Samari Rolle
Encyclopedia
Samari Toure Rolle is a retired American football
cornerback
. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers
in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Florida State
.
Rolle has also played for the Baltimore Ravens
. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
in 2000
.
in Miami Beach, Florida
, where he was named Super Prep Dixie Defensive Player of the Year and was a Dream Team selection by Blue Chip Illustrated. As a senior, he tallied 62 tackles and six interceptions on defense, and threw for 1,217 yards and eight touchdowns at quarterback
, he also rushed for 402 yards and returned three punts for touchdowns. He was a teammate of future pro bowler Duane Starks. He then played in the Super 24 Florida-Georgia All-Star Game.
at Florida State University
. He played in 38 games with 24 starts and made 12 interceptions and 111 tackles in his four year career. In his senior season he was named First-Team All-ACC
and Football News Third-Team All-America
. Four of his 12 career interceptions came against rival Miami Hurricanes
.
in the second round (46th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
. In his rookie season he played in 15 games and finished the campaign with 30 tackles. The following year, he recorded 69 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions. He shares the franchise record with three interceptions in one game in 1999 against the Jacksonville Jaguars
. He was selected to the 2000 Pro Bowl
after recording a seven interception season, one of which he returned for a touchdown. In 2001, he made 56 tackles and three interceptions. The following season he started in every game and finished the season with 48 tackles and two interceptions. In 2003, he only played in 13 games after dislocating his elbow, but finished the season with 31 tackles and six interceptions. He was released by Tennessee at the end of the 2004 season for salary cap
reasons and finished the campaign with 28 tackles.
as an unrestricted free agent on March 7, 2005. His first year in Baltimore was decent as he recorded 41 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 11 pass deflections. However, in 2006 he struggled against the deep ball in several early games, most notably in week 6 against the Panthers where Rolle gave up two long touchdowns to Drew Carter
and Steve Smith. However Rolle rebounded and played relatively well in the second half of the season. He finished the season with 52 tackles and three interceptions.
Through week 10 of the 2007 NFL season, Rolle missed five games due to an undisclosed illness. On November 14, 2007, talk show hosts filling in on the Anita Marks show on Baltimore ESPN Radio 1300AM mentioned that Rolle was being treated for seizures, but no further elaboration was provided. On November 21, 2007, Rolle disclosed that the illness was epilepsy
. He finished the season playing in only six games and ended the campaign with 22 tackles and one interception and won the "Ed Block Courage Award
"..
Even though he made ten regular season starts with three interceptions in 2008, Rolle's injuries continued to limit his playing time. He missed six games with shoulder
and neck
problems, and was inactive for the AFC championship playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers
due to a groin
injury. He got an interception as a starter in the other two postseason matches. It came in a 13-3 win against Tennessee
, his former team.
Rolle was released by the team on March 18, 2009, only to be re-signed by the team on April 6. He was released again on April 13, 2010.
.
On June 13, 2007 Rolle was in South Africa on board a small commuter airplane returning from a safari when the door at the back of the plane flew off. Rolle was on the plane with his wife along with Minnesota Vikings
cornerback Lito Sheppard
, New England Patriots
running back Fred Taylor, their respective wives and three other people. However, no one was seriously hurt and the flight landed safely.
His name "Samari" means strength. Along with his wife, Danisha, and the Samari Rolle Foundation, in 2002, he kicked off a bowling tournament featuring his Titans teammates, members of the media and corporate sponsors . Rolle and Danisha have 2 daughters, Samara, 8 and Amari Michelle, 2 and a son, Jamir
On May 7, 2010, Rolle announced his retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons citing neck injuries as the main reason.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
. 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 Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Rolle has also played for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. He was selected to the 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...
in 2000
2001 Pro Bowl
The 2001 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 4, 2001 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38, NFC 17. Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
.
