Larry Izzo - #53 - LB - Rice - Profile

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

◊ Pro Bowl selection on special teams in 2000, 2002 and 2004 and key member of all three NE Super Bowl champion teams.

◊ Elected a special teams captain by his teammates nine times during his career, including all eight seasons with NE.

◊ Led or tied for the team lead in special teams tackles in eight of his last 10 seasons, dating back to the 1999 season when he played for MIA...Led or tied NE in special teams tackles in six of his eight seasons with the team.

◊ Responsible for 257 special teams tackles in 188 career regular season games...Added 23 special teams tackles in 21 career playoff games...Led NE with 162 special teams tackles from 2001-08 and played in 103 consecutive games for the team, dating back to 2002.

◊ Converted two fake punts for first downs, including a 26- yard run at HOU, 11/17/96, as a rookie and a 39-yard run vs. GB, 10/29/00.

◊ Successfully converted a fake punt in the 2005 Pro Bowl, earning a first down for the AFC on a 27-yard run...By virtue of the fake punt, Izzo was the AFC’s leading rushing through three quarters.

◊ Corralled only interception of his NFL career vs. BUF, 12/27/03, picking off of Travis Brown pass in the end zone to preserve 31-0 shutout.

◊ Led NE and was tied with Dwight Smith (TB) for first in the NFL with 22 special teams tackles in 2001.

◊ Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week while with NE after amassing six special teams tackles in 41-38 overtime victory over KC, 9/22/02...Six special teams tackles were the most recorded in an NFL game since Jerald Sowell recorded seven for NYJ, 10/15/00.

◊ 2001 Pro Bowl selection represented the first in MIA history for a non-kicking special teams player.

◊ Generated career-high 33 special teams tackles in 1999... Named second alternate for Pro Bowl on special teams.

◊ MIA recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 1998.

◊ Football Digest first-team All-Pro and all-rookie selection by Pro Football Weekly and the PFWA for his performance on special teams as an undrafted rookie free agent in 1996.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

◊ 3/11/09, NYJ, Signed UFA (NE)

◊ 3/6/07, NE, Re-signed, UFA

◊ 3/7/01, NE, Signed, UFA (MIA)

◊ 3/31/99, MIA, Signed, UFA

◊ 8/18/97, MIA, IR

◊ 4/26/96, MIA, Signed, Undrafted FA

SEASON-BY-SEASON REVIEW

◊ 2008 (NE) Played all 16 games and led team with 14 special teams tackles. Voted special teams captain by his teammates for the ninth time of his NFL career and his eighth consecutive season with the Patriots.

◊ 2007 (NE) Played in all 16 games…Contributed 14 special teams tackles…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for the eighth time of his NFL career and his seventh consecutive season with the Patriots. POSTSEASON: Played in all three games and notched two special teams tackles.

◊ 2006 (NE) Played in all 16 games and tied for the team lead with 15 special teams tackles…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for the seventh time of his NFL career and his sixth season with the Patriots. POSTSEASON: Played in all three games and contributed six special teams tackles. (1/7 vs. NYJ)…Led team with five special teams tackles.

◊ 2005 (NE) Played in all 16 games and ranked second on the team with 18 special teams tackles…Contributed two tackles on defense…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for the sixth time of his NFL career and his fifth season with the Patriots. POSTSEASON: Played in both postseason games and tallied two special teams tackles.

◊ 2004 (NE) Played in all 16 games and earned third career Pro Bowl selection after leading the team with 28 special teams tackles…Notched one tackle on defense…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for the fifth time of his NFL career and fourth with the Patriots…Successfully converted a fake punt in the 2005 Pro Bowl, earning a first down for the AFC on a 27-yard run. By virtue of the fake punt, Izzo was the AFC’s leding rushing through three quarters. POSTSEASON: Played in all three games and contributed two special teams tackles for team that claimed Super Bowl XXXIX.

◊ 2003 (NE) Played in all 16 games and led team with 31 special teams tackles in addition to contributing seven tackles on defense…Member of special teams units that ranked second in the NFL in punt return coverage…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for his fourth career NFL season and third season with the Patriots. POSTSEASON: Played in all three games for team that claimed Super Bowl XXXVIII…Led team with five special teams tackles and notched one tackle on defense. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/27 vs. BUF)…Victimized Travis Brown for his first NFL interception.

◊ 2002 (NE) Played in 15 games and earned second career Pro Bowl selection…Led team with 20 special teams tackles, an amount that ranked fifth in the NFL…Missed his first game since the final game of 1998, snapping streak of 55 consecutive games played. Contributed one tackle on defense…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for the third season of his NFL career and second season with the Patriots. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (9/22 vs. KC) Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after generating six special teams tackles…Six special teams tackles represent the most recorded in an NFL game since Jerald Sowell totaled seven for the Jets, 10/15/00.

