 Samuel with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 22 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1981-01-06)January 6, 1981 (age 44) Accra, Ghana | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Boyd H. Anderson(Lauderdale Lakes, Florida) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | UCF (1999–2002) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2003: 4th round, 120th pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Asante Tyrell Samuel Sr. (born January 6, 1981) is an American former professionalfootball player who was acornerback in theNational Football League (NFL). He was born inAccra, Ghana and raised inFort Lauderdale, Florida. He playedcollege football for theUCF Knights and was selected by theNew England Patriots in the fourth round of the2003 NFL draft. Samuel also played for thePhiladelphia Eagles andAtlanta Falcons. He led the NFL twice in interceptions, in 2006 and 2009, and is considered one of the all-time greatest Patriots and cornerbacks. He is the father ofAsante Samuel Jr., a cornerback who was drafted by theLos Angeles Chargers.
Samuel was born inAccra, Ghana, and raised inFort Lauderdale, Florida, where he attendedBoyd H. Anderson High School inLauderdale Lakes, Florida. As a juniorquarterback, he threw for 1,800 yards and rushed for 500 yards. As a senior, Samuel concentrated on defense, and earned All-State honors, and finished his senior year with 4 interceptions and 75 tackles. Samuel also managed kick and punt return duties.[2] Ten minutes before kickoff of Samuel's final high school game, he replaced his team's injured starting quarterback. He threw two touchdown passes, intercepted two more, rushed for 80 yards, and even worked on special teams returning kicks and punts.[2] Samuel decreased his40-yard dash time from 4.5 seconds during his sophomore year of high school to 4.39 seconds entering the NFL.[2]
Samuel attended theUniversity of Central Florida, majored in business administration, and played for theUCF Knights football team. He finished his college career with 127tackles (102 solo, 25 assisted), 8interceptions, and a school-record 38passes deflected (the previous record was 34 deflections). Samuel also returned 63punts for 673yards, for an average of 10.7 yards per return.[3]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft10+7⁄8 in (1.80 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 29+1⁄2 in (0.75 m) | 9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) | 4.43 s | 1.55 s | 2.62 s | 4.10 s | 6.90 s | 38.5 in (0.98 m) | 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) | 16 reps | 29 |
| All values fromNFL Combine[4] | ||||||||||||
TheNew England Patriots selected Samuel in the fourth round (120th overall) of the2003 NFL draft.[5] The New England Patriots traded their fourth (128th overall) and fifth round (157th overall) picks to theDenver Broncos in exchange for Denver's fourth round pick (120th overall) in order to draft Samuel.[6] Samuel was the 16th cornerback drafted in 2003.
On June 10, 2003, the New England Patriots signed Samuel to a four-year,$1.68 million contract.[7]
At the start of the 2004 season, the Patriots' starting corners wereTyrone Poole andTy Law. After both were sidelined by injuries, Samuel became a starter, and started for the Patriots inSuper Bowl XXXIX. He would start at corner the following season, as he maintained that position for the rest of his tenure with thePatriots.
