Marco Rivera
Encyclopedia
Marco Anthony Rivera is a former American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
. Rivera is of Puerto Rican descent.
in Long Island, New York. He was an excellent all-around athlete and won four varsity letters each in football as an offensive lineman and basketball, and three in lacrosse.
from 1992 to 1995. He had a notable career at Penn State as a three-year starter and four-time letter winner (1992–95). He played in 41 career games for the Nittany Lions, making 31 starts. His experience also included appearances in three bowl games - the Outback
, Rose and Blockbuster
. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in both his junior and senior seasons. He earned his Bachelor of Science
in Administration of Justice from Penn State
in 1995.
in the sixth round of the 1996 NFL Draft
. During his first year, he was inactive for all 16 regular season games, Rivera was a key practice contributor to the Packers run to their third world title in Super Bowl XXXI. In 1997, Rivera was allocated to the Scottish Claymores
of the World League
and started all ten games, helping his team finish third in the league in total offense. He was named honorable mention All-World League by Pro Football Weekly
. Rivera returned to Green Bay and saw action in 14 regular season games, primarily on special teams as a member of the field goal and extra point units and on kickoffs. He was inactive for the Packers first two contests before seeing action in the club's final 14 games as well as all three playoff contests.
In 1998, Rivera started 15 of 16 regular season games at the left guard spot after winning the job in training camp over another ex-Claymore, Joe Andruzzi
. He also started the Packers NFC Wild Card playoff game at San Francisco
. In 1999, Rivera started all 16 games for the first time in his career, playing the entire season at right guard after successfully making the transition from the left side where he had started the year before. In 2000 and 2001, Rivera started 32 consecutive games at right guard for the three straight seasons.
In 2002, Rivera raised his game to a higher level in his fifth season as a starter with a performance that earned him his first career Pro Bowl
selection. He started every game of the season - despite playing with torn medial collateral ligament
s in both knees.
In 2003, Rivera battled through a knee injury that he suffered late in the preseason and went on to start all 16 games (and two playoff games) for the fifth straight year. He was named as a starter on the NFC Pro Bowl
squad after serving as a backup for his initial appearance in the NFL's annual all-star game in 2002. He was also a second-team All-Pro selection of the Associated Press and Football Digest as well as being named to the All-NFC team as selected by Pro Football Weekly.
In 2004, Rivera was the anchor on the Green Bay offensive line, Rivera completed his seventh straight season as a starting guard. In starting all 16 regular season games, plus the playoff contest against Minnesota, Rivera earned the starting guard spot on the NFC Pro Bowl
squad for a second straight season and also was named to the All-NFC squad by Pro Football Weekly.
In 2005, the Dallas Cowboys
acquired Rivera in free agency
. He started 14 of 16 regular season missing the final two contests with a neck injury. On June 7, 2007, Marco Rivera was released by the Dallas Cowboys
due to serious back problems.
Rivera was named to the 2011 class of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
.
selections.
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...
offensive lineman 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...
. Rivera is of Puerto Rican descent.
Early years
Rivera attended Elmont Memorial High SchoolElmont Memorial High School
Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School is a co-educational, secondary public high school founded in 1956 for students in grades 7-12 in the hamlet of Elmont, Long Island, New York, in Nassau County....
in Long Island, New York. He was an excellent all-around athlete and won four varsity letters each in football as an offensive lineman and basketball, and three in lacrosse.
College career
Rivera attended Penn State UniversityPennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
from 1992 to 1995. He had a notable career at Penn State as a three-year starter and four-time letter winner (1992–95). He played in 41 career games for the Nittany Lions, making 31 starts. His experience also included appearances in three bowl games - the Outback
Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
, Rose and Blockbuster
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in both his junior and senior seasons. He earned his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Administration of Justice from Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in 1995.
Professional career
Rivera was chosen by the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the sixth round of the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 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 20–21, 1996...
. During his first year, he was inactive for all 16 regular season games, Rivera was a key practice contributor to the Packers run to their third world title in Super Bowl XXXI. In 1997, Rivera was allocated to the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
of the World League
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
and started all ten games, helping his team finish third in the league in total offense. He was named honorable mention All-World League by Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
. Rivera returned to Green Bay and saw action in 14 regular season games, primarily on special teams as a member of the field goal and extra point units and on kickoffs. He was inactive for the Packers first two contests before seeing action in the club's final 14 games as well as all three playoff contests.
In 1998, Rivera started 15 of 16 regular season games at the left guard spot after winning the job in training camp over another ex-Claymore, Joe Andruzzi
Joe Andruzzi
Joseph Dominick Andruzzi is a former American football offensive guard. In May 2007 he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.-College career:...
. He also started the Packers NFC Wild Card playoff game at San Francisco
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 1999, Rivera started all 16 games for the first time in his career, playing the entire season at right guard after successfully making the transition from the left side where he had started the year before. In 2000 and 2001, Rivera started 32 consecutive games at right guard for the three straight seasons.
In 2002, Rivera raised his game to a higher level in his fifth season as a starter with a performance that earned him his first career Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection. He started every game of the season - despite playing with torn medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
s in both knees.
In 2003, Rivera battled through a knee injury that he suffered late in the preseason and went on to start all 16 games (and two playoff games) for the fifth straight year. He was named as a starter on the NFC Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
squad after serving as a backup for his initial appearance in the NFL's annual all-star game in 2002. He was also a second-team All-Pro selection of the Associated Press and Football Digest as well as being named to the All-NFC team as selected by Pro Football Weekly.
In 2004, Rivera was the anchor on the Green Bay offensive line, Rivera completed his seventh straight season as a starting guard. In starting all 16 regular season games, plus the playoff contest against Minnesota, Rivera earned the starting guard spot on the NFC Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
squad for a second straight season and also was named to the All-NFC squad by Pro Football Weekly.
In 2005, the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
acquired Rivera in free agency
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 started 14 of 16 regular season missing the final two contests with a neck injury. On June 7, 2007, Marco Rivera was released by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
due to serious back problems.
Rivera was named to the 2011 class of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame was the first hall of fame built to honor a single professional American football team. After receiving approval from coach Vince Lombardi, William L. Brault, a Green Bay restaurateur and Packers fan, founded the Hall of Fame in 1966...
.
Statistics
As of the end of the 2006 season, Rivera has played in 155 NFL games starting a total of 141 games, 12 tackles, and 3 fumble recoveries as an offensive lineman. He has three Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selections.