Lance Briggs facts for kids
Briggs in 2011
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| No. 55 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | November 12, 1980 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 244 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Elk Grove (Elk Grove, California) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Arizona (1999–2002) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2003 / Round: 3 / Pick: 68 | ||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||
Lance Marell Briggs (born November 12, 1980) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). Briggs played his entire 12-year career with the Bears.
He played college football for the Arizona Wildcats. The Bears chose him in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. Lance Briggs was picked for the Pro Bowl seven times. He played alongside Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher. Many people consider them one of the best linebacker duos in NFL history.
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Early Life and College Football
Lance Briggs grew up in Sacramento, California. He went to Elk Grove High School. After high school, he played college football at the University of Arizona.
While playing for the Wildcats, he was chosen three times for the first-team All-Pac-10 Conference. This is a big honor for college players. Briggs finished his college career with 308 tackles. He also had 10.5 sacks and three interceptions.
Professional Football Career
The Chicago Bears picked Lance Briggs in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. He was the 68th player chosen overall. On July 25, 2003, Briggs signed a four-year contract with the Bears.
Starting His NFL Journey
Briggs started his rookie season as a backup outside linebacker. He worked hard and soon earned a starting spot. In his first game, he made one tackle. On October 5, 2003, he made his first start.
In Week 13, Briggs had a great game against the Green Bay Packers. He made nine tackles and intercepted a pass from quarterback Brett Favre. He returned this interception 45 yards for his first career touchdown! He finished his first year with 78 tackles and one touchdown.
Pro Bowl Selections and Key Seasons
In 2004, Briggs made 126 tackles. He was chosen as a second alternate for the Pro Bowl. This means he was almost picked for the All-Star game. In 2005, he was officially selected to play in the 2006 Pro Bowl.
Briggs was a very important player for the Bears' defense. In 2006, he helped the team reach Super Bowl XLI. He had 134 tackles, two interceptions, and four forced fumbles that season. He was chosen for the 2007 Pro Bowl but could not play due to an injury.
In 2007, Briggs had another strong season with 140 tackles. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection. The Bears signed him to a new six-year contract in 2008. He was recognized by his fellow players as one of the top 100 players in the NFL in 2011.
Briggs continued to be a key player for the Bears. He made the 2012 Pro Bowl team but was unable to play because of an ankle injury. In 2013, he suffered a shoulder injury but returned to play later that season.
Final Seasons and Retirement
In his last season, 2014, Briggs recorded 24 tackles and one interception. He faced injuries during this year. After the season, his contract ended.
Lance Briggs announced his retirement from professional football on September 2, 2015. He played his entire 12-year career with the Chicago Bears.
NFL Statistics Overview
Here are some of Lance Briggs' career statistics:
| Year | Team | GP | COMB | TOTAL | AST | SACK | FF | FR | FR YDS | INT | IR YDS | AVG IR | LNG | TD | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | CHI | 16 | 78 | 65 | 13 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 1 | 4 |
| 2004 | CHI | 16 | 126 | 102 | 24 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 1 | 10 |
| 2005 | CHI | 16 | 107 | 83 | 24 | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 15 | 20 | 1 | 11 |
| 2006 | CHI | 16 | 134 | 113 | 21 | 1.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| 2007 | CHI | 14 | 102 | 83 | 19 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2008 | CHI | 16 | 110 | 90 | 20 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| 2009 | CHI | 15 | 118 | 93 | 25 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2010 | CHI | 15 | 89 | 76 | 13 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 2011 | CHI | 16 | 105 | 86 | 19 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2012 | CHI | 16 | 103 | 74 | 29 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 110 | 55 | 74 | 2 | 11 |
| 2013 | CHI | 9 | 71 | 51 | 20 | 3.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2014 | CHI | 8 | 35 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Career | 173 | 1,174 | 936 | 238 | 15.0 | 16 | 7 | 32 | 16 | 256 | 17 | 74 | 5 | 86 |
Key to Statistics:
- GP: Games Played
- COMB: Combined Tackles (total tackles)
- TOTAL: Total Tackles (made by the player alone)
- AST: Assisted Tackles (player helped another player make the tackle)
- SACK: Sacks (tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage)
- FF: Forced Fumbles (making an opponent drop the ball)
- FR: Fumble Recoveries (picking up a dropped ball)
- FR YDS: Fumble Return Yards
- INT: Interceptions (catching a pass meant for an opponent)
- IR YDS: Interception Return Yards
- AVG IR: Average Interception Return
- LNG: Longest Interception Return
- TD: Touchdowns (from interceptions)
- PD: Passes Defended (breaking up a pass)
Life After Football
After retiring, Lance Briggs became a football analyst. He works for NBC Sports Chicago on their Football Aftershow. He works with host Ruthie Polinsky, former teammate Alex Brown, and former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt.
Briggs is also a big fan of comic books. In 2020, he helped create a science fiction graphic novel called The Trap. It was planned to be published in 2021.
