Lemar Marshall facts for kids

Lemar Willie Marshall, born on December 17, 1976, is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker, which is a key defensive position. Lemar started his professional journey in 1999 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans.

Lemar Marshall's Early Life

Lemar Marshall grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He went to St. Xavier High School and graduated in 1995. In high school, Lemar was a star athlete. He was a first-team All-State player in football during his senior year.

He played cornerback for the "Bomber" football team for three years. In his sophomore year, his team even made it to the state finals! Lemar was also a great basketball player, earning three letters in that sport. In 2008, he was honored by being added to his high school's Hall of Fame.

College Football Career

After high school, Lemar Marshall went to Michigan State University in 1995. He played football for the Michigan State Spartans. In his first year, he played in 11 games as a freshman.

As a sophomore in 1996, he made 54 tackles in 12 games. In 1997, his junior year, he had 79 tackles. During his senior year in 1998, Lemar had his best college season. He made 101 tackles, which was the third-highest on his team. He also caught two interceptions and broke up 16 passes. Overall, he played all four years at Michigan State, making 261 tackles.

Lemar Marshall's NFL Journey

Lemar Marshall joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1999. He was not chosen in the draft but was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For a couple of years, he spent time on the practice squads of the Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2001, he joined the Denver Broncos for training camp. Later that year, he signed with the Washington Redskins.

Playing for the Washington Redskins

In 2002, Lemar played his first professional game with the Redskins. He played in all 16 games that season. He was a reserve linebacker and played on special teams, making nine tackles.

In 2003, he played in 12 games, mainly on special teams. He made ten tackles and had half a sack.

His big chance came in 2004. He started 14 games as an outside linebacker. This happened when another player, LaVar Arrington, was injured. Lemar stepped up and had a great season, making 69 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The 2005 season was even better for Lemar. He started all 16 games! He made 98 tackles and 2 sacks. He also caught four interceptions, forced two fumbles, and scored one defensive touchdown. Lemar was a key player in the middle of the defense. That year, the Redskins made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

In 2006, Lemar had a career-high 104 tackles. This was the only time he made over 100 tackles in his professional career. He also had 1.5 sacks. Even though he was dealing with knee and ankle injuries, he still performed very well.

Time with the Cincinnati Bengals

In 2007, Lemar signed a one-year contract with his hometown team, the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in four games for the Bengals, starting three of them. He made eight tackles, had 1 sack, and forced 1 fumble.

However, his season ended early when he hurt his Achilles tendon. After this injury, he did not play for the Bengals again.

Life After Football

After his football career, Lemar Marshall became a business owner. He is a co-owner of a fitness studio. It is called Phenom Strength & Conditioning and is located in Ashburn, Virginia.