Brandon Marshall

Infobox NFLactive
currentteam=Denver Broncos


width=200
caption=Brandon Marshall during the 2007 season.
country=USA
currentnumber=15
currentposition=Wide receiver
birthdate=birth date and age|1984|3|23
birthplace=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
heightft=6
heightin=4
weight=230
debutyear=2006
debutteam=Denver Broncos
highlights=
* Awards and honors
college=University of Central Florida
draftyear=2006
draftround=4
draftpick=119
pastteams=
* Denver Broncos (2006-Present)
statweek=5
statseason=2008
statlabel1=Receptions
statvalue1=156
statlabel2=Receiving Yards
statvalue2=2,057
statlabel3=Receiving TDs
statvalue3=12
nfl=MAR370922

Brandon Marshall (born March 23, 1984), nicknamed "The Beast," [ [http://cbs4denver.com/broncos/broncos.marshall.suspension.2.808046.html Marshall Wants To Catch 140 Passes This Year] ] is an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected by the Broncos out of the University of Central Florida, with the 119th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. [http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=498&contentID=5909 Brandon Marshall Biography at DenverBroncos.com – Official Website Of The Denver Broncos] ]

Early life

Marshall was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He later lived in Georgia, then moved to Florida, where he played high school football at Lake Howell High School. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_/ai_n16804725 The making of an NFL-caliber receiver] ] Marshall played both offense and defense, as he earned All-State honors and was named Seminole County Utility Player of the Year. He also lettered in basketball and track three times. As a senior, Marshall won the Class 3A state triple-jump championship, landing a jump of 48-feet, six-and-three-quarter inches.

College

Marshall played a total of 44 games (21 starts) at wide receiver for the University of Central Florida, collecting 112 receptions, 1,674 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in his collegiate career. His best season came in 2005 as a senior. He played in 13 games and had career highs in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,195) and touchdowns (11). Marshall's best career game came in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl, where he had 11 catches for 210 yards and three touchdowns. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls05/bowls?game=hawaii ESPN.com - NCF - Sheraton HAWAII BOWL ] ] He was named MVP of the game. For his efforts during the 2005 season, Marshall was selected to the All-C-USA second team.

Marshall also started at safety for seven games during the 2004 season due to injuries in UCF's secondary. He made his first collegiate start at safety on October 4, 2004, against Buffalo. [http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/marshall_brandon00.html Player Bio: Brandon Marshall :: Football] ] He recorded four tackles, including a half of a sack. Marshall led his entire team in tackles (51) during the 2004 season. He also had an interception and a forced fumble.

NFL

2006

The Denver Broncos selected Marshall with the 119th overall selection in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2548727 ESPN - Broncos lose promising rookie receiver - NFL ] ] Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games (1 start) during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns for his rookie year. He caught a pass in each of the Broncos' final seven games of the season, totaling 18 receptions, 287 receiving yards and 1 touchdown over that stretch. The lone touchdown came during a NBC Sunday Night Football home game against the Seattle Seahawks on December 3, 2006. In that game, Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler (who was making his NFL regular season debut as a rookie) threw a pass to Marshall on the right side of the field. Marshall broke and spun away from three tackles on his way to a career-high 71-yard touchdown. It was the second longest rookie-to-rookie pass play in Broncos history.

2007

Marshall sustained injuries before the start of the 2007 season. He suffered a groin strain that kept him out of Broncos quarterback camp and team camp during May and June. He also pulled a quadriceps femoris muscle on July 10, 2007, during Broncos mini-camp. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_6344402 The Denver Post - Injury pulls Marshall to sideline ] ] The injury left him out for nearly all of training camp until Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan ordered him to participate for the last couple of days. [ [http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=253982 SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NFL Football stats, scores, standings, blogs and fantasy news from NFL Football columnists ] ]

During the 2007 season, Marshall posted team-highs and career-highs in receptions (102), receiving yards (1,325) and receiving touchdowns (7). His 100-reception and 1,000-yard season were each the first of his career. Marshall reached the 1,000-yard milestone during the 13th game of the season, which was a 41-7 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs. In the game, Marshall had 10 catches for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271209007 ESPN - Cutler tosses career-high four TDs as Broncos crush Chiefs - NFL Football Recap ] ]

