Warren Sapp
Encyclopedia
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football
player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League
. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and the Oakland Raiders
during his 13 year professional career, and college football
for the University of Miami
Hurricanes
. He was then drafted by the Buccaneers in the 1995 NFL Draft
as the 12th overall pick. He spent nine seasons with the team where he earned seven trips to the Pro Bowl
and a Super Bowl ring in 2002
. He moved to the Raiders in 2004
.
His 96.5 career sacks (100 counting the playoffs) are the second-highest career total sacks for a defensive tackle and the 28th highest overall for a defensive lineman. His 77 sacks with the Buccaneers is second in the team's history.
During Sapp's career, he has been the source of some controversy because of his hard-hitting style of play and his occasional verbal outbursts, both on the field and off. Some of these resulted in NFL fines, and he was once ejected from a game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
. During the late 1980s he was honored as an outstanding football player at Apopka High School
in Apopka, Florida
as a linebacker, tight end, place kicker, and punter.. Holds school records for sacks, tackles for a loss, and longest field goal. While playing football for Apopka High School
, Sapp delivered a hit on baseball player Johnny Damon
, a player from Dr. Phillips High school
, resulting in a concussion for Damon.
In 2007, Sapp was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state of Florida.
. Converted to defensive lineman while there, Sapp would win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
(best defensive player), the Rotary Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker) and the Bill Willis Award (best defensive lineman) all in 1994. He was also named to many All-American teams.
After playing college football
at the University of Miami, where he was a defensive standout, Sapp was drafted into the NFL by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the first round of the 1995 draft (12th pick overall). Sapp ran the fastest time in the 40-yard dash for a defensive tackle, recording a 4.69 time. Upon joining Tampa Bay, Sapp was almost immediately given the starting job as right defensive tackle, a position he held for his entire nine-year stay in Tampa. He finished his rookie season with 27 tackles and one interception. Sapp continued to be a prolific, intimidating tackler for the Buccaneers, tallying 51 tackles and nine sacks in 1996 and 58 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 1997. In 1997, Sapp was named to his first Pro Bowl
. It was the first of seven straight selections. Sapp was named 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the year.
He flourished in the Bucs' aggressive Tampa 2
defense, which allowed him to put his devastating combination of size and speed to good use. He was known to disrupt plays even when being double- or even triple-teamed on the line.
, Sapp helped lead a resurgent Tampa Bay team to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII
over the Oakland Raiders
. Sapp had five tackles and two sacks during the 2002-2003 postseason, and was an instrumental staple in the league leading Buccaneers defense.
In 2004, it was reported that Sapp was interested in accepting a contract offer from the Cincinnati Bengals
for four years worth US $16 million. However, on March 20, he announced that he had agreed to terms on a seven-year, $36.6 million contract with the Raiders.
Sapp started all 16 games in his first season in Oakland, splitting time at defensive end
as well as defensive tackle. Sapp recorded 30 tackles (18 solo), 2.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles.
Warren lost an estimated 20 pounds before joining the Raiders in 2004. Sapp's 2005 season
started out as a great year for Sapp, as he was moved back to his familiar DT position. He started the first ten games of the season recording 29 tackles (26 of them solo), and finished second on the team to Derrick Burgess with five sacks. Sapp was sidelined for the last six games of '05 with a shoulder injury.
Sapp returned to his All-Pro form in 2006. Sapp and the Raider defense were one of very few bright spots for the 2006 Raiders
. Sapp had 10 sacks to go along with 32 tackles (16 solo) and one forced fumble. Before the 2007 season
, he lost 49 pounds. He finished the 2007 season with 37 tackles (24 solo), 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
over the phone that he would retire. The next day, January 4, 2008, Sapp confirmed it on his website qbkilla.com in just two words: "I'M DONE!" The retirement became official on March 4, 2008.
He is currently an analyst on NFL Network
where he is featured on NFL Total Access
and NFL GameDay Morning.
On August 19, 2008, Sapp was hired as a studio analyst for Inside the NFL
on Showtime.
Sapp came in 2nd place on Season 7
of Dancing With The Stars. He was paired with professional dancer Kym Johnson
. He was one of the roasters in the Comedy Central Roast
of Larry The Cable Guy
.
