Brendon Ayanbadejo facts for kids
Ayanbadejo at Ravens training camp, August 2009
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| Position: | Linebacker Special teams |
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| Born: | September 6, 1976 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, California) | ||||||||||
| College: | UCLA | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1999 | ||||||||||
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Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo (born September 6, 1976) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker and on special teams for 13 seasons. He was part of both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Brendon played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He started his professional career in 1999 with the Atlanta Falcons. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times for his amazing special teams play. He also earned the All-Pro title twice. Brendon played for many teams, including the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Miami Dolphins. He also played in NFL Europe and the CFL.
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Early Life and High School Football
Brendon Ayanbadejo was born in Chicago. His father was from Nigeria, and his mother was American with Irish roots. His first name, "Oladele," means "Wealth comes home" in the Yoruba language.
He has an older brother, Obafemi Ayanbadejo, who also played professional football. After living in Nigeria for a short time, Brendon moved back to the United States with his mother. They lived in Chicago and then in Santa Cruz, California. He went to Santa Cruz High School, where he played football as a tight end.
College Football Career
Brendon went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for college. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. In his senior year, he was named first-team all-Pac-10. He even had four sacks against their rival, USC. Brendon studied history while at UCLA.
Professional Football Journey
Starting Out in Pro Football
Brendon Ayanbadejo began his NFL journey with the Atlanta Falcons in 1999. He spent time on their practice squad and with the Chicago Bears. In 2000, he moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts.
In 2001, he played for the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe. He returned to the CFL in 2002 with the BC Lions. In September 2002, the CFL recognized him as the Defensive Player of the Month. He earned this for his great plays, including interceptions and tackles.
Playing for the Miami Dolphins
In 2003, Brendon came back to the NFL to play for the Miami Dolphins. In 2004, he made a memorable play in a game against the New England Patriots. He intercepted a pass from quarterback Tom Brady. This play helped the Dolphins win the game by just one point.
Time with the Chicago Bears
Brendon joined the Chicago Bears in 2005. While with the Bears, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl two years in a row, in 2006 and 2007. He was recognized for his excellent performance on special teams.
Winning a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens
On March 6, 2008, Brendon signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He continued to be a key player on special teams and was selected for the Pro Bowl again that season. In 2009, he started playing more on the Ravens' defense. In one game, he had six tackles, a sack, and an interception, earning him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week award. Unfortunately, he got injured later that season.
In 2013, Brendon helped the Ravens win important playoff games. Their season ended with a big victory in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. The Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34–31, becoming Super Bowl champions. Brendon mostly played on special teams during this championship season. He was released by the Ravens in April 2013.
Life After Football
After his football career, Brendon Ayanbadejo started working in broadcasting. In August 2013, he became an analyst for Fox Football Daily on Fox Sports 1. He also sometimes works as a game analyst for NFL on Fox coverage.
Advocacy for Equal Rights
In 2009, Brendon Ayanbadejo began speaking out for equal rights for all people. His efforts gained a lot of attention in 2012. A Maryland State Delegate wrote a letter to the Baltimore Ravens owner, asking him to stop Brendon from sharing his views. Many people criticized this letter, saying it tried to limit Brendon's right to speak freely.
Brendon publicly stated that he would not stay silent on important issues. He explained that his own parents' marriage would have been illegal in some states in the past. He received a lot of support from the football world. Other players, like Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, also spoke out in support of Brendon. In 2013, Brendon and Chris even filed a legal document with the Supreme Court to support equal rights.
Brendon continued to be a voice for fairness in sports. He worked with athletes who wanted to share their stories. In April 2013, he supported NBA player Jason Collins, who became the first openly gay active athlete in a major North American pro sports league.
Personal Life
Brendon is the younger brother of former football player Obafemi Ayanbadejo. They were teammates on the Miami Dolphins in 2003 and again on the Chicago Bears in 2007.
Brendon also wrote for the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper during his early years in the NFL. He has supported the FIT Kids Act, which is a law that would help schools report on students' physical activity and give kids health information. In 2013, Brendon earned his Executive MBA degree from George Washington University.
See also
- Homosexuality in American football
