Brendon Ayanbadejo

Infobox NFLactive


caption=Ayanbadejo at the 2007 Pro Bowl
currentteam=Baltimore Ravens
currentposition=Linebacker
currentnumber=51
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|9|6
birthplace=Chicago, Illinois
heightft=6
heightin=1
weight=228
debutyear=2003
debutteam=Miami Dolphins
college=UCLA
undraftedyear=1999
pastteams=
* Atlanta Falcons (1999)*
* Chicago Bears (2000)*
* Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2000)
* Toronto Argonauts (2000)
* Baltimore Ravens (2001)*
* Amsterdam Admirals (2001)
* British Columbia Lions (2002)
* Miami Dolphins (2003-2004)
* Chicago Bears (2005-2007)
* Baltimore Ravens (2008-present)
status=Active
highlights=
* First-team All-Pac-10 (1998)
* 2x Pro Bowl selection (2006, 2007)
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Tackles
statvalue1=129
statlabel2=Sacks
statvalue2=0.0
statlabel3=INTs
statvalue3=1
nfl=AYA436705

Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo (pronEng|eye-an-buh-DAY-joe) (born September 6, 1976 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at UCLA.

Ayanbadejo has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice as a special teams players. He has also been a member of the Amsterdam Admirals, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins in the NFL and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts and British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. He is the younger brother of fullback and former teammate Obafemi Ayanbadejo.

Early life

Ayanbadejo attended Santa Cruz High School.

College career

Ayanbadejo played college football at UCLA, where he was first-team all Pac-10 his senior season with four sacks against arch-rival USC's Carson Palmer. He majored in history.

Professional career

Ayanbadejo was originally selected by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent on April 23 1999. In 2000 he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League and in 2002 he played for the BC Lions, also of the Canadian Football League.

In 2004 he made a play on Monday Night Football in which New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was getting sacked, and he foolishly threw the ball up for grabs, which Brendon caught for the interception. The Dolphins went on to win the game by one point capping one of the biggest upset comebacks in Monday Night Football history. During the 2005 offseason, he was traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Chicago Bears.

Ayanbadejo was selected to consecutive Pro Bowls as a special teamer in 2006 and 2007.

On March 6, 2008, Ayanbadejo signed a four-year, $4.9 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens. The contract included a $1.9 million signing bonus.

Personal

He is the younger brother of free agent fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo. The two were teammates on the Miami Dolphins in 2003. They were on the same team again in 2007, this time the Chicago Bears. Obafemi Ayanbadejo was cut by the Chicago Bears on Oct. 1 , 2007, after the fullback finished serving his four-game suspension for violating the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances. He wrote for the Santa Cruz Sentinel his first couple years in the NFL. He was interviewed by Tony Farinella of 411mania.com [http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/63307/411-Movies-Interview:--NFL-Pro-Bowler-Brendon-Ayanbadejo-of-The-Chicago-Bears.htm]

External links

* [http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player2.html Chicago Bears bio]
* [http://www.baltimoreravens.com/People/Players/Active/Brendon_Ayanbadejo.aspx Baltimore Ravens bio]