, Jack Lambert
, Lawrence Taylor
, Reggie White
and Sapp's former teammate, Derrick Brooks
. He is now reckoned as the prototype three-technique defensive tackle; ever since his retirement NFL teams scouting defensive tackles have reportedly been looking for a "Baby Sapp."
Ray Lewis has also made the pro bowl, named Defensive Player of the Year x 2, and win a Super Bowl
, Sapp drew criticism for blocking the Green Bay Packers
' Chad Clifton
during an interception return by the Buccaneers. Clifton was jogging down field, away from the main action, and was blindsided by Sapp. The hit sent Clifton to the hospital. He was hospitalized for almost a week and could not walk unaided for five more weeks. In 2005, the NFL Competition Committee agreed on new guidelines for "unnecessary roughness", making hits such as that suffered by Clifton illegal.
In an exchange caught by television cameras following the game, Packers' coach Mike Sherman
approached Sapp and said to him, "That was a chicken shit play." In response, Sapp screamed at Sherman: "You're so tough? Put a jersey on!" Sapp later called Sherman: "a lying, shit-eating hound. ... If I was 25 years old and didn't have a kid and a conscience, I would have given him an ass-kicking right there at the 30-yard line." Sherman later said of Sapp: "The joviality that existed after [the hit] when a guy's lying on the ground, with numbness in his legs and fingers, I just thought that wasn't appropriate for any NFL player."
game at Raymond James Stadium
, Warren skipped among the Pittsburgh Steelers
players during their pre-game warmups. Steelers running back Jerome Bettis
shoved Sapp, and this was followed by a heated argument between the two teams. Sapp was not fined for the incident, but it added to his controversial image. Sapp felt that he was made an example by the NFL by being fined for that first skipping incident. "That's all this is about," said Sapp. "In my nine years in this league, no one's been fined for verbally abusing officials. It's unprecedented." The Buccaneers had been earlier ridiculed by Steelers' Lee Flowers
as being "paper champions." Despite losing to the Steelers in that game, Sapp and the Buccaneers went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII
five weeks later.
In 2003, during an October 6 Monday Night Football
game against the Indianapolis Colts
, Sapp was scolded for skipping through and disrupting the Colts players, who were spread out on the field, stretching during pre-game warmups. There was much anticipation and national interest going into the game, which was the return of former head coach Tony Dungy
to Tampa
. The Colts wound up erasing a 21-point deficit in the final four minutes, and defeated the Buccaneers 38-35 in overtime, initiating a downslide for the defending champions.
A week later, on October 12, 2003, prior to the game against the Washington Redskins
, Sapp was running onto the field when he bumped into an NFL referee. The incident drew a fine of $50,000. Sapp's response to the fine: "It's a slave system. Make no mistake about it. Slave master say you can't do it, don't do it. They'll make an example out of you."
The incident began when linesman Jerry Bergman mistakenly assumed that the Raiders wished to decline a Jacksonville 10-yard penalty. Sapp, the defensive captain, began speaking with referee Jerome Boger
, indicating that the Raiders instead wished to accept the penalty. The conversation became heated, with Sapp gesturing and swearing. This resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct call by Boger against Sapp. Sapp and his defensive teammates continued interacting with the officials after the penalty was called, resulting in a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Sapp and another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty assessed against teammate Derrick Burgess
. Finally, the coaches and officiating staff entered the field and began physically separating and removing the arguing players. Boger claimed that during this time Sapp "bumped" him; Sapp denies making physical contact. Regardless, at this point Boger levied a third unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Sapp and ejected him from the game. Sapp did not play in the second half and was eventually fined $75,000 by the NFL; Burgess received a $25,000 fine.
battery
. Sapp was in Florida to appear as an analyst for the NFL Network
's coverage of Super Bowl XLIV
, but following the arrest an NFL Network spokesman said Sapp would not appear. On March 24, the charges against Sapp were dropped.
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...
player who played defensive tackle 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...
. He played for 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...
and the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
during his 13 year professional career, and 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 University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. He was then drafted by the Buccaneers in the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 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 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
as the 12th overall pick. He spent nine seasons with the team where he earned seven trips to the 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...
and a Super Bowl ring in 2002
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
. He moved to the Raiders 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...
