Bryant Westbrook
Encyclopedia
Bryant Antoine Westbrook (born December 19, 1974 in Charlotte, North Carolina
) is a former American football
cornerback
in the National Football League
.
at the University of Texas at Austin
where he played cornerback
and was known for making powerful tackles that would cause the victim to get up very slowly.
One such moment occurred in the 1995 rivalry game against Texas A&M
when Westbrook landed a devastating hit on Aggies running back Leeland McElroy
. It caused color analyst Lee Corso to yell "Holy mackerel! Whoo!" Westbrook picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct call for taunting because he strutted next to a stunned McElroy and looked down at McElroy as he walked by. The broadcast team calling the game did not like the call. When Corso learned the referee called the play taunting, Corso responded by saying "just shoot the official." Ultimately, the play was not a factor in the game's outcome or even that drive. The penalty did not result in a first down since the Aggies were inside the 15 yard line. Half the distance to the goaline was not enough yardage for a first down. The Aggies were forced to bring out their field goal unit.
Westbrook is also known for a brutal hit against Notre Dame
in 1996. In the play, Irish QB Ron Powlus
pitched the ball out to TB Randy Kinder
on the option. Unfortunately for Kinder, Westbrook read the play perfectly and had a full head of steam when the ball got to the tailback Kinder. The ensuing hit caused legendary college football announcer Keith Jackson
to instantly say "Uh oh! Hello! Bryant Westbrook!" then fall silent for 10 seconds. Then he said, "The important thing right now is to make sure Randy Kinder can find a place to lay down... 'cause he really took a hit."
In yet another memorable instance of his powerful hits, in the 1995 Sugar Bowl, Westbrook "laid the lumber" to FB Brian Edmonds of Virginia Tech, knocking him unconscious. The hit caused ABC announcer Mark Jones to say, "Somebody answer the phone, because there's a bell ringing, and it's Bryant Westbrook." Then later after some replays and analysis of the play, he further commented about Edmonds, “When he comes to, his clothes will be out of style.”
in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft
by the Detroit Lions
, where he played from 1997 to 2001. He returned his first career interception for a touchdown in 1997 and led the Lions as a rookie with 20 passes defended. After the season, Westbrook was named to the 1997 USA Today
All-Rookie team. He suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon at Minnesota on November 30, 2000, and was placed on injured reserve on December 4, 2000. He earned Chuck Hughes Most Improved Player award, as voted by teammates. Despite the premature ending of 2000 season, he registered 52 tackles (43 solo), career-high six interceptions and led team with a career single-season high of 21 passes defensed. Westbrook later played for the Dallas Cowboys
in 2002 and was cut due to poor play in the opening season loss to the Houston Texans
.
in Phoenix, Arizona.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
) is a former American football
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
in 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...
.
College career
Westbrook played college footballCollege 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 the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
where he played cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and was known for making powerful tackles that would cause the victim to get up very slowly.
One such moment occurred in the 1995 rivalry game against Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
when Westbrook landed a devastating hit on Aggies running back Leeland McElroy
Leeland McElroy
Leeland McElroy is a former professional American football player who played running back for two seasons for the Arizona Cardinals.-High School and College:...
. It caused color analyst Lee Corso to yell "Holy mackerel! Whoo!" Westbrook picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct call for taunting because he strutted next to a stunned McElroy and looked down at McElroy as he walked by. The broadcast team calling the game did not like the call. When Corso learned the referee called the play taunting, Corso responded by saying "just shoot the official." Ultimately, the play was not a factor in the game's outcome or even that drive. The penalty did not result in a first down since the Aggies were inside the 15 yard line. Half the distance to the goaline was not enough yardage for a first down. The Aggies were forced to bring out their field goal unit.
Westbrook is also known for a brutal hit against Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in 1996. In the play, Irish QB Ron Powlus
Ron Powlus
Ronald Lee Powlus is a former American football quarterback, former quarterbacks coach for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, and current quarterbacks coach for the University of Akron Zips football team....
pitched the ball out to TB Randy Kinder
Randy Kinder
Randolph Samuel Kinder is a former running back in the National Football League. He played with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers 1997 NFL season. As such, he was a member of the NFC Championship team with the Packers....
on the option. Unfortunately for Kinder, Westbrook read the play perfectly and had a full head of steam when the ball got to the tailback Kinder. The ensuing hit caused legendary college football announcer Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
to instantly say "Uh oh! Hello! Bryant Westbrook!" then fall silent for 10 seconds. Then he said, "The important thing right now is to make sure Randy Kinder can find a place to lay down... 'cause he really took a hit."
In yet another memorable instance of his powerful hits, in the 1995 Sugar Bowl, Westbrook "laid the lumber" to FB Brian Edmonds of Virginia Tech, knocking him unconscious. The hit caused ABC announcer Mark Jones to say, "Somebody answer the phone, because there's a bell ringing, and it's Bryant Westbrook." Then later after some replays and analysis of the play, he further commented about Edmonds, “When he comes to, his clothes will be out of style.”
Professional career
Westbrook was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, where he played from 1997 to 2001. He returned his first career interception for a touchdown in 1997 and led the Lions as a rookie with 20 passes defended. After the season, Westbrook was named to the 1997 USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-Rookie team. He suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon at Minnesota on November 30, 2000, and was placed on injured reserve on December 4, 2000. He earned Chuck Hughes Most Improved Player award, as voted by teammates. Despite the premature ending of 2000 season, he registered 52 tackles (43 solo), career-high six interceptions and led team with a career single-season high of 21 passes defensed. Westbrook later played for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in 2002 and was cut due to poor play in the opening season loss to the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Post NFL Career
As of January 2011, Westbrook is the new Defensive Back coach at Shadow Mountain High SchoolShadow Mountain High School
Shadow Mountain High School is a public high school located in the north valley of Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The school is part of the Paradise Valley Unified School District. The school's athletic teams are known as the Matadors. Shadow Mountain's school colors are navy blue and gold. 1,749...
in Phoenix, Arizona.