Marques Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Marques D. Sullivan is a former professional American football
offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills
, the New York Giants
,the New England Patriots
and the Chicago Rush
.
in football
, wrestling
, and bowling
. In football, Sullivan played on both the offensive and defensive line. In 1995, Sullivan was one of the top three offensive lineman in the country achieving All-America
n and All-State honors helping the Friars reach a 12-1 record. He was named all-state by the Chicago Sun-Times
and the Champaign-Urbana News Gazette, and a high school All-American by Parade
.
to play college football
for the Illinois Fighting Illini
. As a redshirt freshman, Sullivan was an offensive tackle, starting
in all eleven games for the Illini.
His sophomore year, Sullivan started eleven games at right tackle.
His junior year, he started all twelve games at left tackle and was named All-Big Ten second team. The Illini played in the MicronPC.com Bowl, finishing with a 8-4 season. Sullivan was named to the All-Bowl team after the season.
His senior year, he was named first team Playboy
All American, third-team FWAA All-American, as well as an honorable mention Football News All-American. He was also named All Big Ten second team that same year.
Sullivan graduated from the University of Illinois
with a degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism Management.
by the Buffalo Bills
. In his rookie
season, Sullivan started two games at left and right tackle.
Sullivan started 25 games for the Bills for the 2002
and 2003
seasons, blocking for Pro Bowl
ers Travis Henry
and Drew Bledsoe
. In 2002, Sullivan was named Most Improved Player by the Buffalo Bills.
In 2004
, he played for the New York Giants
and the New England Patriots
. Sullivan retired from football in 2007 after playing for the Chicago Rush
in the same year.
He currently is involved with many charitable causes in the Chicago area. He serves the Director of the Chicago NFL Alumni Football Camp, coaching high school aged children. Sullivan also coaches for the Chicago Bears Youth Football Camp coaching children ages 6–13. Sullivan is also active in The NFL Alumni Association serving as the Executive Vice President of the Chicago Chapter.
On July 10, 2008 North Park University
announced that Sullivan would be the football team's new offensive line coach.
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 for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the New York Giants
New 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...
,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...
and the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
.
Early life
Sullivan was a multi-sport athlete at Fenwick High School, letteringVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football
High 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....
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, and bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
. In football, Sullivan played on both the offensive and defensive line. In 1995, Sullivan was one of the top three offensive lineman in the country achieving All-America
All-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...
n and All-State honors helping the Friars reach a 12-1 record. He was named all-state by the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
and the Champaign-Urbana News Gazette, and a high school All-American by Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
.
College career
Marques was one of the most highly recruited high school offensive lineman in the country. He decided to accept a scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to play 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...
for the Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
. As a redshirt freshman, Sullivan was an offensive tackle, starting
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...
in all eleven games for the Illini.
His sophomore year, Sullivan started eleven games at right tackle.
His junior year, he started all twelve games at left tackle and was named All-Big Ten second team. The Illini played in the MicronPC.com Bowl, finishing with a 8-4 season. Sullivan was named to the All-Bowl team after the season.
His senior year, he was named first team Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
All American, third-team FWAA All-American, as well as an honorable mention Football News All-American. He was also named All Big Ten second team that same year.
Sullivan graduated from the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
with a degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism Management.
Professional career
Sullivan was selected in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. 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, Sullivan started two games at left and right tackle.
Sullivan started 25 games for the Bills for the 2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
and 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
seasons, blocking for 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...
ers Travis Henry
Travis Henry
Travis Deion Henry is a former American football running back for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
and Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
. In 2002, Sullivan was named Most Improved Player by the Buffalo Bills.
In 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, he played for the New York Giants
New 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 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...
. Sullivan retired from football in 2007 after playing for the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
in the same year.
He currently is involved with many charitable causes in the Chicago area. He serves the Director of the Chicago NFL Alumni Football Camp, coaching high school aged children. Sullivan also coaches for the Chicago Bears Youth Football Camp coaching children ages 6–13. Sullivan is also active in The NFL Alumni Association serving as the Executive Vice President of the Chicago Chapter.
On July 10, 2008 North Park University
North Park University
North Park University is a four-year university located at 3225 W. Foster Avenue on the north side of Chicago, Illinois in the North Park neighborhood. It was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church and shares its campus with the denomination's only seminary...
announced that Sullivan would be the football team's new offensive line coach.
External links
- http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/235166
- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/5592/