Ed Stewart (American football) facts for kids

Edward Stewart, born on March 2, 1972, is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker, which is a key defensive position in football. Ed Stewart was also a college sports leader. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In 1994, he was recognized as an All-American, meaning he was one of the best college players in the country. He also played for the Amsterdam Admirals in a professional league called the World League of American Football.

Early Life and High School Years

Edward Stewart was born in 1972. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois. For high school, he went to Mount Carmel High School. This is where he started playing football.

College Football Career

Ed Stewart went to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for college. He first joined the team as a defensive back. But then, he changed his position to linebacker. He played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers for four years, from 1991 to 1994. He was a starter at the "will linebacker" position for three of those years.

Key College Achievements

Stewart was a very important player for the Cornhuskers.

• In 1991, his first year, he made 18 tackles.
• In 1992, he had 64 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions.
• In 1993, he made 79 tackles and three sacks.
• In 1994, his senior year, he was a team captain. He led the team with 96 tackles. He also had 3.5 sacks and blocked a kick.

Awards and Recognition

Stewart received many honors in 1994. He was named first-team All-Big Eight. He also won the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year award. This meant he was the best defensive player in his conference. He was also a consensus All-American. This is a big honor for college players.

The 1994 Cornhuskers team was amazing. They won the national championship that year. Ed Stewart set a school record with 257 career tackles. He earned a degree in psychology. In 2001, he was named to Nebraska's All-Century team. He was also inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Professional Football Career

After college, Ed Stewart hoped to play in the NFL.

Carolina Panthers

In April 1995, Stewart signed with the Carolina Panthers. He was not chosen in the 1995 NFL draft, but teams can still sign players who were not drafted. In August 1995, he was listed as the third-string left inside linebacker. However, the Panthers released him later that month.

Amsterdam Admirals

In 1996, Stewart was picked by the Amsterdam Admirals. This team was part of the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played in the 1996 WLAF season. During that season, he made five tackles on defense and three tackles on special teams.

St. Louis Rams

Stewart then signed with the St. Louis Rams in July 1996. He was released by the team in August. But he later joined their practice squad in September 1996. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.

Life After Playing Football

After his playing career, Ed Stewart moved into sports administration.

Early Roles

From 1997 to 1998, Stewart worked at Michigan State University. He was an academic counselor for the athletic department. This means he helped student-athletes with their schoolwork. From 1999 to 2006, he worked at the University of Missouri. He was an associate athletic director. He also helped manage the football program.

Leadership in College Sports

From 2006 to 2022, Stewart held a big role at the Big 12 Conference. He was the executive associate commissioner for football. This meant he helped oversee all football operations for the conference. In 2022, he joined the University of Southern California athletic department. He is now the executive senior associate athletic director for football administration. He also has a master's degree in adult and continuing education from Michigan State.