Shamiel Gary facts for kids

Shamiel Gary was born on May 31, 1990. He is a former American football player who played as a safety. A safety is a defensive player who helps stop the other team from scoring. Shamiel started his college football journey at Wyoming. He was even named a Freshman All-American in his first year, which means he was one of the best new players in the country! Later, he moved to Oklahoma State. In 2014, the New England Patriots signed him as a player who wasn't chosen in the main draft, known as an undrafted free agent. He also played for the Chicago Bears and other teams during his career.

Early Life and High School Football

Shamiel Gary was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His parents are Gwen Evans and Steven Gary. He went to Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. There, he played safety for his high school team, the Hornets.

During his senior year, Shamiel was a big part of his team's success. He helped the Hornets get an amazing record of 13 wins and only 1 loss. They even won the Oklahoma 5A State Championship! In that year, Shamiel made 124 tackles and 8 sacks. A tackle is when a defensive player stops the player with the ball. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback before they can throw the ball. Because of his great playing, he was named the 5A District 3 Defensive Player of the Year. This award recognized him as the best defensive player in his area.

College Football Journey

After high school, several colleges wanted Shamiel to play for them, including Air Force, Kansas State, and Wyoming. He decided to go to Wyoming.

At Wyoming, he played as a strong safety. In his very first game on September 5, 2009, he showed how good he was. He made 7 tackles and caught three interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player. As a new player, called a true freshman, he started almost every game. He was tied for the most interceptions on his team (3) and was fifth in tackles (98). In his second year (2010), he continued to play well, making 94 tackles.

After his second year, Shamiel decided to move closer to his family. He transferred to Oklahoma State because his grandmother was sick. When players transfer, they usually have to sit out one season due to NCAA rules. So, Shamiel did not play in 2011.

In 2012, he started every game for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He made 72 tackles and caught three more interceptions. In his final year (senior year), he had 47 tackles and three interceptions. He helped the Cowboys have a great season with 10 wins and 3 losses. They finished second in their conference, which is like a league within college football. At the end of that season, the Cowboys played in a big game called the Cotton Bowl Classic. They lost to Missouri, but Shamiel still played well in the game.

Professional Football Career

Even though Shamiel Gary was a great college player, he was not chosen by any team in the 2014 NFL draft. This means he became an undrafted free agent. But this didn't stop him!

New England Patriots

On May 12, 2014, the New England Patriots signed Shamiel as an undrafted free agent. This gave him a chance to show what he could do. However, on August 30, 2014, the Patriots released him. Teams often release players to get their roster down to a certain number before the season starts.

Chicago Bears

Shamiel didn't stay without a team for long. On October 8, 2014, the Chicago Bears signed him to a contract. They needed help because some of their safeties were injured. But just a few days later, on October 11, 2014, he was waived by the team. This means they let him go. However, the Bears still wanted him around, so they signed him to their practice squad on October 13, 2014. Players on the practice squad train with the team but don't play in games unless they are moved to the main roster.

Miami Dolphins

On January 8, 2015, Shamiel signed a contract with the Miami Dolphins. He was waived by them on August 10, 2015, but then signed back to their practice squad on November 3, 2015. Later that month, on November 28, 2015, he was moved up to the Dolphins' main team, called the active roster. This meant he could play in real games.

He was released by the Dolphins again on September 3, 2016.

Minnesota Vikings

On September 5, 2016, Shamiel joined the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. He was released from their practice squad on September 13.

Second Time with Patriots

On October 25, 2016, Shamiel was signed to the Patriots' practice squad again. He was released from their practice squad on November 26, 2016.

Buffalo Bills

On December 1, 2016, Shamiel was signed to the Buffalo Bills' practice squad. On December 13, 2016, he was moved up to their active roster. He was waived by the Bills on September 2, 2017.