 Athletic linebacker expected to assume the starting strongside linebacker spot... Versatile player who has seen action at both outside linebacker positions during his career... Has started 77 of 93 career games during his six-year career... Totaled 595 career tackles (367 solo), 12.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss and one interception... Twice named to the All-Madden team (1999 & 1998)... In 1998, named to the Associated Press and Football Digest All-Pro second team... Also selected to the Football News All-NFC team that season... Signed with Tampa Bay on April 8, 2003... Previously spent two seasons (2001-02) with the Cleveland Browns after signing as an unrestricted free agent on February 4, 2001... Spent first four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings... Originally entered the NFL as a first round pick (20th overall) in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Vikings. |
 2002: Played in all 16 games with 15 starts (all but at Cincinnati) at weakside linebacker with Cleveland... Totaled 73 tackles with seven tackles for loss... 73 tackles ranked sixth on the club and seven tackles for loss ranked tied for second... Also had one sack... Started at weakside linebacker vs. Kansas City (9/8) and recorded eight tackles, including five solo and two tackles for loss... Started vs. Cincinnati (9/15) and recorded two tackles, including one solo... Part of a defensive effort that limited Cincinnati to only seven points and forced three turnovers and five sacks... At Tennessee (9/22), started and recorded seven tackles, including four solo... Part of a defensive effort that allowed Tennessee only 187 net yards of offense, the fewest the club has allowed since 1994... At Pittsburgh (9/29), started and recorded six tackles, including two solo... Part of a defensive effort that limited Pittsburgh to 93 net yards rushing... Started vs. Baltimore (10/6) and recorded six tackles, including two solo... At Tampa Bay (10/13), started and recorded two solo tackles... Started vs. Houston (10/20) and added two tackles, including one solo... Part of a defensive effort that recorded nine sacks, second highest total in team history, and one forced fumble... At N.Y. Jets (10/27), started and recorded two tackles, including one tackle for loss... Part of a defense that limited the N.Y. Jets to 241 net yards of offense, including only two net yards of offense in the third quarter, and forced three turnovers... Started vs. Pittsburgh (11/3) and recorded two tackles, including one solo and one tackle for loss... At Cincinnati (11/17), recorded one tackle... Did not get the start as the Browns opened in the nickel defensive package... Part of a defensive effort that limited the Bengals to 102 net yards rushing... At New Orleans (11/24), started and totaled four solo tackles... Part of a defensive effort that limited the Saints to 74 yards rushing, forced five defensive turnovers (three INT and two fumbles) and limited the Saints to only 12 points (one TD and two FG) on six opportunities in the red zone... Started vs. Carolina (12/1) and had seven tackles, including three solo and one tackle for loss... Part of a defensive effort that limited the Panthers to 89 net yards passing and 234 total net yards... At Jacksonville (12/8), started and totaled seven tackles, including three solo, one tackle for loss and one sack... Recorded his first sack of the year in the first quarter with a seven-yard sack of Jaguars QB Mark Brunell... Part of a defensive effort that limited the Jaguars to 211 net yards of offense, including 54 net yards passing... Started vs. Indianapolis (12/15) and totaled five tackles, including two solo and one tackle for loss... At Baltimore (12/22), started and totaled seven tackles, including five solo... Part of a defensive effort that limited Baltimore to 275 net yards of offense, including 129 net yards passing... Started vs. Atlanta (12/29) and totaled four tackles, including three solo... Made a key play on 3rd and goal from the one-yard line as he stopped Falcons RB Warrick Dunn for no gain in the fourth quarter with 36 seconds remaining to help secure a 24-16 win... In AFC Wild Card Game at Pittsburgh (1/5), started at weakside linebacker and was third on the club with five tackles, including two solo, one tackle for loss and one PBU. 2001: In his first season with the Browns, led club with 122 tackles (82 solo), 0.5 sacks for 4.5 yards, one interception, six PBU and two FF... Started all 16 games at weakside linebacker and had four games of 10 tackles or more... Had a season-high 13 tackles, including seven solo, at Chicago on (11/4)... Added 0.5 sack vs. Cincinnati on Nov. 25... Recorded his first career interception vs. Baltimore (10/21) on a pass from QB Elvis Grbac... Recovered a fumble vs. Seattle (9/9) and