Terdell Sands
Encyclopedia
Terdell Sands is an American football
defensive tackle who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
.
Sands has also played for the Green Bay Packers
, Oakland Raiders
, and New England Patriots
.
at Howard High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee
and was a four-year letterman in football and basketball. In football, as a defensive end, offensive tackle, and linebacker
, he was a three-time All-City and a three-time All-State selection.
at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
. During his only season, 1999, he played he totaled 36 tackles
, one sack
, and two fumble
recoveries. He did not play in 2000.
in the seventh round (243rd overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He missed the entire season after being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list with a foot injury. After the season, he was allocated to the Berlin Thunder
of NFL Europe, where he saw action in 10 games, picking up 14 tackles. He was waived by the Chiefs during final roster cutdowns before the 2002 season and re-signed to the team's practice squad on September 10. He was released from it on September 19.
practice squad on November 20, 2002, where he spent the remainder of the season. He was re-signed by the Packers following the season. He was waived by the Packers on August 26, 2003, and re-signed to their practice squad on September 1. He was released from their practice squad on September 17, and re-signed to the practice squad on October 1. On October 16, 2003, he was promoted to the Packers' active roster. He played in one game before being waived on November 11, 2003.
on November 12, 2003. He played in three games (starting one) for the Raiders in the 2003 season, recording three tackles. He played in 15 games for the Raiders in 2004, picking up 22 tackles and two passes defensed on the year. He played in the final nine games of the 2005 season, recording 10 tackles and one sack.
For the Raiders in 2006, Sands played in 16 games, starting two, while recording a career-high 41 tackles, a sack, and his first career interception. Following the season, he was re-signed to a four-year, $17 million contract. He started 11 of 16 games played for the Raiders in 2007, picking up 23 tackles and no sacks. In 2008, he played in 16 games with no starts, recording 29 tackles and two sacks. Following a road win over the Denver Broncos
on November 23, 2008, Sands punched Raiders punter Shane Lechler
in the face on the team flight, but was neither fined nor suspended for the incident. In six years with the Raiders he started 14 of 75 games, recording 128 tackles, four sacks and an interception.
He was released on September 5, 2009, during final roster cutdowns.
on September 28, 2009. During his first week with the Patriots, Sands told the media he stood at 6-foot-8 and weighed 355 pounds. He was released by the team on October 14, after being active for one game.
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...
defensive tackle 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 seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. 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 the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
.
Sands has also played for 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...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and 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...
.
Early years
Sands played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Howard High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and was a four-year letterman in football and basketball. In football, as a defensive end, offensive tackle, and 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...
, he was a three-time All-City and a three-time All-State selection.
College career
Sands only played one year of 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 the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
. During his only season, 1999, he played he totaled 36 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....
, one sack
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...
, and two fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries. He did not play in 2000.
Kansas City Chiefs
Sands was drafted 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 seventh round (243rd overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He missed the entire season after being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list with a foot injury. After the season, he was allocated to the Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
of NFL Europe, where he saw action in 10 games, picking up 14 tackles. He was waived by the Chiefs during final roster cutdowns before the 2002 season and re-signed to the team's practice squad on September 10. He was released from it on September 19.
Green Bay Packers
After being released from the Chiefs Sands was signed to the Green Bay PackersGreen 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...
practice squad on November 20, 2002, where he spent the remainder of the season. He was re-signed by the Packers following the season. He was waived by the Packers on August 26, 2003, and re-signed to their practice squad on September 1. He was released from their practice squad on September 17, and re-signed to the practice squad on October 1. On October 16, 2003, he was promoted to the Packers' active roster. He played in one game before being waived on November 11, 2003.
Oakland Raiders
Sands was claimed off waivers by the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 12, 2003. He played in three games (starting one) for the Raiders in the 2003 season, recording three tackles. He played in 15 games for the Raiders in 2004, picking up 22 tackles and two passes defensed on the year. He played in the final nine games of the 2005 season, recording 10 tackles and one sack.
For the Raiders in 2006, Sands played in 16 games, starting two, while recording a career-high 41 tackles, a sack, and his first career interception. Following the season, he was re-signed to a four-year, $17 million contract. He started 11 of 16 games played for the Raiders in 2007, picking up 23 tackles and no sacks. In 2008, he played in 16 games with no starts, recording 29 tackles and two sacks. Following a road win over 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...
on November 23, 2008, Sands punched Raiders punter Shane Lechler
Shane Lechler
Edward Shane Lechler is an American football punter who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League. Lechler played college football for Texas A&M from 1996-1999. In the NFL, Lechler has been named an All-Pro eight times during his career...
in the face on the team flight, but was neither fined nor suspended for the incident. In six years with the Raiders he started 14 of 75 games, recording 128 tackles, four sacks and an interception.
He was released on September 5, 2009, during final roster cutdowns.
New England Patriots
Sands signed with the New England PatriotsNew 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...
on September 28, 2009. During his first week with the Patriots, Sands told the media he stood at 6-foot-8 and weighed 355 pounds. He was released by the team on October 14, after being active for one game.