NFL Top Player - Jordan Cameron

Jordan Cravens Cameron (born August 7, 1988) is an American football tight end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at USC.

Early years

Cameron was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Cathy (née Cravens) and Stan Cameron, who works for a telecommunications company. He was raised Mormon (LDS). Cameron attended Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, California. He made the All-Marmonte League first team in 2004 as a junior. As a senior in 2005, he made Prep Star All-West and once again made All-Marmonte League first team. He caught 73 passes for 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He was a teammate of former San Jose State' quarterback, Jordan LaSecla. He also starred in basketball and volleyball at Newbury Park High.

His sister Brynn played guard on the USC women's basketball team and his brother Colby was recently a quarterback for the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent.

Collegiate career

Appeared in 23 games as a reserve at the University of Southern California (2008-10) after transferring from Ventura Junior College (2007) and Brigham Young University (2006)… Saw action in 12 contests as a senior, recording 16 receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown along with one carry for six yards… Appeared in five games in 2009 and six in 2008 and did not record any statistics… Hauled in 22 passes for 340 yards with four touchdowns as he helped Ventura to the WSC Pacific Division title and a victory in the Southern California Bowl… Originally attended BYU and redshirted as a forward on the school’s basketball team before deciding to transfer to USC for football… Chose to transfer to Ventura after it was discovered his credits from Brigham Young wouldn’t transfer to Southern California… Walked on to the USC basketball team for the 2008-09 season and appeared in three games… Majored in sociology.

Professional career
Pre-draft

After his senior season at USC, Cameron was invited to play in the East–West Shrine Game where he made a big impression on the coaches during the week of practice. Cameron helped his draft stock significantly during his workouts at the NFL Combine. He was in the top three of every drill he participated in and fifth in bench press reps. He was projected to be a mid to late round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Cleveland Browns

Cameron was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 102nd pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Appeared in eight games with two starts… Inactive for eight contests… Caught six passes for 33 yards… Made NFL debut vs. Seattle (10/23)… Hauled in a season-best three passes for eight yards at Arizona (12/18).

On December 27th, 2013, Jordan Cameron was voted to his first Pro Bowl Selection.

Personal: Native of Newbury Park, Calif., where he attended Newbury Park High School… Named All-Marmonte League first team as a wide receiver after totaling 73 receptions for 1,022 yards with 12 touchdowns as a senior… Also played basketball and was named Marmonte League and Ventura County Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year... Also played volleyball at Newbury Park… Brother, Colby, is a quarterback at Louisiana Tech… Sister, Brynn, was a guard on Southern California’s women’s basketball team from 2005-09… Grandfather, Jack Cravens, played basketball and baseball at Brigham Young from 1957-59… Active in the Cleveland community volunteering for numerous hospital and school visits… Has a son (Tristan).

NFL Top Player - Ben Tate

Benedict "Ben" Tate (born August 21, 1988) is an American football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He set several Maryland high school football records at Stephen Decatur High School and Snow Hill High before being recruited to play football at Auburn.

Early years

As a junior at Stephen Decatur High School, Tate set the Maryland state single-season rushing record with 2,886 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 221.4 yards per game. His performance earned him first-team all-state honors. As a senior year transfer at Snow Hill High School, he ran for 2,069 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per carry while leading Snow Hill to a state runner-up finish. In 37 career games, Tate rushed 542 times for 5,920 yards and 78 touchdowns, averaging 10.9 yards per carry and 160 yards per game. He also had 210 career receiving yards. Tate also set the Maryland state records for both career yards rushing (5,920) and total career offensive yards (6,123). For his senior performance, he was awarded the Gatorade State Player of the year and was a consensus all-state pick. He was ranked No. 6 nationally among running backs and the No. 5 player from the state of Maryland by Rivals.com.

Upon graduation from Snow Hill High School, Tate received scholarship offers from Auburn, Florida, Penn State, Maryland, North Carolina and many more before accepting a scholarship to Auburn University. Ultimately, Tate chose Auburn because of its history of successful running backs.

College

In college at Auburn, he appeared in 47 career games and rushed for 3,321 yards on 678 carries (4.9 avg.) with 24 touchdowns, and added 53 receptions for 336 yards. A native of Sallsbury, Md., Tate attended Snow High School.

Freshman year
Tate played sparingly behind senior Kenny Irons, and gained 392 yards on 54 carries in 9 games. He received Freshman All-America Honorable Mention from The Sporting News. Ben's best game was a 156 yard performance against Tulane.

Sophomore year

Tate's sophomore season was a strong one, leading the Tigers in rushing (903 yards on 202 carries for a 4.5 yard average) and to a victory over Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Junior year

Heading into his Junior campaign, Tate was named to several preseason All-SEC teams. However, because of new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin and his spread, pass-first style of offense, Tate's numbers significantly declined. He gained only 664 yards on 159 carries.

Senior year

As the feature back in Gus Malzahn's spread offense, Tate shined in his final college season. He gained 1,362 yards on 263 carries with 10 touchdowns. His top performance came against Arkansas, rushing for 184 yards and two touchdowns (over 100 yards coming in the third quarter). Tate also earned AP second-team All-SEC honors, as well as being voted both the Team and Offense MVP award. Tate was also a semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award. Tate also led Auburn to a victory over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl, rushing for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns in the overtime win.

Tate finished at Auburn 5th on the career rushing list, behind Auburn greats Bo Jackson, Carnell Williams, James Brooks, and Joe Cribbs. He rushed for 3321 yards on 678 carries, scoring 24 touchdowns. Tate graduated in May 2009 with a degree in Criminology.

