Marcus Stroud

Lore & Background

Stroud won a state title with Brooks County High School in 1994 and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1996. He originally committed to Florida but switched to Georgia after coach Ray Goff was fired. At Georgia, he played under coach Jim Donnan during a rebuilding era. He was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. Stroud was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2003, 2004, and 2005 seasons. He was suspended in 2007 for four games for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids. He was traded to the Bills in 2008, signed a contract extension in 2009, and was released in 2011. He signed with the Patriots in 2011 and was released later that year. He retired in 2012 after signing a one-day contract with the Jaguars.

In Their Own Story

The stadium roared as Marcus Stroud lined up against the opposing offensive line, his eyes locked on the quarterback's every move. The crowd sensed something special was about to happen. As the ball snapped, Stroud exploded forward, shedding blocks with effortless power. In a flash, he surged into the backfield, collapsing the pocket and forcing a hurried throw that sailed harmlessly into the stands. The roar of the fans grew louder, celebrating another masterpiece from their defensive titan.

Reader's Guide

Stroud and John Henderson gave the Jaguars one of the more dominant defensive tackle duos in the NFL. During his Jaguars tenure, Stroud had 22 sacks and 256 tackles in 100 games. He played in every game for his first five years. With the Bills, he helped improve the defense from 31st to 14th in total defense in 2008. He founded the Marcus Stroud Charitable Foundation and hosts an annual football camp. He has a passion for classic cars and founded DeciBels Auto Creations in Jacksonville. He escaped injury in 2005 when he rolled his SUV on Interstate 10.

Did You Know?

• Stroud was selected to the Pro Bowl three times (2003, 2004, 2005).
• He was drafted 13th overall in the 2001 NFL draft, not fourth.
• Stroud played seven seasons for the Jaguars (2001–2007), not six.
• He was suspended for four games in 2007 for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids.