Chad Bratzke
Encyclopedia
Chad Alan Bratzke is a former American football
defensive end
in the National Football League
.
at Eastern Kentucky University
. His career stats included 253 tackles (150 solo), 27 sacks and six posted 87 tackles (57 solo), 11 sacks and two fumble recoveries as a senior. He was named Ohio Valley Conference
Defensive Player-of-the-Year and Kodak All-America. He earned OVC All-Defense honors as a junior after totaling 71 tackles (36 solo), nine sacks and one fumble recovery. Even in his beginnings he made sound having 80 tackles (47 solo), six sacks and two fumble recoveries as a sophomore and totaled 15 tackles (ten solo), one sack and one fumble recovery as a freshman.
and five for the Indianapolis Colts
. He signed as unrestricted free agent from the Giants on March 1, 1999. He was originally drafted
in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft
.
In 2002, Bratzke started 16 games for defense that ranked seventh in the NFL in points allowed, eighth in overall defense. He started every contest for the third time in four years with the franchise (1999, 2000) and has started all 63 appearances. He helped team establish a formidable pass rush with two sacks and five quarterback pressures in the first two games at Jacksonville and vs. Miami. Bratzke started first eight games at RE, then started seven of last eight games at LE, while opening at LT at Cleveland. His action at Cleveland was first career time at tackle. He had 70 tackles (49 solo), six sacks, 30 QB pressures, five fumbles forced, three batted passes, one pass defensed and one fumble recovered. QB pressures ranked second on the team, while tackles ranked seventh. He had stops in every contest with four or more tackles in 13 games and had six tackles, one sack and one forced fumble at Jacksonville. Bratzke forced one fumble and had one sack and four solo stops vs. Miami. He had one sack vs. Baltimore, and one sack and one forced fumble vs. Dallas. He made his first career start at defensive tackle and had six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two QB pressures at Cleveland as the team rallied with goal-line stand after overcoming 16-point deficit. He had six tackles (four solo) vs. NYG. He has totaled 45 of 53.5 career sacks since 1998. He has eleven career multiple-sack games. His 12 sacks in 1999 stands as one of seven double-digit individual sack seasons in franchise history (13.0, Dwight Freeney
, 2002; 11.5, LB-Johnie Cooks
, 1984; 11.0, LB-Vernon Maxwell
, 1983; 10.0, DE-Jon Hand
, 1989; 10.5, DE-Tony Bennett
, 1995; 10.5, DE-Dan Footman
, 1997). He had posted four straight seasons with 80+ tackles (80, 1998; 81, 1999; 93, 2000; 80, 2001) until having 70 in 2002. He has had two three-sack games with Colts (12/19/99 vs. Washington; 1/6/02 vs. Denver), one of nine Colts with a three-sack game since sacks became official in 1982, and it has been accomplished only 14 times during that span.
in Valrico, Florida
. He has made sizable donation to Eastern Kentucky University to build the Student Athlete Academic Success Center. He is currently heavily involved with CLF (Childhood Leukemia Foundation) and Joy’s House. He has made several appearances on Colts 2000 Care-A-Van tours. Bratzke also participated in the last two Reggie Bowls to benefit Reggie Miller Foundation and has been on the winning team both times.
Bratzke and his wife, Kristi, reside in Sarasota, Florida
.
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...
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...
in 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...
.
College career
Bratzke played college footballCollege 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 Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
. His career stats included 253 tackles (150 solo), 27 sacks and six posted 87 tackles (57 solo), 11 sacks and two fumble recoveries as a senior. He was named Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
Defensive Player-of-the-Year and Kodak All-America. He earned OVC All-Defense honors as a junior after totaling 71 tackles (36 solo), nine sacks and one fumble recovery. Even in his beginnings he made sound having 80 tackles (47 solo), six sacks and two fumble recoveries as a sophomore and totaled 15 tackles (ten solo), one sack and one fumble recovery as a freshman.
Professional career
Bratzke played ten seasons in the NFL, five for the New York GiantsNew 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...
and five for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. He signed as unrestricted free agent from the Giants on March 1, 1999. He was originally drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 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, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
.
In 2002, Bratzke started 16 games for defense that ranked seventh in the NFL in points allowed, eighth in overall defense. He started every contest for the third time in four years with the franchise (1999, 2000) and has started all 63 appearances. He helped team establish a formidable pass rush with two sacks and five quarterback pressures in the first two games at Jacksonville and vs. Miami. Bratzke started first eight games at RE, then started seven of last eight games at LE, while opening at LT at Cleveland. His action at Cleveland was first career time at tackle. He had 70 tackles (49 solo), six sacks, 30 QB pressures, five fumbles forced, three batted passes, one pass defensed and one fumble recovered. QB pressures ranked second on the team, while tackles ranked seventh. He had stops in every contest with four or more tackles in 13 games and had six tackles, one sack and one forced fumble at Jacksonville. Bratzke forced one fumble and had one sack and four solo stops vs. Miami. He had one sack vs. Baltimore, and one sack and one forced fumble vs. Dallas. He made his first career start at defensive tackle and had six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two QB pressures at Cleveland as the team rallied with goal-line stand after overcoming 16-point deficit. He had six tackles (four solo) vs. NYG. He has totaled 45 of 53.5 career sacks since 1998. He has eleven career multiple-sack games. His 12 sacks in 1999 stands as one of seven double-digit individual sack seasons in franchise history (13.0, Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
, 2002; 11.5, LB-Johnie Cooks
Johnie Cooks
Johnie Earl Cooks is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Baltimore Colts as the second overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. A 6'4", . linebacker from Mississippi State University, Cooks played in ten NFL seasons from 1982-1991 for the Colts, New York Giants, and...
, 1984; 11.0, LB-Vernon Maxwell
Vernon Maxwell
Vernon Maxwell is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Maxwell played college basketball for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators...
, 1983; 10.0, DE-Jon Hand
Jon Hand
Jon Thomas Hand is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1st round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6' 6", . defensive end from the University of Alabama, Hand played in nine NFL seasons, all with the Colts...
, 1989; 10.5, DE-Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, 1995; 10.5, DE-Dan Footman
Dan Footman
Dan Footman is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. He played college football at Florida State, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft.Footman also played for the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts....
, 1997). He had posted four straight seasons with 80+ tackles (80, 1998; 81, 1999; 93, 2000; 80, 2001) until having 70 in 2002. He has had two three-sack games with Colts (12/19/99 vs. Washington; 1/6/02 vs. Denver), one of nine Colts with a three-sack game since sacks became official in 1982, and it has been accomplished only 14 times during that span.
Personal
Bratzke attended Bloomingdale High SchoolBloomingdale High School
Bloomingdale High School is a senior high school located in Valrico, Florida. Bloomingdale was established in 1987. Bloomingdale's first graduating class graduated in 1989, since Hillborough County does not pull seniors from existing schools for new schools. The current principal is Mr. Mark...
in Valrico, Florida
Valrico, Florida
Valrico is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,582 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. He has made sizable donation to Eastern Kentucky University to build the Student Athlete Academic Success Center. He is currently heavily involved with CLF (Childhood Leukemia Foundation) and Joy’s House. He has made several appearances on Colts 2000 Care-A-Van tours. Bratzke also participated in the last two Reggie Bowls to benefit Reggie Miller Foundation and has been on the winning team both times.
Bratzke and his wife, Kristi, reside in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
.
See also
- History of the New York Giants (1994-present)