Renaldo Levalle Wynn (born September 3, 1974) 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 with ...
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
. He was drafted by the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
in the first round of the
1997 NFL Draft. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Notre Dame.
Wynn also played for the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
,
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
and
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
.
Early years
Wynn attended
De La Salle Institute
English: Sign of Faith
, religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic( De La Salle Brothers}
, patron =
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, founder = Brother Adjutor of Mary, FSC
, status = Open
...
in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
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, subdivision_name ...
and gained honors as an All-Midwest selection by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report and All-State second-team choice by the
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
. He was team captain; recording 50 tackles with three interceptions and five fumble recoveries as an outside
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, p ...
and rushed for 500 yards with nine
touchdowns
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether Rush (gridiron football), running, Forward pass, passing, returning a Kickoff (gridiron football), kickoff or Punt (gridiron football), punt, or recovering a Turno ...
as a
fullback in his senior season. He gained All-Catholic League and All-City honors as a senior. Wynn lettered four years in
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
, averaging 12 points 11 rebounds per game while serving as team captain as a senior. He also received three letters in track, performing in the long jump.
College career
Wynn was recruited by
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...
in 1992. He was redshirted as a freshman in his first season. During the 1993 season he recorded 19 tackles with three sacks while starting three games at strongside outside
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, p ...
and two games at left defensive end. Wynn played in ten games in 1994, starting the first six at right outside linebacker and four others, including the
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl is an American college football bowl game played annually in the Phoenix metropolitan area. From its beginning in 1971 until 2006, the game was hosted at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Since 2007, the game has been playe ...
against the
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Co ...
, at left defensive end. Wynn recorded 47 tackles with one sack, four stops for losses, forced two fumbles and recovered another. He gained All-American honorable mention honors as a junior in 1995 by compiling 57 tackles with six stops for losses and leading the team with 6.5 sacks. In 1996, Wynn played left defensive end as a senior, making 61 tackles with nine sacks, six stops for losses, recovered two fumbles and deflected one pass. He was named team’s Most Valuable Player and Lineman of the Year as a senior.
Professional career
Jacksonville Jaguars
Wynn was selected in the first round (21st overall) of the
1997 NFL Draft by the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
. In 1997, Wynn was named to All-Rookie teams chosen by
Pro Football Writers Association
The Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), sometimes known as Pro Football Writers Association, is an organization that purports to be " heofficial voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve ...
/
Pro Football Weekly
''Pro Football Weekly'' (sometimes shortened to ''PFW'') is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, and website that covers the National Football League (NFL). It was owned by Pro Football Weekly LLC and headquartered in Riverwoods, Illinoi ...
,
Football News and College & Pro Football Newsweekly. He played in all 16 games with eight starts. He finished tenth on the team with 60 tackles, as well as two tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery. In 1998, he started in the first 15 games of the season at all four defensive line positions. Wynn finished the year with 58 tackles, one sack, and one fumble recovery. During the 1999 season, he started in 10 of 12 games played finishing with 37 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He started the season's final seven games and both playoff games and finished the postseason with five tackles. In 2000, he started 14 games at strongside defensive end compiling 55 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two tackles for a loss, and one forced fumble. In the 2001 season, Wynn ranked sixth on the Jacksonville Jaguars with 75 tackles and tied for fifth with five sacks, both career highs. He started in all 16 games for the first time in his career.
First stint with Redskins
Wynn then moved to the Washington Redskins for the 2002 season. He was immediately inserted into the starting lineup at
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
. He started and played in all 16 games for the second straight season. He posted 42 tackles, recorded 2.5 sacks for 19 yards of loss, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. In 2003, Wynn played and started all 16 games for the third time in his career. He was voted as team captain by his teammates, and Wynn posted 30 tackles and two sacks for the season. During the 2004 season, Wynn had another solid campaign, starting and playing in all 16 games. He recorded 58 tackles and three sacks on the season.
On September 3, 2007, the Redskins released him.
New Orleans Saints
Wynn then signed with the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
on September 7, 2007. He appeared in 12 games for the Saints that season including one start, recording 13 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He became a free agent in the 2008 offseason.
New York Giants
In May 2008, Wynn visited with the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
. He agreed to terms on a contract with the team on June 1, 2008. The move reunited him with Giants head coach
Tom Coughlin
Thomas Richard Coughlin ( ; born August 31, 1946) is a former American football coach and executive. He was the head coach for the New York Giants from 2004 to 2015. He led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI, both time ...
, who was head coach of the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
when Wynn was drafted by the team in 1997.
Second stint with Redskins
Wynn was re-signed to a one-year contract by the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
on March 16, 2009.
Wynn Returns to Familiar Ground
ESPN, March 17, 2009 He was released on October 10 to make room for punter Glenn Pakulak, and was re-signed on October 12 when Pakulak was waived. He was released again on October 17, to make room for Pakulak.
Omaha Nighthawks
Wynn signed with the Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks were a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which played in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. During their first season, the Nighthawks played their home gam ...
of the United Football League on October 25, 2010.
References
External links
*
New York Giants bio
Washington Redskins bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wynn, Renaldo
1974 births
Living people
Players of American football from Chicago
American football defensive ends
American football defensive tackles
De La Salle Institute alumni
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players
Jacksonville Jaguars players
Washington Redskins players
New Orleans Saints players
New York Giants players
Omaha Nighthawks players