Ted Washington
Encyclopedia
Theodore Washington, Jr. (born April 13, 1968 in Tampa, Florida
) is a former American football
nose tackle. He was originally drafted out of Louisville
by the San Francisco 49ers
, 25th overall in the 1991 NFL Draft
, but also played for the Denver Broncos
, Buffalo Bills
, Chicago Bears
, New England Patriots
, Oakland Raiders
and Cleveland Browns
during his career.
Washington has been selected to four Pro Bowls in his career and won a Super Bowl ring
with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII
. At 6′5″ and more than 365 pounds in his prime, he has been described as “the prototypical [3-4] nose tackle of this era.” His gargantuan frame earned him nicknames like "Mt. Washington" or "Washington Monument". Also notable for his longevity, Washington was a starting nose tackle—one of the most physically demanding positions in football—until the age of 39.
in Tampa
, Washington was a four-sport standout in football, track, baseball, and wrestling. As a senior, he was the Florida State Wrestling champion in the unlimited weight class.
, Washington had 76 tackles, seven sacks and three blocked field goals, and was an All-South Independent selection. He majored in physical education.
in the first round (26th overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft
. He made his NFL debut at the New York Giants
on September 2 and finished the season with 21 tackles and one sack. In his second season with the 49ers he played in 16 games and finished the season with 35 tackles and two sacks. The 1993 season was a progression from the previous season as Washington made 41 tackles and three sacks. Just as they had done in the previous year the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship game
.
. In his one and only year with the Broncos he started 15 games making 56 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The game versus the Cincinnati Bengals
on November 27 was significant as it marked the start of a 119 consecutive game streak which would last until 2002.
as an unrestricted free agent on February 24, 1995. Playing nose tackle, Washington lined up next to defensive end Bruce Smith in Buffalo's 3-4 defense. In his first season he posted 86 tackles in 16 regular season games and two post season ones. In his second season with the Bills he recorded career numbers with 130 tackles. In the 1997 season, he recorded 124 tackles and four sacks. He was also selected to his first Pro Bowl
. The following season he was again selected to the Pro Bowl after finishing the year with 101 tackles and 4.5 sacks, which was a career high. In 1998, he again started in all 16 games and finished the season with 87 tackles. Washington was selected to do his third Pro Bowl in the 2000 season after recording 86 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Following the 2000 NFL season
, the Bills struggled to meet the salary-cap deadline. On February 22, Washington, who was scheduled to make about $7.6 million—including bonus money— in 2001, was cut in part because he refused to take a pay cut for the second straight year.
as an unrestricted free agent on April 16, 2001. In his first season with the Bears he started in 15 games recording 50 tackles and 1.5 sacks and was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl. His second season with the Bears was ruined by injury as he only started in two games before being placed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured leg and torn ligament in his left foot.
on August 20, 2003. He was part of a defense that was ranked 4th overall and finished the season with 45 tackles. He started and was part of the Patriots team who won Super Bowl XXXVIII
.
as an unrestricted free agent on March 3, 2004. He started all 16 games and finished the season with 41 tackles and three sacks. In 2005, his second season with the Raiders, he again started in all 16 games and recorded 44 tackles.
as an unrestricted free agent on March 13, 2006. During the first play of training camp with the Browns in 2006, he was supposedly the one who injured the newly acquired all pro center LeCharles Bentley
which was later denounced but when questioned about the incident he yelled at the reporters "It wasn't me who did it, I'll go see how he's doing later." In his first season with the Browns, just as he had done in eight other seasons he started in all 16 regular season games making 61 tackles. He finished the 2007 season with nine tackles. He decided to retire after he was released after the 2007-08 season. He weighed 375 pounds in his final NFL season, but he weighed up to 400 pounds at one point.
Ted Washington, Sr.
.
In the off-season, Washington resides with his wife and five children (three daughters and two sons), in North Carolina. His oldest, Ashley, is currently attending New York University as a psychology major.
Ted is part of the famed "Brothers Washington", also including George, Denzel, Isiah, and Mount.
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
) is a former American football
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...
nose tackle. He was originally drafted out of Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, 25th overall in the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
, but also played for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
and 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...
during his career.
Washington has been selected to four Pro Bowls in his career and won 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 Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
. At 6′5″ and more than 365 pounds in his prime, he has been described as “the prototypical [3-4] nose tackle of this era.” His gargantuan frame earned him nicknames like "Mt. Washington" or "Washington Monument". Also notable for his longevity, Washington was a starting nose tackle—one of the most physically demanding positions in football—until the age of 39.
