Adrian Battles facts for kids

Adrian Battles (born October 30, 1988) is a retired American football player. He played as an offensive guard. He played college football for Minnesota State University, Mankato from 2005 to 2009.

College Football Career

Adrian Battles played college football for the Minnesota State Mavericks from 2005 to 2009. He was an offensive tackle during his college years. He started in 43 out of 46 games, showing he was a key player for his team. Battles was known for being a very strong offensive lineman in his college division. He often said that his coach, Mike Cunningham, helped him stay motivated.

Playing Professional Football

Adrian Battles played for several professional football teams. He started with the Minnesota Vikings. Later, he joined the Green Bay Packers. He also played in other leagues like the Indoor Football League and the Arena Football League.

Minnesota Vikings Team

In May 2010, Adrian Battles signed with the Minnesota Vikings. This was his first chance to play professional football. The Vikings changed his position from offensive tackle to offensive guard. Battles said this change was a challenge. He needed to learn new footwork and techniques. But he was ready to work hard and make the most of his chance.

Before his first preseason game, Battles was very excited. He told a reporter that he had never even been to an NFL game before. Playing in his first NFL game was a huge moment for him. After playing through the entire preseason, Battles was released by the Vikings on September 5, 2010.

Green Bay Packers Team

In December 2010, Adrian Battles signed with the Green Bay Packers. He joined the Packers' practice squad. He became a sort of good-luck charm for the team. After he joined, the Packers won seven games in a row. This included two regular season games and five playoff games. They became the first team from their conference to reach the Super Bowl as a low-ranked team.

Super Bowl XLV Experience

Battles was part of the Packers' practice squad during Super Bowl XLV. The game was played in Irving, Texas. He told a reporter that he had grown up as a Packers fan. Being part of the team and the Super Bowl was a dream come true. He felt very lucky because many players never get to experience a Super Bowl.

At the media day before Super Bowl XLV, Battles wore a giant cheesehead hat. Pictures of him smiling in the cheesehead were published in many newspapers. One photo was even featured in a newspaper in the United Kingdom. Battles said he was enjoying every moment of the Super Bowl experience.

Visiting the White House

In August 2011, Battles joined the Packers for their visit to the White House. They were there to celebrate winning Super Bowl XLV. Battles was seen in many photos standing right behind President Barack Obama. His friends joked that he must have "sneaked in there." Battles said he was just lucky to get that spot. He ended up right in the front row for the pictures.

Injury and Release

On July 31, 2011, Battles got an injury to his Achilles tendon during training camp. This injury kept him from playing. He was released by the Packers on August 30, 2011. After some paperwork, he was officially released on September 2.

Green Bay Blizzard Team

In 2014, Adrian Battles played for the Green Bay Blizzard. This team is part of the Indoor Football League.

Cleveland Gladiators Team

Battles played for the Cleveland Gladiators in 2015 and 2016. He started the final game of the 2015 season for the team.