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

Originally Houston’s second-round pick (58th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft, Tate has 10 career rushing touchdowns and five 100-yard rushing games, while adding 58 receptions for 287 yards.

Tate was drafted in the 2nd round in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Most projected Tate to be picked somewhere in the early to middle of the second round, and recognizing his value at pick 58, the Texans aggressively traded up to draft him. This is the only time in team history that the Texans have drafted a running back earlier than the third round.

Tate missed the 2010 season after an ankle injury during the first preseason game. The following season, he rebounded to post a career-high 942 yards on 175 carries (5.4 avg.).

Houston Texans

Tate had high expectations to help a Texans running game that was one of the worst in the league the previous season, but during the Texans pre season opener in 2010, Tate broke his ankle and was placed on injured reserve(IR).

Tate returned healthy for the 2011 season, but was initially placed fourth on the depth chart behind 2010 NFL rushing leader Arian Foster, Derrick Ward, and Steve Slaton. At the conclusion of the preseason, Tate was listed as the opening day backup to Ward due to a hamstring injury to Foster. In his NFL debut, Tate did not disappoint, rushing for 116 yards and his first NFL touchdown on 24 carries. He followed that performance the following week against the Miami Dolphins with another 100-yard game, finishing with 103 yards on 23 carries. He finished the 2011 regular season with 942 rushing yards on 175 attempts (a 5.4 yards-per-carry average, third-highest in the NFL) with 4 rushing touchdowns and 98 total receiving yards in 15 games played, two of which he started (Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, and week 17 against the Tennessee Titans). Tate ran for 115 yards against the Cleveland Browns in Week 9 while Arian Foster ran for 124 yards in the same contest, leading the Texans to 261 yards on the ground, a franchise record.

Tate played in 11 games in the 2012 season, amassing 279 rushing yards on 65 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. While his per carry average remained formidable, his carries were limited due to a competitive Houston Texan's backfield along with lingering injuries to his hamstring and foot. It was a frustrating season for the young running back, who had been competing with emerging running back Justin Forsett for backup duties to Arian Foster.

Last season, Tate led the Texans with 771 rushing yards, while playing in 14 games with seven starts before being placed on injured reserve with cracked ribs. In a near upset vs. New England Dec. 1 in Houston, Tate tied a franchise record with three rushing touchdowns.

In 2013, Tate appeared in 14 games with the Texans, making 7 starts, after a season-ending injury to Arian Foster. Tate responded by rushing for 771 yards and 4 touchdowns, 3 of which came in a Week 13 game against the New England Patriots where he rushed for a season-high 102 yards. After having battled cracked ribs for much of the season, Tate was placed on injured reserve on December 19, 2013, ending his season.

Cleveland Browns

Ben Tate signed with the Cleveland Browns on March 15, 2014.

NFL Top Player - Geno Atkins

Gene Renard Atkins Jr. (born March 28, 1988) is an American football defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Georgia. He was drafted by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Early years
Atkins was born in Pembroke Pines, Florida on March 28, 1988. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale helped the school be the Class 5A runner-ups in both 2004 and 2005. As a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas in 2004, Atkins had 70 tackles (12 resulted in lost yardage), one interception, and four fumble recoveries. In 2005, during his senior season, he had 117 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Following the season, he was named First-team All-County by the Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald, First-team Class 5A in the state of Florida and was also named Florida Class 5A Defensive player of the year. Coming out of high school he was rated as the 24th best defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com and 41st best by Scout.com.

PRO BOWL PARTICIPATION: Selected to and played in two games ... Voted as a starter for 2012 season (game at Honolulu) and had one tackle ... Two tackles (one for a loss in 2011 season (game at Honolulu).

College career
Atkins played for the Georgia Bulldogs as a true freshman, recording nine tackles and 0.5 sacks in 11 games.

In 2007, Atkins saw significant playing time as a backup behind Kade Weston and Jeff Owens. On September 21, Owens said of Atkins's impact, "Geno is doing a heck of a job. He's contributing a lot to the defense. He's leading the defensive line in tackles for loss and I think we're tied in tackles." As of September 29, despite being a backup, Atkins was fourth in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with six tackles for losses along with a sack. On October 6, Atkins was named the starter over Weston and in only his second game led the team in tackles against Vanderbilt. He became the first defensive tackle to lead the team in tackles in a game since Jason Ferguson did it in 1995 and the first defensive lineman since David Pollack in 2003. Following a game against Kentucky in which he had five tackles, he was named SEC defensive player of the week for the week of November 17. Following, his sophomore season Atkins was named First-team All-SEC, and was the only player for Georgia other than running back Knowshon Moreno to be named to the team. During the press conference for Hawaii's quarterback Colt Brennan before the Sugar Bowl, Atkins asked for an autograph and took a photo with Brennan. Fellow Georgia defensive lineman Marcus Howard said of Atkins' antics during the press conference, "He was like acting like a groupie. All of us gave him grief for that." Despite getting Brennan's autograph before the game, Atkins sacked him in the fourth quarter, forcing him out of the game.

Two games into the 2008 season, Atkins already had eight tackles and nine quarterback hurries. After the defense as a whole sacked Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida six times, Atkins said, "I think we rattled Tim Tebow and the offense. We wanted to pressure him. No one really works that well under pressure, not even the greatest quarterbacks. You put a little pressure on them, they're bound to flinch." On November 14 against Auburn, Atkins came in on offense and was the lead blocker for Matthew Stafford on a quarterback sneak. In the Capital One Bowl on January 2, 2009, against Michigan State, Atkins had one tackle and two quarterback hurries.

