Warren Sapp

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Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp at the Tokyo Dome in 2003.
Date of birth	December 19, 1972 (age 34)
Place of birth	Orlando, Florida
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	300 lb (136 kg)
Position(s)	DT
College	University of Miami
NFL Draft	1995 / Round 1 / Pick 12
Career Highlights
Pro Bowls	1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Awards	1994 Bronko Nagurski Trophy 1994 Chuck Bednarik Award 1994 Lombardi Award 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Honors	NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
Stats
Statistics	Pro Football Reference NFL.com DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1995–2003 2004-present	Tampa Bay Buccaneers Oakland Raiders

Warren Carlos Sapp (born December 19, 1972 in Orlando, Florida) is a professional football player for the NFL's Oakland Raiders. Sapp is known for his intense and aggressive defensive play, his swift and powerful tackling, and (when periodically substituted on offense) his ability to cast aside multiple defenders with ease. He is also known for being one of the NFL's most talkative and engaging players.

[edit] Early life

Sapp was raised in Plymouth, Florida, a small, rural community on the Lake County/Orange County, Florida line. During the late 1980s, he earned widespread recognition as an outstanding football player at Apopka High School in Apopka, Florida as a linebacker, tight end and punter [1]. While playing football for Apopka High School, Sapp delivered a hit on a player from Dr. Phillips High school named Johnny Damon, who now plays baseball for the New York Yankees. This was the first concussion Johnny Damon ever received.

[edit] College career

Many top national colleges sought him out as a football player, but Sapp chose to play for the University of Miami, one of the premier collegiate football programs in the nation. Converted to defensive lineman while there, Sapp would win the "Bronko Nagurski Trophy" (best defensive player), the "Chuck Bednarik Award" (defensive player), and the "Lombardi Award" (best lineman or linebacker) all in 1994. He was also named to many "All-American" teams.

[edit] NFL career

[edit] Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After playing college football at the University of Miami, where he was a defensive standout, Sapp was drafted into the NFL by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1995 draft (12th pick overall). Some felt Sapp would be drafted even higher, but his draft standing was damaged following allegations, just prior to the 1995 draft, that he had tested positive for marijuana on one or more occasions while at the University of Miami.

Upon joining Tampa Bay, however, Sapp was almost immediately given the starting job at the position of right defensive tackle and finished his rookie season with 27 tackles and one interception.

Sapp continued to be a prolific, intimidating tackler for the Buccaneers, tallying 51 tackles and nine sacks in 1996 and 58 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 1997. In 1997, Sapp was named to his first Pro Bowl. He has appeared in six consecutive Pro Bowls since, and Sapp has never been penalized for testing positive for any type of prohibited substance under the NFL's stringent substance abuse policy.

[edit] 2003 Super Bowl

In 2003 Super Bowl following the 2002-2003 season, Sapp helped lead a resurgent Tampa Bay team to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII over the Oakland Raiders. Sapp had five tackles and two sacks during the 2002-2003 post-season.

[edit] Mike Sherman confrontation

On November 24, 2002, at Raymond James Stadium, Sapp drew wide criticism for leveling the Green Bay Packers' Chad Clifton. There was a national debate on whether the hit was a cheap shot, as replays showed that Clifton and Sapp were far away from the play during the interception. The hit sent Clifton to the hospital with a serious pelvic injury and ended his season. Following the 21-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers victory, Sapp and Packers' coach Mike Sherman exchanged heated words. Initially nonchalant about the incident, Sapp at first reached out to shake Sherman's hand, but Sherman would have none of it, saying "That hit on Clifton was chicken shit." On national television, Sapp told Sherman: "Fuck that. Put on a jersey...You're so tough? Put a jersey on...win some games." He continued to chase Sherman, chanting "Put a jersey on!" His reaction to Sherman's anger gave credence to Sherman's position and drew national criticism from writers who felt Sapp reacted in poor taste. Many writers have argued that the respect Sapp had from national sportswriters disappeared after the malicious hit on Clifton and subsequent reaction. One year after the incident, Sapp was named the enemy of Wisconsin in the Sports Illustrated's 50th anniversary edition. Clifton has since recovered from the injury and still plays for the Green Bay Packers as one of the league's premier offensive tackles.

