Isaiah Kacyvenski

Infobox NFLretired
name=Isaiah Kacyvenski


width=
caption=
position=Linebacker
number=58, 59
birthdate=birth date and age|1977|10|3 city-state|Endicott|New York
deathdate=
debutyear=2007
finalyear=2007
draftyear=2000
draftround=4
draftpick=119
college=Harvard
teams=
* Seattle Seahawks (2000-2006)
* St. Louis Rams (2006)
* Oakland Raiders (2007)*:*Offseason member only
stat1label=Tackles
stat1value=243
stat2label=Sacks
stat2value=1.0
stat3label=Forced fumbles
stat3value=3
nfl=KAC533348
highlights=
* Ivy League Rookie of the Year (1996)
* 3x First-team All-Ivy League (1997-1999)

Isaiah J. Kacyvenski [kaz-uh-VIN-ski] (born October 3 1977 in city-state|Endicott|New York) is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Harvard.

Kacyvenski also spent time with the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders. After spending the 2007 season out of football, Kacyvenski officially announced his retirement in 2008.

Early years

Kacyvenski grew up the youngest of five children in upstate Endicott, New York. He grew up with his parents; his mother and his alcoholic and sometimes abusive fathercite web| date = February 2, 2006| url =http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/2006-02-02-lopresti-isaiah_x.htm| title = Can Super Bowl heal a family's final wound?| publisher =USA Today| accessdate =2007-07-14] until their divorce when he was nine.cite web| date = April 16, 2006| url =http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/seahawks/2006-04-12-kacyvenski-feature_x.htm| title = Kacyvenski tackles forgiveness| publisher =USA Today| accessdate =2007-07-14] When he was thirteen, his mother left to do missionary work, leaving the care of him and his siblings back with their father.

Kacyvenski attended Union Endicott High School where he was an honors student and served as captain of the football team. His ultimate goal was to earn a football scholarship to University of Notre Dame. During his senior year his mother was killed by a truck as she walked along the road; the same day of Kacyvenski's biggest high school football game. Upon hearing of his mother's death, he fell "to his knees crying." He ended up playing in the game that night, calling it one of the best games of his life.cite web| date = July 12, 2007| url =http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200703/20070301/slide_20070301_284_101.jhtml| title = Resilient Spirits: Isaiah Kacyvenski| publisher =Oprah| accessdate =2007-07-14]

He received a phone call at the end of his senior year from Harvard University coach Tim Murphy offering him an academic scholarship. Reluctant to go to for fear of not fitting in Kacyvenski's coach convinced him that he would never regret going to Harvard.

College career

While he was a freshman at Harvard, Kacyvenski came across items that belonged to his mother. Among the items he found a picture of his mother wearing a Harvard sweatshirt and her bible with a passage highlighted.

"Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you. I can never forget you! I have written you in the palm of my hands." - Isaiah 49:15

Kacyvenski took these things as signs that he was making the right decision in his life. Coincidentally, 49 was also Kacyvenski's college jersey number.

For four years, Kacyvenski started every game at Harvard University. As a freshman, he won the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award, and for three years, won All-Ivy League first team honors.cite web| url =http://www.incrediblepeople.com/people(2001-07-04).htm| title = My Life: Challenges, Choices and Incredible Love by Isaiah Kacyvenski | publisher =Incredible People| accessdate =2007-07-14] As a senior, he had a school single-season record 135 tackles, and for his college career, finished with a school career-record record 395 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 11 interceptions, and 8 fumble recoveries. He received the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award for sportsmanship following his senior season.

In 2000, Kacyvenski was selected in the 4th round of the NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He graduated cum laude with a pre-med degree, but elected to miss his commencement ceremony to attend the first days of football training camp. His father attended the ceremony in cap and gown in Kacyvenski's stead and received the Harvard diploma for his son. He was a member of the Seahawks the season they went to Super Bowl XL.

Professional career

eattle Seahawks

Kacyvenski played six-plus seasons with the Seattle Seahawks recording 267 tackles in 90 games. He was released on September 30, 2006.

t. Louis Rams

Kacyvenski signed a one-year contract with the St.Louis Rams on October 3, 2006.cite web| date = October 3, 2006| url =http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/?p=3549&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1| title = Kacyvenski signs with Rams| publisher =The News Tribune| accessdate =2007-07-14]

Oakland Raiders

An unrestricted free agent in the 2007 offseason, Kacyvenski a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders on July 11.cite web| date = July 11, 2007| url =http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/SPORTS/70711022/1003| title = Kacyvenski signs one-year deal with Raiders| publisher =Press Connects.com| accessdate =2007-07-14] He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on August 7 and released with an injury settlement a week later.

Retirement

After being released by the Raiders with an injury settlement, Kacyvenski said he wanted to return for another season in the NFL, and if not signed by Week 4 then he will contemplate retirement. [ [http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080628/SPORTS/806280332/1003/SPORTS Kacyvenski yearns for NFL return] ]

In September 2008, it was reported that Kacyvenski had decided to retire. A knee injury kept him out of the 2007 season and it was recommended by Dr. James Andrews that he not continue playing.

Personal

On the July 12, 2007 episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show", Kacyvenski appeared as the first guest to talk about his rough childhood and reconciliation with his abusive father. [ [http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200703/20070301/slide_20070301_284_101.jhtml Resilient Spirits: From Poverty to Professional Football ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.raiders.com/Team/PlayerBio.aspx?id=25720 Oakland Raiders bio]
* [http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/players/57772/ St. Louis Rams bio]