Athletes - Brian Bosworth

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	Athletes - Brian Bosworth

Brian Bosworth (commonly referred to as The Boz) (born March 9, 1965 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is an American former football player. He was the linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners (1984–1986) and the Seattle Seahawks (1987–1989).

College football career

Bosworth was a college standout at the University of Oklahoma. Known for being brash, arrogant, and annoying in college, and a total bust in the NFL. Bosworth is widely considered to be one of the best, and most colorful, college football players ever. Often considered one of the greatest college linebackers of all time, Bosworth was known for raising his level of play in big games as well as being a fantastic tackler, although he sometimes received criticism for tackling too high. Bosworth insisted on hitting high to punish his opponents. Also known for his then radical hairstyles, and criticism of the NCAA, Bosworth was never one to shy from publicity or controversy. On more than one occasion he referred to the NCAA as the "National Communists Against Athletes." He even wore a shirt bearing that slogan during the 1987 Orange Bowl following the 1986 season. Banned from that game (which would turn out to be a 42-8 Sooner victory over Arkansas) because of steroid use, Bosworth unveiled the shirt while standing on the sidelines to the shock and outrage of many, including his own coach, Barry Switzer. The Boz was the winner of the first two Butkus Awards as the nation's top college linebacker before being kicked off the Oklahoma Sooners football team for testing positive for steroids.

Professional football career

He was drafted by the Seahawks in the 1987 supplemental draft and signed the biggest contract in team history, 10 years for $11 million dollars. Despite playing his entire career on the strong side, the Seahawks moved him to the weak side. One of his worst moments came on Monday Night Football when Bo Jackson literally ran over him to score a touchdown. A shoulder injury forced him to retire after only 3 seasons. Although often remembered for his less than stellar professional career (in July 2004 he was named to the "Top 25 Biggest Sports Flops of the Last 25 Years" by ESPN), Bosworth is also remembered as a tremendous collegiate player, being named #30 in College Football News' list of the "100 Greatest Players of All-Time".

Author

Bosworth co-authored a book with Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly in 1988 entitled The Boz: Confessions of a Modern Anti-Hero (ISBN 042513041X).

Actor

Bosworth starred in the 1991 action film Stone Cold and has had an on-again, off-again film career since. In 2005, he had a role as one of the prison-guard football players in the Adam Sandler movie remake The Longest Yard (2005).

Collegiate honors

Butkus Award - 1985, 1986
All-America - 1985, 1986
All-Big Eight - 1984, 1985, 1986
Academic All America - 1986

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