Chris Spielman

Chris Spielman was everything a coach wanted in a linebacker: broad shoulders, huge arms, and a wild demeanor. Those are the type of traits that led Spielman to be named the high-school scholar-athlete of the year and earn a scholarship to The Ohio State University. At OSU he continued to dominate as a two-time All-American and the winner of the Lombardi Award as the nation’s best linebacker. Often considered as a huge oversight, Spielman fell to the Detroit Lions with the 29th pick in the in 1988 NFL Draft. He played the first eight seasons of his career with Lions and still holds the franchise record for tackles with 1,138. He captained the defense that won two NFC Central titles and a spot in the ’91 NFC Championship game. For seven of his eight seasons with the Lions, he led the team in tackles and made 4 Pro Bowl appearances throughout his tenure. Spielman signed with the Buffalo Bills in 1996 but stepped away from the game due to a neck injury and to help his wife in her fight with cancer. He tried returning to the game before stepping away from the game permanently due to another neck injury. Immediately following his playing career, Spielman joined Fox Sports Net as a football analyst and in 2001 he joined ESPN as an NFL and college football analyst where he still serves today.