Nick Kaczur
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Jesse Kaczur is an American football
offensive tackle who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the New England Patriots
in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Toledo
.
in Brantford, Ontario
, Kaczur was rated as the best prep lineman in Ontario, was voted his school’s Lineman of the Year four times, and was his team's Offensive MVP
in his junior and senior years. He also played for the Brantford Bisons of the Ontario Varsity Football League.
for two years before attending the University of Toledo
. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Rockets. As a freshman, he was named a third-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News
, and was also a second-team All-Mid-American Conference
selection. As a sophomore, he won All-MAC first-team honors. He repeated those honors again in 2003 and 2004 as a junior and senior. He started 51 games during his college career and became Toledo's first ever player to earn all-conference honors in four seasons.
(100th overall) by the New England Patriots
. He was also selected by the Toronto Argonauts
in the first round of the 2005 CFL Draft
(9th overall). After beginning the season as a reserve right tackle behind Tom Ashworth
, Kaczur started the final 13 games at left tackle for the Patriots in 2005
, following an injury to veteran Matt Light
. After recovering from an injury that limited him to a reserve role behind Ryan O'Callaghan
at right tackle for the first two months of the 2006 season
, Kaczur returned to the starting lineup in November and helped the Patriots make a run to the AFC Championship Game
against the Indianapolis Colts
.
In 2007
, Kaczur started the first 15 games of the season, only missing the final game, to an injury. He returned for the Patriots playoff run, including Super Bowl XLII
. He returned in 2008
to start 14 games, only missing two games in October due to injury. He was signed to a four-year, $16 million extension on August 24, 2009, four months after the Patriots selected fellow offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer
in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. Kaczur started the first 13 games of the 2009 season
before missing Weeks 16 and 17 with an injury; Vollmer started both games in Kaczur's place, and continued to start in Week 17 and the Wild Card playoffs
, limiting Kaczur to a reserve role in both games.
After suffering a back injury early in the Patriots' 2010
training camp, Kaczur missed all the preseason and was inactive for the first four games of the season before being placed on injured reserve
on October 12, 2010.
On July 29, 2011, he was released by New England.
. Kaczur cooperated with the Drug Enforcement Administration
, wearing a hidden recording device during drug transactions, in an undercover operation to apprehend his drug dealer.
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...
offensive tackle who is 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....
. He was drafted by 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...
in the third round 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...
. 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 Toledo
Toledo Rockets football
The Toledo Rockets football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo began playing football in 1917, although it did not field teams in 1931, and 1943-1945. Since the inception of the AP...
.
Early years
While attending Brantford Collegiate InstituteBrantford Collegiate Institute
Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School, also known as simply "Brantford Collegiate Institute" or "BCI", is a secondary school in the city of Brantford...
in Brantford, Ontario
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
, Kaczur was rated as the best prep lineman in Ontario, was voted his school’s Lineman of the Year four times, and was his team's Offensive MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in his junior and senior years. He also played for the Brantford Bisons of the Ontario Varsity Football League.
College career
After high school, Kaczur worked in constructionConstruction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
for two years before attending the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Rockets. As a freshman, he was named a third-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
, and was also a second-team All-Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
selection. As a sophomore, he won All-MAC first-team honors. He repeated those honors again in 2003 and 2004 as a junior and senior. He started 51 games during his college career and became Toledo's first ever player to earn all-conference honors in four seasons.
New England Patriots
Kaczur was selected in the third round 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...
(100th overall) by 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 was also selected by the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
in the first round of the 2005 CFL Draft
2005 CFL Draft
-Round one:-Round two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round Five:-Round Six:...
(9th overall). After beginning the season as a reserve right tackle behind Tom Ashworth
Tom Ashworth
Thomas F. Ashworth is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers out of the University of Colorado at Boulder...
, Kaczur started the final 13 games at left tackle for the Patriots in 2005
2005 New England Patriots season
The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos....
, following an injury to veteran Matt Light
Matt Light
Matthew Charles Light is an American football offensive tackle for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.-Early years:Light was born in Greenville, Ohio...
. After recovering from an injury that limited him to a reserve role behind Ryan O'Callaghan
Ryan O'Callaghan
Ryan O'Callaghan is an American football offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
at right tackle for the first two months of the 2006 season
2006 New England Patriots season
The 2006 New England Patriots season was the 37th season for the team in the National Football League and 47th season overall. They finished with a 12–4 record and a division title before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs....
, Kaczur returned to the starting lineup in November and helped the Patriots make a run to the AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
against the 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 ....
.
In 2007
2007 New England Patriots season
The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
, Kaczur started the first 15 games of the season, only missing the final game, to an injury. He returned for the Patriots playoff run, including 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...
. He returned in 2008
2008 New England Patriots season
The 2008 New England Patriots season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and 49th season overall. Despite finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record, the Patriots did not qualify for the playoffs—becoming the first 11-win team since the expansion to a 12-team...
to start 14 games, only missing two games in October due to injury. He was signed to a four-year, $16 million extension on August 24, 2009, four months after the Patriots selected fellow offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer
Sebastian Vollmer
Sebastian Georg Vollmer is an American football offensive tackle for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston.-Early years:Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, Vollmer did not...
in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. Kaczur started the first 13 games of the 2009 season
2009 New England Patriots season
The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
before missing Weeks 16 and 17 with an injury; Vollmer started both games in Kaczur's place, and continued to start in Week 17 and the Wild Card playoffs
2009–10 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2009 season began on January 9, 2010 and led up to Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
, limiting Kaczur to a reserve role in both games.
After suffering a back injury early in the Patriots' 2010
2010 New England Patriots season
The 2010 New England Patriots season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League and 51st season overall. The Patriots improved on their 10–6 record from 2009 by finishing with a league-best 14–2 record and clinching the top seed in the AFC, before losing to the New York Jets...
training camp, Kaczur missed all the preseason and was inactive for the first four games of the season before being 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...
on October 12, 2010.
On July 29, 2011, he was released by New England.
Drug allegations
On June 4, 2008 the Boston Globe published a story alleging that Kaczur had been arrested in April 2008 for illegal possession of the prescription painkiller oxycodoneOxycodone
Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic medication synthesized from opium-derived thebaine. It was developed in 1916 in Germany, as one of several new semi-synthetic opioids in an attempt to improve on the existing opioids: morphine, diacetylmorphine , and codeine.Oxycodone oral medications are generally...
. Kaczur cooperated with the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
, wearing a hidden recording device during drug transactions, in an undercover operation to apprehend his drug dealer.