Sean Gilbert facts for kids

Sean Gilbert (born April 10, 1970) is an American college football coach and former professional player. He is currently the head football coach for Livingstone College. He started this job in 2020.

Gilbert played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams as the third player picked in the 1992 NFL draft. Before turning pro, he played college football at the University of Pittsburgh.

Sean Gilbert's Early Life and High School Football

Sean Gilbert played football for the Aliquippa Quips. In his senior year, he was a top player. Parade Magazine named him an All-American. USA Today also called him the Prep Defensive Player of the Year.

The Associated Press put him on their First-team All-state list. He helped the "Quips" have a great season with 14 wins and only 1 loss. They also won a championship in Western Pennsylvania. As a senior, he made 91 tackles. He even scored two touchdowns by picking up fumbles. Gilbert also played offense as a guard for Aliquippa.

Sean Gilbert's College Football Career

Sean Gilbert was a star defensive tackle at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1991, he was chosen as an All-America player. During his last two years at Pitt, he made 99 tackles. He also had 6 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback.

In a game against Penn State in 1991, Gilbert had 11 tackles and 1 sack. People said he "played like a man possessed," meaning he played with incredible energy. In his senior year, he had 17 tackles that stopped plays for a loss. He also had 4 sacks.

Gilbert played only 6 games that season because of a knee injury. He missed almost half the season. He did not play in his first year of college. This was due to an NCAA rule about academic readiness.

While at the University of Pittsburgh, Gilbert played with many talented teammates. He also had coaches who later became NFL head coaches. These coaches included Jon Gruden, Mike McCarthy, and Marvin Lewis. Some of his teammates who became NFL stars were Curtis Martin and Keith Hamilton. He also played with Matt Bloom, who later became a WWE wrestler.

Sean Gilbert's Professional Football Career

Getting Ready for the NFL Draft

Before the 1992 NFL Draft, experts measured Sean Gilbert. He was 6 feet, 4.25 inches tall and weighed 315 pounds. He could run very fast for his size, completing a 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. He could also bench press 225 pounds 22 times. He was very strong, able to bench press 440 pounds.

Gilbert decided to enter the NFL Draft after only two years in college. The Los Angeles Rams chose him as the third player overall. This was a very high pick!

Playing for the Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams

On April 27, 1992, Sean Gilbert signed a big contract with the Rams. It was for five years and $7.5 million. This included a $3 million bonus just for signing.

Gilbert started playing right away as a rookie. He got 5 sacks in his first year. The Pro Football Writers Association named him to their All-Rookie team. In 1993, Gilbert was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. This is a special game for the best players in the NFL. He also had 10.5 sacks that year.

He was named an All-NFC player by UPI and Pro Football Weekly. He was also chosen for the "All-Madden" team by famous coach John Madden. After getting 4 sacks in one game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

In 1995, Gilbert moved to play right defensive end. He was an alternate for the Pro Bowl, meaning he was almost chosen again. He had 5.5 sacks that season. The Rams later signed another Pro Bowl player, Leslie O'Neal. This made Gilbert available for a trade.

Time with the Washington Redskins

On April 8, 1996, the Rams traded Sean Gilbert to the Washington Redskins. The Redskins gave up a first-round draft pick for him.

With the Redskins, Gilbert was again an alternate for the Pro Bowl. He made 113 tackles and had 3 sacks. He was very strong at stopping running plays. Rams quarterback Steve Walsh said, "Sean Gilbert is playing like a monster." He also helped the defense by making opponents use two players to block him. He hurt his knee in a game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

The Redskins wanted to keep Gilbert. They used a special rule to make him a "franchise player." This meant they could offer him a one-year contract. However, Gilbert did not sign the contract. Because of contract talks, he did not play during the 1997 season.

Playing for the Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers offered Sean Gilbert a large contract of $46.5 million. The Redskins decided not to match this offer. Instead, they received two first-round draft picks from the Panthers as a trade.

Gilbert returned to playing right defensive end in 1998. He had 81 tackles and 6 sacks. He started all 16 games that season. In 1999 and 2000, Gilbert moved to his favorite position, right defensive tackle. He averaged about 50 tackles and 3 sacks each season. In 2001, he switched to left defensive tackle. He had 25 tackles and 2 sacks but played in only nine games due to an injury.

On October 27, 2002, Gilbert broke his right hip in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He missed the last eight games of the season. He had 5 tackles before his injury. On March 10, 2003, the Panthers released Gilbert from their team.

Finishing with the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders signed Sean Gilbert on October 29, 2003. He finished that year with 7 tackles. After the season, Gilbert became a free agent. No team picked him up, so he decided to retire from playing football.

Sean Gilbert's Coaching Career

After his playing career, Sean Gilbert became a football coach. He was an assistant coach at South Mecklenburg High School and West Charlotte High School. Both schools are in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In January 2020, he was hired as the head football coach at Livingstone College. This college is located in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Sean Gilbert's Family Life

Sean Gilbert is married to Nicole. They have four children together: Deshaun, A'lexus, Zaccheaus, and A'lea. Sean Gilbert is also the uncle of two other NFL cornerbacks. One is former NFL player Darrelle Revis. The other is current player Mark Gilbert.

Sean Gilbert's Head Coaching Record