Brendon Ayanbadejo life and biography

Brendon Ayanbadejo is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League.

Highlights:

o Three-time Pro Bowler (2006-08) and two-time alternate (2004 and 2005) as a special teams performer
o Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association All-NFL (2006 and 2008)
o Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association All-NFC (2006)
o All-Pro by ESPN.com and Sports Illustrated (2005)
o AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 3, 2009)
o Has 68 tackles (38 solo), 2 sacks, 2 INTs, and 2 PD from scrimmage
o Owns 160 special teams stops
o Has led or shared the team lead in special teams tackles in six of his seven seasons
o Posted a career-high 7 tackles from scrimmage at SD (9/20/09) and vs. NE (12/20/04)
o Also played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2000), Toronto Argonauts (2000) and the British Columbia Lions (2002)

Pro Career

2009: (with Baltimore - 4/1, 0/0) Was on pace for a career-high 88 tackles after playing in four games, including one start, before being placed on Injured Reserve (thigh) on 10/5/09...Posted 22 tackles (14 solo), 1 sack (-5 yards), 1 INT, 1 PD and 6 special teams tackles for the season... Played in his 100th-career game, starting at LB (his first start since 10/29/06), recording 5 tackles from scrimmage for a defense that held the Patriots to 2.8 yards per rush and 40% on 3rd down conversions in game 4 at NE (10/4)...Also posted 2 solo special teams stops before leaving the game in the second half with a thigh injury... Earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting 6 tackles, a sack (-5 yards) and an INT (which led to a Ravens’ TD) for a defense that held the Browns to 186 total yards, including 126 passing, and forced 4 turnovers in the 34-3 victory in game 3 vs. Cle. (9/27)...Led the Ravens with 3 solo special teams stops and tied a career high with 7 tackles, including a career-high 5 solo from scrimmage, helping hold the Chargers to 53 rushing yards and a 2.5 rushing average in the 31-26 win in game 2 at SD (9/20).

2008: (with Baltimore - 16/0, 3/0) Earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl berth, leading the team with a career-high 30 special teams tackles and 1 FR...Ayanbadejo recorded 2 tackles and his first career sack (-9 yards) from scrimmage as part of the NFL’s second-ranked defense...Ayanbadejo led or tied for the lead in special teams tackles in four games...Recorded his first-career sack (-9 yards) in game 12 at Cin. (11/30)…Tied for the team lead with 3 solo special teams tackles in the postseason.

2007: (with Chicago - 16/0) Selected to his second-consecutive Pro Bowl after leading the Bears with 26 special teams stops and posting 1 tackle from scrimmage...Collected 3 or more special teams tackles in six games...Posted a career-high 2 FFs on special teams, 1 of which was recovered by Chicago, leading to a Bears’ FG in game 5 at GB (10/7).

2006: (with Chicago - 16/1, 3/0) Earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as a special teamer after tying for the team lead with 28 special teams tackles...Also recovered 2 fumbles on special teams that led to Bears FGs...Collected a career-high 6 special teams tackles and recorded a FF in game 7 vs. SF (10/29)...Started and recorded 5 tackles from scrimmage in game 9 vs. Det. (9/17)...Paced team with 7 special teams tackles in the postseason, including 1 in Super Bowl XLI.

2005: (with Chicago - 16/0, 1/0) Led the team with 28 special teams tackles during his first season in Chicago...Recorded at least 1 special teams tackle in each game.

2004: (with Miami - 16/2) Paced the Dolphins with 23 special teams tackles...Recorded 20 tackles and 1 INT from scrimmage...Ayanbadejo started his first-career game at LB on Monday Night Football and posted a career-high 7 tackles and his first-career INT, which led to a Dolphins’ game-winning TD drive, in game 14 vs. NE (12/20).

2003: (with Miami - 16/0) Played as a reserve LB and on special teams, leading Miami with 19 special teams tackles.

2002: (CFL) Earned CFL West All-Star honors and was a CFL All-Pro...Played with British Columbia and tied for second on the squad with 77 tackles,all while compiling a team-high 5 FRs to go with 3 INTs and 3 sacks...Added a club-high 27 special teams tackles.

2001: (NFL Europe) Allocated to the Amsterdam Admirals by Baltimore in the spring of 2001.

2000: (CFL) Split time between Winnipeg and Toronto.

1999: (with Atlanta) Went to training camp with the Falcons as an undrafted rookie free agent before being waived prior to the start of the regular season.

College:

o Four-year letterman at UCLA (1995-98)
o Finished his career with 185 tackles and 10 INTs
o Earned 1st-team All-Pac-10 honors as a senior after starting all 12 games and recording 62 tackles, 9 sacks and 4 FRs to help the Bruins to a 10-2 record and Rose Bowl berth
o Majored in history.

Personal:

#Prepped at Santa Cruz (CA) HS
#Younger brother of former Ravens FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo, who was a teammate of his in 2003 with Miami and again in Chicago during the 2007 preseason
# Born in Chicago, he and his family moved to Lagos, Nigeria, when he was 1 and lived there for nearly 3 years before moving back to the United States
#While with the Bears, he promoted physical fitness education at Hamlin Park in Chicago each Tuesday
#In March 2008, Brendon visited the youth at Boys Hope, Girls Hope, a home for young men
#He spoke to 5th graders at Fort Smallwood (Balt.) elementary school
#Students won the visit by raising money for the American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart
#Ayanbadejo attended the reopening of the football stadium at the Mervo HS in Aug. 2008
#The team’s foundation (RACTF), former Ravens CB Chris McAlister, the NFL Youth Football Fund and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti combined to fund the $1 million renovation
#Also took part in the annual Holiday Helpers event of teammates Derrick Mason and Samari Rolle in Dec. 2008
#Brendon has a daughter, Anaya Lee
#Full name: Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo.

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