In 2009, Atkins was listed at No. 5 on Rivals.com′s preseason defensive tackle power ranking. He was also named to the 2009 Outland Trophy watch list. In his three years after his freshman season, Atkins racked up 33 sacks, including 15 as a sophomore and 10.5 as a senior.

Professional career

Cincinnati Bengals
Atkins was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round (120th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft.

In his second season, Atkins became a full-time starter and led the team in sacks with 7.5, assisting the team to a 9-7 record and a playoff appearance. In the 2011 season he was tied for amount of sacks for a defensive tackle with Oakland's Tommy Kelly. Atkins was named to his first Pro Bowl in his second season as a starter after Vince Wilfork withdrew to participate in the Super Bowl.

In 2012, Atkins recorded 53 tackles, forced 4 fumbles, set a franchise record with 12.5 sacks, and was selected at a starter in the pro bowl as the Bengals made the playoffs for the second consecutive year. After an outstanding 2012, Geno Atkins is now regarded as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL.

On September 2, 2013, Atkins agreed to a 5-year, $55 million extension with the Cincinnati Bengals. On October 31, 2013, Atkins tore his ACL in a game against the Miami Dolphins, and missed the rest of the season.

Personal

During his freshman year at the University of Georgia, Atkins learned he suffers from Sickle cell trait. He is also the son of former New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins safety Gene Atkins.

Hometown is Pembroke Pines, Fla. ... Attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School, where he was named Florida Class 5-A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... Father, Gene Atkins, had 10-year NFL career at S with New Orleans and Miami ... Housing major at Georgia ... First name is pronounced “JEE-no.”

NFL Top Player - Tyler Eifert

Tyler Gregory Eifert (born September 8, 1990) is an American football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Bengals in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame and was recognized as the top college tight end.

Early years

Eifert attended Saint Vincent De Paul Catholic School and Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He played tight end and defensive back in football and power forward in basketball. As a senior he had nine touchdowns on offense and 97 tackles and five interceptions on defense. Considered only a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, he chose Notre Dame over offers from Indiana, Minnesota and Purdue.

HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Ind. ... As a double-duty senior, Eifert helped lead his high school team to a 14-1 record, catching 41-for-682 with 10 TDs and adding 97 tackles with four INTs (one for a TD) ... Was a versatile performer, seeing action during his career at WR, TE, S, punter and kick returner.

College career

Eifert enrolled in the University of Notre Dame, where he played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team from 2009 to 2012. As a freshman in 2009, Eifert played in only one game after suffering a back injury. As a sophomore in 2010 he entered the season as a backup to Kyle Rudolph, but took over as the starter after Rudolph suffered a season-ending injury. He finished the season with 27 receptions for 352 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games. In his junior season, he took over the starting position. As a starter, Eifert had 63 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns. He broke the school's tight end single season receptions and receiving yards record, previously held by Ken MacAfee. He was named a 2011 Mackey Award finalist, but did not win the award. As a senior, he had 50 receptions for 685 yards with 4 touchdowns. He also won the 2012 Mackey Award after being named a finalist the year before, and was also named second team All-American by the Associated Press.

After a 42-14 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, Eifert decided to forgo his final season of eligibility and declared his intentions to enter the 2013 NFL Draft.

Professional career

2013 NFL Draft

He was selected 21st overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Cincinnati Bengals

Started Games 1-15, catching 39-for-445 with two TDs ... Inactive for Game 16 due to stinger suffered in Game 15 ... In NFL debut Sept. 8 at Chicago, caught five-for-47 ... Had three receptions for 66 yards Sept. 16 vs. Pittsburgh, including a 61-yarder to set up a TD that was longest Bengals reception by a TE since 2004 (Matt Schobel, 76) ... Caught one-for-seven Sept. 22 vs. Green Bay ... Caught three-for-39 on Sept. 29 at Cleveland, including 29-yarder that was team’s longest scrimmage gain of the day ... Tied for team lead with five receptions Oct. 6 vs. New England, and his 53 receiving yards ranked second on team ... Caught three-for-45 Oct. 20 at Detroit, scoring first NFL touchdown on a 32-yard pass on which he beat tight coverage while falling to the ground in the end zone ... Caught three-for-55 Nov. 10 at Baltimore, including a 40-yard reception in which he stayed in-bounds and scampered down the sideline after catch ... Caught one-for-15 Nov. 17 vs. Cleveland ... Caught one-for-nine Dec. 1 at San Diego ... Caught three-for-20 on Dec. 8 vs. Indianapolis ... Caught three-for-33 on Dec. 15 at Pittsburgh, with one-yard TD catch on a fourth-and-goal play in fourth quarter ... Caught one-for-six Dec. 22 vs. Minnesota before leaving game in first half with a stinger.

Personal life

His father, Greg, played basketball for Purdue during the early 1980s.

Hometown is Fort Wayne, Ind. ... Finance major at Notre Dame ... Father, Greg, played basketball at Purdue, playing in 115 games under coach Gene Keady ... Last name is pronounced “IE(rhymes with ‘tie’)-fert.”

A.J. Green - NFL Top Player

Adriel Jeremiah "A. J." Green (born July 31, 1988) is an American football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Bengals fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. In his first season with the Bengals, Green made the 2012 Pro Bowl, the first rookie receiver to make a Pro Bowl appearance since Anquan Boldin in 2003. Green has caught more passes (260) than any other player in NFL history during their first three seasons.

Early years

Green was on his elementary school's juggling team telling The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he learned to juggle as early as second grade. Green said he could juggle as many as four items at once, and that the ability helped the development of his hand-eye coordination.