.
His 96.5 career sacks (100 counting the playoffs) are the second-highest career total sacks for a defensive tackle and the 28th highest overall for a defensive lineman. His 77 sacks with the Buccaneers is second in the team's history.
During Sapp's career, he has been the source of some controversy because of his hard-hitting style of play and his occasional verbal outbursts, both on the field and off. Some of these resulted in NFL fines, and he was once ejected from a game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Early life
Sapp was born and raised in OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. During the late 1980s he was honored as an outstanding football player at Apopka High School
Apopka High School
Apopka High School is a high school located in Apopka in northwest Orange County, Florida, United States. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.The school serves grades 9 through 12...
in Apopka, Florida
Apopka, Florida
Apopka is a city located in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,969 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2006, the city grew to 53,563. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Apopka is an Indian word for “Potato...
as a linebacker, tight end, place kicker, and punter.. Holds school records for sacks, tackles for a loss, and longest field goal. While playing football for Apopka High School
Apopka High School
Apopka High School is a high school located in Apopka in northwest Orange County, Florida, United States. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.The school serves grades 9 through 12...
, Sapp delivered a hit on baseball player Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
, a player from Dr. Phillips High school
Dr. Phillips High School
Dr. Phillips High School is a high school located in Orlando, Florida, United States.The area of Dr. Phillips, Florida is named after Dr. Philip Phillips, a physician who later became a Central Florida citrus magnate. He was responsible for several key innovations in the processing and packaging of...
, resulting in a concussion for Damon.
In 2007, Sapp was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state of Florida.
University of Miami
Many top national colleges sought him out as a football player; Sapp chose to play for the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. Converted to defensive lineman while there, Sapp would win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
(best defensive player), the Rotary Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker) and the Bill Willis Award (best defensive lineman) all in 1994. He was also named to many All-American teams.
Awards and honors
- Second-team All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn 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 (1993) - 2× First-team All-Big EastBig East ConferenceThe Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
(1993–1994) - Consensus First-team All-American1994 College Football All-America TeamThe 1994 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The Sporting News and Football News.The...
(1994) - Lombardi AwardLombardi AwardThe Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
(1994) - Bronko Nagurski TrophyBronko Nagurski TrophyThe Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
(1994) - Bill Willis Award (1994)
- Outland TrophyOutland TrophyThe Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
finalist (1994) - Big East Defensive Player of the Year (1994)
- Defensive Player of the Year by Football Writers Association of AmericaFootball Writers Association of AmericaThe Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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 the University of Miami, where he was a defensive standout, Sapp was drafted into the NFL 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 first round of the 1995 draft (12th pick overall). Sapp ran the fastest time in the 40-yard dash for a defensive tackle, recording a 4.69 time. Upon joining Tampa Bay, Sapp was almost immediately given the starting job as right defensive tackle, a position he held for his entire nine-year stay in Tampa. He finished his rookie season with 27 tackles and one interception. Sapp continued to be a prolific, intimidating tackler for the Buccaneers, tallying 51 tackles and nine sacks in 1996 and 58 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 1997. In 1997, Sapp was named to his first 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...
. It was the first of seven straight selections. Sapp was named 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the year.
He flourished in the Bucs' aggressive Tampa 2
Tampa 2
The Tampa 2 is an American football defensive strategy popularized by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers National Football League team in the mid 1990s-early 2000s. The Tampa 2 is typically employed out of a 4-3 defensive alignment, which consists of four linemen, three linebackers, two cornerbacks, and...
defense, which allowed him to put his devastating combination of size and speed to good use. He was known to disrupt plays even when being double- or even triple-teamed on the line.
Super Bowl XXXVII
In 20022002 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...
, Sapp helped lead a resurgent Tampa Bay team to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Sapp had five tackles and two sacks during the 2002-2003 postseason, and was an instrumental staple in the league leading Buccaneers defense.
Oakland Raiders
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
for four years worth US $16 million. However, on March 20, he announced that he had agreed to terms on a seven-year, $36.6 million contract with the Raiders.
Sapp started all 16 games in his first season in Oakland, splitting time at defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
as well as defensive tackle. Sapp recorded 30 tackles (18 solo), 2.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles.
