Bradlee Van Pelt
Encyclopedia
Bradlee Van Pelt is an American football
quarterback
and safety who currently plays for Leicester Falcons
in the United Kingdom
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft
, and was also a member of the Houston Texans
. He played college football
at Colorado State
.
He is the son of late NFL linebacker
Brad Van Pelt
. Van Pelt is currently working for Sky Sports
in the United Kingdom as a studio analyst for their 2010 NFL programming.
Van Pelt was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft, where he spent the next two years as a backup. In the 2006 NFL draft, the Broncos drafted Vanderbilt
quarterback Jay Cutler
. In training camp, Cutler moved ahead of Van Pelt on the depth chart making Van Pelt the third string quarterback, behind Jake Plummer
and Cutler. He was released by the Denver Broncos
on September 2, 2006. His attempt to make the team was chronicled in Stefan Fatsis
's book A Few Seconds of Panic
.
Van Pelt was then signed by the Houston Texans
on November 27, 2006, to be their third-string quarterback, brought in by his former coach in Denver, Gary Kubiak
. He was released by the Texans on August 27, 2007.
It was announced on March 8, 2009, that Van Pelt would attempt a comeback as a safety with the Broncos, though he failed to make the roster.
In late 2009, it was announced that Van Pelt had signed with the Bergamo Lions
of Italy
for their 2010 Italian
and Eurobowl
campaigns. He would play quarterback
and assist on defense as a safety.
At the end of the Italian season in July 2010 he signed to play for the Leicester Falcons
in the BAFA Community Leagues
Division 1.
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...
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...
and safety who currently plays for Leicester Falcons
Leicester Falcons
The Leicester Falcons are a British American football team based in Leicestershire, England. The Falcons play in Division 1 of the British American Football Association National Leagues.-History:...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He was drafted by 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...
in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 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 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
, and was also a member of the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. 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 Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
.
He is the son of late NFL 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...
Brad Van Pelt
Brad Van Pelt
Brad Alan Van Pelt was an American football linebacker who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League....
. Van Pelt is currently working for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
in the United Kingdom as a studio analyst for their 2010 NFL programming.
Professional career
Van Pelt was criticized for his "run first, then throw" mentality while playing quarterback for Colorado State. Despite this, he managed to throw for nearly 3,000 yards and over 60% completion rate his senior year, and came within 100 yards in passing and rushing of becoming the second collegiate quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. In 2005 Vince Young passed for 3,036 yards and rushed for 1,050.Van Pelt was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft, where he spent the next two years as a backup. In the 2006 NFL draft, the Broncos drafted Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. In training camp, Cutler moved ahead of Van Pelt on the depth chart making Van Pelt the third string quarterback, behind Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
and Cutler. He was released by 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 September 2, 2006. His attempt to make the team was chronicled in Stefan Fatsis
Stefan Fatsis
Stefan Fatsis is an author and journalist. He regularly appears as a guest on National Public Radio's All Things Considered daily radio news program and as a panelist on Slate's sports podcast Hang Up and Listen. He is a former staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal.-Biography:Fatsis grew up...
's book A Few Seconds of Panic
A Few Seconds of Panic
A Few Seconds of Panic is a nonfiction first-person narrative by Stefan Fatsis, published in 2008. The book chronicles Fatsis, a professional 43-year old sportswriter working for the Wall Street Journal, and his attempt to play in the National Football League. Along the way, he relates the personal...
.
Van Pelt was then signed by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 27, 2006, to be their third-string quarterback, brought in by his former coach in Denver, Gary Kubiak
Gary Kubiak
Gary Wayne Kubiak is the head coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Kubiak has participated in six Super Bowls, losing three as a player with the Denver Broncos and winning three as an assistant coach with Denver and the San Francisco 49ers.-High school:Kubiak passed for a...
. He was released by the Texans on August 27, 2007.
It was announced on March 8, 2009, that Van Pelt would attempt a comeback as a safety with the Broncos, though he failed to make the roster.
In late 2009, it was announced that Van Pelt had signed with the Bergamo Lions
Bergamo Lions
The Bergamo Lions is an American football team from Bergamo, Italy. They won the Eurobowl in 2000, 2001 and 2002, while losing to the Chrysler Vikings in the finals of 2004 and 2005. In Italy they have been unbeaten since 1998...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for their 2010 Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Eurobowl
Eurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
campaigns. He would play 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...
and assist on defense as a safety.
At the end of the Italian season in July 2010 he signed to play for the Leicester Falcons
Leicester Falcons
The Leicester Falcons are a British American football team based in Leicestershire, England. The Falcons play in Division 1 of the British American Football Association National Leagues.-History:...
in the BAFA Community Leagues
BAFA Community Leagues
The BAFA National Leagues are the primary American football competition in England, Scotland and Wales. They were formed by the British American Football Association in 2010 to coordinate contact football and flag football across all age ranges...
Division 1.