.jpg) Spielman in 2023 | |||||||||||
| Detroit Lions | |||||||||||
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| Title | Special assistant to the owner and CEO | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1965-10-11)October 11, 1965 (age 60) Canton, Ohio, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 247 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Massillon Washington (Massillon, Ohio) | ||||||||||
| College | Ohio State (1984–1987) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1988: 2nd round, 29th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Position | Linebacker, No. 54 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||
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Operations | |||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Charles Christopher Spielman (born October 11, 1965) is an American former professionalfootball player who is a special assistant to the owner and CEO for theDetroit Lions of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedlinebacker for theOhio State Buckeyes, twice earningAll-American honors. He played professional football for the Detroit Lions in the NFL, where he was a three-timeAll-Pro. He also played for theBuffalo Bills andCleveland Browns, and coached for theArena Football League (AFL)'sColumbus Destroyers. He was a broadcaster forFox Sports andESPN from 1999 to 2020.
In 1984, Spielman graduated fromWashington High School inMassillon, Ohio, where he was awarded theDial Award for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1983. He was the first high school athlete to have his picture on a box ofWheaties. For college, Spielman initially wanted to attend theUniversity of Michigan, but his father, a lifelong fan of theOhio State Buckeyes (Michigan'sarch-rival), strongly opposed the idea. Spielman recounted the story in theHBO Documentary "Michigan vs. Ohio State: The Rivalry":
My dad said, "Okay, where are you going to go?" I said, "Dad, I want to go toMichigan." And he said, "Youtraitor. I'll tell you where you're going. You're going right down71 South and you're going to play for theOhio State Buckeyes... Better not go there [Michigan]. Don't ever come home if you do."[1]
Spielman was a three-time All-American at Ohio State,[2] intercepted 11 passes, and won theLombardi Award as the best college football lineman or linebacker. He was the Ohio State football team MVP his senior year and won the Touchdown Club of Columbus'sChic Harley Award. He graduated from Ohio State with a degree in recreation education.
| Height | Weight | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 234 lb (106 kg) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.90 s | 1.71 s | 2.87 s | 4.13 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) | 23 reps | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[3] | ||||||||||||
In the1988 NFL draft, Spielman was drafted in the second round with the 29th overall pick by theDetroit Lions.[4] Spielman played eight seasons with the Lions (1988–95), where he was a defensive stalwart during the team's run to four playoff appearances, two NFC Central titles, and a berth in the 1991 NFC Championship Game. He captained the Lions' defense that was one of the best statistically in theNFL in the mid-1990s.[citation needed] Spielman is the franchise's all-time leader in career tackles with 1,138[5] (since the team began recording tackles statistically in 1973.) He also recorded 10 sacks, four interceptions, 30 pass defenses, 13 forced fumbles and 17 fumble recoveries during his Lions' career. He was the first Lion to lead the team in tackles seven consecutive seasons since 1973, including the team's highest single-season tally 195 tackles in 1994.[6]
Spielman represented the Lions in four Pro Bowls (1990–92, 1995) and was named the team's defensive MVP in 1993 and 1994. He played for theBuffalo Bills in 1996 and 1997. His 1997 season was limited because of a neck injury that required spinal surgery.
He chose to miss the 1998 season to assist his wife battling cancer.
He returned to the NFL in the 1999 season, with theCleveland Browns. He retired before the regular season began, after suffering another neck injury. Spielman is also notable for being one of the players notableNFL draft "guru"Mel Kiper, Jr. has "missed" on, Kiper admitting in a 2001 post that he had underrated the linebacker.[7] In April 2009 Spielman was elected into theCollege Football Hall of Fame. His induction came in July 2010. In 2012, he appeared in an episode of theNFL Network showA Football Life. The episode celebrated his prowess on the field as well as his dedication to his family.[8]
On October 21, 2021, the Detroit Lions announced they were inducting Spielman into their "Pride of the Lions" club, which honors the greatest players in their history.[9]
Spielman's broadcasting career started in 1999, as an NFL studio-show analyst forFox Sports Net.[citation needed] After two years with FSN, Spielman joinedESPN in 2001.[citation needed] He served primarily as a color analyst for college football broadcasts, as well as studio analyst for college football. Spielman is also a contributor to theColumbus-based FM radio station97.1 The Fan, anESPN Radio affiliate. He previously hosted the showSpielman on Sports. Spielman used to appear every Tuesday afternoon on AM 1270WXYT, a sports-talk radio station out ofDetroit. Spielman has served as a color analyst for theDetroit Lions during theNFL preseason. In 2006, Spielman hosted a reality series onESPNU calledSummer House.[citation needed]
In 2016,Fox Sports announced that Spielman had joinedFox NFL coverage as a game analyst alongside veteran play-by-play announcerDick Stockton and sideline reporter Kristina Pink. On select weeks, he also teamed up withThom Brennaman andCharles Davis in a three-man booth.[10][11]
After the 2000 season, Spielman interviewed for the vacantOhio State head coaching position previously held byJohn Cooper; however, the job eventually went toJim Tressel.[citation needed] In 2005, Spielmancoached theColumbus Destroyers of theArena Football League to a 2–14 record.[12]
Spielman was hired by theDetroit Lions as special assistant to chairman and president & CEO on December 15, 2020.[13]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Int | Yds | TD | FF | FR | ||
| 1988 | DET | 16 | 16 | 153 | – | – | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | DET | 16 | 16 | 125 | – | – | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1990 | DET | 12 | 12 | 108 | – | – | 2.0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1991 | DET | 16 | 16 | 126 | – | – | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 1992 | DET | 16 | 16 | 146 | – | – | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | DET | 16 | 16 | 148 | – | – | 0.5 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1994 | DET | 16 | 16 | 195 | 124 | 71 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 1995 | DET | 16 | 16 | 137 | 90 | 47 | 1.0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 1996 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 157 | 111 | 46 | 0.0 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1997 | BUF | 8 | 8 | 68 | 50 | 18 | 0.0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 148 | 148 | 1,363 | 375 | 182 | 10.5 | 6 | 36 | 0 | 13 | 19 | |
Spielman and his first wife Stefanie had four children. Stefanie survived four bouts withbreast cancer, during which both she and her husband were active in raising funds forbreast cancer research. While undergoing treatment, she lost her hair, prompting Spielman to shave his head in a show of solidarity.[14] Stefanie died on November 19, 2009, after the disease returned for the fifth time.[15]
In 2013, Spielman married Carrie Yocom, and adopted her two daughters.[16] The family resides inUpper Arlington, a suburb ofColumbus, Ohio.[citation needed]
His son Noah played football forWheaton College.[17] His daughter, Macy, played basketball for Ashland University.
His elder brother isRick Spielman, former general manager of theMinnesota Vikings.[18] Rick's son, JD, played football for Nebraska and TCU.
| International | |
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| National | |
