ctivnan
02/03/08, 09:17 PM
American Football New England's Patriot Profile on Ted Bruschi
Career Highlights:
* Bruschi has averaged 115 tackles over the last four seasons. His 2003-06 total of 461 stops are the most on the team over that span.
* In 2006, Bruschi was a captain on a Patriots defense that set a franchise record by allowing just 14.81 points per game. The defense allowed just 237 points, the fewest by any Patriots club over a 16-game season.
* Bruschi led the Patriots with 124 tackles (67 solo) in 2006, marking the first time in his career that he led the team in tackles. He has finished second on the team in tackles four times (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004).
* In the 2006 playoffs, Bruschi led the Patriots with 24 tackles (16 solo), marking the highest playoff tackle total of his career.
* Bruschi, the NCAA's all-time sack leader, has provided 28.5 sacks in 11 seasons as a Patriot. The Patriots are 23-2 in the 25 regular season games in which Bruschi has recorded at least one sack.
* Since 2002, Bruschi's nose for the ball has created seven defensive touchdowns. He scored four of those touchdowns on interception returns (two in both 2002 and 2003), forced two fumbles that were picked up and returned for scores (10/03/04 and 11/28/04), and tipped a pass that was grabbed by James Sanders and returned for a touchdown (12/11/05).
* In December, 2005, Bruschi was a key part of a runstuffi ng unit that allowed an average of just 31.3 rushing yards per game during the month as the Patriots won all four contests to claim the 2005 AFC East title.
* Bruschi helped to anchor a Patriots defense that set a franchise record by allowing a total of just 10 points over a three-game span from 12/04/05 to 12/17/05.
* In his first game after suffering a stroke that sidelined him for the first six games of the 2005 season, Bruschi earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following a 10-tackle performance against Buffalo (10/30/05).
* Bruschi earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2004 after a season in which he co-captained a Patriots defense that allowed 16.25 points per game, the second fewest in the NFL and the third fewest in franchise history.
* Bruschi is the only player in NFL history to return four consecutive interceptions for touchdowns and his career total of four picks returned for scores ranks second in Patriots history. He is tied for fourth in NFL history among linebackers, and Bruschi is the only Patriots linebacker to return multiple interceptions for scores in a single season (2002 and 2003).
* Bruschi's 12 career interceptions rank fourth all-time among Patriots linebackers. Eleven of his 12 regular-season picks have come in the last six seasons. Bruschi also has two postseason interceptions to his credit, including one in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX.
* In the 2004 regular season, Bruschi finished second on the team with 128 tackles (84 solo) and tied for second on the team with three interceptions. His solid play continued in the playoffs, where he finished second on the squad with 23 tackles (18 solo) and added a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
* Bruschi was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week three times in 2004. He earned the honor twice in the regular season (Weeks 4 and 17) and also won it following a 20-3 win over Indianapolis in the Divisional Playoffs, when he forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles as the Patriots defense held the highly-regarded Colts offense to just three points.
* Bruschi recorded a single-game career high 17 tackles (7 solo) against the New York Jets (11/12/06).
* Bruschi ranked second on the team with 137 tackles (87 solo) in 2003, just three shy of Rodney Harrison's teamleading 140 stops. His 137 tackles were just one short of his career high, set in 1999.
* In 2003, Bruschi was a captain of a Patriots defense that became the first defensive unit in 65 years not to allow a touchdown in four consecutive home games in one season. The last team to accomplish the feat was the 1938 New York Giants.
* Bruschi was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2003, following his contributions to Patriots victories in Week Two at Philadelphia and in the AFC Eastclinching victory over Miami in Week 14.
* Bruschi tied a career-high and ranked third on the team with 4.5 sacks in 2002.
* Bruschi started nine of 15 games in 2001 and finished third on the team with 73 tackles.
* Bruschi recorded 15 tackles (13 solo), including 1.5 sacks during the 2001 postseason.
* Bruschi started all 16 games at linebacker in 2000 and finished the season with 105 tackles (68 solos). It was his second consecutive season with more than 100 tackles (138 in 1999).
* Bruschi started 14 games in 1999 and finished second on the team with 138 total tackles, including two sacks.
* Bruschi earned the starting outside linebacker responsibilities at mid-season in 1998 and finished fourth on the team with 81 tackles.
* Bruschi recorded two sacks in Super Bowl XXXI vs. Green Bay, just one shy of the Super Bowl record (Reggie White, 3.0, Super Bowl XXXI).
* Bruschi scored his first career touchdown (at any level of competition) at Baltimore (10/06/96) when he picked up a loose ball after a Larry Whigham blocked punt and returned it four yards for a score.
* Bruschi recorded a single-game career high with a pair of sacks and also forced his first career fumble at Baltimore (10/06/96).
http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=153
Career Highlights:
* Bruschi has averaged 115 tackles over the last four seasons. His 2003-06 total of 461 stops are the most on the team over that span.
* In 2006, Bruschi was a captain on a Patriots defense that set a franchise record by allowing just 14.81 points per game. The defense allowed just 237 points, the fewest by any Patriots club over a 16-game season.
* Bruschi led the Patriots with 124 tackles (67 solo) in 2006, marking the first time in his career that he led the team in tackles. He has finished second on the team in tackles four times (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004).
* In the 2006 playoffs, Bruschi led the Patriots with 24 tackles (16 solo), marking the highest playoff tackle total of his career.
* Bruschi, the NCAA's all-time sack leader, has provided 28.5 sacks in 11 seasons as a Patriot. The Patriots are 23-2 in the 25 regular season games in which Bruschi has recorded at least one sack.
* Since 2002, Bruschi's nose for the ball has created seven defensive touchdowns. He scored four of those touchdowns on interception returns (two in both 2002 and 2003), forced two fumbles that were picked up and returned for scores (10/03/04 and 11/28/04), and tipped a pass that was grabbed by James Sanders and returned for a touchdown (12/11/05).
* In December, 2005, Bruschi was a key part of a runstuffi ng unit that allowed an average of just 31.3 rushing yards per game during the month as the Patriots won all four contests to claim the 2005 AFC East title.
* Bruschi helped to anchor a Patriots defense that set a franchise record by allowing a total of just 10 points over a three-game span from 12/04/05 to 12/17/05.
* In his first game after suffering a stroke that sidelined him for the first six games of the 2005 season, Bruschi earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following a 10-tackle performance against Buffalo (10/30/05).
* Bruschi earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2004 after a season in which he co-captained a Patriots defense that allowed 16.25 points per game, the second fewest in the NFL and the third fewest in franchise history.
* Bruschi is the only player in NFL history to return four consecutive interceptions for touchdowns and his career total of four picks returned for scores ranks second in Patriots history. He is tied for fourth in NFL history among linebackers, and Bruschi is the only Patriots linebacker to return multiple interceptions for scores in a single season (2002 and 2003).
* Bruschi's 12 career interceptions rank fourth all-time among Patriots linebackers. Eleven of his 12 regular-season picks have come in the last six seasons. Bruschi also has two postseason interceptions to his credit, including one in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX.
* In the 2004 regular season, Bruschi finished second on the team with 128 tackles (84 solo) and tied for second on the team with three interceptions. His solid play continued in the playoffs, where he finished second on the squad with 23 tackles (18 solo) and added a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
* Bruschi was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week three times in 2004. He earned the honor twice in the regular season (Weeks 4 and 17) and also won it following a 20-3 win over Indianapolis in the Divisional Playoffs, when he forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles as the Patriots defense held the highly-regarded Colts offense to just three points.
* Bruschi recorded a single-game career high 17 tackles (7 solo) against the New York Jets (11/12/06).
* Bruschi ranked second on the team with 137 tackles (87 solo) in 2003, just three shy of Rodney Harrison's teamleading 140 stops. His 137 tackles were just one short of his career high, set in 1999.
* In 2003, Bruschi was a captain of a Patriots defense that became the first defensive unit in 65 years not to allow a touchdown in four consecutive home games in one season. The last team to accomplish the feat was the 1938 New York Giants.
* Bruschi was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2003, following his contributions to Patriots victories in Week Two at Philadelphia and in the AFC Eastclinching victory over Miami in Week 14.
* Bruschi tied a career-high and ranked third on the team with 4.5 sacks in 2002.
* Bruschi started nine of 15 games in 2001 and finished third on the team with 73 tackles.
* Bruschi recorded 15 tackles (13 solo), including 1.5 sacks during the 2001 postseason.
* Bruschi started all 16 games at linebacker in 2000 and finished the season with 105 tackles (68 solos). It was his second consecutive season with more than 100 tackles (138 in 1999).
* Bruschi started 14 games in 1999 and finished second on the team with 138 total tackles, including two sacks.
* Bruschi earned the starting outside linebacker responsibilities at mid-season in 1998 and finished fourth on the team with 81 tackles.
* Bruschi recorded two sacks in Super Bowl XXXI vs. Green Bay, just one shy of the Super Bowl record (Reggie White, 3.0, Super Bowl XXXI).
* Bruschi scored his first career touchdown (at any level of competition) at Baltimore (10/06/96) when he picked up a loose ball after a Larry Whigham blocked punt and returned it four yards for a score.
* Bruschi recorded a single-game career high with a pair of sacks and also forced his first career fumble at Baltimore (10/06/96).
http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=153