Russ Hochstein
Encyclopedia
Russ Hochstein is an American football
guard
for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Nebraska
.
Hochstein has also played for the New England Patriots
and earned two Super Bowl ring
s with the team.
, where he was an award-winning performer in school plays, and a letterman in football
, basketball
, and track and field
. In football, he played the offensive line, defensive line and middle linebacker positions, and finished his high school career with 18 sacks, 309 tackles, eight fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.
in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
.
in 2002. He started
in 2003
after Damien Woody
(who had moved from Center to fill in for the injured Mike Compton) was injured in the first round of the playoffs. After Joe Andruzzi
left for Cleveland
, Hochstein started the first two games of the 2004 season before filling in at Tight End
, Offensive Tackle and Fullback
in the remaining regular season games and Super Bowl XXXIX
. Hochstein started the final seven games of the 2005 season
at center when Dan Koppen
was injured and started a career high eight games in 2007
at center and right guard for the New England Patriots
. He has remained a special teams contributor and first choice backup interior offensive lineman for the New England Patriots.
in exchange for a seventh-round selection (which the Patriots had sent with Le Kevin Smith
in a prior trade) in the 2010 NFL Draft
on August 25, 2009. The move reunited Hochstein with Broncos head coach and former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels
.
Hochstein started 10 of the 15 games in which he played for the Broncos in 2009. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve
with a knee injury on December 28. He was re-signed by the Broncos on March 5, 2010.
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...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
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...
of 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...
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 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...
. 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 Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
.
Hochstein has also played for 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 earned two Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s with the team.
Early years
Hochstein is a graduate of Cedar Catholic High SchoolCedar Catholic High School
Cedar Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Hartington, Nebraska. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha.-Athletics:Cedar Catholic is a member of the Nebraska School Activities Association...
, where he was an award-winning performer in school plays, and a letterman 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....
, basketball
Basketball
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...
, and track and field
Track and field
Track 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 played the offensive line, defensive line and middle linebacker positions, and finished his high school career with 18 sacks, 309 tackles, eight fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hochstein was selected by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 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...
.
New England Patriots
Hochstein signed with the New England PatriotsNew 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...
in 2002. He started
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 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 *...
after Damien Woody
Damien Woody
Damien Michael Woody is a former American football offensive lineman who played for the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions and New York Jets of the National Football League...
(who had moved from Center to fill in for the injured Mike Compton) was injured in the first round of the playoffs. After 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:...
left for Cleveland
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Hochstein started the first two games of the 2004 season before filling in at 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...
, Offensive Tackle and Fullback
Fullback (American football)
A 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...
in the remaining regular season games and Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
. Hochstein started the final seven games of the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 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...
at center when Dan Koppen
Dan Koppen
Daniel Koppen is an American football center for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
was injured and started a career high eight games in 2007
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
at center and right guard for 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...
. He has remained a special teams contributor and first choice backup interior offensive lineman for the New England Patriots.
Denver Broncos
Hochstein was traded to the Denver BroncosDenver 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...
in exchange for a seventh-round selection (which the Patriots had sent with Le Kevin Smith
Le Kevin Smith
Le Kevin Smith is an American football defensive lineman of the National Football League, who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
in a prior trade) in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
on August 25, 2009. The move reunited Hochstein with Broncos head coach and former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
.
Hochstein started 10 of the 15 games in which he played for the Broncos in 2009. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a knee injury on December 28. He was re-signed by the Broncos on March 5, 2010.