[edit] The skipping incidents

During pre-game warm-ups of a December 23, 2002 Monday Night Football game at Raymond James Stadium, Sapp skipped through and taunted the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steelers running back Jerome Bettis shoved Sapp, and this was followed by a heated argument between the two teams. Sapp was not fined for the incident, but it added to his controversial image. Sapp felt that he was made an example by the NFL by being fined for that first skipping incident. "That's all this is about", said Sapp. "In my nine years in this league, no one's been fined for verbally abusing officials. It's unprecedented". A rather lackadaisical Buccaneers team wound up losing to the Steelers 17-7, and was ridiculed by Steelers' Lee Flowers as being "paper champions." Notwithstanding the miserable evening, Sapp and the Buccaneers went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII five weeks later, and much was forgotten for a while.

In 2003, during an October 6 Monday Night Football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sapp was scolded for skipping through and disrupting the Colts players, who were spread out on the field, stretching during pre-game warmups. There was much anticipation and national interest going into the game, which was the return of former head coach Tony Dungy to Tampa. The Colts wound up erasing a 21-point deficit in the final four minutes, and defeated the Buccaneers 38-35 in overtime, further adding to the disdain and frustration of fans.

A week later, on October 12, 2003, prior to the game against the Washington Redskins, Sapp was skipping by the Redskins' sidelines, antagonizing his opponents. He then bumped into and knocked over an NFL referee. The incident drew a fine of $50,000. Sapp's response to the fine further tarnished his public perception: "It's a slave system. Make no mistake about it. Slave master say you can't do it, don't do it. They'll make an example out of you."

Following the 2003 season, discussions between the Buccaneers and the now free agent Sapp never came to fruition and Sapp began to look at the possibility of leaving the Buccaneers.

Less than a month after filing for free agency, Sapp appeared on Punk'd, where he was tricked by Ashton Kutcher's crew members who gave Sapp some terrible service at a restaurant.

[edit] Oakland Raiders

In 2004, it was reported that Sapp was interested in accepting a contract offer from the Cincinnati Bengals for four years worth US $16 million. However, on March 20, he announced that he had agreed to terms on a seven-year, $36.6 million contract with the Raiders. Sapp started all 16 games in his first season with the Raiders, splitting time at defensive end as well as defensive tackle. Sapp recorded 42 tackles (33 solo), 2.5 sacks (Sapp's lowest career sack total) and recovered two fumbles. 2005 started out as a great year for Sapp, as he was moved back to his familiar DT position. He started the first ten games of the season recording 29 tackles (25 of them solo), and finished second on the team to Derrick Burgess with five sacks. Sapp was sidelined for the last six games of '05 with a shoulder injury. Sapp returned to his All-Pro form in 2006, as he was nominated to his 8th Pro Bowl. Sapp and the Raider defense were one of very few bright spots for the 2006 Raiders. Sapp had 10 sacks to go along with 32 takles and one forced fumble.

[edit] Personal

• Sapp's agent is fellow University of Miami alumnus Drew Rosenhaus, a member of the so-called Miami mafia and widely considered one of the most aggressive agents currently representing NFL players.
• Sapp's first TV appearance as a Raider is on The Simpsons post-Super Bowl XXXIX episode along with Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady.
• Sapp is in the cutscene of NCAA Football 2006 where he successfully tackles Warrick Dunn for a loss. Ray Lewis is also in the short cutscene.
• Sapp's favorite movie is The Silence of the Lambs.
• Sapp's web site is qbkilla.com, a reference to his quarterback sacking abilities.
• QB KILLA is also one of Sapp's vanity license plates.
• Sapp has made several guest appearances on ESPN's Pardon The Interruption and is an avid fan of the YouTube clip of the "Trampoline Bear"
• One of Sapp's teammates at the University of Miami was current actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

[edit] External links

• Warren Sapp Official Web Site.
• Warren Sapp at ESPN.com.
• Warren Sapp at University of Miami Famous Alumni.