Matt Wilhelm
Encyclopedia
Matthew Wilhelm is an American football
linebacker
who's currently a free agent
in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
Wilhelm has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
, San Francisco 49ers
and Green Bay Packers
.
and attended nearby Elyria Catholic High School. He amassed 100 tackles, 26 for loss, and 11 sacks as a senior and was named a 1st Team All-Ohio selection. He also played tight end
and running back
. In 2002, he had his #34 jersey retired.
at Ohio State from 1999 to 2002. Wilhelm was moved to middle linebacker before his sophomore season and started every game. In his first game as a starter against Fresno State, Wilhelm intercepted a David Carr
pass and ran it 25 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he earned the coveted Randy Gradishar
Award as the team’s top linebacker and made all of the defensive calls. As a senior, Wilhelm helped his team to a national championship with a team-leading 11 tackles in one of the most memorable games in college history against the University of Miami
. Wilhelm ended the year with a career high 121 tackles and ended his career with the 6th most career tackles for loss for Ohio State all-time.
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He spent the first four years of his career mostly on special teams and as a backup. In 2007, he became a full-time starter after Donnie Edwards
signed with the Kansas City Chiefs
. He was released by the Chargers on July 24, 2009.
on August 4, 2009 after starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley
suffered a season-ending knee injury. He was waived on September 5, 2009.
on October 19, 2009 after reserve linebacker Jeff Ulbrich
was placed on injured reserve
. He was re-signed to a one-year contract on March 4, 2010. He was cut on September 3, 2010.
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...
who's 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....
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the San 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...
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. 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 Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
.
Wilhelm has also been a member of 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...
, 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...
and 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...
.
Early years
Wilhelm is a native of Lorain, OhioLorain, Ohio
Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
and attended nearby Elyria Catholic High School. He amassed 100 tackles, 26 for loss, and 11 sacks as a senior and was named a 1st Team All-Ohio selection. He also played 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...
and 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...
. In 2002, he had his #34 jersey retired.
College career
Wilhelm played college footballCollege 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 Ohio State from 1999 to 2002. Wilhelm was moved to middle linebacker before his sophomore season and started every game. In his first game as a starter against Fresno State, Wilhelm intercepted a David Carr
David Carr
David Duke Carr is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans first overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
pass and ran it 25 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he earned the coveted Randy Gradishar
Randy Gradishar
Randy Charles Gradishar is a former college and professional American football linebacker who played in the 1970s and 1980s. Randy Gradishar is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for the Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado...
Award as the team’s top linebacker and made all of the defensive calls. As a senior, Wilhelm helped his team to a national championship with a team-leading 11 tackles in one of the most memorable games in college history against the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. Wilhelm ended the year with a career high 121 tackles and ended his career with the 6th most career tackles for loss for Ohio State all-time.
San Diego Chargers
Wilhelm was drafted by the San Diego ChargersSan 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...
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He spent the first four years of his career mostly on special teams and as a backup. In 2007, he became a full-time starter after Donnie Edwards
Donnie Edwards
Donnie Edwards is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
signed with 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...
. He was released by the Chargers on July 24, 2009.
Philadelphia Eagles
Wilhelm 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...
on August 4, 2009 after starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley
Stewart Bradley
Stewart Bradley is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
suffered a season-ending knee injury. He was waived on September 5, 2009.
San Francisco 49ers
Wilhelm was signed by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
on October 19, 2009 after reserve linebacker Jeff Ulbrich
Jeff Ulbrich
Jeff Ulbrich is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played for the San Francisco 49ers from 2000 to 2009. He was drafted by the 49ers in the 3rd round in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii...
was 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...
. He was re-signed to a one-year contract on March 4, 2010. He was cut on September 3, 2010.