DeMarcus Ware life and biography

DeMarcus Ware is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.

PRO:
When the Cowboys chose DeMarcus Ware with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, they were looking for an explosive playmaker on defense. Through five seasons, Ware has emerged as one of the most dominating defensive players in the league and has been named a starter to the NFC Pro Bowl squad in each of the four previous seasons. He owns four of the top-five sack figures by a club linebacker, has started 83-of-84 games in his career and has logged 13 multiple-sack games. Ware posted double-digit sack numbers for the fourth consecutive season in 2009 with a team-leading 11.0. The 2008 season saw Ware lead the league with 20.0 sacks to tie Derrick Thomas for the sixth-most sacks in a season in league history. Along the way, he opened the season with a sack in seven straight games, with the three consecutive he had at the end of the 2007 season to tie Simon Fletcher for the longest streak in league history – since sacks became official in 1982. After a promising rookie season, Ware led the Cowboys with a then club linebacker record 11.5 sacks in 2006, becoming the first Cowboy to record 10-or-more sacks in a season since Tony Tolbert, who had 12.0 in 1996. He upped that total in 2007 to establish a then-club linebacker record with 14.0 sacks while also becoming the first Cowboy to log back-to-back double-digit sack seasons since Charles Haley (12.5 – 1994, 10.5 – 1995). With registering a double-digit sack total again in 2009, Ware became the third Cowboy defender – first since 1971 - with three consecutive 10-plus sack seasons, and is the only player in the NFL to have reached 10 sacks over each of the past four seasons. As a rookie, Ware tied Greg Ellis for the team lead with eight sacks, becoming just the second rookie in club history to lead or tie for the team lead in sacks since Jimmie Jones in 1990. Ware is the first player in franchise history to lead or tie for the team lead in sacks through each of his first five seasons with the team.

2009:
# Named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl as a starter in 2009 after leading the team with 11.0 sacks, a career-high 45 pressures and five forced fumbles.
# Tied for fourth in the NFC (tied for tops among linebackers) and tied for seventh in the NFL (tied for third among linebackers) with 11.0 sacks.
# Finished fourth on the club with 93 tackles.
# Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week following the New Orleans game where he had two tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles in the Cowboys 24-17 win, handing the Saints their first loss of the season and holding them to their lowest point total of the year. His first forced fumble led to a Dallas field goal and his second forced fumble sealed the game in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. With his 11.0 sacks in 2009, he is just the third Cowboy to record 10+ sacks in four consecutive seasons and is the only player in the NFL with at least 10.0 sacks in each of the past four seasons. His 56.5 sacks over that period are the most in the league. The award marked Ware’s third career Player of the Week Award - previously won in Week 16, 2005 and Week 15, 2008. He is the first Cowboys linebacker to be honored three times.
# In the season opener at Tampa Bay (9/13), recorded seven tackles and three pressures after returning from a blow to the head on the first defensive series and missing the remainder of that series.
# Had three tackles and two pressures as he helped hold the Panthers (9/28) scoreless in the second half as well as four consecutive three-and-outs to start the second half.
# Finished with eight tackles, a season-high five quarterback pressures, one pass breakup and recorded the first two sacks of his season - marking the 10th multiple-sack game of his career - at Kansas City (10/11).
# Posted five tackles, one pressure and two sacks, forcing a fumble on one of the sacks that was recovered by Spencer, against Atlanta (10/25). Marked the 11th multi-sack of his career and his first back-to-back games with multiple sacks.
# Had eight tackles, two pressures and one sack against Seattle (11/1) to extend his sack streak to three consecutive games - marking the eighth time in his career he has had a streak of three-or-more games with a sack.
# At Green Bay (11/15) finished with seven tackles, four pressures and two sacks - his third multiple-sack game of the season and 12th of his career.
# Recorded a career-best seven quarterback pressures along with six tackles and a sack, on which he forced a fumble to end the half against Oakland (11/26).
# Finished second on the team with seven tackles, added one sack - the Cowboys only sack of the game - one tackle for loss and three pressures against the N.Y. Giants (12/6).
# Had four tackles, one tackle for loss and two pressures before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter with a neck strain against San Diego (12/13).
# Did not start at New Orleans (12/19) for the first time of his career after returning from a neck sprain and playing mostly in passing situations. Finished with two tackles, two sacks - the 13th multiple sack game of his career and the fourth-most multiple sack games in team history since sacks became an official stat. His two sacks upped his season sack total to 11 to give him four straight seasons with 10-or-more sacks. He is the only player in the league to accomplish the feat over previous four seasons and became just the third Cowboy player to ever do it and first since sacks became an official statistic. He also had three pressures and two forced fumbles, both recovered by Dallas with one leading to a field goal and the second one to end the game and give Dallas the win over previously undefeated New Orleans.
# In the win to clinch a playoff spot at Washington (12/27) had five tackles and three pressures as the defense forced a shutout for the first time since a 27-0 win at Washington (12/14/03).
# Had two tackles and one tackle for loss as the defense pitched back-to-back shutouts for the first time in team history to clinch the NFC East Division title against Philadelphia (1/3/10).
# Finished third on the team with five tackles while leading the team with 2.0 sacks - his first career multiple-sack playoff game - against Philadelphia (1/9/10). Also marked the first multi-sack playoff game by a Cowboy since Chad Hennings had 2.0 at Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX (11/28/96). He also became just the ninth Dallas defender with multiple sacks in a postseason game since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
# Recorded eight tackles - a postseason career-best - along with one sack and two pressures at Minnesota (1/17/10). His sack upped his career postseason total to 4.0 to break a tie with Ed Jones and Harvey Martin (3.0 each) and tie Chad Hennings, Leon Lett and Russell Maryland for fourth all-time in club postseason history.

