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John Tait (football)
Encyclopedia
John Bernard Tait is a former American football offensive lineman, who played for both the Kansas City Chiefs
, and the Chicago Bears
of the National Football League
. He was originally selected with the 14th overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft
by the Kansas City Chiefs
out of Brigham Young University
and played for the Chiefs for five years.
At Brigham Young University, Tait started
all 37 games played during his three-year college career
. Tait was an All-America
pick his final season and earned first-team All-WAC
honors as a junior and a senior. Eligible for a fifth year of college action after redshirting
as a true freshman in 1993, Tait had already completed his degree and declared for the draft. He served as the captain
for the BYU offense
and started all 13 games at left tackle as a junior. He was a First-team All-WAC choice earned first-team All-America honors from Football News (1998) and named National Offensive Lineman-of-the-Year by The Sports Network
and received a freshman All-America nod from The Sporting News
. Tait earned a bachelor’s degree in communications.
in Kansas City, Tait held out during the negotiation of his first contract. There was a meeting between Tait, his two agents and Chiefs General Manager
Carl Peterson
, wherein Tait and his agents left. Shortly afterward Tait signed an offer sheet for 5 years.
At the end of Tait's contract with the Chiefs, the team put a transition tag
on him. Tait later signed with the Bears, who gave him a six-year, $34 million offer sheet the Chiefs failed to match.
The February 14, 2009 edition of the Chicago Tribune
reported that league sources expected Tait to retire and forego his $4.8 million paycheck for the 2009 season; his ankle
injuries were believed to be the impetus for retirement. On February 21, 2009, ChicagoBears.com confirmed Tait's intention to retire.
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...
, and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
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 originally selected with the 14th overall pick 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...
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...
out of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and played for the Chiefs for five years.
Early years
He is a 1993 graduate of McClintock High School in Tempe, AZ.At Brigham Young University, Tait started
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...
all 37 games played during his three-year college career
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...
. Tait was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
pick his final season and earned first-team All-WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
honors as a junior and a senior. Eligible for a fifth year of college action after redshirting
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
as a true freshman in 1993, Tait had already completed his degree and declared for the draft. He served as the 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 BYU offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
and started all 13 games at left tackle as a junior. He was a First-team All-WAC choice earned first-team All-America honors from Football News (1998) and named National Offensive Lineman-of-the-Year by The Sports Network
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
and received a freshman All-America nod from The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. Tait earned a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Professional career
As a rookieRookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in Kansas City, Tait held out during the negotiation of his first contract. There was a meeting between Tait, his two agents and Chiefs General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Carl Peterson
Carl Peterson
Carl D. Peterson grew up in Long Beach, California, and is an alumnus of UCLA. He is best known as the former president, general manager, and chief executive officer of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League...
, wherein Tait and his agents left. Shortly afterward Tait signed an offer sheet for 5 years.
At the end of Tait's contract with the Chiefs, the team put a transition tag
Transition Tag
A transition tag is a tool used by National Football League teams to retain unrestricted free agents. It guarantees the original club the right of first refusal to match any offer the player may make with another team. The transition tag can be used once a year by each club unless they elect to...
on him. Tait later signed with the Bears, who gave him a six-year, $34 million offer sheet the Chiefs failed to match.
The February 14, 2009 edition of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
reported that league sources expected Tait to retire and forego his $4.8 million paycheck for the 2009 season; his ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injuries were believed to be the impetus for retirement. On February 21, 2009, ChicagoBears.com confirmed Tait's intention to retire.