Warren lost an estimated 20 pounds before joining the Raiders in 2004. Sapp's 2005 season
2005 Oakland Raiders season
The 2005 Oakland Raiders season was their 46th in the league. They were unable to improve upon their previous season's output of 5–11, instead only going 4–12. The team finished the season on a six game losing streak.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:...
started out as a great year for Sapp, as he was moved back to his familiar DT position. He started the first ten games of the season recording 29 tackles (26 of them solo), and finished second on the team to Derrick Burgess with five sacks. Sapp was sidelined for the last six games of '05 with a shoulder injury.
Sapp returned to his All-Pro form in 2006. Sapp and the Raider defense were one of very few bright spots for the 2006 Raiders
2006 Oakland Raiders season
The 2006 Oakland Raiders season, which was supposed to improve on a lackluster 4–12 record from 2005, ended with the Raiders suffering through a 2–14 campaign, the worst record in the 2006 NFL season, the worst season since the club went 1–13 in 1962 and their worst since the National Football...
. Sapp had 10 sacks to go along with 32 tackles (16 solo) and one forced fumble. Before the 2007 season
2007 Oakland Raiders season
The 2007 Oakland Raiders season was the team's forty-eight season overall. The team finished the season with a 4–12 record. It began with the team's fourth head coach in six seasons. By virtue of the team's 2–14 finish in 2006 , they acquired the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
, he lost 49 pounds. He finished the 2007 season with 37 tackles (24 solo), 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
Retirement
On January 3, 2008, Sapp told Raiders owner Al DavisAl Davis
Allen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1970 to 2011...
over the phone that he would retire. The next day, January 4, 2008, Sapp confirmed it on his website qbkilla.com in just two words: "I'M DONE!" The retirement became official on March 4, 2008.
He is currently an analyst on NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
where he is featured on NFL Total Access
NFL Total Access
NFL Total Access is a television news program on the NFL Network.The network treats it as the league's "show of record" and bills it as the only year-round show dedicated to the National Football League, despite the ESPN show NFL Live running year round as well.NFL Total Access is primarily hosted...
and NFL GameDay Morning.
On August 19, 2008, Sapp was hired as a studio analyst for Inside the NFL
Inside the NFL
Inside the NFL is a weekly cable television sports show that focuses on the National Football League. It originally aired on HBO from 1977 through 2008...
on Showtime.
Sapp came in 2nd place on Season 7
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 7)
The seventh season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on September 22, 2008 as a part of ABC's fall line-up. Instead of 12 couples like previous seasons, this was the first season to showcase a lineup of 13 couples...
of Dancing With The Stars. He was paired with professional dancer Kym Johnson
Kym Johnson
Kym Johnson is an Australian former professional ballroom dancer, model, and television celebrity. She lives in Sydney NSW, Australia but is currently based in America for Dancing with the Stars.-Dance biography:...
. He was one of the roasters in the Comedy Central Roast
Comedy Central Roast
The Comedy Central Roasts are a series of celebrity roast specials which air on the Comedy Central cable network.-History:Between 1998 and 2001, Comedy Central produced and televised the annual roasts of the New York Friars' Club. After the original five-year agreement expired, the network began...
of Larry The Cable Guy
Larry the Cable Guy
Daniel Lawrence Whitney , better known by his stage name and character Larry the Cable Guy, is an American comedian, actor, and former radio personality....
.
Legacy
Sapp is one of only six defensive players in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl, be named Defensive Player of the Year, and win a Super Bowl or NFL title. The others are Joe GreeneJoe Greene
Joseph Greene or Joe Greene may refer to:*Joseph Greene , accountant and political figure in Newfoundland*Joe Greene , Liberal legislator in Canadian House of Commons, 1963–1972...
, Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert may refer to:*Jack Lambert , American actor*Jack Lambert , , British actor*Jack Lambert , American football player...
, Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
and Sapp's former teammate, Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks
Derrick Dewan Brooks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
. He is now reckoned as the prototype three-technique defensive tackle; ever since his retirement NFL teams scouting defensive tackles have reportedly been looking for a "Baby Sapp."
Ray Lewis has also made the pro bowl, named Defensive Player of the Year x 2, and win a Super Bowl
Mike Sherman confrontation
On November 24, 2002, at Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
, Sapp drew criticism for blocking the Green Bay Packers
Green 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...