2008:
# Selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl after pacing the league, establishing an official club record and tying Derrick Thomas for sixth in league history with 20.0 sacks.
# Had a career-high 110 tackles – his first 100-tackle season – while also leading the team in tackles for losses (eight) and forced fumbles (six) and finishing second with 20 pressures.
# Had a sack in his fourth consecutive game – dating back to the 2007 season – along with seven tackles, two pressures and a forced fumble on the sack in the season-opening win at Cleveland (9/7).
# Had a sack to mark the first time in his career he opened the season with a sack in each of the first two games, six tackles and one pressure in the home-opening win against Philadelphia (9/15).
# Had five tackles, three pressures and sack while helping to limit the Packers to less than 100 rushing yards at Green Bay (9/21).
# Extended his sack streak to seven games – the fourth-longest streak in club history – along with a season and career-high 11 tackles against Washington (9/28).
# Tied George Andrie for the third-longest streak in team history with his eighth game with a sack with five tackles, one for a loss and three pressures against Cincinnati (10/5).
# In the overtime loss at Arizona (10/12), had five tackles, one for a loss, three pressures and a sack – ninth consecutive game with a sack tying the second-longest streak in league history (since 1982) and team history.
# Tied his season high with 11 tackles and tied his single-game career-high with three sacks to tie Simon Fletcher for the longest sack streak in the NFL since sacks became official in 1982 in the loss at St. Louis (10/19).
# Finished with seven tackles, two pressures and a breakup as the defense did not allow a touchdown against Tampa Bay (10/26). Did not record a sack for the first time in the last 11 games, ending his streak at 10 games.
# Had seven tackles, a forced fumble and his 10th sack of the season – his third consecutive 10-plus sack season – at the N.Y. Giants (11/2).
# Notched his 11th sack of the season – the third-highest linebacker single-season total in club history – to go with six tackles, two pressures and a deflection at Washington (11/16).
# Added three tackles, a sack, one tackle for a loss and a pass breakup in the win over San Francisco (11/23).
# On Thanksgiving Day against Seattle (11/27), led the team with a season and career-high tying three sacks – his second three-sack game of the season and fourth of his career – to give him 15.0 on the season, establishing a single-season career-high and club linebacker record. Added three tackles and one for a loss before leaving the game at the end of the third quarter with a knee injury.
# Started and played the entire game at Pittsburgh (12/7) with a knee brace and finished with eight tackles, a sack and a pressure. The sack gave him his 16th on the season to up his club record since sacks became an official stat in 1982 and mark the most since Randy White had 16.0 in 1978.
# Had his third three-sack game of the season, fifth of his career and ninth career multi-sack game with three against the N.Y. Giants (12/14). Also upped his career sack figure to 52.5 becoming the 11th player in team history to reach 50.0. Reached that mark in 62 games to tie Tim Harris as the fourth-fastest league defender to 50 career sacks. His 19.0 sacks on the year tied him with Mark Gastineau (N.Y. Jets – 1983), Clyde Simmons (Phi – 1992) and Bruce Smith (Buf – 1990) for the eighth-most sacks in a season in league history.
# Also added seven tackles, two pressures and two forced fumbles on two of his sacks in the Giants game.
# Finished third on the team with eight tackles along with a sack – his 20th of the season – two tackles for losses and two forced fumbles in the final game at Texas Stadium against Baltimore (12/20).
# Tied his season-high with 11 tackles along with one for a loss and a pressure in the season-ending loss at Philadelphia (12/28).