In 2006, the Patriots began the season with Samuel andEllis Hobbs at cornerback. By the end of the regular season, Samuel had intercepted a career-high 10 passes, which put him in a tie for first in the 2006 season (withChamp Bailey of the Broncos); the mark is the second-best ever for a Patriot (in 1964Ron Hall had 11). On November 26, 2006, Samuel tied the Patriots' mark for most interceptions in a single game when he picked off three passes in a week 12 game against theChicago Bears.[3]
He intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown twice in the 2006 NFL Playoffs: first against theNew York Jets to clinch their Wild Card Round victory and then in theAFC Championship Game against theIndianapolis Colts to extend the lead to 21–3.[8] However, the Colts mounted a comeback in the second half of the game and defeated the Patriots, 38–34.[9]
On February 16, 2007, the Patriots placed thefranchise tag on him. After holding out for most of the preseason, Samuel signed the one-year $7.79 million tender on August 27, 2007, to fulfill his obligation under the franchise tag.[10] He was eligible for free agency again at the end of the 2007 season. According toThe Boston Globe, if Samuel participated in 60% of the defensive snaps or the Patriots win 12 games, his contract stipulated that the team would not place the franchise tag on him for the following season.[11] Samuel finished the 2007 regular season with six interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. During his franchised season, he was named to the2008 Pro Bowl and helped lead the Patriots toSuper Bowl XLII. Late in the game, Samuel dropped a pass thrown byEli Manning that would have sealed up the Super Bowl for the Patriots. On the next play, Manning completed a pass toDavid Tyree known as theHelmet Catch that led to an upset.[12]
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Samuel was thought to be one of the most sought-after free agents of the 2008 NFL offseason. Within minutes of the start of free agency on February 29, 2008, Samuel was reportedly already setting up a meeting with thePhiladelphia Eagles.[13] Later that day, he signed a six-year, $56 million contract with the Eagles. Upon being signed, Samuel was quoted as saying, “I just want to be able to win and get back to the Super Bowl.” On August 22, 2008, he made his return to New England during the third week of the preseason. Asante Samuel made his regular season Eagles debut on September 7, 2008, against theSt. Louis Rams. He was a Pro Bowl Reserve for his stellar play with 4 interceptions and one touchdown. It was Samuel's 2nd appearance in the Pro Bowl, his 1st with the Philadelphia Eagles. On January 4, 2009, Samuel returned an interception for a 44-yard touchdown, his fourth interception returned for a touchdown in the postseason which set an NFL record.[14] The following week, Samuel picked offEli Manning, returning the ball to theGiants' two-yard line.[15]
On December 20, 2009, against theSan Francisco 49ers, Samuel made his eighth interception of the year to breakTroy Vincent's record of seven interceptions in a season under head coachAndy Reid. Vincent set the record during the1999 season.
With nine interceptions in 2009, Samuel tied for second in Eagles history for interceptions in a season, withDon Burroughs (1960) andEd "Bibbles" Bawel (1955).
Samuel was selected to the2010 Pro Bowl as a starter in recognition of his stellar season. The 2010 Pro Bowl was the fourth time that Samuel was chosen for the game.[16] He was ranked 54th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[17]
TheAtlanta Falcons acquired Samuel from the Eagles on April 25, 2012, in exchange for aseventh-round draft pick in2012.[18]
Although Samuel totaled five interceptions in the 2012 season, he only managed one in 2013, and on February 5, 2014, the Falcons released him.[19][20][21]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| NFL record | |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2003 | NE | 16 | 1 | 34 | 29 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 55 | 1 | 55 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | NE | 13 | 8 | 39 | 37 | 2 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 34 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | NE | 15 | 15 | 54 | 44 | 10 | 0.0 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | NE | 15 | 15 | 64 | 59 | 5 | 0.0 | 5 | 10 | 120 | 0 | 33 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | NE | 16 | 14 | 46 | 43 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 6 | 89 | 1 | 42 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | PHI | 15 | 15 | 36 | 32 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 4 | 64 | 1 | 50 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | PHI | 16 | 16 | 40 | 39 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 9 | 117 | 0 | 37 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | PHI | 11 | 10 | 26 | 22 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 7 | 70 | 0 | 33 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | PHI | 14 | 14 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 53 | 1 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | ATL | 15 | 15 | 36 | 34 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 5 | 110 | 1 | 79 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | ATL | 11 | 10 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 157 | 133 | 439 | 398 | 41 | 0.0 | 9 | 51 | 728 | 6 | 79 | 164 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2003 | NE | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | NE | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | NE | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 73 | 1 | 73 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | NE | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 2 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | NE | 3 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | PHI | 3 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 69 | 1 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | ATL | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 21 | 17 | 53 | 50 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 7 | 227 | 4 | 73 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Samuel has a tattoo on his left arm that says "Get Rich To This." It was widely reported during Samuel's post-2006 season contract situation that the tattoo said "Get Paid". Samuel's tattoo is the name of aGoodie Mob song that Samuel liked in college.[22]
Samuel married his wife in 2012. Samuel's son,Asante Jr., was born in 1999 and played cornerback atFlorida State University.[23] He was drafted by theLos Angeles Chargers in the2021 NFL draft.
Asante's cousinDeebo Samuel plays football for theSan Francisco 49ers.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |