Barry Minter
Encyclopedia
Barry Antoine Minter is a former National Football League
linebacker
for the Chicago Bears
and Cleveland Browns
.
Minter played college football for the University of Tulsa
. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft
by the Dallas Cowboys
, who traded him to the Bears as part of a five-player deal just before the start of the 1993 season. (Going to the Cowboys: linebacker John Roper, tight end
Kelly Blackwell and defensive back
Markus Paul
; Going to the Bears: Minter, fellow linebacker Vinson Smith
, a 5th-round draft pick in 1994 and a sixth-rounder in 1995). Minter appeared in two games for the Bears in 1993, and then won the job as their starting middle linebacker from 1994 through the 2000 season. In the second game of the 2000 season, he was injured and replaced by Brian Urlacher
, who became an All-Pro and never relinquished the position back to Minter.
Minter appeared in one game for Cleveland in 2001 before retiring.
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...
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 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...
and Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Minter played college football for the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 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 25-26, 1993...
by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, who traded him to the Bears as part of a five-player deal just before the start of the 1993 season. (Going to the Cowboys: linebacker John Roper, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Kelly Blackwell and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Markus Paul
Markus Paul
Markus Paul is a current American football assistant strength and conditioning coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League.-High school:...
; Going to the Bears: Minter, fellow linebacker Vinson Smith
Vinson Smith
Vinson Robert Smith , is a former American football linebacker, who spent 12 years in the National Football League after graduating from East Carolina University. Smith won one Super Bowl as a member of the Dallas Cowboys...
, a 5th-round draft pick in 1994 and a sixth-rounder in 1995). Minter appeared in two games for the Bears in 1993, and then won the job as their starting middle linebacker from 1994 through the 2000 season. In the second game of the 2000 season, he was injured and replaced by Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
, who became an All-Pro and never relinquished the position back to Minter.
Minter appeared in one game for Cleveland in 2001 before retiring.