Jovan Belcher facts for kids
Belcher with the Chiefs in November 2010
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| No. 59 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | July 24, 1987 West Babylon, New York |
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| Died: | December 1, 2012 (aged 25) Kansas City, Missouri |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | West Babylon (NY) | ||||||||
| College: | Maine | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2009 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Jovan Henry Allen Belcher (July 24, 1987 – December 1, 2012) was an American football player. He played as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL). Jovan grew up in West Babylon, New York. He was a great athlete in high school.
After high school, he went to the University of Maine. He played for the Maine Black Bears football team. Jovan was named an All-American twice in college. He started as a linebacker and later switched to defensive end. Even though he was a strong player, he was not picked in the 2009 NFL Draft. However, the Chiefs signed him as a free agent. He became a regular starter in 2010. His best season was in 2011.
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Growing Up in West Babylon
Jovan Belcher was born to John Belcher and Cheryl Shepard. He grew up on Long Island, New York. He went to West Babylon High School from 2001 to 2004. Jovan was a talented athlete in both wrestling and football.
In wrestling, he was named an All-American three times. For football, he played many positions. These included linebacker, offensive tackle, nose guard, and fullback. He was the football team's captain for two seasons.
Jovan led his high school team to the playoffs twice. In 2004, his senior year, the team had its first perfect regular season. Even though he had a great high school career, major college football teams did not recruit him much. His school even retired his number 52 jersey. He often returned to give inspiring speeches to the team.
College Football Journey
Jovan Belcher went to the University of Maine. This is a Division I school in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision). He played for the Black Bears football team. In his first two years (2005 and 2006), he played as an outside linebacker. He was one of the top tacklers on the team.
In his third year, his junior season, he switched to defensive end. This was a big change for him. He had an amazing season. The Associated Press named him a second-team All-American. He led his college conference, the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), in sacks and tackles for a loss. His sack total was one of the highest in the entire nation.
Before his senior season in 2008, he was named a preseason All-American. He also became a team co-captain. He again led the CAA in tackles for losses. He was named the association's defensive player of the year. After this season, Jovan was named a first-team All-American by two major football groups. He was one of only four players in Black Bears history to be a multiple-time All-American.
Jovan was also a strong student. He graduated from Maine with a degree in child development and family relations. His high school coach said he always worked hard in class. He even won an award for his academic success after college.
Playing in the NFL
Before the 2009 NFL Draft, many thought Jovan Belcher was one of the best players from a smaller school. Experts thought he would be picked in the sixth round.
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+3⁄8 in (1.86 m) |
243 lb (110 kg) |
4.88 s | 1.64 s | 2.89 s | 4.25 s | 7.07 s | 30 in (0.76 m) |
9 ft 0 in (2.74 m) |
19 reps | |||
| All values from Maine Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Joining the Kansas City Chiefs
Jovan was not drafted by any team, but he signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2009. He was considered a bit small for an inside linebacker. Still, he started three games in his first year and played in all of the team's games. He made 33 tackles. The Chiefs finished that season with a 4–12 record.
In 2010, Jovan became a regular starter for the Chiefs. He made 53 tackles. The Chiefs had a much better season, finishing with a 10–6 record. They even made it to the playoffs. In their playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens, Jovan had one and a half sacks and nine tackles.
He continued to be a starter in the 2011 NFL season. He recorded 61 tackles. The Chiefs finished with a 7–9 record that year. In March 2012, the Chiefs signed Jovan again for another year. During the 2012 season, he played in all 11 games before his passing. He had 33 tackles.
Community Involvement
Jovan Belcher cared about his community. In 2011, he took part in activities in Kansas City. He visited a nearby military base to support the troops. He also went to a local elementary school. There, he promoted an NFL program for children.
Every year, he would go back to his hometown of West Babylon. He gave inspiring speeches to students there. He wanted to motivate them to do their best.
See also
- List of American football players who died during their career
- List of NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy
