Orlando Pace
Encyclopedia
Orlando Lamar Pace is an American football
offensive tackle who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams
first overall in the 1997 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ohio State
. Pace has started all 16 games eight times (1998–2001, 2003–05) and blocked for three straight NFL MVPs (Kurt Warner
; 1999, 2001 and Marshall Faulk
; 2000). He was the cornerstone of a Rams offensive line that threw for more gross yards than any other team during his 12 years in St. Louis (50,770 in 12 seasons), finished second in completion percentage (61.8 percent) and fifth in TD passes (289) over that time. The Rams offenses threw for more than 3,000 yards in all 12 of his NFL seasons, seven quarterbacks eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark in a season, including three times surpassing the 4,000-yard mark, under his protection and also blocked for seven 1,000-yard rushers. Pace has started 154 consecutive games. Pace was a first overall pick in 1997 NFL Draft
and was the first offensive lineman chosen first overall since 1968.
A five-time All-Pro
and seven-time Pro Bowl
selection, Pace earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV
. He has also played for the Chicago Bears
.
. He was named to Parade Magazine All-America team as offensive lineman and USA Today
All-America as defensive lineman. Pace added all-Ohio second-team honors as junior and averaged 18 points as center on 22-3 basketball
team.
at The Ohio State University and was only the second true freshman ever to start on opening day for the prestigious Buckeyes football team. He won the Outland Trophy
in 1996 for the best college football interior lineman. He won the Lombardi Award
for the best college lineman or linebacker
in 1995 and 1996 becoming the only two-time winner of that award. He is one of only twelve players to have won both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award. He and Dave Rimington
are the only three-time winners in the Outland/Lombardi category. He was a finalist for the 1996 Heisman Trophy
finishing fourth in the voting, the highest finish for a lineman (offense or defense) since Hugh Green finished second in 1980. Pace is considered by many to be the top offensive tackle in the history of college football. Pace also lined up at defensive tackle during some goal line situations during his junior year at Ohio State.
He was so dominant that the term pancake block—referring to when an offensive lineman knocks a defender on their back—gained popularity at Ohio State due to his play, although several other college teams have been using the term since the 1980s, most notably Nebraska. In fact, the Ohio State Athletic Department distributed Orlando Pace pancake magnets as a promotion for his Heisman Trophy run. Pace did not allow a sack in his last two years at Ohio State. He was a Business major.
In 1999, Pace was selected as a starting offensive tackle by Sports Illustrated
in their "NCAA Football All-Century Team". The other starting offensive tackle on that list was Bill Fralic
. The second and third team offensive tackles were Ron Yary
, George Connor
, Dan Dierdorf
and Bob Gain
. Pace was one of five Ohio State Buckeye's on Sport Illustrated's All-Century Team 85-man roster; the others being Jim Parker, Archie Griffin
, Chris Spielman
and Jack Tatum
.
chose to skip the 1997 NFL Draft
and return to Tennessee, Pace was considered to be the top candidate for the Jets′ selection at No. 1 in the draft. The Jets eventually traded their top pick to the Rams one day before the draft. Pace was picked by Rams as the first offensive lineman since Ron Yary
in 1968
to be drafted first overall.
, his rookie year. He made his first start against the Oakland Raiders
on September 28, 1997 and started every game for the rest of the season.
In 1998, Pace started 16 games at left tackle and was named Pro Bowl alternate.
In the 1999 season
, Pace played in 896 of 994 offensive plays and was elected to his first Pro Bowl. It was the first time that a Rams' offensive tackle was named to the Pro Bowl since Jackie Slater in 1990
. Pace was also a First-team All-Pro
for the Super Bowl winning Rams.
In the 2000 Season, Pace earned second consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, starting all 16 regular season games and 1 playoff game. Pace was anchor of offensive line that helped offense produce most passing yards in NFL history, playing in 1,006 of possible 1,013 offensive plays (99.3 percent), second highest total on offensive line. Pace was one of three Rams’ offensive linemen (C Andy McCollum
, RT Ryan Tucker
) who were not penalized for holding.
In 2001, Pace started every game for fourth consecutive season. He played in 100 percent of offensive plays, joining Adam Timmerman
as the only Rams to play in every offensive play. He started all 3 playoff contests, the St. Louis Rams claimed the NFC West title and advanced to Super Bowl XXXVI
falling to New England Patriots
, 20-17. He earned third consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
In 2002, despite missing six games due to injury (three to calf injury games 4-6; three to hamstring games 13-16), Pace earned fourth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
Pace had a lengthy holdout by reporting to camp on August 26, 2003, and signing a one-year deal as the Rams franchise player. The deal was worth $5.7 million. In 2003, Pace started all 16 regular season games and 1 playoff game, he helped the Rams’ offense to rank second in the NFL with an average of 27.9 points a game. He earned a fifth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation as the Rams claimed their third NFC West title in five years.
