_(cropped).jpg) Roby with theNew Orleans Saints in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 29, 21, 33 | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Cornerback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1992-05-01)May 1, 1992 (age 33) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 194 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school | Peachtree Ridge(Suwanee, Georgia) | ||||||||||||||||
| College | Ohio State (2010–2013) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2014: 1st round, 31st overall pick | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Bradley Roby (born May 1, 1992) is an American former professionalfootballcornerback. He was selected by theDenver Broncos in the first round of the2014 NFL draft. He playedcollege football for theOhio State Buckeyes. He has also played for theHouston Texans and theNew Orleans Saints.
A native ofSuwanee, Georgia, Roby attendedPeachtree Ridge High School, where he was an All-Statereceiver anddefensive back for the Lions program. He recorded 42tackles and sixinterceptions along with 29receptions for 526 yards as a senior. He scored 11touchdowns: five on receptions, two onpunt returns and one each via arush and kick, interception and afumble return. He was a four-time school scholar-athlete. He was also a standoutbasketball player.
In addition tofootball, Roby was on the school'strack & field team. He won the100 meters at the 2009 Region 7 AAAAA Championships, with a career-best time of 10.72 seconds, and also finished third in the200 meters with a career-best time of 22.49 seconds.[1] He also competed inlong jump.
Regarded as a three-star recruit byESPN.com, Roby was listed as the No. 42 athlete in the nation in 2010.[2] Roby initially planned to sign hisnational letter of intent to play wide receiver atVanderbilt, but later decided to change his mind after receiving interest from Ohio State to play defensive back.[3]
Roby attendedOhio State University from 2010 to 2013. Afterredshirting the 2010 season as atrue freshman, Roby stepped up and started all 13 games atcornerback in 2011. He was tied for the team lead with three interceptions and also recorded 47 tackles. In 2012, Roby was the only defensive player in the nation in 2012 to score touchdowns three different ways (recovered a fumbledpunt in theend zone vs.Miami; he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone vs.Indiana; and he intercepted a pass vs.Nebraska and returned it for a touchdown). He was named a second-teamAll-American by theAssociated Press,[4] and first-teamAll-Big Ten Conference while leading the nation inpasses defended with 19. He added 63 tackles and two interceptions. In 2013, he was named first-team All-Big Ten after recording 69 tackles, 16 passes defended (T3rd in the Big Ten), three interceptions and two blocked punts.
On November 20, 2013,Ohio State head coachUrban Meyer announced that Roby would be leaving school early to enter the2014 NFL draft.[5]
Following his sophomore season, Roby was projected to be a first or second round pick if he declared for the2013 NFL draft, but instead returned for his junior season.[6] He was invited to play in theSenior Bowl and2014 East–West Shrine Game, but was unable to participate due to a knee injury. He participated at theNFL Scouting Combine and performed almost all of the positional and combined drills only skipping thethree-cone drill. He finished third among all defensive backs in the40-yard dash and tied for fifth in theshort shuttle.[7] On March 7, 2014, Roby performed at Ohio State'spro day, but chose to only perform coverage drills and chose to only run the three-cone drill after skipping it at the combine. He had pre-draft visits and held private workouts with multiple teams, including theSan Diego Chargers,Pittsburgh Steelers,Buffalo Bills, andDetroit Lions..[8][9][10] During his pre-draft visits with theCincinnati Bengals, Roby later claimed that they informed him they would select him at 24th overall with the expectation onDarqueze Dennard being unavailable at their position. This also took place prior to Roby's arrest.[11]
At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, NFL draft experts projected that Roby would be selected in the first or early second round of the 2014 NFL draft. NFL analystMike Mayock ranked Roby as the fourth best cornerback prospect in the draft.[12] DraftScout.com had him ranked fifth amongst all cornerbacks.[13]Sports Illustrated had Roby ranked as the seventh best cornerback prospect in the draft.[14] On April 20, 2014, 18 days before the 2014 NFL draft,Columbus Police responded to a 911 call and upon arriving to the scene in downtownColumbus, they found Roby apparently passed out behind the wheel of his Dodge Charger. He was arrested byColumbus Police and charged for anOVI (See Personal life). On April 29, 2014, Roby plead guilty inFranklin County Court to an amended charge of physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.[15]
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft11+1⁄4 in (1.81 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) | 10+1⁄4 in (0.26 m) | 4.39 s | 1.52 s | 2.56 s | 4.04 s | 6.74 s | 38.5 in (0.98 m) | 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) | 17 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine/Ohio State'sPro Day[13][16] | ||||||||||||
TheDenver Broncos selected Roby in the first round (31st overall) of the2014 NFL draft.[17] He was the fifth cornerback selected in 2014.[18] Although the Bengals allegedly told Roby they would select him 24th overall during their pre-draft visit, they instead selected Darqueze Dennard who unexpectedly fell in the first round.[11] TheSan Diego Chargers also showed serious interest in Roby, but both teams chose to select different cornerbacks following his arrest, with the Chargers selectingJason Verrett (25th overall) and the Bengals selectingDarqueze Dennard (24th overall)..[19] Head coachJohn Fox stated Roby likely fell due to character concerns.
