michael westbrook

Wide receiver Jersey #(s):

82 Born: July 7, 1972 (1972-07-07) (age 36)

Detroit, Michigan Career information Year(s): 1995–2002 NFL Draft: 1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4 College: Colorado Professional teams Washington Redskins (1995-2001) Cincinnati Bengals (2002) Career stats Receptions 285 Receiving yards 4,374 Touchdowns 26 Stats at NFL.com Career highlights and awards No notable achievements

Michael Deanailo Westbrook (born July 7, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan) is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL. Westbrook spent seven seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1995 to 2001 and the 2002 season with the Cincinnati Bengals before retiring. Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 College career 1.2 NFL career 1.3 Martial arts 2 References 3 External links //

Biography

College career

Westbrook played college football at the University of Colorado, and in 1994, he was the receiver in the play known as "The Miracle at Michigan," a Hail Mary pass from quarterback Kordell Stewart to beat the Michigan in the final seconds of the game.[1]

NFL career

Westbrook was taken as the fourth overall pick by the Washington Redskins in the 1995 NFL Draft[2], and played for seven seasons in Washington, before playing the 2002 season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

In August 1997, the Redskins fined Westbrook $50,000 for punching teammate Stephen Davis, an incident caught by local TV news cameras.[3]

While injuries hampered Westbrook for much of his NFL career, he played all 16 games in 1999 and achieved three career highs, 65 receptions for 1,191 yards and nine touchdowns.

Westbrook finished his career with 285 receptions for 4,374 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also rushed 22 times for 160 yards and one touchdown.

Martial arts

Westbrook practiced martial arts during his football playing career, and entered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after retirement from the NFL in 2002. He has won national and Pan-American events as a blue and purple belt. In 2008 he won the IBJJF World Championship at purple belt.

Westbrook said of jiu-jitsu, "This is a lot easier and a lot more fun. I don't have to worry about coaches and it's not nearly as dangerous. I don't have to worry about pleasing the public and the announcers. Or getting eggs thrown at my door because I dropped a ball. I don't have to worry about any of that."[4] Westbrook is now training at MASH GYM in Redford, Michigan with “King Of The Cage” Light Heavyweight Champion James Lee.

Westbrook has also competed as a heavyweight (over 205 pounds) in mixed martial arts, defeating Jarrod Bunch in his first match in 2005.[4] In his second, and only other, professional MMA bout, Westbrook lost to Travis Browne in a February 2009 King of the Cage event in San Bernardino, California. Westbrook also fought on episode 2 of MTV's Bully Beatdown. On that episode, it was stated that Westbrook owns a black belt in taekwondo and has reached brown-belt status in Brazilian