On September 5, 2004, Pace ended another holdout and signed the Rams' $7.02 million offer. It marked the second straight year Pace missed most or all of the preseason before signing his one-year tender. By designating Pace as a franchise player, the Rams were obligated to pay him the average salary of the five highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL. Pace went on to start all 16 regular season games at left tackle and both playoff games. He was one of three linemen to start every game (C Andy McCollum, G Adam Timmerman) and blocked for an offense that ranked eighth in the NFL (third in the NFC) in first downs (321). Pace helped Rams convert 13-of-16 fourth down attempts, second highest fourth-down conversion percentage in the NFL (68.4%). He earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
Pace was a free agent in 2005 and explored the possibility of signing with another team. The Rams placed the franchise tag on Pace again. In March he visited the Houston Texans
. The problem for Pace and the Texans was that if they work out an agreement, the Texans would have had to agree with the Rams on a compensation package, which would be two first-round draft choices which the Rams would be entitled to under the franchise-player rules. However, the day before a deadline, the Pace accepted a seven-year, $52.9 million deal. The deal included $18 million in first-year salary and bonus.
In 2005, he earned seventh consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, tying him for fourth in Rams history, behind Hall of Famer DT Merlin Olsen
(14), Hall of Famer G Tom Mack
(11), and LB Les Richter
(8). That season, Pace started all 16 games at left tackle, joining C Andy McCollum
and G Adam Timmerman as only Rams linemen to start every game.
In 2006, Pace started the 8 games he appeared in until he left in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks
on November 12, 2006 after he tore his triceps, ending his 2006 season
. He was placed on Injured Reserve on November 14.
Pace was injured during the Rams' 2007
season opener against the Carolina Panthers
on September 9, 2007. Officials confirmed that Pace would be out for the entire 2007 season, severely jeopardizing the Rams' offense for the remainder of the season.
In 2008 Pace played in and started 14 games, missing only two with an injury, compared to the 15 he missed in 2007 and the 8 he missed in 2006. However the Rams struggled on the field and their head coach Scott Linehan
was fired mid-season and the team fared little better under interim head coach Jim Haslett
and the team finished 2-14.
Dogged by injuries in recent seasons, Pace was released by the Rams on March 10, 2009, to save $6 mil. under the salary cap
.
on April 2, 2009. Pace started the first 11 games at left tackle in his lone season with the Bears in 2009
before sustaining a groin injury on November 29 in a loss to the Vikings. He later finished the year as a reserve behind promising 2008 first-round draft pick Chris Williams
. He was released on March 1, 2010.
In his 13-year career Pace was paid just over $75 million in salary and bonuses.
. It is a family-friendly sports bar located on W. Perkins Avenue. Pace likes to make appearances at his restaurant, occasionally signing autographs for his hometown fans. He also owns several homes in McArthur Park in Sandusky that he rents out to low income families. Orlando is also known for being a spokesman for Our Little Haven's 'Safe & Warm' expansion project since 1998. He also donates five tickets to every home game for disadvantaged kids. He was spokesman for Diversity Awareness Partnership in St. Louis along with former Rams teammate Ryan Tucker in 2000. He currently resides in St. Peters, Missouri.
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 St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
first overall in the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 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 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
. 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...
. Pace has started all 16 games eight times (1998–2001, 2003–05) and blocked for three straight NFL MVPs (Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
; 1999, 2001 and Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
; 2000). He was the cornerstone of a Rams offensive line that threw for more gross yards than any other team during his 12 years in St. Louis (50,770 in 12 seasons), finished second in completion percentage (61.8 percent) and fifth in TD passes (289) over that time. The Rams offenses threw for more than 3,000 yards in all 12 of his NFL seasons, seven quarterbacks eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark in a season, including three times surpassing the 4,000-yard mark, under his protection and also blocked for seven 1,000-yard rushers. Pace has started 154 consecutive games. Pace was a first overall pick in 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 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 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
and was the first offensive lineman chosen first overall since 1968.
A five-time All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and seven-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection, Pace earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
. He has also played for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Pace was a two-sport athlete for Blue Streaks at Sandusky High SchoolSandusky High School
Sandusky High School, or SHS, is a secondary school in Sandusky, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Sandusky City School District, and one of three high schools in the city of Sandusky; the other two are St Mary Central Catholic High School, and Perkins High School.SHS was one of the first...
. He was named to Parade Magazine All-America team as offensive lineman and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-America as defensive lineman. Pace added all-Ohio second-team honors as junior and averaged 18 points as center on 22-3 basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team.