2007:
# One of an NFL record 13 Cowboys in the Pro Bowl – his second consecutive selection as a starter.
# Was a First-Team All-Pro by the Associated Press and named to the All-NFL Team by the Pro Football Writers.
# Was second in the league – first among linebackers – with a club linebacker record 14.0 sacks – the most by a Dallas defender since Jim Jeffcoat had 14.0 in 1986.
# With his 11.5 sacks in 2006 and the 14.0 in 2007, was the first Dallas defender to have back-to-back double-digit sack totals since Haley (12.5 in 1994 and 10.5 in 1995).
# Along with Ellis’ 12.5 sacks, the duo became Dallas’ first pass rushing tandem to record 10-or-more sacks each in a season since Ed Jones (13.0) and Jeffcoat (12.0) in 1985.
# Also led the team in quarterback pressures (27), tackles for losses (eight) and forced fumbles (four) while finishing fifth with 80 tackles.
# Had a breakout game at Chicago (9/23), recording his third career multiple-sack game with the first two sacks of the season while also leading the team with three quarterback pressures.
# Had six tackles, three pressures, a pass deflection that led to a Terence Newman interception and 1.5 sacks – one with a forced fumble – at Buffalo (10/8).
# Logged his fourth consecutive game with a sack – tying the longest streak of his career – with a takedown of Tom Brady against New England (10/14).
# Had a then career-high 10 tackles in the Patriots game.
# Tied for the team lead with eight tackles while tallying his fifth career multi-sack game with 1.5 at Philadelphia (11/4).
# Tied his then career-best with 10 tackles along with his eighth sack of the season at the N.Y. Giants (11/11).
# Notched his fourth multi-sack game of the season with two at Carolina (12/22).
# In the Divisional Playoff loss to the N.Y. Giants (1/13/08), finished with four tackles, a pressure and a sack.

2006:
# Finished his second season with 11.5 sacks, the most ever by a Cowboys linebacker, breaking Anthony Dickerson’s record of 10.5 in 1983.
# Named a starter on the NFC Pro Bowl team and was also named second-team All-Pro by The Associated Press and first-team All-NFC by The Pro Football Writers Association.
# Became the first Cowboy to have 10-or-more sacks in a season since defensive end Tolbert had 12.0 in 1996.
# Became the only player in Cowboys history to have led or tied for the team lead in sacks in each of his first two pro seasons while also becoming the first Cowboy since Roy Williams in 2002 and the first linebacker since Dexter Coakley in 2001 to score two defensive touchdowns in a season.
# Finished fifth on the team with 82 tackles, and led the team with five tackles for a loss and five forced fumbles while finishing fourth on the team with four quarterback pressures.
# Recorded his first sack of the season in the win over Washington (9/17), dropping Mark Brunell for an 11-yard loss in the second quarter. Also had four tackles as the Cowboys held the Redskins to just three points.
# At Philadelphia (10/8) had his first career fumble recovery, catching a Donovan McNabb fumble following an Ellis sack and returning it 69 yards for his first NFL touchdown. The 69-yard return was the seventh-longest in club history. It was also the team’s longest defensive touchdown return by a non-defensive back since 1999, when Ellis returned a fumble 98 yards for a touchdown against Arizona.
# Against the N.Y. Giants (10/23) recorded a season-high eight tackles and his third sack of the season while forcing a Tiki Barber fumble before halftime which was recovered by Bradie James.
# Had three sacks, three forced fumbles and five tackles at Carolina (10/29).
# In a loss to Washington (11/5), tied for the team lead with six tackles, all solo, while adding his first career pass breakup and his fourth sack of the season.
# Notched his fifth sack in Arizona (11/12), forcing his second fumble of the season on the play.
# Added his sixth sack of the year against Indianapolis (11/19) and also forced a fumble as the Colts suffered their first loss of the season and were held to a season-low 14 points.
# Added seven tackles and the team’s only sack in a loss to New Orleans (12/10).
# Logged his first career interception, picking off a Michael Vick pass and outrunning him for a 41-yard touchdown – his second of the season – at Atlanta (12/16).
# Also had six tackles, forced a fumble and split a sack with Bobby Carpenter.
# Tied a career-high with three sacks in the season finale against Detroit (12/31) and finished the game with eight tackles.
# In his playoff debut in Seattle (1/6/07), had one tackle for a loss.

