Paul Posluszny life and biography

Paul Posluszny , commonly known as Poz, is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League.

PRO: Drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2007 draft, 34th overall after trading for pick from Detroit… sixth Penn State linebacker to be drafted by Bills.

CAREER:
* Voted team captain in 2009
* Tied for second among NFL linebackers with three interceptions in 2009
* Has led the Bills in defensive tackles in each of the past two seasons
* Became the first rookie Bills middle linebacker to start the season opener (2007) since fellow Penn State alum Shane Conlan (1987); Jim Haslett (1979) is the only other rookie MLB to start a season opener for the Bills

2009:
* At NE (9/14) Posted six solo tackles to lead all defenders in the first half. Left game in second quarter with arm injury. Did not return.
* vs. TB (9/20), vs. NO (9/27), at MIA (10/4), vs. CLE (10/11) Inactive (arm injury)
* at NYJ (10/18) Returned to the starting line-up for the first time in four weeks and had an active day with nine tackles, one tackle for loss, a QB hit, an interception and a pass defensed. His interception in overtime led to the game-winning field goal.
* vs. HOU (11/1) Recorded nine tackles, a forced fumble (first of season) and a QB hit. Forced fumble on RB Steve Slaton’s pass reception was recovered by Marcus Stroud.
* vs. NYJ (12/3) Recorded his first career sack and five solo tackles. Sack included a forced fumble. Also added two QB hits.
* at KC (12/13) Recorded nine tackles including one tackle for loss. Added an interception and pass defensed.
* vs. NE (12/20) Tied for a game-high nine tackles. Posted an interception in the first quarter. Became the first Bills linebacker to post interceptions in consecutive games since Bryce Paup in games 12-13 in 1995. He’s the first Bills linebacker with three interceptions in a season since London Fletcher in 2006.
* at ATL (12/27) Made his 30th career start in his 30th career game. Posted seven tackles.

2008:
* Started all 16 games for the first time in his career and led the defense with 129 total tackles (90 solos)
* Returned to the playing field for the first time vs. Sea. (9/7), after suffering a season-ending forearm injury in week three of 2007… finished third on the team with seven tackles (five solos)
* Recovered first career fumble in the second quarter v Oak. (9/14), leading to a Bills touchdown
* Led the team in tackles with 12 at StL. (9/28)…recorded one pass defended and three QB hits
* Posted his first career forced fumble at Mia. (10/26)… loose ball was recovered by fellow LB Keith Ellison leading to a Rian Lindell field goal
* Posted a career-high 13 tackles vs. NYJ (11/2)
* Registered his first-career interception at NYJ (12/14), which led to a Bills touchdown…also had a career-high two pass break-ups at the Jets.

2007:
* Became the first rookie middle linebacker in team history to start the season opener since fellow Penn State alum Shane Conlan (1987); Jim Haslett (1979) is the only other rookie MLB to start a season opener for the Bills
* Placed on injured reserve on Sept. 24 after suffering a season-ending forearm injury in Week 3
* Started the first game of his career at MLB and finished tied with a team-high 11 tackles vs. Den. (9/9)… Also registered one special teams tackle
* Led the team in tackles at Pit. (9/16) with 12
* Recorded three tackles at NE (9/23) before being taken off of the field with forearm injury

COLLEGE:
Set school record with 372 career tackles… first player ever to record over 100 tackles three times in a college career…one of only two players (other is Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern) to twice win Bednarik Award for best defensive player in the nation... also won Dick Butkus Award for nation’s top linebacker in his junior season… served as first junior co-captain at Penn State since 1968… started 37 out of 44 career games… suffered knee injury in 2006 Orange Bowl…came back from injury to match career high tackles (116) the next season… first-team All-American choice by the Associated Press, Walter Camp, and the NFL Draft Report…second-team honors from The Sporting News…finalist for Butkus Award, Rotary Lombardi Award, Nagurski Award and Lott Trophy in 2006....also a consensus first-team All-Big Ten Conference pick that year…helped lead PSU to Big Ten Conference and Orange Bowl titles in 2005… named first-team All-American by the NFL Draft Report, AP, Walter Camp, the Football Writers Association of America, the Sporting News, ESPN and Sports Illustrated…became seventh Nittany Lion to earn first-team All-American and Academic All-American honors in the same season…led team his junior season with 116 tackles…became fourth PSU player to record more than 100 tackles in consecutive seasons…in 2004 season he became first sophomore since 1992 to lead team in tackles (104)…tied for fifth in the Big Ten with 9.5 tackles per game…selected All-Big Ten Conference by coaches and media…tied for team lead with three sacks …in 2003 season, he was named to The Sporting News Big Ten Conference All-Freshman team despite missing one third of the Lions’ games…earned first career start at middle linebacker in season finale at Michigan State…named to Dean’s List five out of first six semesters… earned Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten Conference honors sophomore year… became first Big Ten student-athlete selected Football Player of the Week for three consecutive weeks as a junior…earned All-American and Academic All-American that same season after posting a 3.66 GPA…named ESPN Academic All-American for Division I Football, along with Academic All-District and All-Big Ten Conference honors after senior season… changed number to 31 during 2004 season to honor former Penn State linebacker Shane Conlan…called “best linebacker to ever play at Penn State” by Hall of Fame linebacker and PSU alum Jack Ham … Graduated in three and a half years with a degree in finance.

PERSONAL:
Played football, basketball and baseball for Hopewell High School (Aliquippa, PA)…football won 2002 WPIAL and Pennsylvania Class AAA championships with Posluszny as team captain…recorded 88 tackles and six sacks as linebacker… set school records of 1,575 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as running back…named Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Athletic Association Player of the Year in 2002…graduated 17th in his class of 220 with a 3.8 GPA… went on a 10-day trip to Iraq visiting U.S. military troops in January 2008…brother, Stan, played collegiate baseball at West Virginia… younger brother, David is a linebacker at Notre Dame.

COMMUNITY:
In 2007, Paul was a member of the Toyota Rookie Club. The Toyota Rookie Club helps the franchises newest players become more involved in the Western New York community. Each month, Paul and all first year players did one community appearance as a group. During the 2007 season the Rookie Club visited Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, participated in an assembly at Sir Sanford Fleming Academy in Toronto, ON, served Thanksgiving Dinner at Northwest Buffalo Community Center, and hosted the Annual Bills Holiday Party for children at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

In 2009, Paul participated in the NFL’s “Take a Player to School” program. The NFL Take a Player to School program selects one winner in each of the 32 NFL markets and the winning students have the opportunity to work with a player to plan the ultimate gym class. Paul hosted a special assembly at the winner’s school and then led the winner’s class through a special gym period that was all football related fitness activities.

Paul also served as a spokesperson for the 2009 Kid’s Escaping Drugs Campaign, Face Your Fears. The funds that were raised benefited the Kid’s Escaping Drugs Face to Face Program which is an educational outreach program that goes into the schools to help kids at an age where they are faced with difficult choices.

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