◊ 2001 (NE) Played in all 16 regular season games for team that won Super Bowl XXXVI…Led New England and tied TB’s Dwight Smith for first in the NFL with 22 special teams tackles…Notched two tackles on defense…Voted special teams captain by his teammates for his first season with the team and the second time of his NFL career. POSTSEASON: Played in all three games…Tallied two tackles and two fumble recoveries on special teams…(1/19 vs. OAK)… Responsible for two fumble recoveries and one tackle… Recovery of Troy Brown fumble on punt return late in the fourth quarter preserved possession on punt return late in the fourth quarter for drive that resulted in game-tying field goal that forced overtime…Voted special teams captain in first season with the team. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (11/18 vs. STL)…Recovered snap fumbled by Kurt Warner.

◊ 2000 (MIA) Earned first Pro Bowl selection after playing in all 16 games and registering a team-high 31 special teams tackles… Marked second consecutive season with more than 30 special teams tackles…Garnered extensive action on defense in place of an injured Zach Thomas for two games but was not credited with a start because MIA opened both games with five defensive backs…Four tackles recorded during those games represented his total for the season. POSTSEASON: Played in both games and totaled two special teams tackles. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (10/29 vs. GB)…Converted a fourth down with a 39-yard run on a fake punt…Second career rushing attempt.

◊ 1999 (MIA) Played in all 16 games and led team with a career-high 33 special teams tackles and also contributed one forced fumble and one fumble recovery…Elected special teams captain…Voted second alternate on special teams for Pro Bowl…Awarded special teams game balls for his performances after three games for the Dolphins in 1999. POSTSEASON: Played in both postseason games, the first two of his NFL career, and recorded two special teams tackles. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (9/19 vs. ARI)…Awarded game ball for special teams after producing six tackles. (10/10 at IND)…Forced a fumble on special teams.

◊ 1998 (MIA) Played in 13 games and ranked fourth on the team with 21 special teams tackles…Inactive for the final three regular season games with an injured right knee suffered at OAK (12/6)…Recipient of the teams’ Ed Block Courage Award. POSTSEASON: Inactive for both playoff contests with an injured right knee.

◊ 1997 (MIA) Placed on injured reserve (8/18) after tearing his left Achilles’ tendon during a training camp practice (7/18).

◊ 1996 (MIA) Played in all 16 games as an undrafted rookie free agent and finished second on the team with 10 special teams tackles…Made one tackle on defense…Voted special teams alternate for AFC Pro Bowl team…Football Digest first-team All-Pro…All-Rookie selection for special teams by Pro Football Weekly and the PFWA. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (11/17 at HOU)…Rushed for 26 yards on a fake punt… (9/8 at ARI)...Blocked Jeff Feagles punt.

BEFORE THE NFL

◊ Four-year letterman and three-year starter at Rice finished fourth all-time in school history with 301 tackles and established school record with 46 career tackles-for-loss.

◊ Earned consensus All-Southwest Cnference honors asa senior after registering 121 tackles and was voted the team’s MVP and top linebacker.

◊ Attended McCullough HS in Houston, TX and earned two letters as a starting safety and running back.

◊ Recognized by the Houston Chronicle as the two-way Player of the Year as a senior after he tallied 131 tackles, two interceptions and forced fumbles on defense and contributing 1,081 yards rushing, 14 receptions for 109 yards and 10 kickoff returns for 224 yards.

OFF THE FIELD

◊ Graduated from Rice University with a degree in business in the spring of 2002.

◊ Hosts annual “Larry-oke” event, a celebrity karaoke night in Boston, a fundraiser for the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund (MSLF), Home For Our Troops, the Fallen Patriot Fund, Fisher House Boston, Operation Ensuring Christmas and the Pat Tillman Foundation...First three “Larry-oke” events raised a total of $600,000.

◊ Lettered two years in baseball in high school.

◊ Enjoys golf, tennis and skiing.

◊ In 2005, Izzo and Warrick Dunn took part in an NFL sponsored USO tour to visit troops stationed overseas, beginning their trip at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, where they helped open the Pat Tillman USO Center, then visiting troops in Baghdad, Kuwait and Qatar. Visited injured military personnel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. in 2004 and 2005.

◊ Born Lawrence Alexander Izzo in Fort Belvoir, VA

◊ An avid traveler, his favorite trips have been to Italy, France and Argentina.

◊ Wife: Mara.

◊ Son of Larry and Terry Izzo.