Maurice Fountain
Encyclopedia
Gregory Maurice Fountain (born September 22, 1982) is an American football
defensive tackle who is currently a practice squad member of the Philadelphia Eagles
of the National Football League
(NFL). Fountain was first signed by the Manchester Wolves
of AF2
as a free agent
in 2007. He played college football
at Clemson
.
Fountain has also been a member of the Utah Blaze
, Miami Dolphins
, Hartford Colonials, Las Vegas Locomotives
, and Seattle Seahawks
.
) where he was named MVP.
Fountain continues to play professionally in the United Football League (UFL) with the Hartford Colonials. Formerly the New York Sentinels, the team drafted Fountain with their fifth pick in the 2009 "Premiere" Season Draft.
On August 20, 2011, Fountain re-signed with the Seattle Seahawks
. He was released on September 3, 2011, re-signed to the Seahawks' practice squad the following day, and then was released from the practice squad on September 6, 2011.
The Philadelphia Eagles
signed Fountain to their practice squad on November 22, 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...
defensive tackle who is currently a practice squad 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...
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...
(NFL). Fountain was first signed by the Manchester Wolves
Manchester Wolves
The Manchester Wolves were a professional arena football team, based at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, which folded at the end of the 2009 season along with the rest of the league...
of AF2
AF2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
as 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 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 Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Fountain has also been a member of the Utah Blaze
Utah Blaze
The Utah Blaze is a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competes in the West division of the Arena Football League. Home games are played at the EnergySolutions Arena.-The original Utah Blaze :...
, 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...
, Hartford Colonials, Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
, and 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...
.
Early years
As a senior at Camden High School in South Carolina, Fountain, whom friends refer to as "Moe," was a two-time All-Region player for the Bulldogs. He was a key cog on a stingy Bulldogs defense that held opposing offenses to 8.4 points per game in 1999. The Bulldogs would finish with double-digit wins (10-2) for the first time since the 1990 state championship team while earning a share of the Region IV-AAA title. Following the season, Fountain received an invitation to play in the North-South All-Star Game in Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaMyrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
) where he was named MVP.
College career
Fountain continued to hone his skills at Fork Union Military Academy, earning the Defensive MVP award following the 2000 season before signing with Clemson University (2001–04). While with the Tigers, Fountain earned the Defensive 12th-Man Award along with the Most Improved Defensive End in the Weight Room Award. As a testament to his endurance, Fountain, who played in three bowl games including the win over No. 6 Tennessee in the 2004 Peach Bowl, became the second Tiger in school history to play in 50 games during his career.Professional career
After going undrafted by the NFL in 2005, Fountain took some time off from football before resurfacing in the AF2 League, where he had a breakout rookie season with the Manchester Wolves in 2007. During that season, Fountain set a franchise record with 13 sacks and earned several team and league honors before being signed by the Utah Blaze during the AFL free agency period. Fountain finished second on the Blaze in sacks and was named to the AF1 All-Rookie Team in his only season in 2008. Fountain was signed by the Miami Dolphins during 2008 NFL training camps but was released during the final cuts prior to the start of the regular season.Fountain continues to play professionally in the United Football League (UFL) with the Hartford Colonials. Formerly the New York Sentinels, the team drafted Fountain with their fifth pick in the 2009 "Premiere" Season Draft.
On August 20, 2011, Fountain re-signed with 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...
. He was released on September 3, 2011, re-signed to the Seahawks' practice squad the following day, and then was released from the practice squad on September 6, 2011.
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...
signed Fountain to their practice squad on November 22, 2011.