- Vince Wilfork
Infobox NFLactive
name=Vince Wilfork
width=
caption=Vince Wilfork at the Patriots 2008 Training Camp.
currentteam=New England Patriots
currentnumber=75
currentpositionplain=Defensive tackle
birthdate=birth date and age|1981|11|4
birthplace=Boynton Beach, Florida
country=USA
heightft=6
heightin=2
weight=325
debutyear=2004
debutteam=New England Patriots
highlights=
* Consensus All-Big East (2003)
*Super Bowl champion (XXXIX)
*Pro Bowl selection (2007)
*All-Pro selection (2007)
college=University of Miami
draftyear=2004
draftround=1
draftpick=21
pastteams=
*New England Patriots (2004–present)
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Tackles
statvalue1=194
statlabel2=Sacks
statvalue2=5.5
statlabel3=INTs
statvalue3=0
nfl=WIL059369Vincent Lamar Wilfork (born
November 4 ,1981 inBoynton Beach, Florida ) is anAmerican football player who plays at startingnose tackle for theNew England Patriots of theNational Football League . He played collegiately at the University of Miami and was drafted by the Patriots in the first round (21st overall) of the2004 NFL Draft .Early life
Wilfork attended Santaluces High School in
Palm Beach County, Florida and was a letter winner in both football and track and field. In football, he won "USA Today "'s second team All-American honors. In track and field, he was the Florida Class 4A state champion in theshot put and the discus in 2000. [cite web | title=Results of 2000 Outdoor State Meet Class 4A | publisher=DyeStat Florida | date=May 13, 2000 | url=http://www.dyestat.com/rivals/200909.html] He also holds the Florida state high school record in the shot put with a throw of 68 feet. and this led back to the original star wars [cite web | title=Under the Helmet: Vince Wilfork| publisher=New England Patriots| date=December 14, 2007 | url=http://www.patriots.com/search/index.cfm?ac=searchdetail&pid=29624&pcid=41&rss=1]College career
Wilfork attended the
University of Miami and was a star in both football and track and field (shot put). In football, he finished his career with fourteen sacks, 148 tackles (37.5 for losses), five forced fumbles, and had three fumble recoveries. In track, he holds the Miami indoor school record in the shot put.He majored in
liberal arts .Late in his college career, both of Wilfork's parents, Barbara and David Wilfork, died in their late forties of natural causes within a few months of each other.
NFL career
The Patriots drafted Wilfork with the 21st overall pick in the
2004 NFL Draft . In his rookie season with the Patriots, he compiled two sacks, 27 tackles, and three deflected passes. Wilfork saw considerable playing time during his rookie season, and helped the Patriots get back to theSuper Bowl against thePhiladelphia Eagles in February, 2005.Wilfork had a career-high 91 tackles in 2005; however, the defending champions were eliminated in the second round of playoffs by the
Denver Broncos . In the first round of the playoffs, New England, playing at home, defeated theJacksonville Jaguars . In 2006, Wilfork finished the season with 81 tackles. In the 2007 season, Wilfork notched 7 solo tackles and a big 8-yard sack ofBen Roethlisberger in Week 13 in a 34-13 win over thePittsburgh Steelers . He was also selected to the2008 Pro Bowl .Wilfork was fined a total of 4 times by the NFL in the 2007 season. In the third game of the season he was fined $12,500 by the
NFL for his low, late hit onBuffalo Bills quarterbackJ.P. Losman . [ [http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/09/26/vince-wilfork-expects-fine-for-j-p-losman-hit/ Vince Wilfork Expects Fine for J.P. Losman Hit - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog ] ] This was appealed to the NFL and reduced to $2,500. He was fined $5,000 for a 15-yard personal foul penalty. A face-mask penalty called in the AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers, while attempting to tackle running backMichael Turner . And in a game on October 14, 2007 at Dallas Wilfork was fined $5,000 for drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct foul when he tangled withDallas Cowboys tight endJason Witten . [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3215704 ESPN - Patriots' Wilfork fined $5,000 for face-mask infraction against Chargers - NFL ] ] In the last game of the regular 2007 season, Wilfork placed his finger in the facemask ofNew York Giants running backBrandon Jacobs after a play in the second quarter. He was fined $15,000. [cite news | url = http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d805bd355&template=without-video&confirm=true | work =Associated Press viaNFL | title = Patriots' Wilfork fined $15,000 for finger-poking incident against Giants | date =2008-01-04 | accessdate = 2008-01-04 ] The move was seen by a national television audience but not the referees on the field.Notes and references
External links
* [http://www.vincewilfork75.com Vince Wilfork Official Web Site] .
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