On December 13, 2007, in a Thursday night road loss against the Houston Texans, Marshall caught 11 passes for 107 yards. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271213034 ESPN - Texans' Williams posts 3½ sacks, smothers Cutler, Broncos - NFL Football Recap ] ] Nine of those receptions occurred in the first half. Marshall became the first and only wide receiver in Broncos history to have at least 10 receptions in two consecutive games. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/14/marshall-once-again-lonely-offensive-threat-for/ Marshall once again lonely offensive threat for Broncos : Broncos : The Rocky Mountain News ] ]

On Christmas Eve, 2007, in a Monday night road loss to the San Diego Chargers, Marshall caught six passes for 75 yards. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271224024 ESPN - Tomlinson takes over NFL rushing lead in Chargers rout - NFL Football Recap ] ] The six receptions in the game gave Marshall 92 total catches on the season up to that point, making him only the fifth wide receiver in NFL history (Lionel Taylor, Sterling Sharpe, Isaac Bruce and Larry Fitzgerald are the others) to have at least 90 receptions in their second season. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_7766063 The Denver Post - Marshall caught up in success ] ]

On December 30, 2007, in a Sunday home win against the Minnesota Vikings, Marshall caught 10 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271230007 ESPN - Vikings, Broncos both see season come to close - NFL Football Recap ] ] The 10 catches gave Marshall 102 total receptions for the year - his first career 100-catch season. He became only the third second-year player in NFL history to have at least 100 receptions in a season, joining Bruce and Fitzgerald.

Among all of the wide receivers in the NFL during the season, Marshall placed fifth in receptions (102), sixth in receiving yards (1,325), second in yards after the catch (505), first in yards after first contact (319), first in number of times targeted (170) and tied for fourth in catches that led to first downs (70). [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/stats/2007/receiving/0_byRECPT.html SI.com - NFL - Sortable Receiving Stats - Individual Leaders ] ]

Following the 2007 season, Marshall, Cutler and Tony Scheffler went to Atlanta, Georgia together to train and work on timing for the 2008 season. [ [http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=353844 SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NFL Football stats, scores, standings, blogs and fantasy news from NFL Football columnists ] ]

2008

On March 22, 2008, Marshall slipped on an empty McDonald's bag while wrestling with family members, and subsequently, fell through a television set at his home in Orlando, Florida - cutting his right forearm. [http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_8666586 WR Marshall has arm stitched up - The Denver Post ] ] [ [http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_8685099 Broncos' Marshall suffers bad cuts] ] [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3312027 ESPN - Marshall to be out four months after arm injury requires surgery - NFL ] ] According to Broncos head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos, Marshall "sustained right forearm lacerations to one artery, one vein, one nerve, two tendons and three muscles." He was treated at a local hospital and later released after needing a cast and several stitches. In early April, Marshall had the cast removed from his surgically repaired right forearm and was in a sling until May. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_8833651 Marshall has cast removed] ] He was later cleared in late-June to practice with the Broncos. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/27/resurrection-hand-broncos-marshall/ Resurrection at hand for Broncos' Marshall : Broncos : The Rocky Mountain News ] ]

Marshall officially received a three-game suspension from the NFL on August 5, 2008, due to his off-the-field issues. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3520985 ESPN - Marshall gets three-game suspension for violating conduct policy - NFL ] ] He appealed the decision and won the appeal, reducing the punishment to a one-game suspension and a fine of two combined game checks, which total $52,353. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3558702]

In Marshall's first game back from suspension, he caught 18 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, as part of a 39-38 home victory over the San Diego Chargers. [http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280914007] The 18 receptions were a Broncos single-game record, and tied for the second most in NFL history, trailing only Terrell Owens, who caught 20 passes for the San Francisco 49ers in a game during the 2000 NFL season. Marshall's 18 receptions gave him 55 total receptions over five games, which is an NFL record. [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7868/news] He is the first receiver in NFL history to register at least 10 receptions in four out of five games. ["What To Look For - Week 3", NFL Media.com] His performance against the Chargers also earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_10480484?source=rss]

tatistics

Personal

Marshall enjoys restoring vintage automobiles. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and does charity work with them. He is involved in an ongoing effort to rebuild Larimer Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Legal trouble

