ever U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
game on December 30, 2000 alongside future LSU teammates Ben Wilkerson
Ben Wilkerson
Ben Wilkerson is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, Andrew Whitworth
Andrew Whitworth
Andrew Whitworth is an American football offensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University.-Early years:Whitworth was rated by CNNSI.com as the sixth-best...
, and Marquise Hill
Marquise Hill
Marquise Hill was an American football defensive end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
.
College career
He was initially recruited by LSU as a tight end, but was soon moved to the defensive line.Freshman (2001)
In 20012001 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
, Spears played tight end, 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...
and 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...
as a freshman, recording two catches for 20 yards on offense and eight tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss on defense. His play earned him freshman All-SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
honors as a tight end.
Sophomore (2002)
20022002 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
marked his first season as a full-time defensive player, in which he recorded 46 tackles, 16 quarterback pressures, 3.5 tackles for losses and three sacks.
Junior (2003)
In 20032003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
, during LSU's national championship season, Spears contributed 49 tackles, 23 quarterback pressures, 13 tackles for losses, six sacks and six passes defensed to earn First-team All-SEC honors. Playing against Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl
2004 Sugar Bowl
The 2004 Sugar Bowl, the BCS title game for the 2003 college football season, was played on January 4, 2004 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The teams were LSU Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners...
, Spears returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 21-7 advantage in their 21-14 victory.
Senior (2004)
In 20042004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
, Spears put together a career year, earning First-team All-America
2004 College Football All-America Team
The 2004 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
honors from the Walter Camp Foundation, American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
, and AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, and second-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, first-team All-SEC honors and was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
and Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
. He finished the year tying his career-high in tackles (49) while setting career-highs for tackles for losses (17) and sacks (nine, a figure that ranks fourth in the LSU single-season records). He also recorded 21 quarterback pressures to help the Tigers finish the year third in the country in total defense.
Professional career
Spears selected in the 1st round (20th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
.
Spears has suffered from bad luck in his first two training camps. In his first training camp in 2005 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 sprained his right knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
and ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
while straining his calf. What could have been a serious injury was only a minor setback for him. He missed the first three preseason games but bounced back in time for the final preseason game and recorded three tackles and a sack.
Before the 2006 season, Spears underwent minor knee surgery to repair meniscus
Meniscus (anatomy)
In anatomy, a meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans it is present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other organisms they may be present in other...
damage, which forced him to miss the first two weeks of training camp. He was able to return to play in the final three preseason games, along with the entire regular season and playoff game. Spears finished ninth on the Cowboys' defense with 48 tackles and tied for fifth on the squad with three quarterback pressures.
2005
In 20052005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, Spears progressed, as he started the season as a back-up and eased into a starting role to earn All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
. His 35 tackles were good for 12th on the team - third among linemen and rookies while his six quarterback pressures were fourth. He added 1.5 sacks and a pass defensed.
In his NFL debut at 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...
, Spears was in the defensive line rotation but did not record a tackle. He recorded his first sack - one he split with Greg Ellis - and his first career tackle against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Spears then led all defensive linemen with four tackles at 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...
. He helped limit 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...
to 129 yards, including just 19 rushing, the fourth lowest in franchise history. Spears earned his first NFL start at 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...
at 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 responded with three tackles and a batted pass while helping limit Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama.- Early career :Alexander was born and...
, the NFL's leading rusher to 21 carries for 61 yards (2.9 avg.). He officially moved into the starting lineup
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...
full time 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...
and led all linemen with four tackles. Spears logged his third career start in Philadelphia and posted a season-high seven tackles to lead all linemen and finish second on the team. He had a three-tackle game at the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Against 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...
, Spears recorded four and a fumble recovery. With 1:16 remaining in the first half and Dallas trailing 14-10, Spears scooped up a Trent Green
Trent Green
Trent Jason Green is a retired professional American football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University....
fumble at the Cowboys 15-yard line and returned it 59 yards to the Chiefs 26-yard line. Three plays later, Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
completed a pass to Jason Witten
Jason Witten
Christopher Jason Witten is an American football tight end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee....
for a touchdown and a 17-14 halftime lead. It was the eighth-longest return in franchise history and the longest ever by a Dallas rookie. In Washington, Spears recorded three tackles. In the season finale 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,...
, he recorded two tackles and his first solo sack of the season.
2006
Spears finished the 20062006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, with 48 tackles, including 31 solo tackles. He recorded only one sack, but he had three quarterback pressures and two tackles for loss, and three pass deflections.
In the season opener at 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...
, Spears had two tackles and a tackle for loss. In Week two's Sunday night
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
game against the Redskins, Spears recorded his only sack of the season, sacking quarterback 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....
in the first quarter, he also recorded two tackles. After the Cowboys' bye week, Spears led all defensive linemen with four tackles against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. The Titans, in rookie quarterback Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
first career start, only rushed 27 times for 78 yards. Spears recorded two tackles the next week in Philadelphia, where he also broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage. Against 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...
, Spears recorded three tackles and a quarterback pressure. He recorded three tackles against the Giants in a Monday night
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...
loss at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
. At the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, in a Sunday night victory, Spears had two more tackles and a quarterback pressure. He had five tackles the following week in Washington, followed by four tackles in Arizona
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...
