Jeff Uhlenhake
Jeffrey Alan Uhlenhake is an American former professional football center who played nine seasons in the National Football League. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1989 NFL draft.
Early life
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Uhlenhake moved to Ohio, settling in Beechwood. He had expected to attend Bishop Watterson High School to play football, but his family abruptly moved outside of Columbus and he was instead educated at Newark Catholic High School, where he was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball. In his four years of high school football, Newark Catholic went to a state final on four consecutive occasions, lifting the Division V title during his junior year in 1982.College career
Uhlenhake played college football with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was a four-year starter, playing left guard as a freshman and sophomore and center as a junior and senior. Prior to his senior season, his teammates elected him as a team co-captain. That season, he was the team's only All-America selection, and his teammates voted him their Most Valuable Player. In 2008, he was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame.Professional career
Uhlenhake was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1989 NFL draft with the 121st overall pick. He immediately became the starting center and continued in that role for the next four seasons. The closest the Dolphins got to the Super Bowl during Uhlenhake's time there was in the 1992 season, where they lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC National Championship Game at Joe Robbie Stadium. While playing for the Dolphins, Uhlenhake had a small role in the 1994 comedy film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, alongside Jim Carrey. That same year, he joined the New Orleans Saints. In his two years with the Saints, he started in every game but one.In 1996, he joined the Washington Redskins, replacing John Gesek as the starting center, playing in 11 games, and in 13 games the following season. In 1998, his final season, Cory Raymer took over as the starting center. During his nine-year career, he started 112 out of 119 games.