' Chad Clifton
Chad Clifton
Jeffrey Chad Clifton is an American football offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
during an interception return by the Buccaneers. Clifton was jogging down field, away from the main action, and was blindsided by Sapp. The hit sent Clifton to the hospital. He was hospitalized for almost a week and could not walk unaided for five more weeks. In 2005, the NFL Competition Committee agreed on new guidelines for "unnecessary roughness", making hits such as that suffered by Clifton illegal.
In an exchange caught by television cameras following the game, Packers' coach Mike Sherman
Mike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
approached Sapp and said to him, "That was a chicken shit play." In response, Sapp screamed at Sherman: "You're so tough? Put a jersey on!" Sapp later called Sherman: "a lying, shit-eating hound. ... If I was 25 years old and didn't have a kid and a conscience, I would have given him an ass-kicking right there at the 30-yard line." Sherman later said of Sapp: "The joviality that existed after [the hit] when a guy's lying on the ground, with numbness in his legs and fingers, I just thought that wasn't appropriate for any NFL player."
The skipping incidents
During pre-game warm-ups of a December 23, 2002 Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game at Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
, Warren skipped among 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...
players during their pre-game warmups. Steelers running back Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
shoved Sapp, and this was followed by a heated argument between the two teams. Sapp was not fined for the incident, but it added to his controversial image. Sapp felt that he was made an example by the NFL by being fined for that first skipping incident. "That's all this is about," said Sapp. "In my nine years in this league, no one's been fined for verbally abusing officials. It's unprecedented." The Buccaneers had been earlier ridiculed by Steelers' Lee Flowers
Lethon Flowers
Lethon 'Lee' Flowers is a former defensive back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers all of his 8 years in the NFL from 1995–2002. He played college football for the Georgia Tech football team....
as being "paper champions." Despite losing to the Steelers in that game, Sapp and the Buccaneers went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
five weeks later.
In 2003, during an October 6 Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Sapp was scolded for skipping through and disrupting the Colts players, who were spread out on the field, stretching during pre-game warmups. There was much anticipation and national interest going into the game, which was the return of former head coach Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
to Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
. The Colts wound up erasing a 21-point deficit in the final four minutes, and defeated the Buccaneers 38-35 in overtime, initiating a downslide for the defending champions.
A week later, on October 12, 2003, prior to the game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, Sapp was running onto the field when he bumped into an NFL referee. The incident drew a fine of $50,000. Sapp's response to the fine: "It's a slave system. Make no mistake about it. Slave master say you can't do it, don't do it. They'll make an example out of you."
Ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct
On December 23, 2007, Sapp was involved in an altercation with NFL referees near the end of the second quarter of the Raiders' game at Jacksonville.The incident began when linesman Jerry Bergman mistakenly assumed that the Raiders wished to decline a Jacksonville 10-yard penalty. Sapp, the defensive captain, began speaking with referee Jerome Boger
Jerome Boger
Jerome Boger is an American football official in the National Football League since the 2004 NFL season. He wears uniform number 23 since 2006; before that, he wore uniform number 109. He started in the league as a line judge and was promoted to referee in 2006 after two seasons...
, indicating that the Raiders instead wished to accept the penalty. The conversation became heated, with Sapp gesturing and swearing. This resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct call by Boger against Sapp. Sapp and his defensive teammates continued interacting with the officials after the penalty was called, resulting in a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Sapp and another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty assessed against teammate Derrick Burgess
Derrick Burgess
Derrick Lee Burgess is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi....
. Finally, the coaches and officiating staff entered the field and began physically separating and removing the arguing players. Boger claimed that during this time Sapp "bumped" him; Sapp denies making physical contact. Regardless, at this point Boger levied a third unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Sapp and ejected him from the game. Sapp did not play in the second half and was eventually fined $75,000 by the NFL; Burgess received a $25,000 fine.
Domestic Battery Charges
On February 7, 2010 Sapp was arrested in South Florida and charged with domesticDomestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
. Sapp was in Florida to appear as an analyst for the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
's coverage of Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, but following the arrest an NFL Network spokesman said Sapp would not appear. On March 24, the charges against Sapp were dropped.