College career
Pace 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 The Ohio State University and was only the second true freshman ever to start on opening day for the prestigious Buckeyes football team. He won the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
in 1996 for the best college football interior lineman. He won the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
for the best college lineman or 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 1995 and 1996 becoming the only two-time winner of that award. He is one of only twelve players to have won both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award. He and Dave Rimington
Dave Rimington
Dave Brian Rimington is a former American football center. He is considered by many to be the greatest center in the history of college football.-College career:...
are the only three-time winners in the Outland/Lombardi category. He was a finalist for the 1996 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
finishing fourth in the voting, the highest finish for a lineman (offense or defense) since Hugh Green finished second in 1980. Pace is considered by many to be the top offensive tackle in the history of college football. Pace also lined up at defensive tackle during some goal line situations during his junior year at Ohio State.
He was so dominant that the term pancake block—referring to when an offensive lineman knocks a defender on their back—gained popularity at Ohio State due to his play, although several other college teams have been using the term since the 1980s, most notably Nebraska. In fact, the Ohio State Athletic Department distributed Orlando Pace pancake magnets as a promotion for his Heisman Trophy run. Pace did not allow a sack in his last two years at Ohio State. He was a Business major.
In 1999, Pace was selected as a starting offensive tackle by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
in their "NCAA Football All-Century Team". The other starting offensive tackle on that list was Bill Fralic
Bill Fralic
William P. Fralic, Jr. is a former professional American football offensive guard in the NFL.-Early years:...
. The second and third team offensive tackles were Ron Yary
Ron Yary
Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
, George Connor
George Connor (American football)
George Leo Connor was an American football offensive tackle/linebacker for the Chicago Bears from 1948 to 1955. He was originally a number one draft pick by the New York Giants in 1946. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and of the College Football Hall of Fame. He attended the...
, Dan Dierdorf
Dan Dierdorf
Daniel Lee "Dan" Dierdorf is a former American football player and current television sportscaster. He played 13 NFL seasons and has worked for ABC's Monday Night Football and CBS as a color commentator since retiring from football....
and Bob Gain
Bob Gain
Robert Gain is a former American football player who played 13 seasons for the Cleveland Browns, and also played in the Canadian Football League. For his NFL career the Pro Football Researchers Association voted Gain in the NFL "Hall of the Very Good in the Class of 2010"...
. Pace was one of five Ohio State Buckeye's on Sport Illustrated's All-Century Team 85-man roster; the others being Jim Parker, Archie Griffin
Archie Griffin
Archie Mason Griffin is a former American football running back. Griffin played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner...
, Chris Spielman
Chris Spielman
Charles Christopher "Chris" Spielman is a former American football player and is currently an analyst for ESPN's coverage of college football games.-Football career:...
and Jack Tatum
Jack Tatum
John David Tatum was an American football defensive back who played ten seasons from 1971 through 1980 for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League...
.
1997 NFL Draft
After Peyton ManningPeyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
chose to skip the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 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 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
and return to Tennessee, Pace was considered to be the top candidate for the Jets′ selection at No. 1 in the draft. The Jets eventually traded their top pick to the Rams one day before the draft. Pace was picked by Rams as the first offensive lineman since Ron Yary
Ron Yary
Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
in 1968
1968 NFL Draft
The 1968 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft, in the second year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on January 30–31.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
to be drafted first overall.
St. Louis Rams
After a three-week holdout, on August 15, 1997 Pace signed a seven-year $29.4 million contract that included a $6.3 million signing bonus. Pace played 13 games during the 1997 season1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, his rookie year. He made his first start 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 September 28, 1997 and started every game for the rest of the season.
In 1998, Pace started 16 games at left tackle and was named Pro Bowl alternate.
In the 1999 season
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
, Pace played in 896 of 994 offensive plays and was elected to his first Pro Bowl. It was the first time that a Rams' offensive tackle was named to the Pro Bowl since Jackie Slater in 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
. Pace was also a First-team All-Pro
1999 All-Pro Team
The 1999 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1999. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
for the Super Bowl winning Rams.
In the 2000 Season, Pace earned second consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, starting all 16 regular season games and 1 playoff game. Pace was anchor of offensive line that helped offense produce most passing yards in NFL history, playing in 1,006 of possible 1,013 offensive plays (99.3 percent), second highest total on offensive line. Pace was one of three Rams’ offensive linemen (C Andy McCollum
Andy McCollum
Andrew Jon McCollum is an American football center who is currently a Free Agent. He was signed by the Milwaukee Mustangs as a street free agent in 1994. He played college football at Toledo....
, RT Ryan Tucker
Ryan Tucker
Ryan Tucker is a retired offensive tackle who played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
) who were not penalized for holding.
In 2001, Pace started every game for fourth consecutive season. He played in 100 percent of offensive plays, joining Adam Timmerman
Adam Timmerman
Adam Larry Timmerman is a former American football guard in the National Football League. He played for the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams between 1995 and 2006...
as the only Rams to play in every offensive play. He started all 3 playoff contests, the St. Louis Rams claimed the NFC West title and advanced to Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
falling to 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...
