Lawrence Timmons
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Olajuwon Timmons (born May 14, 1986) is an American football
linebacker
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
. He was drafted by the Steelers 15th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Florida State University
.
at Wilson High School
in Florence, South Carolina
playing tight end
and linebacker
. During his senior year he was awarded as the Defensive Player of the Year and received Super Prep Elite 50 honors. He was also selected to play in the 2003 East-West Shrine Game
.
at Florida State University
. He chose Florida State over numerous colleges including Florida
, Tennessee
, North Carolina
and Georgia
. After being used mainly on special teams and as a backup linebacker
for his first two years, he became a starter during his junior year after Ernie Sims
was drafted in the 2006 NFL Draft
. He had a great season recording 79 tackles
and five sacks
, and was honored with All-American third-team and All-Atlantic Coast Conference
first-team. He finished his college career with 126 tackles and eight sacks.
15th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
. In his rookie season, he played in 16 games recording 13 tackles.
Timmons' playing time increased during his second season in 2008. He finished the season with 65 tackles, five sacks
and an interception. In Super Bowl XLIII
he recorded 5 tackles in the 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Timmons took over as starter for the 2009 season
following the release of Larry Foote
, who had wanted out due to Timmons's increasing playing time. Foote would return to the Steelers the following year to be Timmons' backup.
In 2010, despite getting less acclaim than many on the Steelers defense, he led the team in tackles with 135, also recording 3 sacks
, 2 forced fumbles
and 2 interceptions.
On August 23, 2011, the Steelers gave Timmons a six-year/$50 million contract extension. At the time, he was entering the last year of his rookie contract.
fan, named Timmons after NBA
legend and Basketball Hall of Fame
r Hakeem Olajuwon
by giving him the middle name Olajuwon.
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...
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 Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. He was drafted by the Steelers 15th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. 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 Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
.
Early years
Timmons played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Wilson High School
Wilson High School
Wilson High School may refer to:* Wilson High School * Wilson High School * Wilson High School * Wilson High School -See also:...
in Florence, South Carolina
Florence, South Carolina
-Municipal government and politics:The City of Florence has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and city council are elected every four years, with no term limits...
playing 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...
and 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...
. During his senior year he was awarded as the Defensive Player of the Year and received Super Prep Elite 50 honors. He was also selected to play in the 2003 East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
.
College career
Timmons 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 Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He chose Florida State over numerous colleges including Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. After being used mainly on special teams and as a backup 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 his first two years, he became a starter during his junior year after Ernie Sims
Ernie Sims
-Detroit Lions:Sims was selected as ninth overall in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. Sims was targeted by Lions general manager Matt Millen to bolster the Lions' defense at weakside linebacker. On July 30, 2006, he signed a 5-year, $15.735 million contract with $12.1...
was drafted in the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He had a great season recording 79 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
and five sacks
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...
, and was honored with All-American third-team and All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
first-team. He finished his college career with 126 tackles and eight sacks.
Professional career
Timmons was drafted by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
15th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. In his rookie season, he played in 16 games recording 13 tackles.
Timmons' playing time increased during his second season in 2008. He finished the season with 65 tackles, five sacks
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...
and an interception. In Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
he recorded 5 tackles in the 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Timmons took over as starter for the 2009 season
2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 77th season in the National Football League . They were coming off a season in which they compiled a 12–4 regular season record and capped the season by winning the franchise's record sixth Super Bowl...
following the release of Larry Foote
Larry Foote
Lawrence Edward Foote, Jr. is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
, who had wanted out due to Timmons's increasing playing time. Foote would return to the Steelers the following year to be Timmons' backup.
In 2010, despite getting less acclaim than many on the Steelers defense, he led the team in tackles with 135, also recording 3 sacks
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...
, 2 forced fumbles
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
and 2 interceptions.
On August 23, 2011, the Steelers gave Timmons a six-year/$50 million contract extension. At the time, he was entering the last year of his rookie contract.
Personal
Timmons's mother, a huge basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
fan, named Timmons after NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
legend and Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
r Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
by giving him the middle name Olajuwon.