Simeon Rice

Infobox NFLactive


currentteam=Free Agent
currentnumber=--
currentpositionplain=Defensive end
birthdate=birth date and age|1974|2|24
birthplace=Chicago, Illinois
heightft=6
heightin=5
weight=268
debutyear=1996
debutteam=Arizona Cardinals
highlights=
* 2x All-American (1994-1995)
* 1996 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
* 3x Pro Bowl selection (1999, 2002, 2003)
* Super Bowl champion (XXXVII)
college=Illinois
draftyear=1996
draftround=1
draftpick=3
pastteams=
* Arizona Cardinals (1996-2000)
* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001-2006)
* Denver Broncos (2007)
* Indianapolis Colts (2007)
nfl=RIC161816

Simeon Rice (pronEng|SIM-ee-on) (born February 24, 1974 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American football defensive end who is currently a Free Agent. He played college football at Illinois and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals third overall in the 1996 NFL Draft.

In his career, Rice has over 120 sacks, earned three Pro Bowl selections and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Buccaneers.

Early years

He attended Mount Carmel High School on Chicago's south side, the same school as Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

College career

Simeon Rice attended the University of Illinois, where he set the Big Ten Conference record for career sacks with 44.5; the record was previously held by Mark Messner of Michigan with 36. As a junior, he set a school single season sack record with 16 sacks. He was also a two-time All-America pick.

NFL career

Rice was drafted by the Cardinals with the 3rd overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, he had 12.5 sacks, as the Cardinals made the 1998 playoffs. He signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent before the 2001 season and was on the winning Super Bowl team in 2002, edged out of the MVP voting by his teammate Dexter Jackson. He was placed on Injured Reserve midway through the 2006 season with a shoulder ailment. After refusing to take a pay cut, the Buccaneers released him.

On September 3, 2007, Rice was signed by the Denver Broncos to a one-year contract. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5689127,00.html Broncos sign Simeon Rice : Broncos : The Rocky Mountain News ] ] Unhappy with playing time, he asked to be released. On November 9, Rice was placed on waivers and claimed by the Indianapolis Colts three days later, one day after Colt defensive end Dwight Freeney suffered a season-ending Lisfranc fracture of his foot. Rice appeared in just two games with Indianapolis before being released on November 27. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/11/27/bc.fbn.coltsmoves.ap/index.html] He recorded one tackle and one sack with the Colts.

His 121 career sacks ranks 1st among active players, and 13th all-time. Rice is the second fastest player to achieve 100 career sacks behind Eagles/Packers legend Reggie White. Simeon Rice is possibly most known for a fumble recovery and touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in which he outran Saints tight end Eric Johnson (who has a considerably faster 40-yard time) and did a flip into the endzone, unusual for a defensive player of his size. [http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7064530] It is unclear if he will continue his pontentially hall-of-fame career.

External links

* [http://colts.com/sub.cfm?page=bio&player_id=491 Indianapolis Colts bio]

References