Terrell Suggs
Terrell Raymonn Suggs (born October 11, 1982), nicknamed "T-Sizzle", is an American former football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the 10th overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft, and is the franchise's all-time leader in sacks.[1] He also played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
No. 55, 56, 94
October 11, 1982
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
265 lb (120 kg)
Arizona State (2000–2002)
2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10
886
886
139
39
15
60
Suggs is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, a two time All-Pro, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. Suggs has won two Super Bowls in his career, Super Bowl XLVII in 2012 with the Ravens and Super Bowl LIV in 2019 with the Chiefs, both over the San Francisco 49ers. Suggs is 8th on the NFL's all-time sacks list (tracked since 1982)[2] and 1st all-time in tackles for a loss (tracked since 1999).
Early years[edit]
Suggs was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[3] He was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. While growing up in Saint Paul, he played youth football, as a center, with future major league MVP baseball player Joe Mauer as quarterback.[4] Suggs moved to Arizona after the eighth grade.[5]
As a teenager, he attended multiple schools, the first being Chandler High School. He later transferred to Hamilton High School where he set the Arizona Class 5A record for rushing yards in a game with 367 against Yuma Kofa as a junior in 1999.[6]
As a senior, Suggs was named a Parade high school All-American in 2000, Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year, the No. 1 jumbo athlete in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine, Arizona Player of the Year by USA Today as well as an All-American by USA Today and the 60th-best player in the nation by Sporting News.[7]
In addition to football, Suggs played AAU basketball.[8]
College career[edit]
Suggs decided to attend Arizona State University, where he played defensive end for coach Bruce Snyder and coach Dirk Koetter's Arizona State Sun Devils football teams from 2000 to 2002.[9][10] He finished his career with 163 tackles, including a school, career-record 65.5 tackles for losses, and 44 quarterback sacks, 14 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and nine passes deflected. He set an NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks in 2002.[11] Following his 2002 junior season, he was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.[12][13] He won the Bronko Nagurski Award, the Ted Hendricks Award, and the Vince Lombardi Award.[14][15][16] He was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American.[17]
Personal life[edit]
In December 2003, Suggs was charged with felony aggravated assault stemming from a March 2003 incident in Arizona, in which it was alleged that a verbal altercation after a basketball tournament led to Suggs assaulting a man with a piece of reinforcement rod.[123] Apparently the parties had a disagreement during the tournament, and it was claimed that Suggs swung at the victim and broke his nose and cheekbone.[124] In June 2005, however, Suggs was acquitted of the charges, with a juror commenting that guilt beyond a reasonable doubt was not established.[125]
A series of allegations were made by his girlfriend, Candace Williams; in 2009 she alleged he threw a soap dispenser at her head, struck her in the chest with his hand and held a bottle of bleach over her and their 1-year-old son.[126] No criminal charges were filed against Suggs, however, and Williams' subsequent lawsuit was dismissed.[127] In September 2012, he was accused of punching and dragging his girlfriend Candace Williams beside his car while his two children were inside. A temporary protective order was placed against Suggs, who was required to surrender his seven firearms, which included an AK-47, and a judge dismissed the order on December 12.[128][129] Despite Suggs's rocky relationship with Williams, the two married on December 14, 2012, and the protective order was removed.[130] The couple have two children together. His wife filed for divorce in 2015.[131]
Suggs guest starred as himself in 8 episodes of the series Ballers.[132]
Suggs is Jewish through his paternal grandfather.[133] He has had a Jewish star tattooed on his right arm since 2009, which he says he got "to remind me of who I am," and wears a Star of David necklace.[134][135] Suggs wore a Star of David on his cleats during a game in October 2019 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the deadly Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.[133]
Suggs is the second cousin of Larry Suggs, the father of NBA player Jalen Suggs.[136]