On June 10, 2014, the Broncos signed Roby to a four–year, $6.95 million contract that included $5.58 million guaranteed and asigning bonus of $3.37 million.[20]
Throughouttraining camp, he competed againstChris Harris Jr.,Tony Carter, andKayvon Webster for the starting cornerback role.[21] Fox named Roby the third cornerback on the depth chart to start the 2014 season, behind veteransAqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr.[22]
He made his professional regular season debut in the Broncos' season-opener against theIndianapolis Colts and recorded a season-high seven solo tackles and three pass deflections during their 31–24 victory. Roby also made a key deflection while coveringReggie Wayne in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the Broncos. In Week 6, Roby made three combined tackles, two pass deflections, and had his first career sack onNew York Jets quarterbackGeno Smith in the Broncos' 31–17 victory.[23] On November 2, 2014, Roby recorded two combined tackles, two pass deflections, a forced fumble, and had his first career interception off a pass attempt byNew England Patriots quarterbackTom Brady in the Broncos' 43–21 loss. The following week, he collected four combined tackles, defended two passes, and interceptedDerek Carr during a 41–17 win against theOakland Raiders.[24] On November 23, 2014, Roby earned his first career start and had four solo tackles and a pass deflection during a 39–36 victory against theMiami Dolphins. Roby finished his rookie season in2014 with a career-high 65 combined tackles (63 solo), 13 pass deflections, two interceptions, one sack, and a forced fumble in 16 games and two starts.[25]
The Broncos finished first in theAFC West with a 12–4 record, clinching a playoff berth. On January 11, 2015, Roby appeared in his first career playoff game and recorded two solo tackles, a pass deflection, and interceptedAndrew Luck during a 24–13 loss to the Colts in theAFC Divisional round.[25] The Broncos and head coach John Fox agreed to part ways during the offseason.
Newly appointed head coachGary Kubiak named Roby the starting nickelback and the third cornerback on the team behind Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr to begin the regular season.[26]
In Week 2, Roby returned a fumble byJamaal Charles for a touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to give the Broncos a 31–24 victory over theKansas City Chiefs. The following week, he made two solo tackles, deflected a pass, and interceptedMatthew Stafford during the Broncos' 24–12 victory at theDetroit Lions. On December 20, 2015, Roby tied his season-high with five solo tackles in a 34–27 loss at the Steelers. He finished the2015 season with 40 combined tackles (34 solo), ten pass deflections, an interception, and a fumble recovery in 16 games and four starts.[27] The Broncos' secondary ranked first in overall grade by Pro Football Focus and was named the "No Fly Zone". Roby received an overall grade of 81.0 by PFF in 2015.[28]
The Broncos finished first in their division with a 12–4 record and received a first round bye. On January 17, 2016, he made three solo tackles and forced a key fumble by Steelers' running backFitzgerald Toussaint to set up a go-ahead touchdown drive by the Broncos and defeat the Steelers. The following week, he intercepted a tipped pass by teammateAqib Talib on a two-point conversion to preserve a fourth-quarter 20–18 victory over the Patriots.[29] On February 7, 2016, Roby appeared inSuper Bowl 50 and recorded two solo tackles and three pass deflections in the Broncos' 24–10 victory over theCarolina Panthers.[30][31]
Roby remained the third cornerback under defensive coordinatorWade Phillips for the second consecutive season.[32] On October 30, 2016, Roby recorded a season-high seven combined tackles, deflected two passes, and returned an interception offPhilip Rivers for a 49-yard touchdown during a 27–19 victory over the Chargers. It marked the first time Roby returned an interception for a touchdown. In Week 13, he collected three solo tackle, defended two passes, and returned an interception byBlake Bortles for a 51-yard touchdown in Denver's 20–10 win at theJacksonville Jaguars. Roby finished the season with 39 combined tackles (34 solo), eight pass deflections, two interceptions, two touchdowns, and a sack in 16 games and four starts.[33] Without quarterbackPeyton Manning leading the offense, the Broncos finished the2016 season third in the AFC West with a 9–7 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. Kubiak retired after the season, citing issues with his health. The Broncos' secondary was ranked fourth byPro Football Focus.[34] Pro Football Focus gave Roby an overall grade of 58.9, ranking him 83rd among cornerbacks in 2016.[11]
On April 18, 2017, the Broncos announced they exercised the fifth-year, $8.52 million option on Roby's rookie contract.[35] Roby remained the third cornerback behind Talib and Harris under new head coachVance Joseph to start the 2017 regular season.[36]
He played in the Broncos' season-opener against theLos Angeles Chargers onMonday Night Football and recorded five combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt by quarterbackPhilip Rivers to set up a touchdown drive by the Broncos in their 24-21 comeback victory.[37] On November 5, 2017, Roby recorded a season-high five solo tackles and deflected a pass during a 51–23 loss at thePhiladelphia Eagles. He finished the2017 season with 42 combined tackles (35 solo), a career-high 17 pass deflections, an interception, and one sack in 16 games and four starts.[38] Roby played in 64 consecutive games and did not miss a game over the course of four seasons. The Broncos finished last in the AFC West with a 5–11 record and did not qualify for the playoffs for the second season in a row.Pro Football Focus gave Roby an overall grade of 84.0 in 2017 and his grade ranked 25th among all cornerbacks.[39]
