Desmond Bishop
Encyclopedia
Desmond Lamont Bishop is an American football
linebacker
for the Green Bay Packers
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Packers in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at California
.
. While at Fairfield he earned Second-Team All-State from Calhisports.com. He played in the California North-South Shrine All-Star Game as a senior
in 2002. He also lettered
in baseketball
.
from 2003 to 2004. While there he was a two time letterman
. In 2003 Bishop was on the team that won the national championship game that went 13-0. He was ranked by SuperPrep as the fourth-best community college player in the nation and was voted California
's 2004 Junior College Defensive Player of the Year by the JC Athletic Bureau/California Community College Football Coaches Association. He was named the Northern California Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player and was a First-team JC Gridwire All-American
. He finished the season with 118 tackles
10 regular games. In California's state championship game he had 14 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss against the College of the Canyons
.
in the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl
.
, earning honorable mention from The NFL Draft Report, and being placed on the Butkus Award
watchlist. He won All-Pac 10 First-Team accolades, leading the conference in tackles and leading his team for the second straight year with 126. Bishop became the first Cal player to lead the Pac-10 in tackles since Jerrott Willard posted 147 in 1993. He also had three sacks, a team-high 15 tackles for loss (fourth in Pac-10), two pass break-ups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He had at least seven tackles in 11 of 13 games, and was in double digits five times. Bishop ended his career with 12 tackles, with one for loss, in 45-10 win over Texas A&M
in 2006 Holiday Bowl
.
in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
.
Bishop played in ten games for the Packers during his rookie season, making 10 tackles. During his second season Bishop made his first career start in a week 14 game against the Houston Texans
, recording 12 tackles and a sack. He finished the season with 35 tackles.
After starting middle linebacker Nick Barnett
went down with a season-ending wrist injury in Week 4 of the 2010 season, Bishop was quickly named Barnett's replacement and exceeded expectations. He started the remaining 12 games and finished the season with 103 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumble and 1 interception, which was returned for a touchdown. He also recovered a crucial fumble in Super Bowl XLV
, after Clay Matthews
knocked the ball lose from Rashard Mendenhall
, in which was a key play in the Packers' 31-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
On January 4, 2011, the Packers re-signed Bishop to a 4 year, $19 million deal.
. and professionally in the USFL. His younger brother Devin followed in his footsteps, also playing at San Francisco City College and transferring to Cal, where he was also linebacker on the football team wearing his brother's former jersey number, 10.
In high school, Bishop played against fellow Packers teammate Jarrett Bush
, as the two were from rival schools.
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 Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
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 drafted by the Packers in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. 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 California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Early years
Bishop attended Fairfield High School in Fairfield, CaliforniaFairfield, California
Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
. While at Fairfield he earned Second-Team All-State from Calhisports.com. He played in the California North-South Shrine All-Star Game as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
in 2002. He also lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in baseketball
BASEketball
BASEketball is a 1998 American David Zucker comedy starring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Dian Bachar, Robert Vaughn, Ernest Borgnine, Yasmine Bleeth, and Jenny McCarthy...
.
City College of San Francisco
Bishop attended City College of San FranciscoCity College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is a two-year community college in San Francisco, California. The Ocean Avenue campus, in the Ingleside neighborhood, is the college's primary location...
from 2003 to 2004. While there he was a two time letterman
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
. In 2003 Bishop was on the team that won the national championship game that went 13-0. He was ranked by SuperPrep as the fourth-best community college player in the nation and was voted California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's 2004 Junior College Defensive Player of the Year by the JC Athletic Bureau/California Community College Football Coaches Association. He was named the Northern California Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player and was a First-team JC Gridwire All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
. He finished the season with 118 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
10 regular games. In California's state championship game he had 14 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss against the College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons is a public two-year community college that operates within the Santa Clarita Community College District. The college is located on of rolling, tree-dotted hills in the incorporated city of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County, California. The college’s address is:...
.
2005
Bishop immediately won a starting job upon his arrival at Cal and picked up Second-Team All-Pac 10 honors. He started all 12 games at middle linebacker and led the team with 89 tackles, one forced fumble, and two pass deflections. He made his Cal debut with seven solo tackles against Sacramento State. He ended the season with eight tackles, a pass break-up and a tackle for loss against BYUBrigham Young University Cougars football
The Brigham Young Cougars football team is a college football program representing Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Cougars won the national championship in 1984 and have a Heisman Trophy winner in Ty Detmer. Since 1965, BYU has claimed 23 conference championships and played in 29 bowl...
in the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl
2005 Las Vegas Bowl
The 2005 edition to the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl was the 14th edition of that annual game. It featured the California Golden Bears, and the ....
.
2006
In 2006, Bishop started all 13 games and was a Third-team All-American choice by Rivals.comRivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, earning honorable mention from The NFL Draft Report, and being placed on the Butkus Award
Dick Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
watchlist. He won All-Pac 10 First-Team accolades, leading the conference in tackles and leading his team for the second straight year with 126. Bishop became the first Cal player to lead the Pac-10 in tackles since Jerrott Willard posted 147 in 1993. He also had three sacks, a team-high 15 tackles for loss (fourth in Pac-10), two pass break-ups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He had at least seven tackles in 11 of 13 games, and was in double digits five times. Bishop ended his career with 12 tackles, with one for loss, in 45-10 win over Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
in 2006 Holiday Bowl
2006 Holiday Bowl
The 2006 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 28, 2006 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season and one of 32 games in the 2006-2007 bowl season. It featured the Texas A&M Aggies representing the Big 12 against the...
.
Career statistics
| Career Defensive Statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Tack | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | FF | FR | Int | Yds | Lng | TD | Pass Def. |
| 2005 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football... |
Cal Golden Bears | 12 | 12 | 89 | 62 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 2006 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 31, 2006 and, aside from all-star exhibition games that followed, concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game on January 8, 2007 in Glendale, Arizona, where the #2 Florida... |
Cal Golden Bears 2006 California Golden Bears football team The 2006 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2006-2007 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and were coached by Jeff Tedford.... |
13 | 13 | 126 | 63 | 63 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 25 | 25 | 215 | 125 | 90 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 4 |
Professional career
Bishop was drafted by the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
.
Bishop played in ten games for the Packers during his rookie season, making 10 tackles. During his second season Bishop made his first career start in a week 14 game against 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...
, recording 12 tackles and a sack. He finished the season with 35 tackles.
After starting middle linebacker Nick Barnett
Nick Barnett
Nicholas Alexander Barnett is an American Football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. A graduate of Fontana A.B...
went down with a season-ending wrist injury in Week 4 of the 2010 season, Bishop was quickly named Barnett's replacement and exceeded expectations. He started the remaining 12 games and finished the season with 103 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumble and 1 interception, which was returned for a touchdown. He also recovered a crucial fumble in Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, after Clay Matthews
Clay Matthews III
William Clay Matthews III is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers 26th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-Early years:Matthews was born in the Los...
knocked the ball lose from Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
, in which was a key play in the Packers' 31-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
On January 4, 2011, the Packers re-signed Bishop to a 4 year, $19 million deal.
Personal
Bishop's father Dennis played football collegiately at IllinoisIllinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
. and professionally in the USFL. His younger brother Devin followed in his footsteps, also playing at San Francisco City College and transferring to Cal, where he was also linebacker on the football team wearing his brother's former jersey number, 10.
In high school, Bishop played against fellow Packers teammate Jarrett Bush
Jarrett Bush
Jarrett Bush is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2006, but was claimed by Green Bay immediately following the preseason of his rookie year and has played there...
, as the two were from rival schools.