Raymond Ventrone
Encyclopedia
Raymond "Bubba" Ventrone (icon; born October 21, 1982) is an American football
safety for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the New England Patriots
as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football
at Villanova
.
Ventrone has also been a member of the New York Jets
.
at the University of Pittsburgh
.
Ventrone attended Chartiers Valley High School
in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
where he played football and holds records in track and field
. He was a three-time All-Conference player and a Second-team All-State as a senior.
Ventrone has a younger brother, Ross Ventrone
, who in 2010 signed as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots.
in 2001. As a junior in 2003, Ventrone was selected to the All-Atlantic 10 Conference first team. He finished his college career with 251 tackles, two sacks, and five forced fumbles.
, they signed tight end
Andy Stokes
as "Mr. Irrelevant
"; Ventrone then signed as an undrafted free agent. Ventrone was released at the end of training camp and re-signed to the practice squad. After spending the rest of the 2005
season on the practice squad, he was allocated to NFL Europa in the spring of 2006
. There, Ventrone suffered an injury and was placed on the team's NFL Europe/Non-Football Injury list, sidelining him for the 2006 season.
on February 21; then-Jets head coach Eric Mangini
had been Ventrone's defensive coordinator
with the Patriots in 2005. After the Jets released Ventrone in their final cutdown before the 2007 season, they signed him to their practice squad, but released him on September 12.
from the PUP
list, the Patriots released Ventrone on November 7, 2007, and re-signed him to their practice squad two days later. He was again promoted to the active roster in December, and remained on the active roster for the balance of the season, including Super Bowl XLII
, in which he recorded his first NFL tackle.
During the 2008
offseason, Ventrone began practicing as a wide receiver
, a position he had not played in games since he was a sophomore at Chartiers Valley High School
; he had, however, previously lined up at wide receiver on scout teams in Patriots practices. In the Patriots' third 2008 preseason game, Ventrone led all receivers with four receptions, while still playing on special teams and defense. Ventrone would go on to play in 15 games during the 2008 season, almost exclusively on special teams, recording six special teams tackles.
During a July 31, 2009, press conference, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
spoke of Ventrone:
Despite those comments, however, the Patriots released Ventrone during their final cutdowns on September 5, 2009.
on September 16, 2009. He was re-signed to a three year, $2.2 million deal on March 6, 2010. In February 2010, Ventrone agreed to an exclusive marketing/memorabilia deal with ArmChair Quarterback Authentics, making them the official distributor of Ventrone's memorabilia and game-used equipment.
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...
safety for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American 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...
. He was signed 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2005. 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 Villanova
Villanova Wildcats
The Villanova Wildcats is the name of the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East for every sport except football, where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association .-Men's basketball:The Villanova Wildcats compete in the Big EAST and are currently coached by Jay...
.
Ventrone has also been a member of the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Ventrone received the nickname "Bubba" from his father as a child. As a seventh grader, Ventrone and two of his friends founded the Nathan S. Arenson Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research, which supports research into pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
Ventrone attended Chartiers Valley High School
Chartiers Valley High School
Chartiers Valley High School is a public school in the Bridgeville borough of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. The school's on-site stadium is home to the professional soccer team the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The school has an indoor swimming pool which is open to the public three evenings a...
in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
Bridgeville is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bridgeville is located along Chartiers Creek, about southwest of downtown Pittsburgh at ....
where he played football and holds records in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He was a three-time All-Conference player and a Second-team All-State as a senior.
Ventrone has a younger brother, Ross Ventrone
Ross Ventrone
Ross Ventrone is an American football safety who plays for the New England Patriots. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
, who in 2010 signed as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots.
College career
Ventrone began his college career at Villanova UniversityVillanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
in 2001. As a junior in 2003, Ventrone was selected to the All-Atlantic 10 Conference first team. He finished his college career with 251 tackles, two sacks, and five forced fumbles.
First stint with Patriots
Although the Patriots considered picking Ventrone with the final pick 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...
, they signed 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...
Andy Stokes
Andy Stokes
Andy Stokes is a former American football tight end. He was drafted with the final pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant. The New England Patriots draftee went to William Penn University where he was a tight end...
as "Mr. Irrelevant
Mr. Irrelevant
"Mr. Irrelevant" is the title bestowed each year upon the last pick of the annual National Football League draft.- Irrelevant Week :The name arose in 1976, when former Southern California and NFL receiver Paul Salata founded "Irrelevant Week" in Newport Beach, California. He announced the final...
"; Ventrone then signed as an undrafted free agent. Ventrone was released at the end of training camp and re-signed to the practice squad. After spending the rest of the 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....
season on the practice squad, he was allocated to NFL Europa in the spring of 2006
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....
. There, Ventrone suffered an injury and was placed on the team's NFL Europe/Non-Football Injury list, sidelining him for the 2006 season.
New York Jets
After the Patriots released Ventrone on February 13, 2007, he signed with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on February 21; then-Jets head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
had been Ventrone's defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
with the Patriots in 2005. After the Jets released Ventrone in their final cutdown before the 2007 season, they signed him to their practice squad, but released him on September 12.
Second stint with Patriots
The Patriots signed Ventrone to their practice squad on September 18, 2007 and then promoted to the team's 53-man roster on November 3. Upon the activation of Eddie Jackson and Chad JacksonChad Jackson
-New England Patriots:On the first day of the 2006 NFL Draft, the Patriots traded draft picks with the Green Bay Packers to move up sixteen places in the second round to select Jackson, giving up a third-round pick acquired in a trade...
from the PUP
Physically Unable to Perform
Players can be labeled Physically Unable to Perform in the National Football League if they suffer from football-related injuries during the preseason...
list, the Patriots released Ventrone on November 7, 2007, and re-signed him to their practice squad two days later. He was again promoted to the active roster in December, and remained on the active roster for the balance of the season, 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...
, in which he recorded his first NFL tackle.
During the 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...
offseason, Ventrone began practicing as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, a position he had not played in games since he was a sophomore at Chartiers Valley High School
Chartiers Valley High School
Chartiers Valley High School is a public school in the Bridgeville borough of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. The school's on-site stadium is home to the professional soccer team the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The school has an indoor swimming pool which is open to the public three evenings a...
; he had, however, previously lined up at wide receiver on scout teams in Patriots practices. In the Patriots' third 2008 preseason game, Ventrone led all receivers with four receptions, while still playing on special teams and defense. Ventrone would go on to play in 15 games during the 2008 season, almost exclusively on special teams, recording six special teams tackles.
During a July 31, 2009, press conference, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
spoke of Ventrone:
Despite those comments, however, the Patriots released Ventrone during their final cutdowns on September 5, 2009.
Cleveland Browns
Ventrone signed with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 16, 2009. He was re-signed to a three year, $2.2 million deal on March 6, 2010. In February 2010, Ventrone agreed to an exclusive marketing/memorabilia deal with ArmChair Quarterback Authentics, making them the official distributor of Ventrone's memorabilia and game-used equipment.