With Roby having impressed in his years as a backup, the general consensus heading into the 2018 season was that he was a high-quality defensive back deserving of a full-time starting role.[40] This consensus convinced Broncos president of football operationsJohn Elway to move on from Talib, trading him to theRams, and to promote Roby to one of Denver's two starting cornerbacks.[40] However, Roby had a disappointing 2018 season, as his Pro Football Focus player grade plummeted to just 59.9.[41] His head coach publicly called him "inconsistent," and low point came when he was called out on national television in a December 24Monday Night Football broadcast by commentatorJason Witten for perceived lack of effort.[42]
On March 14, 2019, Roby signed a one-year, $10 million contract with theHouston Texans.[43]Roby made his debut with the Texans in week 1 against theNew Orleans Saints. In the game, Roby made 9 tackles in the 30–28 loss.[44]In week 13 against theNew England Patriots onSunday Night Football, Roby recorded his first interception of the season off a pass thrown byTom Brady and returned it for 22 yards during the 28–22 win.[45]In week 16 against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, Roby intercepted a pass thrown byJameis Winston and returned it for a 27-yard touchdown during the 23–20 win.[46]
On April 3, 2020, Roby signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Texans.[47]In Week 6 against theTennessee Titans, Roby recorded his first interception of the season off a pass thrown byRyan Tannehill during the 42–36 overtime loss.[48] On November 30, 2020, Roby was suspended six games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy.[49]
On September 8, 2021, Roby was traded to the Saints in exchange for a 2022 third round selection and a conditional 2023 sixth round selection.[50]
On November 25, he recorded his first interception as a Saint and of the season against Josh Allen and the Bills in a 31–6 loss on Thanksgiving.
Roby entered the 2022 season as a starting cornerback oppositeMarshon Lattimore. He suffered an ankle injury in Week 7 and was placed oninjured reserve on October 25, 2022.[51] He was activated on November 26.[52]
On August 29, 2023, Roby was released by the Saints.[53]
On October 3, 2023, Roby signed with thepractice squad of the Eagles after fielding interest from multiple teams.[54][55] He was signed to the active roster on October 13, 2023.[56]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | ||
| 2014 | DEN | 16 | 2 | 65 | 63 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 2015 | DEN | 16 | 4 | 40 | 34 | 6 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
| 2016 | DEN | 16 | 4 | 39 | 34 | 5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 102 | 51.0 | 51 | 2 | 8 |
| 2017 | DEN | 16 | 4 | 42 | 35 | 7 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 2018 | DEN | 15 | 15 | 50 | 45 | 5 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2019 | HOU | 10 | 10 | 38 | 35 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 24.5 | 27 | 1 | 8 |
| 2020 | HOU | 10 | 10 | 37 | 33 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2021 | NO | 14 | 1 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 2022 | NO | 13 | 10 | 36 | 29 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2023 | PHI | 9 | 2 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 135 | 62 | 392 | 346 | 46 | 5.0 | 9 | 7 | 30 | 1 | 11 | 172 | 15.6 | 51 | 3 | 85 | |
Roby was raised by his mother, Betty Roby, inSuwanee, Georgia, and admires her for raising him as a single mother. His father, James Roby, was not around during his childhood.[57] He has a dog named Young Nino, and is good friends withSteve Atwater after growing up being friends with his son, Steve Atwater Jr.[58]
On July 24, 2013, Roby was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery. The police report states that theBloomington Police responded to a call at 2:40AM at Dunkirk Bar. When they arrived, Roby was being detained by private security after an incident where he was removed from the establishment after he attempted to start a fight with another patron. Roby re-entered the establishment to try to find his friends and was stopped by security. While being confronted, he allegedly struck the security guard in the chest and was immediately taken down by force until police arrived.[59] On August 21, 2013, the case was conditionally dismissed after Roby pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and agreed to complete a pre-trial diversion program. Under the terms of the agreement, Roby was required to stay out of legal trouble until August 16, 2014.[60][61]
On April 20, 2014, Roby was charged with physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol from an incident that occurred on April 20. The police report filed with Franklin County court statesColumbus Police responded to a call about a drunk driver of aDodge Charger that nearly hit kids walking on the sidewalk. The officers arrived to find Roby passed out in the driver seat of his vehicle. After Roby did not respond to officers, they opened the door to the vehicle and smelled an alcohol like odor. It appeared Roby was under the influence after another officer responded and conducted a field sobriety test, which he failed.[62][60] On April 29, 2014, Roby pleaded guilty to physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was charged with a suspended sentence of 180 days in jail. Under the terms of the sentence, he was required to attend a three-day driver intervention program and pay a $375 fine plus court costs.[63]
Media related toBradley Roby at Wikimedia Commons