Richard Seymour

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Seymour's versatility defined his early career with the Patriots. Selected sixth overall in 2001, he signed a six-year, $14.3 million contract on July 24 of that year. In his rookie season, he started 10 of 13 games as a 4-3 defensive tackle, recording three sacks before missing time with a leg injury. His impact was immediate; in Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams, he started at defensive tackle to earn his first ring. The following year, he started all 16 games, collecting 5.5 sacks and an interception while blocking field goals against the Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings en route to his first Pro Bowl selection. When the Patriots shifted to a 3-4 defense in 2003, Seymour moved outside to defensive end and became a team captain. He posted a career-high eight sacks and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice for blocked field goals against the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans. This versatility allowed him to be selected to the Pro Bowl both as a 3-4 defensive end and a 4-3 defensive tackle. Despite injuries, including an MCL tear in 2004 that cost him playoff games, he earned first-team All-Pro honors three times with New England.

In Their Own Story

The 2005 season tested Seymour's resilience early on. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, he held out of minicamps and training camp days before signing a pay raise. He began the regular season strong with two sacks in the first four games but suffered a left knee injury playing fullback in a goal-line situation against the San Diego Chargers. This was not a standard defensive play; Seymour had occasionally filled in as a fullback on short yardage runs until this specific incident involving a one-yard Corey Dillon touchdown run ended his season's momentum. Seymour returned on November 13, finishing with four sacks and 46 tackles. Although he was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl and third-consecutive first-team All-Pro squad, injuries prevented him from playing in the game itself. The following year saw another injury struggle, this time a lingering left elbow issue that cost him a start but did not prevent him from appearing in all 16 regular-season games. In a controversial moment against the Indianapolis Colts on November 5, 2006, Seymour was fined $7,500 for stepping on offensive tackle Tarik Glenn's knees while enraged by the dive. Despite these physical and disciplinary challenges, he remained a dominant force until his trade to Oakland in September 2009.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking Richard Seymour's path from Georgia to the Hall of Fame, understanding his statistical peaks is essential. He attended the University of Georgia from 1997 to 2000, where he was a four-year letterman starting 25 of 41 games. His college stats included 223 tackles (106 solos), 9.5 sacks, and 25.5 tackles for loss. As a senior, he was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp Football Foundation. In the NFL, his numbers fluctuated with injuries but remained elite. His 2003 season marked a career high with eight sacks in 15 games. In 2004, despite missing late-season action, he recorded five sacks. The 2007 season was his lowest statistical output due to surgery on an old knee injury that kept him out until October 27; he finished with only 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His time in Oakland began under difficult circumstances; traded for a first-round pick used to select Nate Solder, Seymour initially refused to report and was placed on the exempt/left squad list before reporting on September 12, 2009.

Did You Know?

• Seymour occasionally played fullback on short yardage and goal line situations until a knee injury on a one-yard Corey Dillon run against the San Diego Chargers in October 2005 stopped the practice.
• He recorded his first career touchdown on a 68-yard fumble return against the Buffalo Bills in week 4 of the 2004 season.
• At Georgia, he was part of a defensive line featuring four future first-round draft picks: himself, Marcus Stroud, Charles Grant, and Johnathan Sullivan.
• In 2006, Seymour was fined $7,500 for stepping on Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Tarik Glenn's knees during a game.
• After his football career, he became a professional poker player.