Donnie Spragan
Encyclopedia
Donald Spragan, Jr. is an American football
linebacker
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints
as an undrafted free agent in 1999. Spragan has also been a member of the Green Bay Packers
, Cleveland Browns
, Denver Broncos
, Miami Dolphins
, and Buffalo Bills
. He played college football
at Stanford
and Pacific
.
in Union City, California
, where he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he won All-League honors at both quarterback and linebacker. Spragan attended University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, and played football there for Chuck Shelton. When Pacific dropped their program after the 1995 season, Spragan transferred to Stanford University.
but was released after he injured his knee during pre-season. He spent the 1999 and 2000 seasons recovering from injury.
He signed as free agent with the Amsterdam Admirals
of NFL Europe, where he started all ten games and posted 44 tackles, 3,5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 5 special teams tackles.
He was then picked up by the Green Bay Packers
on July 19, but was released on September 2 at the end of the preseason.
He was added to the Cleveland Browns
' practice squad on October, 2, but was released from the practice squad on October 31.
' practice squad on December 11, 2001. He remained there through the end of the season, and was then re-signed by the Denver Broncos
in the offseason He was active for the entire 2002 season, posting 12 tackles in total of which 2 were assisted. He also forced a fumble.
Spragan appeared in all 16 games for the Denver Broncos
in 2003. He was moved to strong safety for a game against the New England Patriots
. He posted 54 tackles in total of which 10 were assisted, 3 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 3 fumbles recovered for a total of 9 yards.
Spragan appeared in all 16 games for the Denver Broncos
yet again in 2004, starting 14 at outside linebacker. He recorded a total of 67 tackles of which 22 were assisted, one sack, 5 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered.
. Posted 53 tackles (38 solo), one sack, one interception, two passes defended and one forced fumble.
Appeared in all 16 games for the Miami Dolphins
posting 50 tackles of which 22 were assisted, 1.5 sack, 3 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered.
On April 25, 2007 he re-signed with the Dolphins.
on August 2 after rookie linebacker Alvin Bowen suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury. He was released on August 30, 2008.
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...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
as an undrafted free agent in 1999. Spragan has also been a member of 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...
, 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...
, Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. 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 Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
and Pacific
University of the Pacific
The University of the Pacific is a private university in Stockton, California, United States, originally affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
.
Early years
Spragan attended James Logan High SchoolJames Logan High School
James Logan High School is a public secondary school in Union City, California, United States. The school is administrated by the New Haven Unified School District and has an enrollment of more than 4000 students.-Demographics:...
in Union City, California
Union City, California
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
, where he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he won All-League honors at both quarterback and linebacker. Spragan attended University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, and played football there for Chuck Shelton. When Pacific dropped their program after the 1995 season, Spragan transferred to Stanford University.
Early career
Spragan signed as undrafted free agent with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
but was released after he injured his knee during pre-season. He spent the 1999 and 2000 seasons recovering from injury.
He signed as free agent with the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
of NFL Europe, where he started all ten games and posted 44 tackles, 3,5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 5 special teams tackles.
He was then picked up by 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...
on July 19, but was released on September 2 at the end of the preseason.
He was added to 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...
' practice squad on October, 2, but was released from the practice squad on October 31.
Denver Broncos
Spragan was signed to the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' practice squad on December 11, 2001. He remained there through the end of the season, and was then re-signed by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the offseason He was active for the entire 2002 season, posting 12 tackles in total of which 2 were assisted. He also forced a fumble.
Spragan appeared in all 16 games for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2003. He was moved to strong safety for a 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...
. He posted 54 tackles in total of which 10 were assisted, 3 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 3 fumbles recovered for a total of 9 yards.
Spragan appeared in all 16 games for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
yet again in 2004, starting 14 at outside linebacker. He recorded a total of 67 tackles of which 22 were assisted, one sack, 5 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered.
Miami Dolphins
Signed a two-year deal worth $2 million with the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Posted 53 tackles (38 solo), one sack, one interception, two passes defended and one forced fumble.
Appeared in all 16 games for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
posting 50 tackles of which 22 were assisted, 1.5 sack, 3 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered.
On April 25, 2007 he re-signed with the Dolphins.
Buffalo Bills
A free agent in the 2008 offseason, Spragan signed with the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 2 after rookie linebacker Alvin Bowen suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury. He was released on August 30, 2008.