High school career
At Tampa Bay Technical High SchoolTampa Bay Technical High School
Tampa Bay Technical High School was established in 1969 as Tampa Bay Vocational Technical School. Tampa Bay Tech is a public comprehensive magnet high school with grades 9-12 and a student enrollment of 1950 students. The school mascot as the Titan...
in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Washington was a four-sport standout in football, track, baseball, and wrestling. As a senior, he was the Florida State Wrestling champion in the unlimited weight class.
College career
As a senior at the University of LouisvilleUniversity of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, Washington had 76 tackles, seven sacks and three blocked field goals, and was an All-South Independent selection. He majored in physical education.
Professional career
San Francisco 49ers
Washington was selected by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the first round (26th overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
. He made his NFL debut at the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 2 and finished the season with 21 tackles and one sack. In his second season with the 49ers he played in 16 games and finished the season with 35 tackles and two sacks. The 1993 season was a progression from the previous season as Washington made 41 tackles and three sacks. Just as they had done in the previous year the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-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...
.
Denver Broncos
On April 20, 1994, Washington was traded to the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In his one and only year with the Broncos he started 15 games making 56 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The game versus the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on November 27 was significant as it marked the start of a 119 consecutive game streak which would last until 2002.
Buffalo Bills
He was signed by the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an unrestricted free agent on February 24, 1995. Playing nose tackle, Washington lined up next to defensive end Bruce Smith in Buffalo's 3-4 defense. In his first season he posted 86 tackles in 16 regular season games and two post season ones. In his second season with the Bills he recorded career numbers with 130 tackles. In the 1997 season, he recorded 124 tackles and four sacks. He was also selected to his first 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...
. The following season he was again selected to the Pro Bowl after finishing the year with 101 tackles and 4.5 sacks, which was a career high. In 1998, he again started in all 16 games and finished the season with 87 tackles. Washington was selected to do his third Pro Bowl in the 2000 season after recording 86 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Following the 2000 NFL season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, the Bills struggled to meet the salary-cap deadline. On February 22, Washington, who was scheduled to make about $7.6 million—including bonus money— in 2001, was cut in part because he refused to take a pay cut for the second straight year.
Chicago Bears
Washington was signed by 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...
as an unrestricted free agent on April 16, 2001. In his first season with the Bears he started in 15 games recording 50 tackles and 1.5 sacks and was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl. His second season with the Bears was ruined by injury as he only started in two games before being placed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured leg and torn ligament in his left foot.
New England Patriots
He was traded to the New England PatriotsNew 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...
on August 20, 2003. He was part of a defense that was ranked 4th overall and finished the season with 45 tackles. He started and was part of the Patriots team who won Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
.
Oakland Raiders
Washington was signed by the Oakland RaidersOakland 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...
as an unrestricted free agent on March 3, 2004. He started all 16 games and finished the season with 41 tackles and three sacks. In 2005, his second season with the Raiders, he again started in all 16 games and recorded 44 tackles.
Cleveland Browns
He was signed by 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...
as an unrestricted free agent on March 13, 2006. During the first play of training camp with the Browns in 2006, he was supposedly the one who injured the newly acquired all pro center LeCharles Bentley
LeCharles Bentley
LeCharles Vernon Bentley is a retired American football center of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.A two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Saints, Bentley was also a member of...
which was later denounced but when questioned about the incident he yelled at the reporters "It wasn't me who did it, I'll go see how he's doing later." In his first season with the Browns, just as he had done in eight other seasons he started in all 16 regular season games making 61 tackles. He finished the 2007 season with nine tackles. He decided to retire after he was released after the 2007-08 season. He weighed 375 pounds in his final NFL season, but he weighed up to 400 pounds at one point.
Personal
He is the son of former Houston Oilers linebackerLinebacker
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...
Ted Washington, Sr.
Ted Washington, Sr.
Theodore Bernard Washington is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He spent eleven seasons, one with the Kansas City Chiefs and the remaining with the Houston Oilers, playing outside linebacker. He attended George S...
.
In the off-season, Washington resides with his wife and five children (three daughters and two sons), in North Carolina. His oldest, Ashley, is currently attending New York University as a psychology major.
Ted is part of the famed "Brothers Washington", also including George, Denzel, Isiah, and Mount.