High school career
Green attended Summerville High School, where he played for the Summerville Green Wave high school football team, under coach John McKissick. He was widely considered to be one of the top national football prospects of the 2008 high school class, and was listed #1 by Sports Illustrated. Green earned All-State honors four times and was the only junior nominated to the 2006 USA Today All-American first team following 75 receptions for 1,422 yards and 16 touchdowns during his sophomore season. Green was also selected as a member of the Rivals.com Junior All-America team based on those stats. As a freshman, he had 57 receptions for 1,217 yards and eight touchdowns. As a junior, he had 60 catches for 1,203 yards and 14 touchdowns.

A. J. Green's 5,373 career receiving yards rank second in the all-time career receiving records of the National Federation of High Schools. His 279 career receptions rank fourth. In June 2006, Green was profiled by Sports Illustrated as part of its “Where Will They Be?” stories documenting athletes with the potential of becoming a future great, alongside Peter Uihlein, John Tavares, Tyreke Evans, Elena Delle Donne, and others. Sports Illustrated compared him to the then-Oakland Raiders wideout Randy Moss and predicted Green will be in the NFL by 2011.

Rivals.com ranked Green as their No. 9 prospect for the high school class of 2008, while Scout.com named Green their No. 10 prospect nationally. He participated in the Under Armour All-America Game.

Green was also on the Summerville High basketball team that claimed the 2007–2008 South Carolina state championship in a championship game against Spartanburg (S.C.) High. The game was played in memory of their fallen assistant coach, Captain Louis Mulkey of the Charleston Fire Department in South Carolina, who died responding to a fire with eight other firefighters on June 18, 2007.

College career
Green verbally committed to attend the University of Georgia in October 2006. He made his commitment official by signing a letter of intent to play at Georgia on February 6, 2008.

2008 season
In the fourth game of his college career, against Arizona State, Green had 8 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown. For this, he was named SEC Player of the Week. He finished the 2008 season with 56 catches for 963 yards and 8 touchdowns, all Georgia freshman school records. He also led the SEC in receiving yards, with the third-highest total in UGA school history. He was named second-team All-SEC and Freshman of the Year by the SEC coaches, and was named to the Associated Press All-SEC first team. He was not named to any national All-American teams.

2009 season
Green ended the 2009 regular season with 47 catches for 751 yards and 6 touchdowns, despite being injured the last three games of the season.

Green returned from injury for the 2009 Independence Bowl, December 28, 2009 in Shreveport, LA where he made 6 catches totaling 57 yards.

2010 season
Green was suspended for the first four games of the 2010 regular season after he admitted to selling his 2009 Independence Bowl Jersey for $1,000 to former North Carolina defensive back Chris Hawkins, who the NCAA described as an agent or someone who markets amateur athletes. As part of his punishment, Green was required to repay $1,000 to a charity. Despite missing the first four games, Green finished the season with a team high 57 catches for 848 yards and nine touchdowns.

On January 9, 2011, Green officially declared for the 2011 NFL Draft. He finished his three seasons at Georgia with 166 receptions for 2,619 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Professional career

Cincinnati Bengals

Green was selected fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. On July 28, 2011, Green agreed to a four-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals worth $19.6 million. After signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, Green became a member of School of the Legends (SOTL) in 2011. Green was featured in the 2011 NFLPA Rookie Debut "One Team" Celebration which streamed live on YouTube from New York City's Cipriani Wall Street. The event was produced by SOTL, a licensed partner of the NFLPA, and employed YouTube's live streaming platform.

2011 season
Green's first NFL reception was a 41-yard touchdown catch against their in-state rival, the Cleveland Browns. By the end of his rookie season, Green recorded four 100-yard games and led all NFL rookies in receptions and receiving yards, catching 65 passes for 1,057 yards in 15 games. His seven touchdown receptions was second among rookies – one behind Julio Jones. On December 18, 2011, Green and fellow rookie QB Andy Dalton surpassed the all-time NFL record for yards and receptions by a rookie QB/WR tandem. One week later on December 24, 2011, Green's 1,031 yards surpassed Cris Collinsworth's franchise record of 1,009 yards set in 1981 for most receiving yards by a rookie. Collinsworth still holds the franchise record for most receptions by a rookie with 67.

2012 season
In week 3 of the 2012 regular season, Green caught nine passes for a career-high 183 yards in a 38-31 win over the Washington Redskins. Later the same season in week 9, he caught a 56-yard touchdown against the New York Giants extending his touchdown streak to eight consecutive games, the longest in the NFL by a receiver and second-longest overall He extended the streak to nine following a four-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 11. On December 23, 2012 Green recorded his first career lost fumble against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he finished the game with 10 receptions for 116 yards, including a 21-yard reception that set up the game winning field goal. Green gained over 100 receiving yards in five different games and was selected to his second Pro Bowl in his second year in the league. He finished the season with 97 receptions for 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the Bengals playoff loss to Houston, he was the team's leading receiver with 5 receptions for 80 yards. In the 2013 Pro Bowl, he had 119 yards and 3 touchdowns.

2013 GENERAL: Started Games 1-16, ranking fifth in NFL in receiving yards (1426) and sixth in receptions (98) ... His 1426 yards also led Bengals in scrimmage yards and he led the team with 11 TDs.

