Bernard Pollard facts for kids
Pollard with the Tennessee Titans in 2014
|
|||||||||||
| No. 31, 49 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | December 23, 1984 Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 226 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | South Side (Fort Wayne, Indiana) |
||||||||||
| College: | Purdue | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Bernard Karmell Pollard, born on December 23, 1984, is a former professional football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). Pollard played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers. He was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2006 NFL Draft.
He also played for the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans. While at Purdue, he was known as "the Bonecrusher" because of his strong hits and tackles. Later, as a professional, he earned the nickname "Patriot-Killer." This was because some of his plays led to injuries that affected the New England Patriots' seasons. One of these plays ended Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's 2008 season.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Bernard Pollard grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He went to South Side High School. There, he was a talented athlete in three sports: football, basketball, and track & field.
Football Achievements
In his senior year of high school football, Pollard was named the Area Player of the Year by The News-Sentinel. He was also chosen as a first-team All-State player, which means he was one of the best players in the entire state.
Track and Field Skills
Pollard also showed his athletic ability in track and field. He competed in the long jump, where his best jump was 6.60 meters. He was also part of the school's 4 × 100 meter relay team, which ran a fast time of 42.83 seconds.
College Football Career
Bernard Pollard played football for three years at Purdue University. He quickly made a name for himself as a strong player.
Freshman Year Success (2003)
As a freshman in 2003, Pollard was recognized as a top new player. He was named a First-team Freshman All-American by Collegefootballnews.com. The Sporting News also picked him for their second-team Freshman All-American list. He was also on the Big Ten All-Freshman team. During this year, he made 66 tackles and recovered one fumble.
Sophomore Year Highlights (2004)
In 2004, Pollard continued to excel. Coaches named him a second-team All-Big Ten player. He led his team with 96 tackles. He also forced two fumbles and made one sack. A special skill he had was blocking kicks, and he blocked four kicks that year.
Final Year at Purdue
Pollard's last year at Purdue had some challenges. Despite these, he still had a strong performance. He made 92 tackles and had 3 interceptions. He also set a Purdue record by blocking 5 punts during his college career.
Professional Football Journey
Bernard Pollard was drafted into the NFL in 2006. He played for several teams during his career.
Kansas City Chiefs (2006–2008)
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Pollard in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In his first year, he mostly played on special teams. He made 10 tackles and blocked 3 punts. One of his blocked punts against the Jacksonville Jaguars was recovered for a touchdown. This play helped the Chiefs win and reach the playoffs. He was even named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for this effort.
Pollard became a starter for the Chiefs in the 2007 NFL season. He made his first NFL interception against the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2008, Pollard was the Chiefs' top tackler with 98 tackles.
A Significant Play in 2008
On September 7, 2008, Pollard was involved in a play where New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was injured. This injury ended Brady's season. Pollard later apologized, saying it was an accident. This play, along with others like it, led to a new NFL rule in 2009. The rule states that a defensive player on the ground cannot lunge or dive at a quarterback's lower legs.
The Chiefs released Pollard in September 2009.
Houston Texans (2009–2010)
Pollard joined the Houston Texans later in September 2009. His first year with the Texans was one of his best. He made 102 tackles and had 4 interceptions, scoring two defensive touchdowns. The next year, he had 111 tackles and forced four fumbles.
Baltimore Ravens (2011–2012)
In August 2011, Pollard signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He continued to be a strong defensive player. In 2011, he recorded 75 tackles and two sacks. The Ravens extended his contract in 2012.
Pollard had a very successful 2012 season. He made 98 tackles and was the team's leading tackler, even though he missed some games due to a chest injury. He returned for the playoffs and helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII. He later shared that he had played most of that season with a rib injury.
Pollard was released by the Ravens in March 2013.
Tennessee Titans (2013–2014)
Pollard signed with the Tennessee Titans in March 2013. In 2013, he played all 16 games and made 99 tackles with 3 interceptions. In March 2014, he signed a new two-year contract with the Titans. However, his 2014 season ended early due to an Achilles tendon injury. He was released by the Titans in March 2015.
The "Patriot Killer" Nickname
Bernard Pollard earned the nickname "Patriot Killer" because of several plays that affected the New England Patriots' seasons.
Tom Brady's Injury (2008)
In the first week of the 2008 season, while Pollard was with the Kansas City Chiefs, he was involved in a play that injured Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. This injury ended Brady's season and impacted the Patriots' chances that year.
Wes Welker's Injury (2009)
In 2009, when Pollard played for the Houston Texans, a play involving him led to Patriots receiver Wes Welker tearing ligaments in his knee. This injury caused Welker to miss the playoffs that year.
Rob Gronkowski's Injury (2011)
During the AFC Championship Game after the 2011 season, Pollard, now with the Baltimore Ravens, tackled Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski suffered an ankle sprain. He played in the Super Bowl two weeks later, but the injury limited his performance.
Stevan Ridley's Injury (2012)
In the 2012 AFC Championship Game, Pollard made a hit on Patriots running back Stevan Ridley. Ridley lost control of the ball, and the Ravens recovered it. This play helped the Ravens win the game and advance to Super Bowl XLVII, which they won.
Personal Life and Community Work
Bernard Pollard is married to his wife, Meghan. They have a son named Jaylen and a daughter named Alonna.
Pollard is also dedicated to helping others. He started "Pollard's Helping Hands Foundation." This organization works to provide food for hungry children in cities. He also supported the "Hooked on Books" campaign, which encourages reading among young people.
See also
In Spanish: Bernard Pollard para niños
