Bart Scott
Encyclopedia
Bartholomew Edward Scott (born August 18, 1980) is an American football
linebacker
for the New York Jets
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
at Southern Illinois
.
Scott was selected to the Pro Bowl
in 2006
.
During July workouts for a Michigan high school all-star game, Scott was impressive on the field, thus catching the interest of coach Bryan Masi. Masi contacted Dan Enos, a friend and an assistant coach at Southern Illinois
. As a result of the conversation, SIU offered Scott a scholarship.
Scott continues to return to Southern Illinois nearly every year to speak with students, challenging them to aspire for more in life. Additionally, Scott provided the school with new uniforms and equipment in 2005 while upgrading the weight room in 2007. Scott also paid to have a new set of bleachers installed at the school after vandals stole the school's former bleachers. In honor of Scott's accomplishments on the field and off of it, Southern Illinois retired his jersey in 2008.
was brought in to coach the team. Kill had been warned by a former staff members about Scott's behavior however, Kill was instead impressed by Scott, calling him "a captain and leader." During his senior year, Scott led the team with 127 tackles and 5.5 sacks; earning first-team All-Gateway conference honors.
Kill hyped Scott's ability to several NFL teams but only the Baltimore Ravens
sent out a scout to assess Scott. The scout was highly impressed by Scott and three days following the 2002 NFL Draft
, Scott was signed to a contract.
Scott later returned to Southern Illinois in 2005 to finish his academics, graduating with a degree in economics. Scott later became a first-ballot member of the SIU's Hall of Fame.
on September 8. The following season he again played in all 16 games and one post-season game recording nine tackles and one fumble recovery on defense. His 19 special teams tackles, a career high, ranked second on the team. In 2004 he played in 13 games making 17 special teams tackles, adding five tackles on defense playing as a safety and linebacker.
Scott saw significant playing time during the 2005 season
in which Ray Lewis injured his hamstring
, playing in all 16 games and making 10 starts. He finished the season with 119 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed. Scott signed a three year, $13.5 million contract extension with the Ravens turning down the Cleveland Browns
offer in the process. In 2006, Scott had a career year ending the season with a career-high 135 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two interceptions and nine passes defensed. he was second on the team in tackles with 135, he has also recorded 9.5 sacks and two interceptions. He played in the Pro Bowl
in Hawaii as an alternate after being elected to replace his teammate Ray Lewis. Scott was named to the Associated Press
' second All-Pro team.
Scott started all 16 games for the second straight season and recorded 131 tackles, one sack and three passes defensed. On December 3, 2007, Scott was penalized twice for unsportsmanlike conduct
in the fourth quarter of the Monday Night Football
game against the New England Patriots
. The second call came after Scott picked up the official's flag from the first call and threw it. Following the game, teammate Samari Rolle
made accusations of disrespectful language by the official involved. In his final year with Baltimore, Scott again started all 16 games contributing with 104 tackles, 1.5 sacks and five passes defensed.
vied for Scott's services. After the Jets amended their contract offer by adding an additional year to the deal, Scott signed the six year, $48 million contract with New York on February 27, 2009. This would reunite him with head coach Rex Ryan
, his former defensive coach in Baltimore, whom Scott has stated he would follow anywhere.
Scott started every game in his first season with New York, finishing the year with 92 tackles and a sack.
After the Jets defeated the New England Patriots
in an AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 16, 2011, ESPN
's Sal Paolantonio
approached Scott for an interview. Scott interrupted Paolantonio with a professional wrestling
-style rant supporting his team and antagonizing "non-believers." A clip of the interview went viral
after being posted on YouTube
. On March 3, 2011, Scott made an appearance for professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) on their TNA Impact!
television show, appearing alongside Hulk Hogan
and Ric Flair
at a wedding ceremony between Jeff Jarrett
and Karen Jarrett and in the end tapping out to Kurt Angle
's ankle lock.
Scott grew up relatively poor in the violence-filled and drug infested neighborhood of Hurlbut Street on the east side of Detroit. In spite of this, Scott received guidance from multiple sources including his parents, Dorita Adams and Bart Capers, his grandmother, Gwendolyn Pippen Osborne, his sisters, Cutrice and Dawnyell and his high school coach, Drake Wilkins.
Scott's experiences have kept him down to Earth and involved with the community; evidenced by the fact that he is involved in multiple charities, including A Son Never Forgets, a foundation dedicated to helping those suffering with paralysis which was established by Scott himself in October 2006. Scott has also dedicated money to his former neighborhood, buying a plot of land to build a playground near his grandmother's home in addition to providing equipment and speaking with students at his former alma mater, Southeastern.
Scott is well known for his fierce, playmaking abilities as well as his trash talk off the football field.
Scott is married to his wife, Darnesha. They have two children, a son, Bartholomew, and a daughter, Gisele.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois Salukis football
The Southern Illinois Salukis football team represents Southern Illinois University Carbondale in football. The Salukis are a member of the NCAA and compete at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level...
.
Scott was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in 2006
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
.
Early years
Scott attended Southeastern High School in Detroit where he played running back and linebacker on the football team. Scott's assistant coach, Reinard Davis, recalled that "[Scott] went 110 percent on every snap and never came off the field. He was unbelievable." During his senior year, Scott recorded 76 tackles and led the team in rushing with 635 yards. More than one hundred schools sent out recruiting letters; however, low SAT scores made colleges shy away. Scott later improved his test scores to ensure eligibility.During July workouts for a Michigan high school all-star game, Scott was impressive on the field, thus catching the interest of coach Bryan Masi. Masi contacted Dan Enos, a friend and an assistant coach at Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
. As a result of the conversation, SIU offered Scott a scholarship.
