Wesley Woodyard
Wesley Woodyard Jr. is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Kentucky and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos in 2008. Woodyard also played for the Tennessee Titans.
Early life
Woodyard was born in LaGrange, Georgia and attended LaGrange High School. He was named the Georgia Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was first-team all-state as a senior by the Georgia Sportswriters Association and the Journal-Constitution. As a four-year letterman and two-year starter at outside linebacker, the team posted a 51–3 record during his three seasons, winning a pair of state championships.College career
As a freshman in 2004, Woodyard played in the first 10 games, and midway through the season, he switched from strong safety to inside linebacker. Woodyard recorded 34 tackles for the season and was selected for the Freshman All-SEC Team by SEC coaches. As a sophomore in 2005, he started all 11 games at linebacker. For the season, Woodyard recorded 100 tackles, seven for-a-loss, and four fumble recoveries. He was named second-team Sophomore All-American and All-SEC honorable mention.As a junior in 2006, Woodyard started all 13 games at linebacker, leading the team with 122 tackles and tackles-for-loss with 9.5. For the season, he earned Defensive MVP honors in the Music City Bowl. As a senior in 2007, Woodyard started all 13 games at linebacker, leading the team with 139 tackles. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Professional career
Denver Broncos
2008
On April 29, 2008, the Denver Broncos signed Woodyard to a three-year, $1.17 million contract that included a $20,000 signing bonus after he went undrafted in the 2008 NFL draft.Throughout training camp, Woodyard competed for a job as an outside linebacker against Boss Bailey, Nate Webster, Jamie Winborn, Louis Green, Jordan Beck, and Spencer Larsen. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Woodyard the backup weakside linebacker behind D. J. Williams to start the regular season.
Woodyard made his NFL debut in the season-opener at the Oakland Raiders and recorded a solo tackle during the 41–14 victory. On November 6, 2008, Woodyard earned his first NFL start in place of D. J. Williams who sustained a knee injury. He finished the 34–30 victory at the Cleveland Browns with a season-high ten combined tackles. On December 31, 2008, the Denver Broncos fired Mike Shanahan after the Broncos finished with an 8–8 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. Woodyard finished his rookie season with 55 combined tackles and a pass deflection in 16 games and six starts.
2009
The Broncos new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan opted to convert to a base 3-4 defense, using four linebackers instead of three. Woodyard competed against Mario Haggan, Braxton Kelley, and Lee Robinson for a roster spot as a backup inside linebacker. Head coach Josh McDaniels named Woodyard the backup inside linebacker behind D. J. Williams and Andra Davis to start the regular season. On September 10, Woodyard was named the special teams captain by his teammates for the 2009 season.On September 13, Woodyard recorded three combined tackles, broke up a pass, and intercepted a pass by quarterback Carson Palmer as the Broncos won 12–7 at the Cincinnati Bengals. In Week 9, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 28–10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Woodyard finished his second NFL season with 44 combined tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception in 16 games and 16 starts.
2010
Throughout training camp, Woodyard competed for a job as a backup inside linebacker against Akin Ayodele, Joe Mays, and Nick Greisen. Josh McDaniels named him the backup inside linebacker behind D. J. Williams and Joe Mays.Woodyard was a healthy scratch for the Broncos' Week 2 victory against the Seattle Seahawks. On September 20, Woodyard was featured in a press conference held by the Broncos after their wide receiver Kenny McKinley committed suicide the day prior. He was inactive for their Week 4 victory at the Tennessee Titans after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Woodyard also missed three consecutive games after he aggravated his hamstring injury. On November 14, 2010, Woodyard earned his first career start and recorded two solo tackles during a 49–29 win against the Kansas City Chiefs. On December 6, the Broncos fired McDaniels after they lost at the Kansas City Chiefs and fell to a 3–9 record. In Week 16, he made his second NFL start and collected a season-high nine combined tackles in the Broncos' 24–23 win against the Houston Texans. The following week, Woodyard recorded five solo tackles and made his first NFL sack on quarterback Philip Rivers during the Broncos' 33–28 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Woodyard finished the 2010 season with 37 combined tackles and one sack in 11 games and three starts.
