Wayne Gandy facts for kids

Wayne Lamar Gandy, born on February 10, 1971, is a former American football player. He played as an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. He was known for his strong blocking skills.

Gandy played college football for Auburn University. He was recognized as one of the best college players in the country. The Los Angeles Rams picked him in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons.

Early Life and High School Football

Wayne Gandy was born in Haines City, Florida. He grew up there and went to Haines City High School. During his time in high school, he played for the Haines City Hornets high school football team.

College Football Career

Gandy attended Auburn University and played for the Auburn Tigers football team. He was a key player from 1990 to 1993. In his senior year, 1993, his team had a perfect season, winning all their games. That same year, he was named a consensus All-American. This means he was chosen by many different groups as one of the top college football players in the nation.

Playing in the NFL

Starting with the Rams

The Los Angeles Rams chose Wayne Gandy in the 1994 NFL draft. He was the 15th player picked overall in the first round. He played for the Rams for five seasons, from 1994 to 1998.

Time with the Steelers

After playing for the Rams, Gandy joined the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Steelers for four seasons, from 1999 to 2002.

Moving to the Saints and Falcons

On March 2, 2003, Wayne Gandy signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints. He played for the Saints for three seasons. In 2006, he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons traded safety Bryan Scott and a draft pick to get Gandy.

In 2007, Gandy was named one of the Falcons' team captains. However, on October 7, he suffered a serious injury to his left knee. This injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament, meant he could not play for the rest of that season.

The Falcons released him on February 15, 2008. But they re-signed him on October 29 after another player, offensive tackle Sam Baker, got injured. Gandy was not re-signed by the Falcons after the 2008 season.

Broadcasting After Football

After his football career, Wayne Gandy started working in broadcasting. In late 2001, he recorded short ads for WSB-Radio Atlanta. These ads were successful, and he was encouraged to continue in broadcasting.

He started his own company called The Gandy Group. Through this company, he launched "The Sports Joc Show with Wayne Gandy." This show is about sports and entertainment.

From 2011 to 2012, Wayne Gandy hosted a weekly TV show for CBS-Atlanta Sports. Since 2013, he has been a Color Analyst for ESPN TV. This means he helps explain the game during live broadcasts.