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James Hall (American football) facts for kids

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James Hall
refer to caption
Hall with the St. Louis Rams in 2010
No. 63, 96
Position: Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1977-02-04) February 4, 1977 (age 48)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight: 281 lb (127 kg)
Career information
High school: St. Augustine (New Orleans)
College: Michigan (1995–1999)
Undrafted: 2000
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • AP national champion (1997)
  • Third-team All-American (1999)
  • Second-team All-Big Ten (1998)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 532
Sacks: 63.0
Forced fumbles: 15
Fumble recoveries: 6
Interceptions: 1
Defensive touchdowns: 2
Player stats at PFR

James Bradford Hall (born February 4, 1977) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was part of the Detroit Lions from 2000 to 2006 and the St. Louis Rams from 2007 to 2011. Hall joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2000. Before that, he played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He was a starter for three years and was on their national championship team in 1997.

Early Life

James Hall grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended St. Augustine High School. In his senior year, he was recognized as an All-State player. He made 67 tackles, had eight sacks, and caught one interception. These impressive stats showed his talent early on.

College Football Career

James Hall studied sports marketing and administration at the University of Michigan. He became a key player for the Michigan Wolverines as a defensive end. Over his college career, he made 185 tackles and 25 sacks.

Freshman and Championship Year

In 1996, as a redshirt freshman, Hall played in 11 games. He recorded 17 tackles and three sacks. The next year, in 1997, Michigan won the AP National Championship Trophy. Hall started 11 of 12 games as a rush linebacker. He contributed with 51 tackles and four sacks.

Junior and Senior Seasons

In 1998, his junior year, Hall had his best college season for tackles and sacks. He made 63 tackles and 11 sacks. This performance earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten Conference second-team. In his senior season in 1999, he was named a third-team All-American by The Sporting News. He also received an honorable mention for All-Big Ten. Hall was even a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, which goes to the best linebacker in college football. He finished that year with 54 tackles and seven sacks.

Professional Football Career

James Hall was not chosen in the 2000 NFL draft. However, he signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2000.

Playing for the Detroit Lions

Hall spent seven seasons with the Detroit Lions. He gradually earned more playing time and became an important part of their defense.

Rookie Season (2000)

Hall played his first NFL game in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons. The next week, against the New York Giants, he recorded his first NFL statistics. He sacked quarterback Kerry Collins and made three tackles. He played in a few more games that season, finishing his rookie year with one sack.

More Playing Time (2001)

In 2001, Hall played in 15 of 16 games, getting more opportunities. He started the season strong with tackles and half a sack. Later in the season, his play improved even more. Against the San Francisco 49ers, he recovered his first fumble. On Thanksgiving Day against the Green Bay Packers, Hall picked up a fumble and ran 8 yards for his first career touchdown! His best game was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he had 3½ sacks and eight tackles. He ended 2001 with four sacks, 35 tackles, two fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), and one pass defended.

First Starts (2002)

Hall continued to improve in 2002. In a game against the New Orleans Saints, he scored his second career touchdown. He recovered a fumble and ran it back 22 yards for the score. He also had a sack and three tackles in that game. Hall finished the season with two sacks, 49 tackles, two fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), and three passes defended. His 49 tackles were the most among all Detroit defensive linemen that year.

Re-signing with the Lions (2003-2004)

On May 28, 2003, Hall signed a new one-year contract with the Lions. In the first game of the season, he recovered a forced fumble in a big win. Over a five-week period, he recorded four sacks and 22 tackles. He finished 2003 with 4.5 sacks, 62 tackles, and two fumble recoveries. For the second year in a row, his 62 tackles led all Detroit defensive linemen.

On March 3, 2004, the Lions signed Hall to a longer, five-year deal. The team's president, Matt Millen, said they believed Hall would be a strong contributor for them. This showed how much the team valued his skills.

Playing for the St. Louis Rams

On March 2, 2007, James Hall was traded from the Detroit Lions to the St. Louis Rams. After two seasons, he was released by the Rams but then re-signed. Hall became a starter for the rest of his time in St. Louis. He played alongside another strong player, Chris Long. During his five seasons with the Rams, he made 250 combined tackles and 30 sacks. The Rams released him on March 12, 2012.

Key Achievements and Stats

James Hall had a long and successful career in the NFL. He played in 165 games, starting 129 of them.

  • He made a total of 532 tackles.
  • He recorded 63.0 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage many times.
  • Hall forced 15 fumbles, causing the other team to drop the ball.
  • He recovered 6 fumbles himself.
  • He also had 1 interception and scored 2 defensive touchdowns in his career.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: James Hall (fútbol americano) para niños

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