Arthur Moats
Encyclopedia
Arthur 'DaBody' Moats is an American football
linebacker
for the Buffalo Bills
of the National Football League
. Moats played college football
at James Madison
, where he recorded 90 tackles as a senior. He was also a captain. He is well known for delivering the hit on Minnesota Vikings
quarterback Brett Favre
that ended Favre's streak of consecutive starts the following week at 297.
and was raised in Portsmouth, Virginia
, where he attended Churchland High School
. He graduated from James Madison University
with a degree in political science
.
with 208 tackles. He played in all of his team's games as a true freshman. He started only 5 games as a sophomore, but became a full-time starter for his junior and senior years. Moats won the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award
as the top FCS defensive player.
. He is the only Buck Buchanan Award
winner to be drafted by the Bills. In the Bills 3-4 defensive
scheme, he moved from defensive end
to inside linebacker, which is an unusual position change considering most defensive ends move to outside linebacker in 3-4 defensive schemes. After several weeks of failing to generate a consistent pass rush, Bills head coach Chan Gailey decided to move Moats to his more natural position of outside linebacker to utilize his pass rushing skill set.
In a Week 13 contest of the 2010 season, Moats delivered a hit on Minnesota Vikings
quarterback
Brett Favre
that aggravated the quarterback's shoulder injury. It was Moats' hit that eventually led to Favre's consecutive starts streak ending at 297 when he did not play against the New York Giants
the following week.
Moats' personal catch phrase, 'Don't Cross The Moats', was created by WGR550's radio personality Jeremy White. Since then, it has a become a popular trending topic on Twitter, and Moats himself even tattooed the phrase across his upper back.
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...
for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American 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...
. Moats 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 James Madison
James Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
, where he recorded 90 tackles as a senior. He was also a captain. He is well known for delivering the hit on Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
that ended Favre's streak of consecutive starts the following week at 297.
Personal
Moats was born in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and was raised in Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, where he attended Churchland High School
Churchland High School
Churchland High School is a public high school located in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is administered by Portsmouth City Public Schools. The school colors are black, orange, and white...
. He graduated from James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
College career
Moats finished his career at James Madison UniversityJames Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
with 208 tackles. He played in all of his team's games as a true freshman. He started only 5 games as a sophomore, but became a full-time starter for his junior and senior years. Moats won the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award
Buck Buchanan Award
The Buck Buchanan Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football, and was first given in 1995 after the Walter Payton Award was designated solely for offensive players.The trophy was named in honor of the...
as the top FCS defensive player.
Buffalo Bills
Moats was drafted in the sixth round, 178th Overall in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. He is the only Buck Buchanan Award
Buck Buchanan Award
The Buck Buchanan Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football, and was first given in 1995 after the Walter Payton Award was designated solely for offensive players.The trophy was named in honor of the...
winner to be drafted by the Bills. In the Bills 3-4 defensive
3-4 defense
In American football, the 3–4 defense is a defensive alignment consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers.The 3–4 defense declined in popularity over the years, but has found renewed use by modern professional and college football teams. The 3–4 defense is so named because it involves 3...
scheme, he moved from defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
to inside linebacker, which is an unusual position change considering most defensive ends move to outside linebacker in 3-4 defensive schemes. After several weeks of failing to generate a consistent pass rush, Bills head coach Chan Gailey decided to move Moats to his more natural position of outside linebacker to utilize his pass rushing skill set.
In a Week 13 contest of the 2010 season, Moats delivered a hit on Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
that aggravated the quarterback's shoulder injury. It was Moats' hit that eventually led to Favre's consecutive starts streak ending at 297 when he did not play against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
the following week.
Moats' personal catch phrase, 'Don't Cross The Moats', was created by WGR550's radio personality Jeremy White. Since then, it has a become a popular trending topic on Twitter, and Moats himself even tattooed the phrase across his upper back.