Mike Maslowski
Encyclopedia
Michael John Maslowski is a former American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
for the Kansas City Chiefs
. He attended the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
, 21.0 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks
, and 10 interceptions. He was part of the UW - La Crosse Eagles 1995 National Championship team as a junior when he had a career-high 108 tackles. Maslowski made 128 tackles and 13 interceptions to earn all-state honors as a senior at Thorp High School in Thorp, Wisconsin
.
, but was cut by the team prior to the start of the regular season. In 1998, he played in the Arena Football League for the San Jose Sabercats
. In 1999, Maslowski signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. The Chief then allocated him to NFL Europe where he played one season for the Barcelona Dragons
of NFL Europe
in 1999 where he set the single season record for tackles with 105 tackles, breaking the previous record of 95 tackles set by Anthony Fielding of the Rhein Fire
. Maslowski is the only player in the history of the NFL Europe to record a 100 tackle season. As a member of the Dragons, Maslowski was twice named the NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Week, was the Defensive Player of the Year, and helped lead his team to play in World Bowl VII
against the Frankfurt Galaxy
.
Maslowski joined the Chiefs in 1999, after the conclusion of the 1999 NFL Europe season, and played a significant role of the Chiefs special teams, earning the Chiefs' prestigious Mack Lee Hill
Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding rookie of the team. His 2001 season was plagued by two major knee injuries, tearing his MCL
and PCL
in his left knee, but in the 2002 season he earned a spot at linebacker. In the 2002 season, Maslowski recorded 162 tackles, 109 of which were solo tackles, and broke the Chiefs single season record in tackles, which had previously been 157 tackles set by linebacker Gary Spani
in 1979. Maslowski's single season tackle record for the Chiefs still stands today.
In 2003, Maslowski's season, and ultimately his career, were cut short by recurrent knee injuries which he first sustained in 2001. His MCL and PCL were completely torn from bone on his left leg and he underwent a tibial osteotomy which is designed to correct the alignment of the knee. He was only the second professional athlete to attempt a return to playing after undergoing such a surgery, the other was Steve Yzerman
of the Detroit Red Wings
. During training camp
in the 2004 season, Maslowski attempted to make a comeback, but his left knee was not at full strength and the Chiefs placed him on the injured reserve
. Again in 2005, he attempted a comeback, but decided to retire because he was not achieving his full potential.
On December 13, 2005, the Green Bay Packers
worked out Maslowski, but did not sign him.
of NFL Europe in 2006 and is currently the linebacker coach for the team.
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...
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...
for 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 attended the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
Amateur career
The Wisconsin–La Crosse star earned Division III All-America honors as a senior. Maslowski finished his college career with 279 tacklesTackle (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....
, 21.0 tackles for a loss, 5.5 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 10 interceptions. He was part of the UW - La Crosse Eagles 1995 National Championship team as a junior when he had a career-high 108 tackles. Maslowski made 128 tackles and 13 interceptions to earn all-state honors as a senior at Thorp High School in Thorp, Wisconsin
Thorp, Wisconsin
Thorp is a city in Clark County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Thorp and partially within the Town of Withee.-Geography:...
.
Professional career
In 1997, Maslowski signed as a rookie free agent with 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...
, but was cut by the team prior to the start of the regular season. In 1998, he played in the Arena Football League for the San Jose Sabercats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
. In 1999, Maslowski signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. The Chief then allocated him to NFL Europe where he played one season for the Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
of NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
in 1999 where he set the single season record for tackles with 105 tackles, breaking the previous record of 95 tackles set by Anthony Fielding of the Rhein Fire
Rhein Fire
The Rhein Fire was a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
. Maslowski is the only player in the history of the NFL Europe to record a 100 tackle season. As a member of the Dragons, Maslowski was twice named the NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Week, was the Defensive Player of the Year, and helped lead his team to play in World Bowl VII
World Bowl VII
World Bowl '99 was NFL Europe's 1999 championship game. It was played in Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 27, 1999. The match-up was between the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy and the 7-3 Barcelona Dragons...
against the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
.
Maslowski joined the Chiefs in 1999, after the conclusion of the 1999 NFL Europe season, and played a significant role of the Chiefs special teams, earning the Chiefs' prestigious Mack Lee Hill
Mack Lee Hill
Mack Lee Hill was an American college and professional football player. He played running back at Southern University and for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs for two seasons , before dying while undergoing knee surgery, days after a game against the Buffalo Bills.He made the...
Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding rookie of the team. His 2001 season was plagued by two major knee injuries, tearing his MCL
MCL
- Medicine :* Mantle cell lymphoma* Mast cell leukemia* Maximum comfortable levels of auditory stimuli* Medial collateral ligament* Medical Center Leeuwarden* Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans* Midclavicular line* Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis...
and PCL
Posterior cruciate ligament
The posterior cruciate ligament is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It connects the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the medial condyle of the femur...
in his left knee, but in the 2002 season he earned a spot at linebacker. In the 2002 season, Maslowski recorded 162 tackles, 109 of which were solo tackles, and broke the Chiefs single season record in tackles, which had previously been 157 tackles set by linebacker Gary Spani
Gary Spani
Gary Spani is a former NFL linebacker who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1978-1986. He has worked for the Chiefs' front office since 1989, and is currently the director of tickets and events marketing for the Chiefs....
in 1979. Maslowski's single season tackle record for the Chiefs still stands today.
In 2003, Maslowski's season, and ultimately his career, were cut short by recurrent knee injuries which he first sustained in 2001. His MCL and PCL were completely torn from bone on his left leg and he underwent a tibial osteotomy which is designed to correct the alignment of the knee. He was only the second professional athlete to attempt a return to playing after undergoing such a surgery, the other was Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. During training camp
NFL Training Camp
In the National Football League, training camp refers to the time before the season commences. During this time, teams will sometimes congregate at an outside location, usually a university, to conduct training camp for at least the first few weeks. This is similar to baseball's spring...
in the 2004 season, Maslowski attempted to make a comeback, but his left knee was not at full strength and the Chiefs placed him on the 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...
. Again in 2005, he attempted a comeback, but decided to retire because he was not achieving his full potential.
On December 13, 2005, 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...
worked out Maslowski, but did not sign him.
Coaching career
Maslowski joined the Hamburg Sea DevilsHamburg Sea Devils
The Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football team that began play in NFL Europa from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg's AOL Arena . They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions...
of NFL Europe in 2006 and is currently the linebacker coach for the team.
NFL career statistics
| Year | Team | G-S | No.Tkl. | Solo Tkl. | Sacks | TO Recovered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Kansas City | 15-0 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | Kansas City | 16-5 | 64 | 46 | 2 | 1 |
| 2001 | Kansas City | 8-0 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | Kansas City | 16-16 | 123 | 92 | 1 | 4 |
| 2003 | Kansas City | 10-10 | 59 | 45 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | 65-31 | 273 | 209 | 4 | 6 | |