Eric Steinbach
Encyclopedia
Eric Steinbach is an American football
player who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns
in the National Football League
. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals
in the second round (33rd overall) in the 2003 NFL draft
. He played college football
for the University of Iowa
.
. He helped his team to a 50-game winning streak and three consecutive state championships. As a senior he had 46 tackles, 55 assists, and a school record 26 QB sacks on his way to being named conference MVP and first team all-state. One of the top high school players in the country, he was named Super Prep and PrepStar all-American.
available in the 2003 NFL Draft
after a University of Iowa
career culminated by All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly
and the Walter Camp Foundation. His senior season also included Big Ten Conference
Offensive Lineman of the Year honors from league coaches. He was an education major.
, Steinbach was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals
in the second round (33rd overall) and was immediately named a starter. Through the 2006 season
, Steinbach has appeared in 63 regular-season games, 62 as a starter
, missing only one game. Steinbach's relentless work-ethic makes him a standout at the guard position. Yahoo! Sports called him one of the Top 10 Free Agents to watch for a few months prior to the end of the 2006 season. The versatile and durable Steinbach can play at the guard, tackle, and center positions on the offensive line, and his speed and athleticism help to make him one of the leagues premier pulling lineman.
On March 2, 2007, (the first day of the year's NFL Free Agency period) the Browns signed Steinbach to a 7-year, $49.5 million contract (of which $17 million is guaranteed), making him at the time one of the highest paid offensive lineman in the league. He had consistently been rated as a Top 5 Free Agent (and widely considered number one among offensive lineman) following the 2006 season by every major sports authority.
On 2007-12-18, Steinbach was named as a first alternate for the 2008 Pro Bowl
at offensive guard.
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...
player who currently plays for 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...
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...
. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the second round (33rd overall) in the 2003 NFL draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 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 was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. 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...
for the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
High School years
Steinbach is a graduate of Providence Catholic High SchoolProvidence Catholic High School
Providence Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school located in New Lenox, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Providence Catholic is a private school run by the Order of Saint Augustine. The president of Providence is Father Richard McGrath, OSA, with Mr...
. He helped his team to a 50-game winning streak and three consecutive state championships. As a senior he had 46 tackles, 55 assists, and a school record 26 QB sacks on his way to being named conference MVP and first team all-state. One of the top high school players in the country, he was named Super Prep and PrepStar all-American.
College career
Steinbach was widely rated as the top guardGuard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
available in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 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 was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
after a University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
career culminated by All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
and the Walter Camp Foundation. His senior season also included Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Offensive Lineman of the Year honors from league coaches. He was an education major.
Professional career
In the 2003 NFL Draft2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 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 was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, Steinbach was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the second round (33rd overall) and was immediately named a starter. Through the 2006 season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, Steinbach has appeared in 63 regular-season games, 62 as a starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
, missing only one game. Steinbach's relentless work-ethic makes him a standout at the guard position. Yahoo! Sports called him one of the Top 10 Free Agents to watch for a few months prior to the end of the 2006 season. The versatile and durable Steinbach can play at the guard, tackle, and center positions on the offensive line, and his speed and athleticism help to make him one of the leagues premier pulling lineman.
On March 2, 2007, (the first day of the year's NFL Free Agency period) the Browns signed Steinbach to a 7-year, $49.5 million contract (of which $17 million is guaranteed), making him at the time one of the highest paid offensive lineman in the league. He had consistently been rated as a Top 5 Free Agent (and widely considered number one among offensive lineman) following the 2006 season by every major sports authority.
On 2007-12-18, Steinbach was named as a first alternate for the 2008 Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
at offensive guard.