2013 GAME-BY-GAME: On Sept. 8 at Chicago, caught nine-for-162 with two TDs (two and 45 yards), marking only his second career two TD game, and his yards were most by a Bengals receiver in a season-opener ... Caught six-for-41 Sept. 16 vs. Pittsburgh ... Caught four-for-46 with a 20-yard TD Sept. 22 vs. Green Bay ... Seven catches for 51 yards Sept. 29 at Cleveland ... Led team with 61 receiving yards and tied for team lead in receptions (five) Oct. 6 vs. New England ... Caught six-for-103 with a TD (18 yards) Oct. 13 at Buffalo, and had a then season-long 54-yard gain on a WR screen ... Caught six-for-155 Oct. 20 at Detroit, including 82-yard TD (longest gain of his of career) on game’s opening drive ... Caught three-for-115, including a pair of 53-yard receptions, Oct. 27 vs. Jets ... Caught 11-for-128 on Oct. 31 at Miami, posting his career high in catches ... Caught eight-for-151 with a TD Nov. 10 at Baltimore, his TD coming via a 51-yard Hail Mary as time expired in fourth quarter, sending game to overtime … Held to career-low seven yards (on two catches) Nov. 17 vs. Cleveland ... On Dec. 1 at San Diego, caught five-for-83, with a 21-yard TD in third quarter that put Bengals ahead to stay at 14-7 ... Caught six-for-72 on Dec. 8 vs. Indianapolis, with nine-yard TD in fourth quarter ... Led team in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (93) Dec. 15 at Pittsburgh ... Caught seven-for-97 with two TDs Dec. 22 vs. Minnesota, getting 29-yard score in first quarter and two-yarder in third quarter on a one-handed catch ... Caught four-for-61 with a 53-yard TD on Dec. 29 vs. Baltimore.

NFL Top Player - Andy Dalton

Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Christian University (TCU). In his final college game, the 2011 Rose Bowl against the Wisconsin Badgers, Andy Dalton led the Horned Frogs to a 21-19 victory. He left the TCU program as its all-time leader in wins and many statistical passing categories.

Dalton was selected by the Bengals in the second round (thirty-fifth overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft and signed a four-year, $5.2 million contract. Under a West Coast-style offensive scheme Dalton and receiver A.J. Green, the Bengals 2011 first-round selection from the University of Georgia, have become a prolific quarterback/receiver combination. Dalton and Green broke NFL records for completions and yards for a rookie quarterback/receiver combination, even without the benefit of an offseason.

Dalton is just one of three quarterbacks in NFL history to have thrown for over 3000 yards in each of his first three seasons, joining Cam Newton and Peyton Manning, and just one of three to have passed for at least 20 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons, joining Manning and Dan Marino. Dalton is the only quarterback to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to three consecutive playoff berths, and just one of five quarterbacks to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. He is also the Bengals franchise record holder for passing yards and touchdowns in a season.

Due to his red hair, Dalton has been nicknamed The Red Rifle by Bengals fans.

High school career

Andy Dalton attended Katy High School in Katy, Texas. Dalton split time as a junior in 2004 and then started only one full season at quarterback for Katy as a senior in 2005. He led the Tigers to the state finals that year where they lost to Southlake Carroll, 34–20. As a senior, he threw for 2,877 yards with 42 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. That year, he was named the Greater Houston Area offensive player of the year by the Houston Chronicle.

College career
Andy Dalton committed to Texas Christian University. He was redshirted his freshman year, but he traveled with the team to every road game and was listed as the Horned Frogs' third-string quarterback behind senior Jeff Ballard and redshirt freshman Marcus Jackson.

Entering the 2007 season, Dalton was in competition with Jackson to be the starting quarterback. Two weeks before the season opener against Baylor, TCU head coach Gary Patterson named Dalton the starter. Dalton was named the 2007 Texas Bowl MVP in TCU's 20-13 victory over Houston. After going 8-5 as a freshman, he accumulated a record of 34-3 as a starter for the rest of his career at TCU.

In the 2008 season, Dalton led TCU to an 11-2 record, finishing in second place in the Mountain West Conference and seventh in the national AP Poll. He was named the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl MVP in the Horned Frogs' 17-16 win over Boise State.

In the 2009 season, Dalton led the Horned Frogs to a perfect 12-0 regular season, a Mountain West Conference Championship, a #6 ranking in the AP Poll, and a BCS berth. The Horned Frogs lost 17-10 in the Fiesta Bowl to Boise State.

On September 4, 2010, Andy Dalton recorded his thirtieth victory as the Horned Frogs starting quarterback, passing Sammy Baugh as TCU's all-time wins leader. Against Baylor, Dalton completed 21 of 23 pass attempts (a career-best 91.3%) for 267 yards and two touchdowns. His team won a second consecutive Mountain West Conference Championship. On January 1, 2011, Dalton, who completed 194 of 293 passes for 2638 yards for 26 touchdowns during his senior season, led his team to a 21-19 victory over #4 ranked Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. His TCU football team finished the season with a perfect 13-0 record and #2 ranking in the AP Poll, barely missing out on a BCS National Championship. TCU was just one of two teams with a perfect record in 2010 along with Auburn, who won the BCS National Championship that year.

Dalton holds school career records for wins (42), touchdown passes (71), passing yards (10,314), pass attempts (1,317), completions (812), and completion percentage (61.6). He also holds single-season records for touchdown passes (27), set in the 2010 season; and attempts (371), set in the 2007 season. He also holds the single game record for highest completion percentage, 91.3 percent, which was set against Baylor in 2010. Dalton is also the MWC career leader in total offense (11,925 yards) and plays from scrimmage (1,730).