According to Orlando-Orange County public records (case 48-2004-MM-012392-O), on Halloween 2004, while a student at UCF, Marshall was arrested in Orlando on charges of assault on a law enforcement officer, refusal to obey, disorderly conduct and resisting an officer. [ [http://orangeclerk.ocfl.net/eNACTWeb64/Logon.jsp http://orangeclerk.ocfl.net/eNACTWeb64/Logon.jsp] ]

On January 1, 2007, Marshall was present at "The Shelter," a nightclub in LoDo, Denver, Colorado, along with teammates Javon Walker and Darrent Williams. As the players were leaving the club, Williams was fatally shot in the neck by an unknown assailant. Walker has stated in interviews that the shooter was likely a nightclub patron whose motive was retaliation after being involved in an altercation with Marshall's cousin earlier that night. [ [http://www.hbo.com/realsports/stories/2007/episode.125.s3.html "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel", Episode 125, August 14, 2007] ]

On March 26, 2007, Marshall was arrested in the Highlands Ranch suburb of Denver on suspicion of domestic violence after his girlfriend reported that following a domestic dispute, Marshall prevented a taxi she was in from leaving his house. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_9731406 Violent tendency, no penalty - The Denver Post ] ] Charges from the incident were later dismissed on May 25, 2007, after Marshall completed anger management counseling. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2882758 ESPN - False-imprisonment charge dropped against Broncos' Marshall - NFL ] ]

In the early morning of October 22, 2007, Marshall was arrested in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area at the intersection of 14th and Blake St. for driving under the influence of alcohol. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5728658,00.html Brandon Marshall charged with DUI : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News ] ] A trial was scheduled for September 16, but Marshall instead agreed to a plea bargain four days earlier; he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired. [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/sep/12/brandon-marshall-pleads-guilty-lesser-charge/?partner=RSS Bronco pleads guilty to DWAI] ] He was sentenced to one-year probation and 24 hours of community service.

On June 12, 2008, Marshall was ticketed for an illegal lane change, then found to be without his license and proof of insurance. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_9817294 Another traffic ticket for Brandon Marshall] ] The case was eventually dropped as part of a plea bargain for the October 22, 2007 driving incident involving alcohol.

According to an article published in the "Rocky Mountain News" on July 28, 2008, Douglas County deputies fielded "about 11" calls to Marshall's home since January 2006. The article stated that one one call resulted in Marshall being arrested (the March 26, 2007 domestic dispute), and some did not involve him at all. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/28/deputies-had-more-10-calls-brandon-marshalls-home/ Deputies had more than 10 calls to Brandon Marshall's home : Broncos : The Rocky Mountain News ] ]

A September 17, 2008 article on CompleteColorado.com stated that the solicitor's office in Fulton County, Georgia filed misdemeanor battery charges on September 10 for an alleged incident on March 4, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia. The case was assigned to Judge John Mather in Georgia state court. An email from Judge Mather's office to CompleteColorado.com indicated that no court date had been set, but that the date would likely be in November or December. [ [http://www.completecolorado.com/Marshall4.html Criminal Charges Filed Against Marshall In Atlanta] ]

Awards and honors

* AFC Offensive Player of the Week - Week 2 (2008)
* 2005 Hawaii Bowl MVP
* Second-team All-C-USA (2005)

References

External links

* [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=9705 Player card] on ESPN.com
* [http://www.nfl.com/players/brandonmarshall/profile?id=MAR370922 Player bio at NFL.com]
* [http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=498&contentID=5909 Player bio at Denver Broncos official website]
* [http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/marshall_brandon00.html College player bio at UCFAthletics.com]
* [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/sports/denver-broncos/brandon-marshall/ Brandon Marshall news]