John Fiala
Encyclopedia
John Charles Fiala is a retired American football
linebacker
who played from 1998-2002 with the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
.
Fiala attended Lake Washington High School
in Kirkland, Washington
, and then the University of Washington
. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins
in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL Draft
, but did not play for the Dolphins. Fiala signed with the Steelers as a free agent
in 1998. From 1999-2002, he was a special teams captain
for the Steelers. The Steelers released Fiala in 2002; although the Houston Texans
offered him a contract for 2003, he chose to retire instead.
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 played from 1998-2002 with 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...
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...
.
Fiala attended Lake Washington High School
Lake Washington High School
Lake Washington High School is one of four high schools in the Lake Washington School District, with an enrollment of approximately 1076 students. It is in the Rose Hill neighborhood of Kirkland, Washington....
in Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Seattle on the Eastside . The population was 48,787 at the 2010 census makes it the 9th largest city in King County and the 20th largest city in the state...
, and then the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. He was drafted by 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...
in the sixth round 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...
, but did not play for the Dolphins. Fiala signed with the Steelers as 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....
in 1998. From 1999-2002, he was a special teams captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
for the Steelers. The Steelers released Fiala in 2002; although 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...
offered him a contract for 2003, he chose to retire instead.