vs. Baltimore (10/21)... Also played on special teams with eight tackles... Started vs. Seattle (9/9) at weakside linebacker and led the club with eight tackles (five solo) and one forced fumble... Started vs. Detroit (9/23) and tied for second on the club with seven tackles (five solo)... Also played special teams with one tackle... At Jacksonville (9/30), started and led the club with 10 tackles, including seven solo... Part of a defensive effort that limited Jacksonville to 98 net yards rushing and 259 net yards of offense... Started vs. San Diego (10/7) and led the club with nine solo tackles... Added one quarterback pressure on San Diego QB Doug Flutie and had one pass defensed... Part of the defensive effort that limited the Chargers to 269 total net yards... Also played special teams with one tackle... At Cincinnati (10/14), started and recorded seven tackles (five solo) and two quarterback pressures on Bengals QB Scott Kitna... Also played on special teams... Started vs. Baltimore (10/21) and was second on the club with 10 tackles, including eight solo, one interception, one forced fumble and two passes defensed... Recorded his first career interception in the first quarter on a pass from Ravens QB Elvis Grbac intended for FB Sam Gash at the Baltimore 41-yard line... Part of a defensive effort that limited the Ravens to 208 net yards passing and forced seven sacks, two interceptions and one fumble on the afternoon... At Chicago (11/4), started and led the club with a season-high 13 tackles, including seven solo... Part of a defensive effort that forced three interceptions, three fumbles (one recovered), five sacks and 11 passes defensed... Also played special teams with one tackle... Started vs. Pittsburgh (11/11) and totaled five tackles, including two solo... At Baltimore (11/18), started and recorded four tackles, one quarterback pressure on Ravens QB Elvis Grbac and one pass defensed... Part of a defensive effort that forced five Ravens turnovers and only 108 net yards rushing... Started vs. Cincinnati (11/25) and added six tackles (four solo), 0.5 sack for 4.5 yards and one quarterback pressure... In the fourth quarter, recorded 0.5 sack along with DE Courtney Brown on Bengals QB Scott Mitchell with a nine-yard sack during a fourth-and-goal from the Browns two-yard line to halt a potential Bengals scoring drive as the Browns gained possession on downs... Part of a defensive effort that limited the Bengals to 191 net yards of offense and forced six defensive turnovers, three sacks and recorded the club’s first shutout since 1994... Started vs. Tennessee (12/2) and totaled three tackles, including two solo... Also played special teams with two tackles... At New England (12/9), started and totaled seven tackles (three solo) and one pass defensed... Also played special teams with one tackle... Started vs. Jacksonville (12/16) and recorded seven tackles (four solo) and one quarterback pressure on Jaguars QB Mark Brunell... Part of a defensive effort that totaled created eight sacks, three turnovers... At Green Bay (12/23), started and ranked second on the club with nine tackles (eight solo) and one pass defensed... At Tennessee (12/30), started at weakside linebacker and recorded seven tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss and one quarterback pressure... Also played on special teams with one tackle... At Pittsburgh (1/6), started and tied for the club lead with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops... Also played special teams with one tackle. 2000: In his fourth season with the Vikings, appeared in 14 games with 13 starts and ranked fourth on the club with 91 tackles (38 solos), four passes defensed, one sack and one forced fumble... Opened the season on Sept. 3 with 2 tackles in the Vikings’ 30-27 win vs. Chicago... Credited with six tackles and one pass defensed vs. Miami on (9/10)... Added seven tackles (three solos) in Minnesota’s 21-13 win at New England on (9/17)... Following the bye week, had five tackles, including two solo, in the Vikings’ 31-24 win at Detroit (10/1)... On Monday Night Football, had seven tackles (five solo) in Minnesota’s 30-23 win vs. Tampa Bay... Registered a season-high 11 tackles (five solo) at Chicago (10/15)... Recorded seven tackles (four solo) as the Vikings extended their undefeated streak to seven games in a 31-27 win vs. Buffalo (10/22)... Had nine tackles (six solo) in the Vikings’ first setback of the season, a 41-13 loss at Tampa Bay (10/29)... On Monday Night Football at Green Bay (11/6), credited with five tackles, including three solo... Recorded eight tackles, including three solo, with one sack vs. Arizona (11/12)... Had six tackles, including two solo, in the Vikings’ 31-17 win vs. Carolina (11/19)... Started at linebacker and recorded five tackles on Thanksgiving Day (11/23) at Dallas