Alan Faneca
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | |||||||
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
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Weight: | 316 lb (143 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Rosenberg (TX) Lamar Consolidated | ||||||
College: | LSU (1994–1997) | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||
Alan Joseph Faneca (
Early years
Faneca attended John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, Louisiana from 1987 to 1990. While attending John Curtis Christian he played football and basketball for the 27-time state champions while in middle and junior high school. Faneca then attended Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas, lettering in football and track. He was an All-Greater Houston, Orlando Sentinel All-South, and Touchdown Club of Houston player of the year. Faneca began having seizures, which were later diagnosed as epilepsy, at age 15.[1] He started on medication to control it and was able to continue playing football.
College career
Faneca attended
In the 1997 home game against the Florida Gators, Faneca was called "a beast" for having repeatedly driven the Gators off the field and creating openings for the Tiger backs to charge through.[2]
Faneca started his last 36 games at LSU and allowed only one sack in his final season. He had 210
Professional career
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 4+5⁄8 in (1.95 m) |
322 lb (146 kg) |
33+3⁄4 in (0.86 m) |
10+1⁄4 in (0.26 m) |
5.47 s | 1.87 s | 3.10 s | 4.71 s | 8.66 s | 26.0 in (0.66 m) |
7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) |
20 reps | |
All values from NFL Combine[3] |
Pittsburgh Steelers
Faneca was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round (26th overall) in the 1998 NFL draft.[4] He saw limited playing time at first but injuries to fellow Steelers Will Wolford and Jim Sweeney allowed him to get his first start against the Cincinnati Bengals. He earned the Joe Greene Award as the team's top rookie. In 1999 against the Cleveland Browns he was having a bad season debut before leaving the game at halftime, after suffering a left ankle injury late in the second quarter of the game and played the rest of the first half after sustaining the injury but did not play during the second half. Against Baltimore Ravens he returned from his ankle injury but was replaced in the second half by Roger Duffy. One of his best games of the season was against the Cincinnati Bengals helping to pave the way for Jerome Bettis first 100-yard game of that season. Against the Carolina Panthers helped pave the way for Bettis season-high 137 yards rushing and the Steelers second-highest rushing performance of the season.
In 2000, Faneca helped the Steelers rank fourth in the league in rushing, one of only 10 teams to compile more than 2,000 yards rushing in 2000. He had his best season to date when he was named a starter in the 2002
In 2007, Faneca was voted to the Steelers 75th Anniversary All Time Team by Steeler fans.
New York Jets
On March 1, 2008, the New York Jets signed Faneca to a five-year, $40 million contract, with $21 million in guarantees. The contract made Faneca the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history (a distinction quickly overtaken by rookie Jake Long).[5] Faneca was expected to provide veteran leadership to a Jets offensive line that included three former first-round picks from 1999 and 2006, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold and Damien Woody. Later that offseason, the Jets acquired Brett Favre via trade from Green Bay. Favre and Faneca have since been selected as Pro Football Hall of Famers, with Favre being inducted in 2016 and Faneca in 2021.[6]
Faneca rapidly made an impact on the Jets rushing attack, propelling it to 2006 yards and 20 touchdowns,[7] and led the 4-12 Jets to a 9–7 record in 2008, good for third in the AFC East.
In 2009, Faneca anchored the Jets to 2756 yards and 21 touchdowns, again leading the Jets to a 9–7 record and securing a wild-card playoff berth. They proceeded to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in a 24–14 victory in that wildcard game. In an AFC divisional playoff game, the Jets beat the favored San Diego Chargers 17-14 behind Shonn Greene's 128 rushing yards and a touchdown and Thomas Jones's 41 yards, totaling 169 yards on the ground. They surprised many observers by beating the Chargers and going to the AFC Championship game where they eventually succumbed to the Indianapolis Colts 30–17.
Faneca was cut from the Jets on April 24, 2010, after they selected Vladimir Ducasse in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft.[8]
Arizona Cardinals
Faneca agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals on a one-year, $2.5 million deal, which included a $300,000 signing bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus,[9] and reunited him with his former Steelers coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm.
Retirement
Faneca retired on May 10, 2011, ending his distinguished career with nine Pro Bowl appearances, eight All-Pro selections, and a Super Bowl ring.
In recognition of the weight-related health issues experienced by many retired players, he has lost over 100 pounds since his retirement.[10] In February 2014, Faneca successfully completed the New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll Marathon with a finish time of 3:56:17.[11] On February 6, 2021, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Personal
Faneca married Julie Kuchta of Virginia Beach, whom he met as a freshman at LSU. They have three children. In 2021, he was named head coach of football at Cox High School in Virginia Beach.[12]
References
- ^ Epilepsy Fdn.-Not Faster than a Speeding Bullet, but More Powerful than a Locomotive, this Man of Steel is an Inspiration for Everyone
- ^ Chet Hilburn, The Mystique of Tiger Stadium: 25 Greatest Games: The Ascension of LSU Football (Bloomington, Indiana: WestBow Press, 2012), p. 28
- ^ "Alan Faneca, Combine Results, OG - Louisiana State". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ "1998 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
- ^ "Faneca Agrees to Five-Year, $40 Million Deal With Jets". ESPN.com. March 2, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ http://m.steelers.com/news/article-1/Faneca-a-finalist-for-HOF-Class-of-2017/e8119c1c-4b82-41a9-9a89-5b00f01de30c[permanent dead link]
- NFL.com.
- ^ Cimini, Rich (April 24, 2010), "Source: Jets to cut veteran Faneca", ESPN.
- ^ Schefter, Adam (April 27, 2010), "Source: Faneca heads to Arizona", ESPN.
- ^ "Faneca touts cause of shedding excess weight". March 6, 2013.
- ^ McGoldrick, Hannah (February 4, 2014). "Former 300-Pound NFL Lineman Runs 3:56 Marathon". Runner's World. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
- ^ "LSU standout Alan Faneca ends NFL career after 13 years - Gonzales, LA - Gonzales Weekly Citizen". Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011. Retirement
External links
- "New York Jets bio". Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
- "Pittsburgh Steelers bio". Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
- Arizona Cardinals bio