LaMarr Woodley facts for kids
Woodley with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012
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| No. 56, 58 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | November 3, 1984 Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Saginaw | ||||||||||||
| College: | Michigan | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
LaMarr Dewayne Woodley (born November 3, 1984) is a former professional football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). LaMarr played college football at the University of Michigan. There, he earned special honors as a unanimous All-American.
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. In his second season, he helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII. They beat the Arizona Cardinals in that championship game. Woodley also played for the Cardinals and the Oakland Raiders during his career.
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Early Life and High School Football
LaMarr Woodley was born and grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. When he was in high school, he was a star football player. In 1999, his team at Saginaw High School won Michigan's Division II state championship.
He played alongside other future sports stars. These included Charles Rogers, who later played for the Detroit Lions. Also on the team was Anthony Roberson, who became a point guard for the Chicago Bulls. Experts thought Woodley was one of the best high school linebackers in the country.
College Career at Michigan
Woodley went to the University of Michigan for college. He mostly played as a defensive end, but sometimes as a linebacker. In 2006, his teammates chose him as the defensive captain.
During his senior year, he made 12 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback 12 times. He won the Lombardi Award as the best lineman in the country. His 12 sacks were the most in the Big Ten conference. He was also named a unanimous All-American. This means all major groups agreed he was one of the best players.
After his football career, Woodley earned a master's degree. He studied sport management through an online program.
College Football Awards
LaMarr Woodley received many awards during his college career:
- Unanimous first-team All-American (2006)
- Ted Hendricks Award (2006)
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2006)
- Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (2006)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2006)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2004)
- Inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (2023)
Professional Football Career
Woodley was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2007 NFL Draft. He was the 46th player picked overall. He started his career wearing number 55, but later switched to number 56.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2007–2013)
Woodley quickly made an impact with the Steelers. He got his first sack in his second NFL game. In 2008, he became a full-time starter at outside linebacker. He was named the GMC Defensive Player of the Week in his first start. He also scored his first professional touchdown by recovering a fumble. He finished the 2008 season with 11.5 sacks.
The Steelers had a great 2008 season, winning their division. They made it to Super Bowl XLIII. In the playoffs, Woodley was amazing. He had two sacks in three straight playoff games. This was a first in NFL history. In Super Bowl XLIII, he continued his streak with two more sacks. He forced a fumble from the Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner at the end of the game. This play helped the Steelers win the Super Bowl.
In 2009, Woodley had another fantastic season. He recorded 62 tackles and 13.5 sacks. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl, which is a special game for the best players. He also became part of the Air Jordan brand.
In 2010, he continued to play well with 10 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. The Steelers reached Super Bowl XLV that year. Woodley started the game and had a sack, but the Steelers lost to the Green Bay Packers. After this season, he signed a large contract with the Steelers.
In 2011, Woodley missed some games due to a hamstring injury. However, when his teammate James Harrison was injured, Woodley stepped up. He recorded 7.5 sacks in just four games during that time. In December 2013, he suffered a calf injury that ended his season. The Steelers released him in March 2014.
Oakland Raiders (2014)
After leaving the Steelers, Woodley signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders in March 2014. He played one season with the Raiders before being released.
Arizona Cardinals (2015)
In March 2015, Woodley signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. His season ended early in November when he tore a pectoral muscle. He was then placed on injured reserve.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | COMB | TOTAL | AST | SACK | FF | FR | TD | INT | TD | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | PIT | 13 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | PIT | 15 | 60 | 41 | 19 | 11.5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 | PIT | 16 | 62 | 50 | 12 | 13.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2010 | PIT | 16 | 50 | 35 | 15 | 10.0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 2011 | PIT | 10 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2012 | PIT | 13 | 38 | 27 | 11 | 4.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | PIT | 11 | 36 | 20 | 16 | 5.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | OAK | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | ARI | 10 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Career | 110 | 319 | 229 | 90 | 58.0 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 18 |
Giving Back to the Community
Since he started his NFL career, LaMarr Woodley has done a lot to help his hometown of Saginaw. In 2012, he gave 100 hooded sweatshirts to the Saginaw High band. They wore them for their performance at the Sugar Bowl.
Later that year, he started a foundation to help with his charity work. He learned that the Saginaw City School District needed to charge students a fee for high school sports. Through his foundation, he donated $60,000. This money covered the fees for all athletes in the district. This included students at Saginaw High, Arthur Hill High School, and the city's middle schools.
In 2018, Woodley opened the Woodley Leadership Academy. This is a free K-8 charter school in Saginaw. It helps provide education to children in his community.
