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Tedy Bruschi
refer to caption
Bruschi in 2010
No. 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:
As coach:
  • Arizona (2021–2023)
    Senior advisor to head coach
Career highlights and awards
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 professional football player. He was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. Tedy played his entire professional career with the New England Patriots.

He won three Super Bowl championships with the Patriots. He was also named an All-Pro player twice. Before joining the NFL, Tedy played college football for the Arizona Wildcats. He was recognized as an All-American twice.

Early Life and High School Football

Tedy Bruschi was born in San Francisco, California. His family background includes Italian and Filipino heritage. He went to Roseville High School in Roseville, California.

At Roseville High, Tedy was a talented athlete. He played football, wrestled, and competed in track and field. In football, he was a defensive tackle and earned all-conference honors.

College Football Career

Tedy Bruschi played college football at the University of Arizona. He was part of the Arizona Wildcats football team from 1991 to 1995. During his college career, he made 185 tackles. He also set a record with 52 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

He was recognized as a top player in college football. Tedy was named a first-team All-American in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, he won the Morris Trophy. This award goes to the best defensive lineman in the Pacific-10 Conference. In 2013, Tedy Bruschi was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Key College Achievements

  • In 1993, he set a school record with 19 sacks.
  • He was named the Wildcats' most valuable player.
  • In 1994, he was a finalist for the Lombardi Award.
  • He was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection three times.

Professional NFL Career

The New England Patriots chose Tedy Bruschi in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft. He was the 86th player picked overall. Coaches moved him to the linebacker position. He played for the Patriots from 1996 until 2008.

Early Years (1996–2001)

  • 1996 Season: As a rookie, Tedy played in every game. He had 11 tackles and four sacks. He also scored a touchdown by returning a blocked punt. In Super Bowl XXXI, he recorded two sacks.
  • 1997 Season: He played in every game again. He made 30 tackles and four sacks.
  • 1998 Season: Tedy played in all games for the third year. He started the last eight games. He finished with a career-high 81 tackles.
  • 1999 Season: He started 14 games at outside linebacker. He had 138 tackles, his highest career total. He also made his first interception.
  • 2000 Season: Tedy started all 16 games. He had 105 tackles, his second straight season with over 100 tackles.
  • 2001 Season: He started nine games and had 73 tackles. He also had two sacks and two interceptions. The Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI this season.

Winning Seasons (2002–2004)

  • 2002 Season: His teammates voted him a defensive captain. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns. This was a rare achievement for a linebacker.
  • 2003 Season: He started all 16 games and was a defensive captain again. He had 137 tackles and 16 pass defenses. The Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVIII this season.
  • 2004 Season: Tedy had 122 tackles and three interceptions. His strong play continued in the playoffs. He helped the Patriots defense limit the Colts to only three points. The Patriots won Super Bowl XXXIX this season.

Facing a Health Challenge (2005)

On February 15, 2005, Tedy Bruschi had a stroke. This happened just two days after he played in the 2005 Pro Bowl. Doctors found a small hole in his heart, which was a birth defect. After months of recovery, Tedy announced he would not play the 2005 season.

However, 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 big story in the NFL. Tedy was named the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He shared this award with Steve Smith.

Later Career (2006–2008)

  • 2006 Season: Tedy broke a bone in his hand before the season. He missed the first game but played the rest. He led the team with 124 tackles.
  • 2007 Season: He started all 16 games and was a defensive captain. He had 99 tackles and two sacks.
  • 2008 Season: Tedy played in 13 games and was a defensive captain for the seventh time.

Touchdowns and Retirement

Tedy Bruschi was known for scoring defensive touchdowns. He was the first NFL player to return four straight interceptions for touchdowns. He also forced fumbles that led to touchdowns for his team.

On August 31, 2009, Tedy Bruschi announced his retirement from the NFL. He had played 13 seasons. He said he felt he had achieved all his goals in football. After retiring, he joined ESPN as a football analyst.

In 2013, Tedy Bruschi was voted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for players who made a big impact on the team.

NFL Career Statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Bold Career high
Year Team GP Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
Comb Solo Ast Sack FF FR Yds Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
1996 NE 16 11 10 1 4.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1997 NE 16 30 25 5 4.0 2 2 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
1998 NE 16 74 48 27 2.0 2 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
1999 NE 14 108 73 35 2.0 1 1 0 1 1 1.0 1 0 8
2000 NE 16 108 71 37 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 5
2001 NE 15 76 55 21 2.0 3 1 0 2 7 3.5 4 0 3
2002 NE 11 67 47 20 4.5 1 0 0 2 75 37.5 48 2 7
2003 NE 16 133 81 52 2.0 3 1 13 3 26 8.7 18 2 14
2004 NE 16 124 78 46 3.5 3 0 0 3 70 23.3 36 0 6
2005 NE 9 63 37 26 2.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
2006 NE 15 112 53 59 1.5 0 2 0 1 8 8.0 8 0 6
2007 NE 16 92 64 28 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2008 NE 13 76 38 38 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
Total 189 1074 680 394 30.5 18 7 13 12 187 15.6 48 4 59

Personal Life and Advocacy

Tedy Bruschi is of Filipino and Italian descent. He is also a talented saxophonist. He has even played with the famous Boston Pops orchestra.

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

Tedy is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. He started a foundation called Tedy's Team. This foundation raises money for stroke research. It helps others who have experienced strokes.

In 2012 and 2019, Tedy Bruschi ran in the Boston Marathon. On July 5, 2019, it was reported that Tedy had a second stroke.

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