Sam Sword facts for kids

Sam Lee-Arthur Sword, born on December 9, 1974, is a former American football player. He was a talented linebacker.

Sam grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1995 to 1998. He was a key player on the undefeated 1997 Michigan team. This team was ranked number one in the country. Sam led his team in tackles for three years in a row. His 265 solo tackles are the third most in Michigan's history.

After college, Sam played professional football in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Oakland Raiders in 1999. Then he joined the Indianapolis Colts from 2000 to 2002. He played in 45 NFL games.

Early Life and High School Sports

Sam Sword was born in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1974. He went to Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw. Sam was a great athlete, playing football, basketball, and baseball.

In football, he played as a middle linebacker and tight end. He helped his team win a state championship in 1991. Sam also earned all-state honors for his skills. Later, he was honored by being added to the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame.

College Football Career at Michigan

Sam joined the University of Michigan in 1994. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines under coach Lloyd Carr. In 1994, he took a "redshirt" year, meaning he practiced but didn't play in games.

In 1995, his first year playing, Sam started four games as an inside linebacker. As a sophomore in 1996, Sam started all 12 games. He led the team with 108 tackles, including 72 solo tackles.

Undefeated 1997 Season

As a junior in 1997, Sam started 11 games. He was a big part of the undefeated 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team. This team won the Big Ten Conference championship. They also won the 1998 Rose Bowl against Washington State. The team was ranked number one in the final polls.

Sam had a career-high 13 solo tackles in one game against Notre Dame. He was the team's top tackler that year with 91 tackles. The 1997 team had an amazing defense. They allowed only 8.9 points per game. They also allowed only 206.9 yards per game. Sam was chosen for the first-team All-Big Ten team that year.

Senior Year and Records

In his senior year, 1998, Sam started 12 games. He again led the team with 127 tackles, including 93 solo tackles. He was named a second-team All-Big Ten player.

Sam became only the second player in Michigan history to lead the team in tackles for three years in a row. Overall, he started 39 games at Michigan. He made 370 tackles, with 265 solo tackles. His 265 solo tackles rank third in Michigan history. Sam won The Roger Zatkoff Award in both 1997 and 1998. This award goes to the team's best linebacker.

Professional Football Career

After college, Sam was not chosen in the 1999 NFL draft. However, he signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent. He played in 10 games for the Raiders in 1999, starting five of them.

In 2000, Sam joined the Indianapolis Colts. He played for the Colts for three seasons. In 2001 and 2002, he played in all 16 regular season games. He mostly played on special teams. He also started three games as a linebacker. In his four NFL seasons, Sam played in 45 games. He started eight games and made 66 tackles.