Steve Gleason facts for kids
Gleason in 2020
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| No. 37 | |||
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| Position: | Safety | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | March 19, 1977 Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Weight: | 212 lb (96 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Washington) |
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| College: | Washington State (1995–1999) | ||
| Undrafted: | 2000 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Stephen Michael Gleason (born March 19, 1977) is an American former professional football player. He played as a safety for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL).
Gleason played college football for the Washington State Cougars. He joined the Saints in 2000 and played for them until the 2007 season. He retired from the NFL in 2008 after eight seasons.
Gleason is especially known for a famous play in a 2006 game. He blocked a punt early in a game, which became a powerful symbol of hope and recovery for New Orleans. This was the team's first home game after Hurricane Katrina had caused a lot of damage to the city.
In 2011, Gleason shared that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. His experiences living with ALS were filmed over five years. These videos were used in the 2016 documentary Gleason.
For his efforts in raising awareness about ALS, he received a Congressional Gold Medal in 2019. He also received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2024.
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Early Life and College Football
Stephen Gleason was born and grew up in Spokane, Washington. He went to high school at Gonzaga Prep. There, he was a star player on the football team.
He won awards as the best defensive player for two years in a row. He played as a linebacker and also as a fullback.
After high school, Gleason played college football for the Washington State Cougars. He was a starting linebacker for the team that played in the 1998 Rose Bowl. He also played baseball for the Cougars. He was a four-year starter in center field and holds a school record for triples.
Playing in the NFL
The Indianapolis Colts first signed Steve Gleason in 2000. He was not chosen in the NFL draft, so he was an undrafted free agent. After the preseason, he was released by the Colts. Later that year, in November, he joined the New Orleans Saints' practice squad.
On September 25, 2006, Gleason made one of the most memorable plays in Saints history. He blocked a punt by the Atlanta Falcons punter, Michael Koenen. This happened early in the first quarter of a game at the Superdome. Another Saints player, Curtis Deloatch, picked up the ball and scored a touchdown.
This was the first score in the Saints' first game back in New Orleans after nearly two years. Hurricane Katrina had badly damaged the city and affected the team. The blocked punt became a symbol of hope and a new beginning for New Orleans.
The Saints won that game. They went on to have one of their most successful seasons ever, reaching the NFC Championship.
Life Beyond Football
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Steve Gleason is married to Michel Rae Varisco. They have a son named Rivers and a daughter named Gray. Six weeks after Steve was diagnosed with ALS, they found out they were going to have their first child.
ALS caused Gleason to lose his ability to speak. A company called CereProc helped him to "clone" his voice. This means they created a computer version of his voice that he can use to communicate.
Gleason worked with filmmaker Sean Pamphilon to create a documentary about his fight with ALS. This film also served as a video diary for his son, Rivers. The documentary, Gleason, was shown at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2013, Gleason was featured in an episode of the documentary series A Football Life. This episode covered his NFL career and his journey with ALS. In April 2024, Gleason released his memoir, a book about his life, called A Life Impossible: Living with ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom Within a Fragile Existence.
Awards and Special Recognition
In September 2011, the Saints gave Steve Gleason a Super Bowl ring. At the same event, the mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, gave him the key to the city. In July 2012, a statue called Rebirth was put up outside the Superdome. This statue shows Gleason blocking the famous punt.
In 2015, Gleason received the George Halas Award. This award is given to an NFL player, coach, or staff member who shows courage in facing a difficult situation. He received the award during a Thursday Night Football game between the Saints and the Falcons.
During that game, Saints linebacker Michael Mauti also blocked a punt and scored a touchdown. Mauti had been at the 2006 game where Gleason made his famous block. After Mauti's block, Gleason tweeted: "Hey, Falcons. #NeverPunt -SG".
In 2019, Gleason was given a Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the United States. He was the first NFL player to ever receive this award. He earned it for his important work in raising awareness about ALS. The award was presented to him in Washington, D.C., on January 15, 2020. In 2024, he also received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for his continued efforts to raise ALS awareness.
Images for kids
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Gleason in 2020
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Gleason in 2016
