Maurice Anderson (American football) facts for kids
| No. 78, 75 | |
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| Position: | Defensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | January 19, 1975 Nottoway County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 296 lb (134 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Nottoway (VA) |
| College: | Virginia |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at ArenaFan.com | |
Maurice Anderson, born on January 19, 1975, is a former American football player. He played in two different leagues: the Arena Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He also played for a team in NFL Europe. Maurice played college football at the University of Virginia. He was part of the New England Patriots team that won Super Bowl XXXVI. He also played for the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Colorado Crush, and Los Angeles Avengers.
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Early Life and High School Football
Maurice Anderson grew up in Nottoway County, Virginia. He played defensive end at Nottoway High School. During his junior and senior years, he was named "all-state" and "all-region." This means he was one of the best players in his state and region.
College Football Career
After high school, Maurice went to the University of Virginia. He played for the Virginia Cavaliers team. He was a four-year letterman, which means he played for the team for all four years. By the end of his college career, he had made 106 tackles and five sacks. A tackle is when a defensive player stops an offensive player. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
Professional Football Journey
Maurice Anderson played for several professional football teams. He started his journey in the NFL before moving to other leagues.
Starting with the Patriots and Jets
Maurice began his NFL career with the New England Patriots. They signed him as a rookie free agent on April 25, 2000. However, he was released by the Patriots later that year, on August 28, 2000.
The very next day, on August 29, 2000, the New York Jets picked him up. He stayed with the Jets for a while, even signing a new one-year deal on March 27, 2001. But he was released by the Jets on September 3, 2001.
Back to the Patriots and a Super Bowl Win
Maurice returned to the New England Patriots on October 16, 2001. He joined their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster. He was re-signed on February 11, 2002.
Even though he was on the practice squad, Maurice was part of the Patriots team that won Super Bowl XXXVI. This is a huge achievement for any football player! He was released by the Patriots again on September 1, 2002, but quickly re-signed to their practice squad on September 3.
Time with the Dolphins and NFL Europe
On January 28, 2003, Maurice signed with the Miami Dolphins. Shortly after, on January 31, 2003, he was sent to play in NFL Europe. He played for the Amsterdam Admirals during this time. NFL Europe was a league that helped players develop their skills. He was released by the Dolphins on August 29, 2003.
Playing in the Arena Football League
After his time in the NFL and NFL Europe, Maurice played in the Arena Football League (AFL).
- He spent the 2005 season with the Colorado Crush.
- He then played the 2006 season with the Los Angeles Avengers.
