Tedy Bruschi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tedy Bruschi

Bruschi in 2010
No. 45 & 54
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1973-06-09) June 9, 1973 (age 52) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school:	Roseville (Roseville, California)
College:	Arizona (1991–1995)
NFL Draft:	1996 / Round: 3 / Pick: 86
Career history
As player:
New England Patriots (1996)
As coach:
Arizona (2021–2023) Senior advisor to head coach
Career highlights and awards
3× Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2005) 2× Second-team All-Pro (2003, 2004) Pro Bowl (2004) New England Patriots All-2000s Team New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team New England Patriots Hall of Fame Bill Willis Trophy (1995) Unanimous All-American (1995) Consensus All-American (1994) Second-team All-American (1993) Morris Trophy (1995) Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (1995) 3× First-team All-Pac-10 (1993–1995) Arizona Wildcats No. 68 retired
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 1,074 Sacks: 30.5 Forced fumbles: 17 Fumble recoveries: 7 Interceptions: 12 Interception yards: 187 Pass deflections: 57 Total touchdowns: 5
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Tedy Lacap Bruschi (born June 9, 1973) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. Tedy played college football for the Arizona Wildcats. He was named an All-American twice.

The New England Patriots picked him in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft. He played his entire professional career with the Patriots. Bruschi won three Super Bowls with the team. He was also chosen as a second-team All-Pro twice. From 2021 to 2023, he worked as a senior advisor for the head coach at the University of Arizona.

Early Life and High School Football

Tedy Bruschi was born in San Francisco, California. His grandparents on his father's side came from Bedonia, Italy. His mother's family is from the Philippines.

He went to Roseville High School in Roseville, California. There, he played football, wrestled, and competed in track and field. He was a top player as a defensive tackle for the Roseville Tigers.

College Football Career

Bruschi played college football for the Arizona Wildcats football team from 1991 to 1995. During his four years, he made 185 tackles. He also had 52 sacks, which tied an NCAA record.

In 1994 and 1995, he was named a first-team All-American. In 1995, he won the Morris Trophy. This award goes to the best defensive lineman in the Pacific-10 Conference.

Key Moments in College

• 1991: He missed the first three games due to a neck injury. He returned but broke his thumb and had to take a "redshirt" year. This means he didn't play that season but kept his eligibility for another year.
• 1992: He played as an outside linebacker. He had 4.5 sacks even though he started only one game.
• 1993: He became a defensive lineman. He set a school record with 19 sacks. He was named a second-team All-American.
• 1994: He was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. He made 39 tackles and 10 sacks.
• 1995: He had 60 tackles and 18.5 sacks.

In 2013, Tedy Bruschi was chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional NFL Career

The New England Patriots picked Tedy Bruschi in the 1996 NFL Draft. He was the 86th player chosen overall. He was seen as too small for a defensive end. So, the Patriots moved him to linebacker, a position where his size was perfect.

He played for the Patriots from 1996 to 2008. Bruschi never used a sports agent during his time with the team.

Early Years (1996–2001)

• 1996: As a rookie, he played in every game. He was good at rushing the passer and played on special teams. He had 11 tackles and four sacks. He also ran back a blocked punt for a touchdown. In Super Bowl XXXI, he had two sacks.
• 1997: He played in every game again. He made 30 tackles and four sacks.
• 1998: He played in every game for the third year. He started the last eight games. He had a career-high 81 tackles.
• 1999: He started 14 games as an outside linebacker. He had 138 tackles, his highest ever. He also made his first career interception.
• 2000: He started all 16 games. He had 105 tackles, his second straight season with over 100.
• 2001: He started nine games. He had 73 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions.

Key Seasons (2002–2004)

• 2002: His teammates voted him a defensive captain. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns. This was only the seventh time a Patriots player had done this in one season.
• 2003: He started all 16 games and was again a defensive captain. He had 137 tackles and 16 pass defenses. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week twice.
• 2004: He had 122 tackles and three interceptions. His strong play continued in the playoffs. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week three times, including in the Divisional Playoffs.

Overcoming a Stroke (2005)

On February 15, 2005, Tedy Bruschi had a stroke. This happened just two days after he played in the 2005 Pro Bowl. He had symptoms like numbness and vision problems. Doctors found a small hole in his heart, which was a birth defect.

After several months of recovery, Bruschi announced he would not play the 2005 NFL season. But on October 16, 2005, he was cleared to play again. He returned to the field on October 30 against the Buffalo Bills. His return was a huge story. Bruschi was named the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He shared this award with Carolina Panthers player Steve Smith.

Later Career (2006–2008)

• 2006: He broke a bone in his wrist before the season. He missed the first game. He was voted a defensive captain. He led the team with 124 tackles.
• 2007: He played and started all 16 regular-season games. He was a defensive captain again. He had two sacks against the Cleveland Browns. He led the team with 99 tackles.
• 2008: He played in 13 games and started 12. He was named a defensive captain for the seventh time.

Touchdowns and Big Plays

Tedy Bruschi was the first NFL player to return four interceptions for touchdowns in a row. His four career interception touchdowns are second in Patriots history. He is also tied for fourth among all NFL linebackers.

Since 2002, Bruschi's defensive plays led to seven touchdowns for his team. He scored four of these himself from interceptions. He also forced two fumbles that his teammates returned for touchdowns. He tipped a pass that led to another touchdown. His first career touchdown was in 1996 when he recovered a blocked punt.

Retirement from Football

On August 31, 2009, Tedy Bruschi announced his retirement from the NFL. He had played for 13 seasons. He said he felt he had reached all his goals in football.

After retiring, Bruschi joined ESPN as a sports analyst. He has said he prefers that his jersey number, 54, not be retired. Other players have worn it since.

The New England Patriots honored Bruschi in a special ceremony on December 6, 2010. On May 21, 2013, fans voted him into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. His induction ceremony was on July 29, 2013.

On February 1, 2015, Bruschi was an honorary captain at Super Bowl XLIX.

NFL Career Statistics

Personal Life and Advocacy

Tedy Bruschi has both Filipino and Italian family roots. He is also a talented saxophonist and has played with the Boston Pops orchestra.

In 2007, Bruschi wrote a book called Never Give Up. It tells the story of his stroke, his recovery, and his return to the NFL. The book shares how his family dealt with his health challenge. It also talks about his decision to return to football.

Bruschi is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. He started "Tedy's Team," a group that raises money for stroke research. This foundation was inspired by his own experience.

In 2012 and 2019, Bruschi ran in the Boston Marathon. On July 5, 2019, his foundation reported that he had experienced a second stroke.