. Against the eventual Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Spears had three tackles and one for loss, limiting the Colts to a season-low 14 points. In the annual Thanksgiving Day game against 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...
, he had three tackles. He had two tackles in the Cowboys' 23-20 win over the Giants at the Meadowlands
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
. The following week Spears recorded a season-high six tackles against the Saints in a home loss. He recorded four tackles in a road win against 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...
, helping provide pressure on the defensive line that sacked Falcons quarterback Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
four times. Spears had three tackles in the Cowboys' Christmas Day loss to the Eagles and did not record a stat in the season finale 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...
. In his postseason debut, Spears had one tackle and led the team with two quarterback pressures against the Seahawks.
2007
In 20072007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
, Spears appeared in all 16 regular season game and Dallas' lone post season game. For the season Spears recorded 32 tackles (19 solo), two forced fumbles, and a career high two sacks and three passed defensed on the season.
In the season opener against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Spears recorded one tackle (one solo). During week two at the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he recorded two tackles (two solo). In the week three victory over the Chicago Bears
Chicago 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...
, Spears recorded two tackles (one solo). During the week four victory over 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,...
, he recorded two tackles (one solo), and 0.5 sack. In week five at the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo 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...
, Spears recorded two tackles (one solo). During the Cowboys first loss of the season, to 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...
, he recorded four tackles. In the week seven win over the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Spears did not record any stats. During week nine at 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...
, he recorded one tackle and 0.5 sacks and a forced fumble. In the week 10 win over the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Spears recorded two tackles (two solo). During the week 11 win over the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, he recorded one tackle. In the week 12 victory over 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...
, Spears recorded two tackles and one pass defensed. During the week 13 victory over the Green Bay Packers
Green 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...
, he recorded one tackle, and a pass defensed. In the week 14 win over the Detroit Lions, Spears recorded one tackle. During a week 15 loss to the Eagles, he recorded three tackles (two solo). In a week 16 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Spears recorded one tackle and one pass defensed. During the season finale against the Washington Redskins, he recorded a season high five tackles (four solo), one sack, and one forced fumble.
In the Cowboys lone playoff game against eventual Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
champion New York Giants, Spears recorded two tackles.
2011
Spears signed a 5 year, $19.2 million contract during the off-season. He injured his groin in the second preseason game and missed the rest of the preseason.Career statistics
| Career Defensive Statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | G | Tack | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | FF | FR | Int | Yds | Lng | TD | Pass Def. |
| 2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... |
Dallas Cowboys 2005 Dallas Cowboys season The 2005 Dallas Cowboys season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2004. Despite a 7–3 start, the Cowboys ended the season with a 9–7 record and narrowly missed the playoffs.-Offseason:... |
16 | 31 | 20 | 11 | - | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 2006 NFL season The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006... |
Dallas Cowboys 2006 Dallas Cowboys season The 2006 Dallas Cowboys season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. The base offense was changed to a 2-TE formation. Several high profile free agents were signed including controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens and kicker Mike Vanderjagt... |
16 | 45 | 29 | 16 | - | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2007 2007 NFL season The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30.... |
Dallas Cowboys 2007 Dallas Cowboys season The 2007 Dallas Cowboys season was the 48th season for the team in the National Football League. The Cowboys finished the regular season tied for the best record in the NFC , and earned a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs... |
16 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 48 | 106 | 68 | 38 | - | 4.5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Charitable work
Spears was actively involved in community service projects during his time at LSU. His sister, Deidre was a three-year letterwoman on the basketball team at LSU, while starting two of those years for the Lady TigersLSU Lady Tigers basketball
The LSU Lady Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The team is currently coached by former UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell, who accepted the job on April 2, 2011. Past coaches include Barbara Swanner, Jinks Coleman,...
. As a rookie, Spears was a member of the Cowboys 2005 Rookie Club, a program designed to introduce rookie team members to community service in the Dallas area which included work with The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, Children's Medical Center Dallas and Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
. In the spring,
Spears was a co-chair, along with fellow teammate DeMarcus Ware
Demarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Troy University...
, for the second annual Taste of the NFL: The Ultimate Dallas Cowboys Tailgate Party at Abacus restaurant that benefited The North Texas Food Bank. The event raised enough money to provide 330,000 meals to North Texans
North Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
in need.
In 2008 Marcus Spears donated $6,500 to a highschool student by the name of Willie Forbes who was going on a trip to Europe for 21 days with People to People Student Ambassadors. In Europe, Willie visited France, Italy, and Greece. While in those countries, Willie visited sites such as the Eiffel Tower and the Parthenon. He and Marcus now share a great friendship.
Family
Spears and his wife, Aiysha, have one daughter, Macaria Reagan (born 2/23/07), and one son, Tory.External links
- Official website
- Dallas Cowboys Player card at ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- Profile at Yahoo! SportsYahoo! SportsYahoo! Sports was launched on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from STATS, Inc., employs various writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American sport...
- Profile at SI.com
- Profile at AOL.comAOLAOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
- LSU Tigers Player card at ESPN.com
- Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com
- Dallas Cowboys bio