College Statistics

Professional career

2011 NFL Combine

Cincinnati Bengals
2011 season

After Dalton was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, there was much speculation over who would be the Bengals' starting quarterback, Dalton or veteran Bruce Gradkowski. Carson Palmer, the first overall draft pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, demanded to be traded or released, and was eventually traded later in the season. On August 8, 2011, before their first pre-season game versus the Detroit Lions, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis released his first depth chart per NFL rules, but noted that it meant little. The depth chart had Dalton listed as the first-string quarterback, followed by Gradkowski.

Andy Dalton's first NFL regular season start came on September 11, 2011, on the road against the Cleveland Browns. Dalton, in one half of play before leaving the game due to injury, completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts for 81 yards and 1 touchdown, posting a passer rating of 102.4. The Bengals won the game, 27-17, Dalton's first divisional AFC North victory as well as first win against the divisional rival Browns. Dalton's second game on was also on the road, against the Denver Broncos. Despite a 24-22 loss, Dalton led a comeback, completing 19 of 29 pass attempts for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second half alone, and achieving a passer rating of 107.0 for the game. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis later noted that it was during the Denver game when he realized that the Bengals had their quarterback of the future. In a 27-17 victory against the Indianapolis Colts on October 16, 2011, Dalton completed 25 of 32 passes for 264 yards and 1 touchdown. In that game, Dalton had a season-high 78.1 completion percentage and 111.5 passer rating.

On November 3, 2011, Dalton was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October. Dalton led the Bengals to a 4-0 record with 909 yards passing and 6 touchdowns in the month. Dalton then threw for 217 yards and a season-high 3 touchdowns with no interceptions against the Tennessee Titans in a comeback 24-17 victory on November 6, earning him Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors. On November 27, Dalton passed for 270 yards and a touchdown for a 105.6 passer rating in a comeback 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns, again winning Rookie of the Week. This game featured a 51-yard strike from Dalton to AJ Green with only 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, setting up the Bengals' game-winning field goal. By the end of the season, Dalton had led the Bengals to a 9-7 record and a berth in the NFL playoffs.

On January 7, 2012, the Bengals faced the T.J. Yates-led Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. This game marked the first time in NFL playoff history that two rookie quarterbacks started in the same game against each other. Dalton completed over 64 percent of his passes but also had three turnovers as the Texans won the game, 31-10.

During his rookie season, Dalton had four wins featuring fourth-quarter comebacks (vs. Buffalo, at Jacksonville, at Tennessee, and vs. Cleveland). He became the first quarterback in NFL history not drafted in the first round to start all 16 games of his rookie season. Dalton became just one of eight rookie quarterbacks with over 3,000 passing yards and at least 20 touchdown passes, joining fellow rookie Cam Newton and also Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, and Charlie Conerly, as well as Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson the following season.

At the conclusion of the season, Dalton received the Emerging Player Award from the NFL Players Association during the NFLPA PULSE Awards. The other nominees for the award were Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton, New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham, New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, and Detroit Lions DT Ndamukong Suh.

Dalton was named initially as a Pro Bowl Alternate in his first year, and was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster after the New England Patriots won the AFC Championship, forcing Tom Brady to withdraw. Dalton and Newton became the first pair of rookie quarterbacks to make the Pro Bowl in the same season. During the 2012 Pro Bowl, Dalton threw for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns for a passer rating of 152.1.

2012 season
In the second game of the season on September 16, 2012, Dalton guided the Bengals to a 34-27 victory at home over the Cleveland Browns. He completed 24 of 31 passes for 318 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception, for a 128.2 passer rating. In the following game at the Washington Redskins, Dalton completed 19 of 27 passes for 328 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception, for a season-high 132.9 passer rating, in leading the Bengals to a 38-31 win. Furthermore, Dalton lined up as a wide receiver on the first play from scrimmage of the game, acting as a decoy while wildcat quarterback Mohamed Sanu threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to AJ Green, then again flanked as a receiver while BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a touchdown via a direct snap. The following week at the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dalton threw for 244 yards and had three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in leading the Bengals to a 27-10 victory.

On October 14, 2012, Dalton threw for a career-high 381 yards to go with three touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns, but also threw three interceptions as the Bengals fell to the Browns 34-24. This was the second game in what would become a four-game losing streak. Dalton and the Bengals rebounded by defeating the New York Giants in a 31-13 game, in which Dalton completed 21 of 30 passes for 199 yards and a season-high four touchdowns, attaining a 127.6 passer rating and a season-high 94.5 QBR. For his efforts against the Giants, Dalton was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. The following week, the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-6 as Dalton completed 18 of 29 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns thrown (a 109.8 passer rating) while adding a rushing touchdown.

On November 25, 2012, in a much-hyped game with the Oakland Raiders due to the return of former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer to Cincinnati, Dalton outperformed Palmer by throwing for 210 yards and three touchdowns, achieving a 109.0 passer rating, and leading the Bengals to a 34-10 victory. In the fourth quarter, an unnecessary roughness penalty by Lamarr Houston on Dalton was one part of a sequence of events leading to the ejections of Andrew Whitworth, Tommy Kelly, and Houston from the game. With his performance, Dalton became one of three players in NFL history with at least 20 touchdown passes in each of his first two seasons, joining Peyton Manning and Dan Marino.

In two of the next three following weeks, Dalton's mobility proved to be valuable as he scrambled for the go-ahead touchdown runs in victories over the San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. On December 23, 2012 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, his 21-yard throw to AJ Green with fourteen seconds remaining set up the game-winning field goal, propelling the Bengals to a 13-10 victory and a second consecutive berth in the NFL playoffs. This game marked the first time Dalton was able to defeat the divisional rival Steelers, and the first time the Bengals made the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 1981-1982. The following week, Dalton threw for a touchdown and a 101.5 quarterback rating in one half of play in a 23-17 Bengals win over the Baltimore Ravens. This marked Dalton's first victory over the divisional rival Ravens and capped a 10-6 regular season record.