2005:
# In tying Ellis with a team-best eight sacks, Ware joined Jones (1990) as the only rookies to lead or tie for the team lead in sacks.
# The eight sacks were good for second in the league among rookies and third among club rookies behind Willie Townes (1966) and Martin (1973), who had nine sacks.
# Added 65 tackles (fifth on the team and first among club rookies) with a club-best 11 tackles for a loss, 19 quarterback pressures (second on the team) and tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles.
# Posted 41 tackles, four sacks, seven tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles and 10 quarterback pressures through the final eight games of the season.
# Made his NFL debut in the season opener at San Diego (9/11), and posted three tackles, a tackle for a loss and a quarterback pressure.
# Recorded his first career sack at San Francisco (9/25) when he took down Tim Rattay.
# Against the N.Y. Giants (10/16) recorded a sack for the fourth straight game, the longest streak on the team since 2004 when Ellis did it from Week 2 to Week 5.
# Against Arizona (10/30) posted four tackles and three quarterback pressures, including one that led to Anthony Henry’s interception and 58-yard return for a touchdown.
# Earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in October after recording 16 tackles, three sacks and seven quarterback pressures to help Dallas go 3-2.
# At the N.Y. Giants (12/4) finished second on the team with seven tackles along with two tackles for a loss and a season-high four pressures, one of which led to an Aaron Glenn interception in the end zone.
# Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week and the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week for his play at Carolina (12/24), when he tied Randy White’s rookie record with three sacks. He forced a fumble on all three sacks, becoming the first Cowboy to force three fumbles in a game since 1984, when records were first kept. Was also second on the team with a career-high eight tackles and had a tackle for a loss.
# Against St. Louis (1/1/06) recorded his eighth sack of the season, tying the team high, as the Rams were held to 253 total yards.

COLLEGE:

# As a senior, earned third-team All-America, All-Sun Belt, and Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors, finishing with 53 tackles, 29 pressures, 19 tackles for a loss, a career-high 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles to lead Troy to its first bowl appearance.
# Finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, which is given annually to the top defensive end in college football.
# As a junior, started every game at left defensive end and logged 62 tackles, a career-high 32 pressures, 16 tackles for a loss, six sacks and a career-high five forced fumbles to earn first-team All-Independent honors from ESPN and College Football News.
# Began his sophomore season as a reserve but assumed the starting role at left end in Week 2 of the season and finished with career-highs for tackles (72) and tackles for a loss (20), with 13 pressures and nine sacks.
# As a true freshman, played in eight games as a reserve defensive end and tallied 14 tackles, three tackles for a loss and two sacks.

PERSONAL:

# DeMarcus Ware played football only during his junior and senior seasons at Auburn, Ala., High School.
# Earned all-area honors as a senior, posting 55 tackles and seven sacks while also earning most valuable linebacker, wide receiver and leadership honors from the team.
# Also a member of the basketball, baseball and track teams.
# Graduated from Troy with a degree in business information systems, becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college.
# He and wife, Taniqua, have one daughter, Marley.

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