Jamaal Westerman facts for kids
Westerman with the New York Jets in 2009
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| Rutgers Scarlet Knights | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive graduate assistant | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 21, 1985 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 260 lb (118 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Brampton (ON) Notre Dame | ||||||||
| College: | Rutgers | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2009 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| As coach: | |||||||||
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| CFL status: | National | ||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||
Jamaal Akeem Westerman (born February 21, 1985) is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as a defensive lineman, which is a player who tries to stop the other team's offense. Today, he is a college football coach for Rutgers University.
Jamaal Westerman started his professional career in 2009 with the New York Jets. He wasn't chosen in the main draft, but the Jets signed him afterward. Before playing professionally, he was a star player for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in college. He was even named to the Second-team All-Big East team twice. Jamaal also played high school football in both Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Brampton, Ontario.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jamaal Westerman was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 21, 1985. His family later moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, he began his high school football journey at St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
After his first year, he moved again, this time to Brampton, Ontario, Canada. He attended Notre Dame Secondary School. Jamaal was a key player there, leading his team and league in tackles and sacks (tackling the opposing quarterback).
When he graduated in 2004, experts saw him as a promising player. Several colleges offered him scholarships, including Rutgers. He decided to accept the offer from Rutgers.
College Football Career
Jamaal Westerman joined Rutgers University for college football. He spent his first year, 2004, as a "redshirt" player, meaning he practiced but didn't play in games. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of eligibility.
In 2005, he quickly impressed his coaches. He made six tackles in his first two games. In one game, he even sacked the quarterback, causing him to drop the ball.
Before the 2006 season, Jamaal was in a car accident with teammates. Luckily, he was not hurt. That season, he continued to play well, getting many tackles and sacks. In one exciting game, he blocked a punt and recovered a fumble, scoring touchdowns on both plays! By the end of the season, he was named second-team All-Big East, a big honor for a college player.
In 2007, Jamaal kept up his strong performance. He had six sacks for the season. Rutgers earned a spot in the International Bowl, which was played in his hometown of Toronto. His teammates were curious about Toronto, asking him questions about the city.
In 2008, Rutgers tried moving him to a different position, but he ended up staying at defensive end. He blocked another punt and recovered the ball. Sadly, he tore a muscle in his arm during a game, which ended his season early. Even with the injury, he still led Rutgers with six sacks that year.
Jamaal finished his college career with 26 sacks. This number placed him third highest in Rutgers school history, showing how impactful he was.
Professional Playing Career
New York Jets
On April 27, 2009, Jamaal Westerman signed with the New York Jets. He was an undrafted free agent, meaning he wasn't picked in the main player draft but was signed by a team afterward. The Jets' coach, Rex Ryan, believed Jamaal would make the team. He did, playing as an outside linebacker. In his first game, he made two tackles and a sack. In October 2011, he had a great game against the New England Patriots, recording five tackles and two sacks.
Other NFL Teams
After his time with the Jets, Jamaal played for several other NFL teams. He signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2012 but was released before playing a regular season game. He then joined the Arizona Cardinals, playing in five games before being released. Later that year, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
In 2013, Jamaal played for the Buffalo Bills in 12 games. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for one game. In 2014, he joined the Cleveland Browns but was released before the season started.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
On May 7, 2015, Jamaal Westerman moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This was a very successful move for him. In 2015, he played in 17 games and recorded an impressive 17 sacks. He was even nominated for the Most Outstanding Canadian award. He continued to have strong seasons with the Blue Bombers in 2016 and 2017, adding more tackles and sacks.
Montreal Alouettes
In 2018, Jamaal signed with the Montreal Alouettes, joining his brother, Jabar Westerman. He played five games for the Alouettes, making 19 tackles and three sacks.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Later in 2018, Jamaal was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He played in eight games for the Ti-Cats. However, he suffered a serious injury, tearing his Achilles tendon, which ended his season. In 2019, as he was recovering, he unfortunately tore another muscle, his triceps, during practice. This meant he would miss the rest of that season too.
Coaching Career
In 2020, Jamaal Westerman began a new chapter in his football career. He was named a defensive graduate assistant coach for Rutgers University. He now works under his former college head coach, Greg Schiano.
Personal Life
Jamaal Westerman has two brothers who also love football. His brother, Jawann, joined the Rutgers football team as a wide receiver after Jamaal encouraged him. His other brother, Jabar Westerman, was a first-round pick in the 2012 CFL draft, showing that football talent runs in the family!
