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 on November 3, 1984, is a former professional football player. He was a talented linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Woodley 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 against the Arizona Cardinals. 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 grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. When he was in high school, he played football for Saginaw High School. In 1999, his team won the Michigan Division II state championship.
He played alongside future professional athletes like Charles Rogers, who became a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions. Another teammate was Anthony Roberson, who later played point guard for the Chicago Bulls.
Experts considered Woodley a top football recruit in 2003. They ranked him as one of the best inside linebackers in the country.
College Football Career
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 to be the defensive captain of the Wolverines.
During his senior year, he made 12 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. This led the Big Ten conference and was one of the best in the nation. He also won the Lombardi Award, which goes to the best lineman in the country.
After his senior season in 2006, Woodley was named a first-team All-Big Ten player. He also received the special honor of being a unanimous All-American. This means all major groups that pick All-American teams chose him.
Woodley later earned a master's degree in sport management. He studied online through California University of Pennsylvania.
College Awards and Honors
Woodley received many awards during his college career:
- Unanimous first-team All-American (2006)
- Ted Hendricks Award (2006)
- Michigan Sports Hall of Fame inductee (2023)
He also earned several honors within the Big Ten Conference:
- Second-team All-Big Ten Conference (2004)
- Honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference (2005)
- First-team All-Big Ten Conference (2006)
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2006)
- Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (2006)
Professional Football Career
Pittsburgh Steelers (2007–2013)
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted LaMarr Woodley in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. He was the 46th player chosen overall. He first wore jersey number 55, but later changed to number 56.
He got his first NFL sack in his second game. It was against Buffalo Bills quarterback J. P. Losman. In 2008, Woodley became a starting outside linebacker for the Steelers. In his first game as a starter, he was named the GMC Defensive Player of the Week. He had three tackles, a sack, an interception, and recovered a fumble. He even scored his first professional touchdown by recovering a fumble against the Baltimore Ravens. He finished the 2008 season with 11.5 sacks.
The Steelers had a great 2008 season, winning their division with a 12–4 record. They went on to the playoffs. After beating the San Diego Chargers, they faced their rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, and won 23–14. This sent them to Super Bowl XLIII.
In the playoffs, Woodley was amazing. He had two sacks in both the divisional round and the championship game. This made him the first player in NFL history to have three multi-sack playoff games in a row. In Super Bowl XLIII, he continued this streak. He sacked Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner twice. One of these sacks forced a fumble with only 5 seconds left, helping the Steelers win the Super Bowl.
In 2009, Woodley had another strong season. He made 62 tackles and 13.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble and recovered another, which he returned for a touchdown. Because of his excellent play, he was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He was also part of the Air Jordan brand.
In 2010, Woodley continued to perform well. He had 50 tackles, 10 sacks, and an interception that he ran back for a touchdown. The Steelers reached Super Bowl XLV that season, but they lost to the Green Bay Packers. Woodley was a starter in the game and had three tackles and a sack.
After the 2010 season, Woodley signed a big contract with the Steelers. It was one of the largest contracts the team had ever given to a defensive player. In 2011, he missed six games due to a hamstring injury. Despite this, he still recorded 9 sacks. He was voted the 63rd best player of the 2011 season by other NFL players.
On December 15, 2013, Woodley was placed on the injured reserve list because of a calf injury. This ended his season. He was released by the Steelers on March 11, 2014.
Oakland Raiders (2014)
On March 13, 2014, Woodley signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders. He played one season with the Raiders before being released.
Arizona Cardinals (2015)
On March 10, 2015, Woodley signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. In November 2015, he suffered a torn chest muscle during a game. This injury ended his season, and he was placed on injured reserve.
Philanthropy and Community Work
Since starting his NFL career, LaMarr Woodley has given a lot back to his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan. He has provided free supplies to students there. In 2012, he donated 100 hooded sweatshirts to the Saginaw High band. This was before their halftime show at the 2012 Sugar Bowl.
Later that year, he started his own foundation to help organize his charity work. He learned that the Saginaw City School District would charge students a fee to play high school sports. Through his foundation, Woodley donated $60,000 to cover these 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 in Saginaw. This is a tuition-free charter school for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