2011
On July 29, 2011, the Broncos signed Woodyard to a one-year, $1.85 million contract. He was voted as the special teams captain for the third consecutive year. Woodyard competed against D. J. Williams, Lee Robinson, and Braxton Kelley for the role as the starting weakside linebacker. He was moved to outside linebacker after new Broncos' defensive coordinator Don Martindale opted to switch to a base 4-3 defense. Head coach John Fox named Woodyard the starting weakside linebacker to start the regular season after D. J. Williams suffered a dislocated elbow and was projected to miss 3-4 games.On September 18, 2011, Woodyard recorded a season-high 13 combined tackles and broke up a pass during their 24–22 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. The following week, he collected a ten combined tackles during a 17–14 loss at the Tennessee Titans. He was demoted back to backup outside linebacker after Williams returned from injury in Week 5. Woodyard missed the Broncos' Week 10 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs after he sustained a shoulder injury the previous week. He finished the 2011 season with 97 combined tackles and two pass deflections in 15 games and seven starts.
2012
On May 19, 2012, the Denver Broncos signed Woodyard to a two-year, $3.5 million contract. Woodyard entered training camp slated as the starting weakside linebacker after D. J. Williams was suspended for six games for failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs. He faced minor competition from Danny Trevathan, Cyril Obiozor, and Mike Mohamed.Woodyard started the Broncos' season-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers and recorded a career-high 12 solo tackles and sacked Ben Roethlisberger during their 31–19 victory. On October 28, 2012, Woodyard collected a season-high 13 combined tackles, two pass deflections, a sack, and intercepted a pass by Drew Brees during the Broncos' 34–14 win against the New Orleans Saints. The following week, Woodyard recorded a season-high 14 combined tackles in the Broncos' 31–23 win at the Cincinnati Bengals. Woodyard was inactive for the Broncos' Week 14 victory at the Oakland Raiders due to an ankle injury he sustained the previous game. In Week 16, he collected eight combined tackles and a season-high 1.5 sacks as Denver defeated the Cleveland Browns 34–12. He finished the 2012 season with a career-high 117 combined tackles, six pass deflections, 5.5 sacks, and a career-high three interceptions in 15 games and 14 starts.
The Broncos finished the 2012 season atop the AFC West with a 13–3 record, clinching a playoff berth and first-round bye. On January 12, 2013, Woodyard started in his first NFL playoff game and recorded seven solo tackles in the Broncos' 38–35 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional round.
2013
Woodyard entered training camp slated as the starting weakside linebacker. On August 20, 2013, starting strongside linebacker Von Miller was suspended for the first six games for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio shifted middle linebacker Nate Irving to Miller's strongside linebacker position and had Woodyard take over as the middle linebacker. Head coach John Fox officially named Woodyard the starting middle linebacker to start the regular season, along with outside linebackers Nate Irving and Danny Trevathan.Woodyard suffered a neck injury during the Broncos' Week 5 win at the Dallas Cowboys and was unable to play in the next two games. On November 24, 2013, Woodyard recorded a season-high 15 combined tackles during a 34–31 loss at the New England Patriots. The following week, he collected five solo tackles, broke up a pass, and intercepted a pass by Alex Smith during their 35–28 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs. After a string of poor performances, Woodyard was benched in favor of veteran Paris Lenon for the last four games of the season. He finished the season with 84 combined tackles, four pass deflections, 1.5 sacks, and an interception in 14 games and ten starts. The Broncos selected him for the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for 2013.
The Broncos finished atop the AFC West with a 13–3 record, clinching a first-round and home-field advantage. They went on to Super Bowl XLVIII after they defeated the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. On February 2, 2014, Woodyard made three combined tackles as the Broncos were routed 43–8 to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.