Gene Mruczkowski
Encyclopedia
Gene Vincent Mruczkowski (born June 6, 1980) is an American football
guard
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the New England Patriots
as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football
at Purdue
.
Mruczkowski, who also played for the Miami Dolphins
, earned Super Bowl ring
s with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII
and Super Bowl XXXIX
. He is the older brother of NFL offensive lineman Scott Mruczkowski
.
, as well as second team all-state, first team all-district and team co-captain as a senior at Benedictine High School. He also played defensive tackle as his team finished with a 10-1 record and advanced to the state semifinal.
in 1998. That year, he was redshirted and did not play, but received the team’s Offensive Newcomer Award for the spring season. As a freshman, he started
all 12 games at left guard
and was selected second team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News
. He was selected honorable mention All-Big Ten
by both the coaches and media as a sophomore after starting all 12 games at left guard, which was part of an offensive line that allowed Purdue quarterbacks to be sacked
just 10 times in 528 pass attempts (one every 52.8 attempts). In 2001, he started all 12 games at center after moving from left guard during spring practice. He received the team’s Pit Bull award for exemplifying tenacity and intense play during the 2002 spring season. As a senior in 2002, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media after starting all 13 games at center and helped open holes for a Boilermaker rushing attack that amassed 2,861 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground. He started all 49 games in his four-year stay at Purdue.
by the New England Patriots in 2003
. He was placed on the Patriots reserve/non-football injury list with a leg injury before the beginning of the season. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve
and did not play in his rookie
season. He then played 17 games total for the 2004
and 2005
season. He was released by the Patriots on September 1, 2007.
the day after he release from the Patriots. He appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins in a reserve role during the 2007 season. He became a free agent at season's end.
on October 20.
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...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
as an undrafted free agent in 2003. 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 Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
.
Mruczkowski, who also played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, earned Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
and Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
. He is the older brother of NFL offensive lineman Scott Mruczkowski
Scott Mruczkowski
Scott Allen Mruczkowski [merch-COW-ski] is an American football center for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Bowling Green.-External links:*...
.
Early years
Mruczkowski was named second team Academic All-American as a senior and sophomore in high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, as well as second team all-state, first team all-district and team co-captain as a senior at Benedictine High School. He also played defensive tackle as his team finished with a 10-1 record and advanced to the state semifinal.
College career
Mruczkowski started attending Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in 1998. That year, he was redshirted and did not play, but received the team’s Offensive Newcomer Award for the spring season. As a freshman, he started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
all 12 games at left guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and was selected second team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. He was selected honorable mention All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
by both the coaches and media as a sophomore after starting all 12 games at left guard, which was part of an offensive line that allowed Purdue quarterbacks to be sacked
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
just 10 times in 528 pass attempts (one every 52.8 attempts). In 2001, he started all 12 games at center after moving from left guard during spring practice. He received the team’s Pit Bull award for exemplifying tenacity and intense play during the 2002 spring season. As a senior in 2002, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media after starting all 13 games at center and helped open holes for a Boilermaker rushing attack that amassed 2,861 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground. He started all 49 games in his four-year stay at Purdue.
First stint with Patriots
Mruczkowski was picked up as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the New England Patriots in 2003
2003 New England Patriots season
The 2003 New England Patriots season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League and 44th season overall. They finished with a league-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII....
. He was placed on the Patriots reserve/non-football injury list with a leg injury before the beginning of the season. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
and did not play in his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season. He then played 17 games total for the 2004
2004 New England Patriots season
The 2004 New England Patriots season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League and 45th season overall. They finished with their second straight 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years.Following a Super Bowl...
and 2005
2005 New England Patriots season
The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos....
season. He was released by the Patriots on September 1, 2007.
Miami Dolphins
Mruczkowski was claimed off waivers by the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
the day after he release from the Patriots. He appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins in a reserve role during the 2007 season. He became a free agent at season's end.
Florida Tuskers
Mruczkowski came out of retirement by signing with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League on August 25, 2009. He was placed on injured reserveInjured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on October 20.