Ovie Phillip Mughelli is an
American footballAmerican 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...
fullbackA fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the
Atlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the
NFLThe 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...
. He signed a 6-year, $18 million contract with a $5 million signing bonus on March 2, 2007 with the Falcons. The contract was the largest given to a fullback in NFL history at the time.
High school career
Mughelli attended
Porter-Gaud SchoolPorter-Gaud School is an independent coeducational college preparatory day school in Charleston, South Carolina. Porter-Gaud has an enrollment of some 870 students in grades 1–12 and located on the banks of the Ashley River...
in
Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and was a good student and a letterman in
footballHigh 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....
,
basketballBasketball 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...
,
tennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and
track & fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. In football, he rushed for more than 4,500 yards and scored 69 touchdowns during his career at Porter-Gaud, and he rushed for 2,167 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior. He was named the team's
MVPIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
for three years, was a three-time All-Conference selection, and as a senior, he was also named the State Player of the Year in his classification and was a Regional All-Star selection in all division. He also led the team to a state title in 1996 and state runner-up honors during his senior year in 1997.
Baltimore Ravens
Mughelli was selected with the 134th overall pick (fourth round) of the
2003 NFL DraftThe 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
by the
Baltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
; the choice was a compensatory pick. He was the second fullback selected in Baltimore's franchise history (the first was Steve Lee in the 6th round of the
1997 draftThe 1997 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 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
); he was also the second Wake Forest player selected in the history of the team, since the NFL merger.
2003 season
In
2003-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 *...
, Mughelli saw action in 6 regular season games and 1 postseason game as a
rookieRookie 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...
and recorded 5 special teams tackles (adding 1 in the postseason). He was inactive the first two weeks of the season and saw his first NFL action on special teams in week 3 against
San DiegoThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 21 where he posted 1 solo special teams tackle.
2004 season
Mughelli saw action in 3 games, recording 2 special teams tackles in
2004The 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...
. In week 3, he played on special teams before leaving the game in the second quarter with a
hamstringIn human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury and was inactive in weeks 4-8. On November 14, Mughelli returned to play on special teams, netting 1 tackle against the
New York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
2005 season
Posting his first 5 career starts in
2005The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, Mughelli, helped pave the way for Baltimore to rush for 1,605 yards. He also pulled in 3 receptions for 13 yards and finished 4th on the team with 16 special teams tackles. His season highlights include
startingA 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...
and helping protect
QBQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Kyle BollerKyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
, allowing him to throw for a season-high 289 yards and 3 TDs against
MinnesotaThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on December 25. He also helped pave the way for the Ravens to rush for 88 yards, and caught a pass for 6 yards against the Vikings. Mughelli saw action off the bench and helped pave the way for the Ravens to rush for a season-high 182 yards, including 105 by
Jamal LewisJamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
in the 48-3 victory against
Green BayThe 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...
on December 19. He led the team with 4 special teams tackles in an 16-13 OT victory against
PittsburghThe 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...
on November 20. Mughelli also saw action from scrimmage and on special teams, recording 2 tackles and earning a special teams game ball in against the New York Jets on October 2.
2006 season
It was during the
2006 seasonThe 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
that Mughelli recorded his first ever NFL touchdown. He also went all-Pro for the first time in his career.
2007
In 2007, Mughelli signed with the Atlanta Falcons to block for running backs
Warrick DunnWarrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
and
Jerious Norwood-2006:In 2006, Norwood played in 14 games and ranked third on the team with 633 rushing yards on 99 carries with two touchdowns to go along with 12 receptions for 102 yards. He also returned 13 kickoffs for 320 yards and tallied three special teams tackles.Norwood was the first player in NFL...
.
2008 Season
Mughelli had a breakout season in 2008, blocking for Michael Turner.
2010 Season
In 2010, Mughelli went all-Pro for the second time in he career, the first being in 2006, and was elected to his first ever Pro Bowl. He also recorded the fourth receiving touchdown of his career.
Community Service & Outreach
Mughelli is a strong advocate of environmental activism, education, and conservation.
Mughelli has partnered with the
Georgia Emergency Management AgencyThe Georgia Emergency Management Agency or GEMA is the emergency management agency for the U.S. state of Georgia. Its function is similar to that of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in preparing for and responding to disasters, and mitigating potential hazards....
to promote
Ready GeorgiaReady Georgia is a statewide emergency preparedness campaign in the U.S. state of Georgia instituted by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Governor Sonny Perdue in conjunction with the national Ready America campaign sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency...
, a state-wide campaign aimed at better educating Georgians on how to properly prepare for disasters. Mughelli has a profile on the campaign's website listing what he keeps in his
ready kitA survival kit is a package of basic tools and supplies prepared in advance as an aid to survival in an emergency. Military aircraft, lifeboats, and spacecraft are equipped with survival kits....
, and has also appeared in disaster safety videos.
Along with Ravens teammates, Mughelli helped refurbish homes with
SandtownSandtown is a predominantly African-American neighborhood located southwest of Atlanta, Georgia. It is one of the Atlanta area's most affluent African American communities with the majority of the population belonging to the middle and upper middle class....
Habitat for HumanityHabitat For Humanity International , generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing, a self-described "Christian housing ministry." The international...
in the fall of 2006. One of the people who received a custom home, Romeo Magruder, stated that Mughelli was "the nicest man I have ever met."
External links