Marques Murrell
Encyclopedia
Marques Murrell is an American football
linebacker
for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Appalachian State
.
Murrell has also played for the New York Jets
and New England Patriots
. He is the younger brother of former National Football League
running back
Adrian Murrell
, who played with the Jets from 1993 to 1997.
in Fayetteville, North Carolina
, to earn All-Region honors.
, finishing his career with 36 sacks and a school-record 18 forced fumbles. Murrell gained 13 sacks in both his junior and senior seasons, fueling his Appalachian State to two consecutive Division I-AA National Championships in 2005 and 2006. In the 2005 title game he forced a fumble that was returned by Jason Hunter for the winning touchdown in a 21–16 victory over University of Northern Iowa
.
as an undrafted free agent on May 14, 2007, following the 2007 NFL Draft
. He was waived by the Eagles during final cuts on September 1, 2007, and was re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later.
on November 7, 2007. Murrell played in four of the Jets' final seven games of the season, but did not record any stats. In 2008
, Murrell made the Jets' 53-man roster and played in 12 games as a reserve, recording nine tackles.
In 16-13 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills
on October 18, 2009, Murrell and Jets safety James Ihedigbo
threw punches at Bills tight end Derek Fine
, prompting Murrell to be fined by the NFL
for $5,000 and be benched, along with Ihedigbo, by head coach Rex Ryan
for the following game against the Oakland Raiders
on October 25, 2009. Murrell finished the 2009
season with 12 tackles in ten games played.
He was not tendered by the Jets as an restricted free agent
following the season and became an unrestricted free agent.
on March 9, 2010. He was released on September 13 after playing in the Patriots' season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals
. The Patriots re-signed Murrell on January 5, 2011, prior to their first playoff
game. He was waived on August 30.
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. 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 Appalachian State
Appalachian State Mountaineers football
The Appalachian State Mountaineers football team is the college football team at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers have competed in the Southern Conference since 1972, and are currently a Division I Football Championship Subdivision member of the National...
.
Murrell has also played for 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...
and 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 is the younger brother of former 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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Adrian Murrell
Adrian Murrell
Adrian Byran Murrell is a former professional American football running back who was drafted by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft after playing collegiately for the West Virginia Mountaineers...
, who played with the Jets from 1993 to 1997.
Early years
Murrell registered 21 sacks over his final two seasons at Jack Britt High SchoolJack Britt High School
Jack Britt High School is a public high school in southern Cumberland County, North Carolina. Jack Britt has met all seventeen of the Yearly Progress Goals mandated by the Federal No Child Left Behind Legislation....
in Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, to earn All-Region honors.
College career
Murrell was a two-time first team All-American performer at Appalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
, finishing his career with 36 sacks and a school-record 18 forced fumbles. Murrell gained 13 sacks in both his junior and senior seasons, fueling his Appalachian State to two consecutive Division I-AA National Championships in 2005 and 2006. In the 2005 title game he forced a fumble that was returned by Jason Hunter for the winning touchdown in a 21–16 victory over University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
.
Philadelphia Eagles
Murrell was signed by the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia 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...
as an undrafted free agent on May 14, 2007, following the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He was waived by the Eagles during final cuts on September 1, 2007, and was re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later.
New York Jets
Murrell was signed off the Eagles' practice squad by the New York JetsNew 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...
on November 7, 2007. Murrell played in four of the Jets' final seven games of the season, but did not record any stats. In 2008
2008 New York Jets season
The 2008 New York Jets season was the 49th season for the club and the 39th season in the National Football League. The team succeeded in improving upon their 4–12 record from 2007, but did not make the playoffs.-Signings:...
, Murrell made the Jets' 53-man roster and played in 12 games as a reserve, recording nine tackles.
In 16-13 overtime loss to 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...
on October 18, 2009, Murrell and Jets safety James Ihedigbo
James Ihedigbo
-New York Jets:In a 16–13 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on October 18, 2009, Ihedigbo and fellow Jet Marques Murrell threw punches at Bills Tight End Derek Fine, prompting Ihedigbo to be ejected from the game by officials...
threw punches at Bills tight end Derek Fine
Derek Fine
Derek Fine is an American football tight end who is currently a Free Agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas.Fine has also been a member of the St...
, prompting Murrell to be fined by the NFL
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...
for $5,000 and be benched, along with Ihedigbo, by head coach Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
for the following game 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...
on October 25, 2009. Murrell finished the 2009
2009 New York Jets season
The 2009 New York Jets season was the 50th season for the club and the 40th season in the National Football League and the last season at Giants Stadium. While they did not improve their 9–7 record from 2008, this time the team headed to the playoffs. The Jets fired head coach Eric Mangini on...
season with 12 tackles in ten games played.
He was not tendered by the Jets as an restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
following the season and became an unrestricted free agent.
New England Patriots
Murrell signed 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 9, 2010. He was released on September 13 after playing in the Patriots' season opener against 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...
. The Patriots re-signed Murrell on January 5, 2011, prior to their first playoff
2010–11 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2010 season began on January 8, 2011 and led up to Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas....
game. He was waived on August 30.