Scott continues to return to Southern Illinois nearly every year to speak with students, challenging them to aspire for more in life. Additionally, Scott provided the school with new uniforms and equipment in 2005 while upgrading the weight room in 2007. Scott also paid to have a new set of bleachers installed at the school after vandals stole the school's former bleachers. In honor of Scott's accomplishments on the field and off of it, Southern Illinois retired his jersey in 2008.
College career
During his tenure at SIU, Scott played as a linebacker and safety. During his junior year, Scott was suspended from the team for the final six games of the season following an altercation with defensive coordinator Michael Vite who chastised Scott for eating during a locker room meeting. Following Scott's junior year, the team's entire staff was fired and as a result, Jerry KillJerry Kill
Jerry Kill is the head football coach at the University of Minnesota. Before assuming this position with the Golden Gophers in December 2010, Kill served as the head coach at Saginaw Valley State University , Emporia State University , Southern Illinois University Carbondale , and Northern...
was brought in to coach the team. Kill had been warned by a former staff members about Scott's behavior however, Kill was instead impressed by Scott, calling him "a captain and leader." During his senior year, Scott led the team with 127 tackles and 5.5 sacks; earning first-team All-Gateway conference honors.
Kill hyped Scott's ability to several NFL teams but only the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
sent out a scout to assess Scott. The scout was highly impressed by Scott and three days following the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
, Scott was signed to a contract.
Scott later returned to Southern Illinois in 2005 to finish his academics, graduating with a degree in economics. Scott later became a first-ballot member of the SIU's Hall of Fame.
Baltimore Ravens
During Scott's first three years with Baltimore he was a special teams standout however, he saw little time in the defensive rotation. In his rookie season he played in all 16 regular season games and posted five tackles and one interception on defense while tying the team high special teams tackles at 17. He made his NFL debut at the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on September 8. The following season he again played in all 16 games and one post-season game recording nine tackles and one fumble recovery on defense. His 19 special teams tackles, a career high, ranked second on the team. In 2004 he played in 13 games making 17 special teams tackles, adding five tackles on defense playing as a safety and linebacker.
Scott saw significant playing time during the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
in which Ray Lewis injured his hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
, playing in all 16 games and making 10 starts. He finished the season with 119 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed. Scott signed a three year, $13.5 million contract extension with the Ravens turning down the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
offer in the process. In 2006, Scott had a career year ending the season with a career-high 135 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two interceptions and nine passes defensed. he was second on the team in tackles with 135, he has also recorded 9.5 sacks and two interceptions. He played in the Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
in Hawaii as an alternate after being elected to replace his teammate Ray Lewis. Scott was named to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
' second All-Pro team.
Scott started all 16 games for the second straight season and recorded 131 tackles, one sack and three passes defensed. On December 3, 2007, Scott was penalized twice for unsportsmanlike conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct is a foul or offense in many sports that is not necessarily a violation of the respective sport's rules of play, but violates the sport's generally accepted rules of sportsmanship and/or participant conduct...
in the fourth quarter of the Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. The second call came after Scott picked up the official's flag from the first call and threw it. Following the game, teammate Samari Rolle
Samari Rolle
Samari Toure Rolle is a retired American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
made accusations of disrespectful language by the official involved. In his final year with Baltimore, Scott again started all 16 games contributing with 104 tackles, 1.5 sacks and five passes defensed.
New York Jets
In 2009, Scott became a free agent. Both the Ravens and New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
vied for Scott's services. After the Jets amended their contract offer by adding an additional year to the deal, Scott signed the six year, $48 million contract with New York on February 27, 2009. This would reunite him with head coach Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
, his former defensive coach in Baltimore, whom Scott has stated he would follow anywhere.
Scott started every game in his first season with New York, finishing the year with 92 tackles and a sack.
After the Jets defeated the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in an AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 16, 2011, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Sal Paolantonio
Sal Paolantonio
Sal Paolantonio is a Philadelphia-based bureau reporter for ESPN, primarily reporting on NFL stories concerning the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and New York Jets...
approached Scott for an interview. Scott interrupted Paolantonio with a professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
-style rant supporting his team and antagonizing "non-believers." A clip of the interview went viral
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
after being posted on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. On March 3, 2011, Scott made an appearance for professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) on their TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
television show, appearing alongside Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
at a wedding ceremony between Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and Karen Jarrett and in the end tapping out to Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
's ankle lock.
Personal
| "I wasn't supposed to make it out of Detroit. I wasn't supposed to get a scholarship. I was supposed to be [covering] kicks the rest of my life. But here I am. I'm a man playing with the house's money, and that's a dangerous man." |
| — Bart Scott |
Scott grew up relatively poor in the violence-filled and drug infested neighborhood of Hurlbut Street on the east side of Detroit. In spite of this, Scott received guidance from multiple sources including his parents, Dorita Adams and Bart Capers, his grandmother, Gwendolyn Pippen Osborne, his sisters, Cutrice and Dawnyell and his high school coach, Drake Wilkins.
Scott's experiences have kept him down to Earth and involved with the community; evidenced by the fact that he is involved in multiple charities, including A Son Never Forgets, a foundation dedicated to helping those suffering with paralysis which was established by Scott himself in October 2006. Scott has also dedicated money to his former neighborhood, buying a plot of land to build a playground near his grandmother's home in addition to providing equipment and speaking with students at his former alma mater, Southeastern.
Scott is well known for his fierce, playmaking abilities as well as his trash talk off the football field.
Scott is married to his wife, Darnesha. They have two children, a son, Bartholomew, and a daughter, Gisele.