John Engelberger
Encyclopedia
John Albert Engelberger (born October 18, 1976 in Heidelberg
, Germany
) is an American football
defensive end
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Virginia Tech
. Engelberger has also played for the Denver Broncos
.
in Springfield, Va., where he played tight end and linebacker. He caught 19 passes for 422 yards with four touchdowns while adding 94 tackles and three sacks as a linebacker as a senior.
and a First-team All-Big East Conference
choice following a senior season at Virginia Tech that saw him record 53 tackles (32 solo) and seven sacks. During his four years at Virginia Tech, the Hokies played in four bowl games, including an appearance in the National Championship Game. At the conclusion of his senior season, he was awarded the Paul Torgersen Award as the Hokie player who shows a commitment to hard work and great effort every time he takes the field. As a junior, he recorded 66 tackles and 7.5 sacks to garner a Second-team All-Big East selection. He was named the team’s outstanding defensive lineman after his junior campaign. He finished his sophomore season with 70 tackles (43 solo) and six sacks en route to a Second-team All-Big East selection. As a freshman, he contributed 64 tackles (33 solo) and six sacks. Engelberger started his collegiate career as a walk-on at Virginia Tech.
, Engelberger played all 16 regular-season games (13 starts) as a rookie. He recorded 28 tackles (20 solo), three sacks and a forced fumble. In 2001 Engelberger played 15 regular-season games (14 starts) and set his career high with four forced fumbles. He also added 36 tackles (32 solo) and four sacks to a defense that placed among the NFL’s top 10 against the run. The next season, 2002, Engelberger played 15 regular-season games (0 starts) and both postseason contests for San Francisco, compiling 12 tackles (11 solo) and one special-teams stop. In 2003 he started all 16 regular-season games for San Francisco at defensive end, recording 35 tackles (25 solo) while setting a then career high with 4.5 sacks. In 2004 Engelberger played 16 regular-season games (15 starts) at left defensive end for San Francisco, recording career highs in tackles (64) and sacks while matching his personal best with four forced fumbles.
on July 15, 2005. In his first season with the Broncos, Engelberger played 14 regular-season games (0 starts) and contributed 24 tackles (17 solo) as a part of the NFL’s second-best run defense (85.2 ypg). In 2006 he had 55 tackles, including a career-high 37 solo stops, one sack, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In 2007 Engelberger led the Broncos’ defensive line with 59 tackles (40 solo), starting 15 of 16 games played and one sack, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. He earned the team’s nomination for the Ed Block Courage Award
by starting its final 12 games despite suffering a fifth-degree separation of the AC joint in his right shoulder in Week 4. Engelberger started the first six games of the season for the Broncos in 2008. He finished second on the team among defensive linemen with 51 tackles.
On February 16, 2009, the Broncos released Engelberger.
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) is an American football
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...
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 drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. 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 Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
. Engelberger has also played for 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...
.
Early years
Engelberger lettered in football for two years at Robert E. Lee High SchoolRobert E. Lee High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)
Robert E. Lee High School is a high school in the Fairfax County Public Schools system. Its mascot is the Lancer. The school is located in Springfield in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia. It is named after Robert E. Lee, the general of the Confederate troops in the American Civil War...
in Springfield, Va., where he played tight end and linebacker. He caught 19 passes for 422 yards with four touchdowns while adding 94 tackles and three sacks as a linebacker as a senior.
College career
Engelberger was a Second-team All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
and a First-team All-Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
choice following a senior season at Virginia Tech that saw him record 53 tackles (32 solo) and seven sacks. During his four years at Virginia Tech, the Hokies played in four bowl games, including an appearance in the National Championship Game. At the conclusion of his senior season, he was awarded the Paul Torgersen Award as the Hokie player who shows a commitment to hard work and great effort every time he takes the field. As a junior, he recorded 66 tackles and 7.5 sacks to garner a Second-team All-Big East selection. He was named the team’s outstanding defensive lineman after his junior campaign. He finished his sophomore season with 70 tackles (43 solo) and six sacks en route to a Second-team All-Big East selection. As a freshman, he contributed 64 tackles (33 solo) and six sacks. Engelberger started his collegiate career as a walk-on at Virginia Tech.
Pre-draft
A 6-4¼, 260-pound defensive end, Engelberger ran a 4.65 40-yard dash, had a 34" vertical leap and had a three-cone drill time of 6.95 seconds.San Francisco 49ers
Selected by San Francisco in the second round (35th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
, Engelberger played all 16 regular-season games (13 starts) as a rookie. He recorded 28 tackles (20 solo), three sacks and a forced fumble. In 2001 Engelberger played 15 regular-season games (14 starts) and set his career high with four forced fumbles. He also added 36 tackles (32 solo) and four sacks to a defense that placed among the NFL’s top 10 against the run. The next season, 2002, Engelberger played 15 regular-season games (0 starts) and both postseason contests for San Francisco, compiling 12 tackles (11 solo) and one special-teams stop. In 2003 he started all 16 regular-season games for San Francisco at defensive end, recording 35 tackles (25 solo) while setting a then career high with 4.5 sacks. In 2004 Engelberger played 16 regular-season games (15 starts) at left defensive end for San Francisco, recording career highs in tackles (64) and sacks while matching his personal best with four forced fumbles.
Denver Broncos
Engelberger, whom the Broncos acquired in a trade with San Francisco in exchange for cornerback Willie MiddlebrooksWillie Middlebrooks
Willie Frank Middlebrooks is a former defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and former National Football League free agent cornerback. He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and was the 24th overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft...
on July 15, 2005. In his first season with the Broncos, Engelberger played 14 regular-season games (0 starts) and contributed 24 tackles (17 solo) as a part of the NFL’s second-best run defense (85.2 ypg). In 2006 he had 55 tackles, including a career-high 37 solo stops, one sack, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In 2007 Engelberger led the Broncos’ defensive line with 59 tackles (40 solo), starting 15 of 16 games played and one sack, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. He earned the team’s nomination for the Ed Block Courage Award
Ed Block Courage Award
The Ed Block Courage Award is an annual award presented to selected players in the National Football League , who are voted by their teammates as role models of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. Named in memory of Ed Block, a well-liked humanitarian and trainer for the Baltimore Colts, the...
by starting its final 12 games despite suffering a fifth-degree separation of the AC joint in his right shoulder in Week 4. Engelberger started the first six games of the season for the Broncos in 2008. He finished second on the team among defensive linemen with 51 tackles.
On February 16, 2009, the Broncos released Engelberger.