Gary Stills
Encyclopedia
Gary Stills is an American football
linebacker
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at West Virginia
.
Stills has also played for the Baltimore Ravens
, St. Louis Rams
and Las Vegas Locomotives
.
where as a senior he registered 162 tackles
with 7.5 sacks
.
at West Virginia University
. During his career, he finished with 159 tackles and 26 sacks. He majored in sports management.
Stills best season was in 1997. As a junior, Stills finished the year with 12 sacks. In the season opener against Marshall
, Stills had a school-record 4 sacks. He finished the year with 67 total tackles while earning all-Big East
tackles.
in the third round (75th overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft
. In his rookie year, Stills only played in two games and was inactive for the other 14. In 2000, he played 11 games on special teams and finished the year with ten tackles. The following year, he posted 15 tackles and also had a period in NFL Europe
, playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy
. In 2002, he played in all 16 games and finished the campaign with a career high 44 tackles and two sacks. 2003 was another solid year for Stills who recorded 38 tackles and a career high three sacks. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl
. In 2004, he played in 16 games making 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In his final year with the Chiefs, Stills recorded 19 tackles. He was known for his tremendous special teams play, and his famous celebration in which he "punches the ground" after he would tackle a returner.
on a three year contract on March 24, 2006. In his first year with the franchise, he played in 16 games and recorded a team record 44 special teams tackles. In 2007, he again played in 16 games and finished the season with 15 tackles and one sack. He was released from the Ravens on August 30, 2008 during final cuts.
on September 1, 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 drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
. 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 West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
.
Stills has also played for 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...
, St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
and Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
.
Early years
Stills attended Valley Forge Military AcademyValley Forge Military Academy and College
Valley Forge Military Academy & College is an American all male preparatory boarding school and coeducational junior college in the military school tradition...
where as a senior he registered 162 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....
with 7.5 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
.
College career
Stills 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 West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
. During his career, he finished with 159 tackles and 26 sacks. He majored in sports management.
Stills best season was in 1997. As a junior, Stills finished the year with 12 sacks. In the season opener against Marshall
1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team
The 1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented the Marshall University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A college football season. It was their first year in the Mid-American Conference.-Regular season:...
, Stills had a school-record 4 sacks. He finished the year with 67 total tackles while earning all-Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
tackles.
Kansas City Chiefs
Stills was selected by the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the third round (75th overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
. In his rookie year, Stills only played in two games and was inactive for the other 14. In 2000, he played 11 games on special teams and finished the year with ten tackles. The following year, he posted 15 tackles and also had a period in NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
, playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
. In 2002, he played in all 16 games and finished the campaign with a career high 44 tackles and two sacks. 2003 was another solid year for Stills who recorded 38 tackles and a career high three sacks. He was selected to his first 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 2004, he played in 16 games making 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In his final year with the Chiefs, Stills recorded 19 tackles. He was known for his tremendous special teams play, and his famous celebration in which he "punches the ground" after he would tackle a returner.
Baltimore Ravens
Stills signed with the Baltimore RavensBaltimore 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...
on a three year contract on March 24, 2006. In his first year with the franchise, he played in 16 games and recorded a team record 44 special teams tackles. In 2007, he again played in 16 games and finished the season with 15 tackles and one sack. He was released from the Ravens on August 30, 2008 during final cuts.
St. Louis Rams
Two days after being let go by the Ravens, Stills was signed by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on September 1, 2008.