, 20-17. He earned third consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
In 2002, despite missing six games due to injury (three to calf injury games 4-6; three to hamstring games 13-16), Pace earned fourth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
Pace had a lengthy holdout by reporting to camp on August 26, 2003, and signing a one-year deal as the Rams franchise player. The deal was worth $5.7 million. In 2003, Pace started all 16 regular season games and 1 playoff game, he helped the Rams’ offense to rank second in the NFL with an average of 27.9 points a game. He earned a fifth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation as the Rams claimed their third NFC West title in five years.
On September 5, 2004, Pace ended another holdout and signed the Rams' $7.02 million offer. It marked the second straight year Pace missed most or all of the preseason before signing his one-year tender. By designating Pace as a franchise player, the Rams were obligated to pay him the average salary of the five highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL. Pace went on to start all 16 regular season games at left tackle and both playoff games. He was one of three linemen to start every game (C Andy McCollum, G Adam Timmerman) and blocked for an offense that ranked eighth in the NFL (third in the NFC) in first downs (321). Pace helped Rams convert 13-of-16 fourth down attempts, second highest fourth-down conversion percentage in the NFL (68.4%). He earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
Pace was a free agent in 2005 and explored the possibility of signing with another team. The Rams placed the franchise tag on Pace again. In March he visited the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The problem for Pace and the Texans was that if they work out an agreement, the Texans would have had to agree with the Rams on a compensation package, which would be two first-round draft choices which the Rams would be entitled to under the franchise-player rules. However, the day before a deadline, the Pace accepted a seven-year, $52.9 million deal. The deal included $18 million in first-year salary and bonus.
In 2005, he earned seventh consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, tying him for fourth in Rams history, behind Hall of Famer DT Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
(14), Hall of Famer G Tom Mack
Tom Mack
Thomas Lee Mack is a former left guard for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, spending all 13-years with them from 1966 to 1978...
(11), and LB Les Richter
Les Richter
Leslie Alan Richter was a Los Angeles Rams National Football League football player, former head of operations for NASCAR and president of the Riverside International Raceway. He played in 8 Pro Bowls as a linebacker. Richter was born in Fresno, California...
(8). That season, Pace started all 16 games at left tackle, joining C Andy McCollum
Andy McCollum
Andrew Jon McCollum is an American football center who is currently a Free Agent. He was signed by the Milwaukee Mustangs as a street free agent in 1994. He played college football at Toledo....
and G Adam Timmerman as only Rams linemen to start every game.
In 2006, Pace started the 8 games he appeared in until he left in the second quarter against 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...
on November 12, 2006 after he tore his triceps, ending his 2006 season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
. He was placed on Injured Reserve on November 14.
Pace was injured during the Rams' 2007
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
season opener against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on September 9, 2007. Officials confirmed that Pace would be out for the entire 2007 season, severely jeopardizing the Rams' offense for the remainder of the season.
In 2008 Pace played in and started 14 games, missing only two with an injury, compared to the 15 he missed in 2007 and the 8 he missed in 2006. However the Rams struggled on the field and their head coach Scott Linehan
Scott Linehan
Scott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach, currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the St...
was fired mid-season and the team fared little better under interim head coach Jim Haslett
Jim Haslett
James Donald "Jim" Haslett is an American football coach and former linebacker. He is currently the defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins. Previously, he served as the head coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League, and the New Orleans Saints and St...
and the team finished 2-14.
Dogged by injuries in recent seasons, Pace was released by the Rams on March 10, 2009, to save $6 mil. under the salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
.
Chicago Bears
Pace signed a three-year $15 million deal (the guaranteed portion is $6.1 million), with the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on April 2, 2009. Pace started the first 11 games at left tackle in his lone season with the Bears in 2009
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
before sustaining a groin injury on November 29 in a loss to the Vikings. He later finished the year as a reserve behind promising 2008 first-round draft pick Chris Williams
Chris Williams (American football)
Christopher Joseph Williams is an American football offensive guard for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears 14th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft...
. He was released on March 1, 2010.
In his 13-year career Pace was paid just over $75 million in salary and bonuses.
Personal
Pace owns "Big O's Ltd" in his home town of Sandusky, OhioSandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
. It is a family-friendly sports bar located on W. Perkins Avenue. Pace likes to make appearances at his restaurant, occasionally signing autographs for his hometown fans. He also owns several homes in McArthur Park in Sandusky that he rents out to low income families. Orlando is also known for being a spokesman for Our Little Haven's 'Safe & Warm' expansion project since 1998. He also donates five tickets to every home game for disadvantaged kids. He was spokesman for Diversity Awareness Partnership in St. Louis along with former Rams teammate Ryan Tucker in 2000. He currently resides in St. Peters, Missouri.