Early years
Rolle attended Miami Beach High SchoolMiami Beach High School
Miami Beach Senior High School, commonly referred to as "Beach High" or "MBSH", is a secondary school located at 2231 Prairie Avenue in the Miami Beach, Florida, right around the corner from the Miami Beach Convention Center and Botanical Gardens on Prairie Avenue and Dade Boulevard...
in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, where he was named Super Prep Dixie Defensive Player of the Year and was a Dream Team selection by Blue Chip Illustrated. As a senior, he tallied 62 tackles and six interceptions on defense, and threw for 1,217 yards and eight touchdowns at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, he also rushed for 402 yards and returned three punts for touchdowns. He was a teammate of future pro bowler Duane Starks. He then played in the Super 24 Florida-Georgia All-Star Game.
College career
Rolle 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 Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He played in 38 games with 24 starts and made 12 interceptions and 111 tackles in his four year career. In his senior season he was named First-Team All-ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
and Football News Third-Team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
. Four of his 12 career interceptions came against rival Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes, of Coral Gables, Florida, are the varsity sports teams of the University of Miami. They compete in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The university fields 15 athletic teams for 17 varsity sports...
.
Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans
Samari Rolle was selected by the Tennessee OilersTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in the second round (46th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
. In his rookie season he played in 15 games and finished the campaign with 30 tackles. The following year, he recorded 69 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions. He shares the franchise record with three interceptions in one game in 1999 against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was selected to the 2000 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...
after recording a seven interception season, one of which he returned for a touchdown. In 2001, he made 56 tackles and three interceptions. The following season he started in every game and finished the season with 48 tackles and two interceptions. In 2003, he only played in 13 games after dislocating his elbow, but finished the season with 31 tackles and six interceptions. He was released by Tennessee at the end of the 2004 season for 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...
reasons and finished the campaign with 28 tackles.
Baltimore Ravens
Rolle signed for the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as an unrestricted free agent on March 7, 2005. His first year in Baltimore was decent as he recorded 41 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 11 pass deflections. However, in 2006 he struggled against the deep ball in several early games, most notably in week 6 against the Panthers where Rolle gave up two long touchdowns to Drew Carter
Drew Carter
Christopher Drew Carter is a retired American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
and Steve Smith. However Rolle rebounded and played relatively well in the second half of the season. He finished the season with 52 tackles and three interceptions.
Through week 10 of the 2007 NFL season, Rolle missed five games due to an undisclosed illness. On November 14, 2007, talk show hosts filling in on the Anita Marks show on Baltimore ESPN Radio 1300AM mentioned that Rolle was being treated for seizures, but no further elaboration was provided. On November 21, 2007, Rolle disclosed that the illness was epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
. He finished the season playing in only six games and ended the campaign with 22 tackles and one interception and won the "Ed Block Courage Award
Ed Block Courage Award
The Ed Block Courage Award is an annual award presented to selected players in the National Football League , who are voted by their teammates as role models of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. Named in memory of Ed Block, a well-liked humanitarian and trainer for the Baltimore Colts, the...
"..
Even though he made ten regular season starts with three interceptions in 2008, Rolle's injuries continued to limit his playing time. He missed six games with shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
and neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
problems, and was inactive for the AFC championship playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
due to a groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
injury. He got an interception as a starter in the other two postseason matches. It came in a 13-3 win against Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, his former team.
Rolle was released by the team on March 18, 2009, only to be re-signed by the team on April 6. He was released again on April 13, 2010.
Personal
Rolle wore the number #22 as a tribute to his high school teammate and former Ravens cornerback Duane StarksDuane Starks
Duane Lonell Starks is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 10th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft...
.
On June 13, 2007 Rolle was in South Africa on board a small commuter airplane returning from a safari when the door at the back of the plane flew off. Rolle was on the plane with his wife along with Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
cornerback Lito Sheppard
Lito Sheppard
Lito Decorian Sheppard is an American football cornerback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Florida.Sheppard has also played for the New York...
, 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...
running back Fred Taylor, their respective wives and three other people. However, no one was seriously hurt and the flight landed safely.
His name "Samari" means strength. Along with his wife, Danisha, and the Samari Rolle Foundation, in 2002, he kicked off a bowling tournament featuring his Titans teammates, members of the media and corporate sponsors . Rolle and Danisha have 2 daughters, Samara, 8 and Amari Michelle, 2 and a son, Jamir
On May 7, 2010, Rolle announced his retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons citing neck injuries as the main reason.