On January 5, 2013, Dalton and the Bengals faced the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. In a defensive struggle with neither Dalton nor Texans quarterback Matt Schaub able to pass for a touchdown, the Bengals lost 19-13, the second consecutive year the Bengals fell to the Texans in the opening round of the playoffs. With 2:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, Dalton overthrew an open AJ Green for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown.

2013 GENERAL: Has started Games 1-15 and has posted 91.0 passer rating, fourth in AFC and 10th in NFL … Has passed 342-for-550 (62.2 percent) for 4015 yards with 31 TDs and 16 INTs ... Ranks second in AFC in TD passes, and ranks fifth in yards and completions … 55-for-160 rushing with one TD, with several key gains on third and fourth downs.

2013 GAME-BY-GAME: On Sept. 8 at Chicago, passed 26-for-33 (career-best 78.8 percent) for 282 yards, two TDs and two INTs (97.2 rating) ... Led two TD drives of 90 or more yards (97 and 91) at Chicago, marking first game in which Bengals had two 90-yard TD drives since 1991 ... Went 25-for-45 for 280 yards with one TD and no INTs Sept. 16 vs. Pittsburgh ... Passed 20-for-28 for 235-2-1 (105.5 rating) Sept. 22 vs. Green Bay ... Also lost a fumble on a sack vs. Packers ... On Sept. 29 at Cleveland, passed 23-for-43 for 206 yards with no TDs, an INT, with one lost fumble, and rushed four-for-13, including a team-long 10-yarder ... Went 20-for-27 (74.1 percent) for 212 yards with no TDs and one INT Oct. 6 vs. New England, and rushed six-for-25, including five-yarder to Patriots one-yard line that set up game’s only TD ... Posted a career-best 135.9 passer rating Oct. 20 at Detroit, hitting 24-of-34 (70.6 percent) for 372 yards with three TDs and no INTs ... His 372 passing yards at Detroit are third-most in his career and his most in a win ... Went 19-for-30 for 325 yards with a career-high five TDs and one INT (125.7 passer rating) Oct. 27 vs. the Jets, third consecutive game of eclipsing 300 yards and 100 passer rating ... Went 32-for-53 (60.4 percent) with 338 yards Oct. 31 at Miami, with no TDs and three INTs ... Passed 24-for-51 (47.1 percent) for 274 yards with two TDs and three INTs Nov. 10 at Baltimore, and had three rushes for first downs on third- or fourth-down plays ... Went 13-for-27 (48.1 percent) for 93 yards with three TDs and two INTs Nov. 17 vs. Cleveland ... Went 14-for-23 (60.9 percent) for 190 yards with one TD and one INT Dec. 1 at San Diego ... Posted a 120.5 passer rating Dec. 8 vs. Indianapolis, going 24-for-35 for 275 with 3 TDs and no INTs, and also rushed five-for-11, including an eight-yard TD run, his first of the season ... Passed 25-for-44 (56.8 percent) for 230 yards with two TDs and no INTs Dec. 15 at Pittsburgh, and rushed four-for-20 … On Dec. 22 vs. Minnesota, posted career-best 136.5 passer rating (27-for-38 for 366-4-0), hitting plus-four differential in TD passes to INTs for third time in his career.

Career statistics

Personal life

Andy Dalton married Jordan Jones in July 2011. The two have started a charity in the Greater Cincinnati area helping needy children and families. They are expecting their first child in summer 2014.

Dalton is a Protestant Christian. Dalton has spoken about his faith saying, "Not very many people get a chance to play in the NFL. To start—and start as a rookie—I feel so blessed. So many things had to fall right to be where I am. I thank God every day." Dalton says one of his favorite Bible verses is 1 Peter 5:6.

NFL Top Player - Lance Briggs

Lance Marell Briggs (born November 12, 1980) is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Arizona, and was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.


HONORS AND AWARDS: 2011 - Pro Bowl; NFC Defensive Player of the Week (10/23). 2010 - Pro Bowl. 2009 - Pro Bowl; second-team All-Pro (AP); NFC Defensive Player of the Week (9/27). 2008 - Pro Bowl. 2007 - Pro Bowl. 2006 - Pro Bowl; second-team All-Pro (AP); All-Pro (The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated); All-NFC (Pro Football Weekly); 2005 - Pro Bowl; first-team All-Pro (AP).


PRO CAREER: Seven-time Pro Bowler (2005-11) has recorded 1,414 tackles, 83 TFLs, 15 INTs, 12 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries and six defensive TDs in 10 seasons (2003-11) as a member of the Bears... 6 defensive TDs are third most in franchise history (trailing Charles Tillman, 9, and Mike Brown, 7) and 5 INT return TDs are second most (behind Tillman's 8)... His 5 interception return TDs are tied with Jack Pardee for third most in NFL history among linebackers (trailing Hall of Famer Bobby Bell and Derrick Brooks)... One of nine players in franchise history to be voted to 7 Pro Bowls... Just the fourth LB in franchise history to be selected to 7 straight Pro Bowls, joining Hall of Famers Dick Butkus, Bill George and Mike Singletary... 1,414 career tackles are third most in franchise history since 1971 when tackles were officially recorded for the first time... Has led the team in tackles five times: 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 and finished second four times: 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010... Has started 153-of-156 career games played... Collected 100-plus tackles for nine straight seasons (2004-12)... He and Brian Urlacher were the first Bears LBs to be selected to consecutive Pro Bowls together (2005 and 2006) since Wilber Marshall and Mike Singletary in 1987 and 1988... According to STATS, Inc., leads NFL in stuffs - a tackle of a rusher for negative yards - over the past 10 seasons with 71... Became first linebacker in NFL history to return an interception for a score in each of his first 3 campaigns... Has 57 tackles including 4 TFLs, 1 INT and 2 PBUs in 6 career postseason starts.


CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Entered NFL as a third-round selection (68th overall) by Chicago in the 2003 NFL Draft... Signed contract with Bears (7/25/03)... Designated with the team's franchise tag for 2007 season... Signed 6-year contract with Chicago (3/7/08)... Signed 1-year extension with Bears (4/11/12). SIGNED through 2014

2012 SEASON: Paced the Bears in tackles (128) and TFLs (9), starting all 16 contests... Ranked third on Bears in PBUs (10)... Registered 2 forced fumbles, 2 INTs and 3 PBUs... Returned both INTs for TDs, becoming second linebacker in franchise history with two INT return TDs in a single season (Bones Weatherly, 2 in 1950)... Along with CB Charles Tillman became first teammates in NFL history to each have interception return touchdowns in back-to-back games (Weeks 4-5; Briggs 74 yards at DAL and 36 yards at JAX; Tillman 25 yards at DAL and 36 yards at JAX). GAMES PLAYED-STARTED: 16-16

PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2011 - Paced the Bears in tackles (147) while starting all 16 contests... Registered 8 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 INT and 3 PBUs. 2010 - Ranked second on the team in tackles (121) and TFLs (7), starting all 15 regular season games... He played and started both playoff contests... Tallied 2.0 sacks, 2 INTs, 7 PBUs, 2 FFs and 1 FR... Led the team with 16 tackles (10 solo) in the postseason, including 1 INT. 2009 - Started all 15 games he appeared in, leading the Bears in tackles (147)... Posted a career-high 2.5 sacks to go along with 2 PBUs, 1 INT and 7 TFLs. 2008 - Paced the Bears in tackles (136) and fumble recoveries (2), starting all 16 games at WLB... Tied for second on the team and second among all NFL linebackers with a career-high 3 INTs... Returned a fumble 21 yards for a TD at IND (9/7)... Finished second on Chicago in PBUs (7)... Tallied 0.5 sack, 1 FF, 2 FRs and 9 TFLs... Collected first multi-INT game of his career at STL (11/23). 2007 -Led Chicago with 10 TFLs... Ranked second on the Bears in tackles (140) while posting 2 forced fumbles and 2 sacks... Finished the season tied for second in the NFL with 12.5 stuffs, according to STATS, Inc... Also added 4 QB hits, 1 PBU and 1 FR. 2006 - Started all 16 games for 3rd straight season while finishing 2nd on team with career-high 176 tackles... Also finished 2nd on roster with 10 TFLs (tying a career high), and 9 PBUs... Led team in postseason with 32 tackles and 3 TFLs; added 2 PBUs. 2005 - Ranked 2nd on Bears with 170 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT, 13 PBUs, 3 FFs and 2 FRs while starting all 16 games. 2004 - Started 16 games at WLB, moving from SLB in the off-season, and became first Bears player other than Brian Urlacher to lead team in tackles since Barry Minter in 1999... Named Pro Bowl second-alternate at OLB after recording 168 tackles including 10 TFLs and 0.5 sack and INT return TD... Led team in tackles in 8 games... Scored 2nd career TD on 38-yard INT return at DET (12/26); combined with Mike Green on his first career sack. 2003 - Played all 16 games as a rookie for Chicago, becoming a starter at SLB for final 13 contests and tying for 4th on Chicago with 81 tackles... Added an INT return for a TD, 5 PBUs and 4 TFLs.

COLLEGE: Three-time first-team all-Pac-10 selection at LB at Arizona (1999-2002)... Switched positions from FB to LB during the spring following his freshman season... Led Wildcats in tackles each of his three seasons on defense... Concluded career with 308 tackles (205 solos), 10.5 sacks, 36 TFLs, 3 INTs, 10 PBUs, 5 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries in 33 games at SLB... Named team's Defensive Most Valuable Player as a senior, starting 11 games and leading team with 98 tackles, including 3 sacks and 11 TFLs, 1 INT, 2 PBUs, 2 FR and 2 FFs... As a junior, had 93 tackles in 11 games while collecting 6.5 sacks and 14 TFLs... In first year at LB as a sophomore, had 113 tackles with 1 sack, 11 TFLs, 1 forced fumble and 2 INTs... Rushed for 163 yards and 2 TDs on 25 carries in 10 games at FB as a freshman... Majored in sociology.

Early years
A Sacramento, California native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, California. While at the University of Arizona, he was a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 Conference selection as a linebacker for the Arizona Wildcats football team. Briggs finished his college career with 308 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 36 tackles for losses, three interceptions, 10 passes deflected, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 33 games at strong side linebacker.

PERSONAL: Three-year letterman at Elk Grove High School in Sacramento, CA, as a LB, RB, S, K, kickoff and punt returner... Named Sacramento Bee Player-of-the-Year as a senior with 100 tackles, including 5 sacks... Two-year track letterman in the 200-meters, 4x100 relay and shot put... Born Lance Marell Briggs to Raymond and Brenda Briggs... Sister, Tranae, played volleyball at Sacramento State, South Florida and Florida State... Cousin, Tamika Dennis, played volleyball at Arizona... Participated in ESPN: The Weekend at Disney's Wide World of Sports during the 2006 off-season.