James Michael Meder (born April 12, 1991) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
defensive tackle. He played
college football at
Ashland University. He has been nicknamed the "Pierogi Prince of Parma."
Early years
Meder played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
at
Valley Forge High School
Valley Forge High School is located in Parma Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. It is one of three high schools in the Parma City School District, which is one of the largest school districts in the state of Ohio, serving the cities of Parma, P ...
in
Parma Heights, Ohio
Parma Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States and a western suburb of Cleveland. Parma Heights is surrounded on the north, east and south by the larger city of Parma. The cities of Brook Park and Middleburg Heights form most of t ...
. He was named first-team all-conference and was tabbed the defensive player of the year as a senior. He was also named second-team All-Ohio. Meder
lettered
Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
four times in wrestling and three times in football.
He was a state runner-up in the
OHSAA
The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of compe ...
Division I heavyweight class in wrestling his senior year.
College career
Meder played football for the
Ashland Eagles
The Ashland Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Ashland University, located in Ashland, Ohio, in Division II intercollegiate sports of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Eagles are members of the Great Midwest Athl ...
from 2010 to 2013.
Professional career
Baltimore Ravens
Meder signed with the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
on May 11, 2014 after going undrafted in the
2014 NFL draft. He was released by the Ravens on August 30 and signed to the team's practice squad on August 31, 2014. He was released by the Ravens on November 10, 2014.
Cleveland Browns
Meder was signed to the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
' practice squad on November 12, 2014. He was promoted to the active roster on December 27, 2014.
He made his NFL debut on December 28, 2014 against the Baltimore Ravens.
On March 7, 2016, the Browns re-signed Meder. On December 24, 2016, Meder blocked a potential-game tying 32-yard field goal with 3:49 left in the game against the
San Diego Chargers to help the Browns win their first game of the season and snap a 17-game losing streak. They won the game by a score of 20–17. He was then named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the first defensive lineman in Browns history to win the award.
On November 21, 2017, Meder was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Meder was waived by the Browns on September 2, 2018.
Seattle Seahawks
On January 14, 2019, Meder signed a reserve/future contract with the
Seattle Seahawks. He was released on August 31, 2019.
Detroit Lions
On December 18, 2019, Meder was signed by the
Detroit Lions.
References
External links
Cleveland Browns bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meder, Jamie
Living people
1991 births
People from Parma Heights, Ohio
Seattle Seahawks players
Players of American football from Cuyahoga County, Ohio
American football defensive tackles
Ashland Eagles football players
Baltimore Ravens players
Cleveland Browns players
Detroit Lions players