Brandon T. Siler (born December 5, 1985) is an American former college and professional football player who was a

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL) for six seasons. He played college football for the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

, where he was a member of a BCS National Championship team. He was chosen by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and also played for the NFL's

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...

Early years

Siler was born Daytona Beach, Florida.Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players
Brandon Siler
Retrieved January 6, 2015. He attended Evans High School in Orlando, Florida, where he was a star high school football player for the Evans Trojans. His grandfather,

Herb Siler Herb Siler (b. January 5, 1935 Brundidge, Alabama, United States - d. March 25, 2001 Miami) was a heavyweight boxer. He won 16 fights (including seven by knockout) and lost 12, with no draws. His career started in 1960 and ended in 1967. Siler ...

, was a heavyweight boxer in the 1960s.

College career

Siler accepted a scholarship to attend his home-state

in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach

Ron Zook Ronald Andrew Zook (; born April 28, 1954) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the Defensive Coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. He was the head football coach at the University of Florida from ...

and coach

Urban Meyer Urban Frank Meyer III (born July 10, 1964) is a college football TV commentator and former American football coach. He spent most of his coaching career at the collegiate level, having served as the head coach of the Bowling Green Falcons fro ...

Florida Gators football The Florida Gators football program represents the University of Florida (UF) in American college football. Florida competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division o ...

from 2004 to 2006.
2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide
'', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 80–81, 89, 97, 99, 102, 153–154, 185 (2011). Retrieved August 31, 2011. His impact was felt early, as he started six games as a freshman, and he was recognized as the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...

(SEC) Freshman of the Year. The Gators' new head coach

replaced Zook for Siler's sophomore season in 2005, and Siler amassed seven fumble recoveries. His play during his junior season in 2006 helped the 13–1 Gators win the

SEC Championship Game The SEC Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the Southeastern Conference's season champion since 1992. The championship game pits the SEC East Division regular season champion against the West Division regula ...

and the

2007 BCS National Championship Game The 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game was an American football game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, 2007, and featured the top-ranked Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes against the 2nd-r ...

, and he earned second-team All-SEC and third-team All-American honors from the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...

. Siler was known for his work-ethic, energy and leadership on the field.

Professional career

Siler was projected as a second–to–third round selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. However, he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers 240th overall in the seventh and final round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Siler, who also served as the Chargers backup

long snapper In American football, the long snapper (or deep snapper) is a center on special teams whose duty is to snap the football over a longer distance, typically around 15 yards during punts, and 7–8 yards during field goals and extra point att ...

, earned a spot on the Chargers roster and in 2007, he contributed on special teams, gathering the second highest number of special teams tackles. In 2008, he continued excelling on special teams and received more time on defense. His playing time expanded with the four-game suspension of Stephen Cooper. On July 31, 2011, Siler signed with the

. He was placed on the injured reserve list due to an

Achilles tendon rupture Achilles tendon rupture is when the Achilles tendon, at the back of the ankle, breaks. Symptoms include the sudden onset of sharp pain in the heel. A snapping sound may be heard as the tendon breaks and walking becomes difficult. Rupture typica ...

on August 25, and appeared in no games during the 2011 season. Siler played in 16 games in 2012, starting four of them. His contract expired after the 2012 NFL season, and he was not re-signed. In five NFL seasons, Siler played in 74 games, started 16 of them, and compiled 180 tackles, two interceptions and three recovered fumbles.

References

Bibliography

* Carlson, Norm, ''University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators'', Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). .

External links

Brandon Siler
– Florida Gators player profile
Brandon Siler
– San Diego Chargers player profile {{DEFAULTSORT:Siler, Brandon 1985 births Living people American football linebackers Florida Gators football players Kansas City Chiefs players Players of American football from Florida Sportspeople from Daytona Beach, Florida San Diego Chargers players