Steve Bellisari

Infobox Gridiron football person
Name=Steve Bellisari
team=New Orleans Voodoo


ImageWidth=
Caption=
status=Active
import=
position1=Quarterback
number=9
College=Ohio State
DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1980|4|21
Birthplace=Boca Raton, Florida
Height_ft=6
Height_in=3
Weight_lbs=225
NFLDraftedYear=2002
NFLDraftedRound=6
NFLDraftedPick=205
NFLDraftedTeam=St. Louis Rams
career_highlights=
Records=
CFL=
NFL=BEL738931
playing_years=2002
2005
2005
2006
2007-"present"
playing_teams=St. Louis Rams
Dayton Warbirds
Manchester Wolves
Kansas City Brigade *
New Orleans VooDoo:*Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Steve Bellisari (born April 21, 1980 in Boca Raton, Florida) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League. Bellisari is best known as an Ohio State University Buckeye from 1998 to 2001.

College career

Bellisari, a special teams player and a defensive back his first year, replaced Joe Germaine as the Ohio State starting quarterback in 1999. He had a stellar prep career at Boca Raton High School, but was injured and could not complete the first game of his senior year, being sacked by the Olympic Heights defensive tackle David Rudy.

In contrast to the accurate Germaine, Bellisari is remembered for a tendency to throw interceptions. In truth, Bellisari's interception rate was only 3.82%, lower than more highly appreciated Ohio State quarterbacks Art Schlichter, Mike Tomczak, Greg Frey, or Bobby Hoying. Bellisari experienced an increasingly controversial tenure as Ohio State's starting quarterback, culminating in a two-game suspension at the end of his senior season following an arrest for drunk driving. He was re-instated to travel with the team to the Outback Bowl against South Carolina, where he finished his career as a substitute, leading Ohio State back from a large deficit to tie the game before giving up an interception that allowed South Carolina to kick a winning field goal.

Professional career

Bellisari was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2002 NFL Draft and converted to safety. After being out of football, in 2005 Bellisari played for the Dayton Warbirds of the NIFL, an indoor football league, and later moved up to the Manchester Wolves in the second half of the 2005 af2 season, leading them into the playoffs with four straight victories to finish out the year. Seldom turning the ball over in his stay with the Wolves, he was intercepted while the Wolves attempted to kick the game-winning field goal in their 40-39 playoff loss to the Florida Firecats.

External links

* [http://www.arenafootball.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3500&ATCLID=743931&Q_SEASON=2007 Bellisari's New Orleans VooDoo bio]
* [http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=5198 AFL stats]