Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp is a champion on the gridiron, but what about the dance floor? We will find out this season as he and partner Kym Johnson compete on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Warren Sapp was born on December 19, 1972 in Orlando, Florida, but he grew up in Plymouth, Florida. He was named the outstanding football player at Apopka High School and was eventually named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team.
Sapp’s college football career at University of Miami, where he played with future WWE star and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, was equally as illustrious. He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (awarded to the best defensive player), the Chuck Bednarik Award (for his defensive play), and the Lombardi Award (for best lineman or linebacker). He was named to the second All American team in 1993, the All-Big East first team in 1993 and 1994, and the consensus first team All-American in 1994. He was an Outland Trophy finalist in 1994, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 1994, and was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the Football Writers Association.
Sapp was drafted in the NFL’s first round (12th pick overall) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He received the starting position of right defensive tackle. By the end of his rookie year, he had racked up 27 tackles and one interception. In 1996, he had 51 tackles with nine sacks and in 1997; he had 58 tackles with 10.5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1997 and would be named to the team six more times in his career. In 1999, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Sapp helped lead the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl in 2002, where they defeated the Oakland Raiders. In an ironic twist, Sapp joined the Raiders in 2004, agreeing to a seven year, $36.6 million dollar contract. In his first season with the Raiders, Sapp recorded 42 tackles and 2.5 sacks. A shoulder injury sidelined him for the final six games of 2006, but he was nominated for the Pro Bowl in 2006. In 2007, he had 51 tackles and 2 sacks.
Sapp reportedly told Raiders owner Al Davis that he planned to retire on January 3, 2008, but the announcement wasn’t official made until March 4, 2008. In his career, he recorded 96.5 sacks, which is the second highest for a defensive tackle. Since his retirement, Sapp has become a member of the NFL Network and on August 19th, was hired by Showtime to serve as a studio analyst for their show “Inside the NFL.”
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