.jpg) Andruzzi in 2024 | |||||||||
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| Position | Guard | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1975-08-23)August 23, 1975 (age 50) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 315 lb (143 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Tottenville(Staten Island, New York) | ||||||||
| College | Southern Connecticut State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1997: undrafted | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Joseph Dominick Andruzzi (born August 23, 1975) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aguard in theNational Football League (NFL).
Andruzzi was born inBrooklyn and played high school football atTottenville High School in theHuguenot neighborhood ofStaten Island, where his classmates included formerMajor League Baseball All-Star starting pitcherJason Marquis and formerNational Football League playerAdewale Ogunleye with theMiami Dolphins andChicago Bears
Andruzzi played college football atSouthern Connecticut State University inNew Haven, Connecticut, where he majored in special education. He played every position on the offensive line and started all four years. Andruzzi was aDivision IIAll-American his junior and senior years as well as an offensive teamcaptain during his senior season.
In 1997, Andruzzi was picked up as an undrafted rookiefree agent by theGreen Bay Packers. He was allocated by the Packers in February 1998 to play football inScotland in theNFL Europe league. Andruzzi was released from the Packers after three seasons. He was then signed by theNew England Patriots in 2000, where he played five seasons and earned threeSuper Bowl rings.
After becoming a free agent in 2005, he rejoined former Patriots defensive coordinator and new head coachRomeo Crennel in Cleveland, signing a 4-year deal worth $9 million.[1] He was released two years later while the team brought inEric Steinbach on a $49 million deal from theBengals.[2]
In recognition of his contributions, Andruzzi received theEd Block Courage Award in 2002 and the first Ron Burton Community Service Award in 2003.
In 2001, Andruzzi and his wife, Jen, were introduced to C.J. Buckley, who had an inoperablebrain tumor. The families became very close and, therefore, it was devastating when C.J. died late in 2002. The couple launched the C.J. Buckley Brain Cancer Research Fund atBoston Children's Hospital inBoston.
On May 30, 2007, Andruzzi was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin'sBurkitt lymphoma, predicted to double in size in just 24 hours.[3] The family relocated back to New England where Andruzzi had an aggressive form of chemotherapy treatment over three months atDana–Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Andruzzi's last treatment was on August 6, 2007, and he then spent the following year at home in recovery.
After completing treatment, the Andruzzi family founded the Joe Andruzzi Foundation in 2008. They are committed to tackling cancer's impact by providing financial assistance for patients and their families as well as funding pediatric brain cancer research. Andruzzi received the 2015Man of the Year award from theWalter Camp Football Foundation.[4]
Andruzzi has three brothers, each of whom are members of theNew York City Fire Department who responded to theSeptember 11 attacks on theWorld Trade Center. During pregame introductions at the next game on September 23, Andruzzi ran out with an American flag in each hand. His brothers were honored at midfield prior to kickoff.
On April 15, 2013, Andruzzi's foundation was hosting an event at a restaurant on Boylston Street in Boston when theBoston Marathon bombing occurred; the second bomb detonated directly outside the restaurant.[5] In the aftermath, he was photographed carrying an injured woman.[6][7] Andruzzi's friend, former Patriots linebackerMatt Chatham, was also present, and uninjured.[8]