in Minnesota’s 27-15 win... Was out of the lineup with a shoulder injury vs. Detroit (11/30) and at St. Louis (12/10)... Returned to the lineup vs. Green Bay (12/17) and was credited with five tackles, including two solo... Wrapped up the regular season with eight tackles at Indianapolis (12/24)... Started both of the team’s postseason games and totaled 17 tackles, including 12 solos... In the NFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. New Orleans (1/6), led the team with 11 tackles, including eight solo and one pass defensed in the Vikings’ 34-16 win over the Saints... In the NFC Championship Game vs. the New York Giants (1/14), had six tackles, including four solo. 1999: Named to the All-Madden Team for the second straight season... Started all 16 regular season games for the first time in his career... Posted 100+ solo tackles for the first time in his career... Led or tied for team lead in tackles five times during the season (at Green Bay, at Denver, at Chicago, vs. Green Bay and at New York Giants... Set new career-high for total tackles with 14 and solo tackles with 12 at Chicago (11/14)... Tied career-high with two tackles for loss on three occasions during the season (vs. Chicago, at Chicago and at Kansas City... Tied career-high with seven passes defensed on the season... Led the Vikings linebackers with three sacks on the season and two forced fumbles... Ranked third on the team with eight tackles for loss... Forced first fumble of his career in season opener at Atlanta (9/12) and finished the season with two forced fumbles... Ranked second on the team with 15 tackles (11 solos) in the postseason... Only Vikings defender to have forced fumble, fumble recovery and tackle for loss in postseason... Added a pair of special teams tackles in the playoffs. 1998: Named to the Associated Press and Football Digest All-Pro second team... Selected to the Football News All-NFC team...All-Madden Team honoree... Finished second on the team with 113 tackles and three fumble recoveries... Was third on the team with 10 tackles for loss and third on the squad with 76 solo tackles... Led Viking linebackers and defensive linemen with seven passes defensed... Led the team in tackles five times during the regular season, including the first four games of the season... Posted 12 tackles in season opener vs. Tampa Bay (9/6)... Had nine solo tackles in back-to-back games at Cincinnati (11/15) and vs. Green Bay (11/22)... Had two sacks on the season, the first vs. Green Bay (11/22) and the second at Tennessee (12/26)... Inactive for game vs. Washington (10/18) with shoulder injury... In the final seven games of the regular season, posted 52 tackles, three fumble recoveries (two for touchdowns), three tackles for loss, three passes defensed and two sacks... Recorded his first career fumble and scored his first career touchdown on the same play vs. Cincinnati (11/15) when he scooped up a Neil O’Donnell fumble forced by John Randle and sprinted 63 yards for the score. 1997: Appeared in every game for the Vikings... Finished season with 44 tackles and five sacks... Five sacks ranked as the third most by a rookie in team history and tied for the third highest single-season total by a linebacker in team history... Began the season playing linebacker in passing situations... Started first career NFL game vs. Detroit (12/14)... Recovered onside kick during first career NFL game at Buffalo (8/31)... Recorded first career sack vs. Tampa Bay (9/14)... Selected in first round (20th overall)... Was the third linebacker after James Farrior (eighth, Jets) and Reinard Wilson (14th, Cincinnati), in the 1997 NFL Draft... Entered the draft following his junior season at Alabama. |
 First team All-America by AFCA and Football Digest as a junior... Second team All-America by Associated Press and Football News... Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1996... Consensus first team All-SEC... Semifinalist for the Butkus Award, given to nation’s best linebacker... Team went 30-7 (.811) over final three seasons... Named MVP of the Outback Bowl after returning an interception of a Brian Griese pass 88 yards for a TD to seal Alabama’s win over Michigan... Majored in criminal justice. |
 Helped South Panola (Batesville, Mississippi) High School post a 13-0 record and win the state title as a senior... Had 119 tackles, 16 sacks, four fumble recoveries and one interception despite missing three games as a high school senior... Involved in the Cleveland community by donating his time to various charitable events including Coats For Kids, the Taste of the NFL to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank and purchasing toys for youth during the holidays... Born Dwayne Rudd on February 3, 1976 in Batesville, Mississippi. |
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