Ulish Booker
Encyclopedia
Ulish Booker is an offensive tackle who last played in the NFL
for the Pittsburgh
Steelers
.
Ulish began his football career in West Haven, Connecticut
, playing for West Haven High School
where he made the All-State team. He went on to play college football
for Michigan State University
, and he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons
. The Falcons cut Booker in 2003
before he played a single down in the NFL.
Booker would, however, eventually make his way back into the NFL on February 1, 2005, when he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
and allocated to NFL Europe
where he played for the Amsterdam Admirals
.
Ulish went on to become a starter
with the Amsterdam Admirals
, winning offensive MVP honors, and claiming victory in 2005 NFL Europe World Bowl XIII
.
That same season, Booker returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a member of the practice squad of the team that won Super Bowl XL
.
Booker added his name to a list of only five players to win World Bowl and Super Bowl ring
s in the same season.
On August 28, 2006 the Steelers placed Ulish Booker on the injured reserve
list with a torn ACL.
Prior to playing in the NFL, the 6'7" and over 300-pound Booker was a substitute teacher in New Haven
, Connecticut
.
On April 1, 2008, Booker signed with the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
.
Ulish recently started First Foot Forward Family Solutions, a mentoring agency specializing in youth and families. http://firstfootforwardinc.com/Home_Page.php
He currently resides in New Haven, CT with his wife a two daughters.
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...
for the Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
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...
.
Ulish began his football career in West Haven, Connecticut
West Haven, Connecticut
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.-History:...
, playing for West Haven High School
West Haven High School
West Haven High School is a secondary school located in West Haven, Connecticut, which educates students in grades 9–12. The mascot of West Haven is the Blue Devil. -Administration and Campus:...
where he made the All-State team. He went on to play 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 Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, and he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Falcons cut Booker in 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
before he played a single down in the NFL.
Booker would, however, eventually make his way back into the NFL on February 1, 2005, when he was signed by 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...
and allocated to 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...
where he played for the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
.
Ulish went on to become 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...
with the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
, winning offensive MVP honors, and claiming victory in 2005 NFL Europe World Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII was NFL Europe's 2005 championship game. It was played at the LTU arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 11, 2005. In this match-up, the 6-4 Amsterdam Admirals managed to get back to the World Bowl after losing in World Bowl III and spending nearly a decade being on the outside. ...
.
That same season, Booker returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a member of the practice squad of the team that won Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
Booker added his name to a list of only five players to win World Bowl and Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s in the same season.
On August 28, 2006 the Steelers placed Ulish Booker on the injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
list with a torn ACL.
Prior to playing in the NFL, the 6'7" and over 300-pound Booker was a substitute teacher in New Haven
West Haven, Connecticut
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.-History:...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
On April 1, 2008, Booker signed with the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Ulish recently started First Foot Forward Family Solutions, a mentoring agency specializing in youth and families. http://firstfootforwardinc.com/Home_Page.php
He currently resides in New Haven, CT with his wife a two daughters.