Terrence Bernard Cody, Jr. (born June 28, 1988) 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 tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
. He played college football for the
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...
.
[.] He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the firs ...
and played five seasons in the NFL.
A native of Florida, Cody spent two seasons at
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) is a public community college with its main campus in Perkinston, Mississippi. It was founded as Harrison County Agricultural High School in 1912. MGCCC has three campuses and six centers: The ma ...
, where he helped the Bulldogs to an unbeaten season in 2007. Surprisingly nimble even at a peak weight of more than , Cody drew the attention of major
Division I programs. He finished his collegiate career at Alabama, where he earned consensus
All-American honors twice while anchoring one of college football's best defenses during the
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
and
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
seasons.
During his senior season with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2009, he helped lead the Tide to an undefeated 14–0 season including a victory in the
2010 BCS National Championship Game
The 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game was a college football bowl game to determine the national champion of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was played between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It was ...
.
Cody is one of the few football players ever to win a championship at Junior College, NCAA Division I College, and in the NFL.
Early years
Cody was born in
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...
on June 28, 1988. As a child, he wore size-10 shoes by the age of eight and was never eligible for the
Pop Warner youth leagues because he was always over the weight limit.
[.] He attended
Riverdale High School in Fort Myers. Already and as a ninth-grader, Cody began playing high school football and displayed a high degree of athleticism, causing his high school coach, Scott Jones, to predict "he could be making $2 million playing in the NFL" at some point.
He played only two years of varsity football: as a freshman and then as a senior. He struggled academically, had to help take care of his seven younger siblings, and ended up “running with the wrong crowd”.
After sitting out his sophomore and junior seasons, Cody dominated as a senior. In a game against
North Fort Myers
North Fort Myers is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 42,719 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Ge ...
, he had a memorable collision with star running back
Noel Devine
Noel Devine (born February 16, 1988) is a former American football running back. Devine played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers and holds the record for career-all purpose yardage (5,761 yards).
Devine was signed by the Phila ...
. “Terrence hit and spun Noel Devine so hard that
evine
ShopHQ (formerly ValueVision, ShopNBC, Evine Live, and Evine) is an American cable, satellite and broadcast home shopping television network and multi-channel video retailer owned by iMedia Brands Inc., in which Comcast holds a 12.5% stake in ...
was on the sideline puking,” coach Jones said.
He also participated in
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
, competing in the throwing events. He got top-throws of 14.63 meters in the
shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's ...
and 46.32 meters in the
discus throw
The discus throw (), also known as disc throw, is a track and field event in which an athlete throws a heavy disk (mathematics), disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than their competitors. It is an classical antiqui ...
.
Cody was not ranked among the nation's elite football prospects in 2006 by any recruiting service. Nonetheless he was offered
athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university or a private high school awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport. Athletic scholarships are common in the United Stat ...
s by the
University of Miami
The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...
and the
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF is ...
, but could not qualify academically. Cody eventually signed with
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) is a public community college with its main campus in Perkinston, Mississippi. It was founded as Harrison County Agricultural High School in 1912. MGCCC has three campuses and six centers: The ma ...
.
College career
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Cody played two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in
Perkinston, Mississippi
Perkinston is an unincorporated community in central Stone County, Mississippi, United States. It is situated along U.S. Highway 49, approximately five miles south of Wiggins. The community is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Met ...
as a defensive tackle. As a freshman, he recorded 48
tackles
Tackle may refer to:
* In football:
** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football
** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football
** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
with 2.5
sacks and an
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
. In his sophomore year, he added 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks while anchoring a Bulldog defense that ranked number one in the state in rushing defense and total defense. Mississippi Gulf Coast finished the season with a 12–0 season record and a
NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...
Co-National Championship. Cody was named to the NJCAA All-American first team.
Despite his dominance, he had trouble drawing scholarship offers, as his weight of scared off many teams. “A lot of people are just wary of guys that big,” Mississippi Gulf Coast coach
Steve Campbell said. “You know when people say that if things seem too good to be true that they usually are. A big guy like that who's that athletic, you just don't believe what you're seeing.”
Particularly noted for his lower body strength, Cody had a
squat max of in junior college.
However, after Cody had his weight down to , a number of schools offered him scholarships, including
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
,
Ole Miss, and
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
. He was heavily recruited particularly by
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I as a mem ...
head coach
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou Saban Jr. (; born October 31, 1951) is an American football coach who has been the head football coach at the University of Alabama since 2007. Saban previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins ...
, who was in need of a true
nose tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
for his
3–4 defense.
Cody recalls Saban telling him, "We need a body like yours in the middle, to stop the run, to change the rhythm of the game."
Considered a three-star recruit by
247Sports.com, Cody was listed as the No. 39 junior college prospect in 2008.
Cody committed to the Crimson Tide on November 29, 2007.
University of Alabama
2008 season
Cody made an immediate impact for the Crimson Tide defensive line, recording four tackles—one for loss—in a 34–10 rout of the
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) ...
. He and the rest of the defense also held the Tigers, which included running backs
James Davis and
C. J. Spiller
Clifford "C. J." Spiller Jr. (born August 5, 1987) is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach at Clemson University. He previously served as a graduate intern at Clemson in 2020.
Spiller play ...
, to zero net rushing yards. With his presence in the middle of the Crimson Tide defensive line, Cody earned himself the nickname of “Mount Cody.”
By mid-season he was already considered the No. 1 nose tackle prospect for the
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. T ...
by league scouts.
Against
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, Cody dominated Razorbacks center
Jonathan Luigs
Jonathan Luigs (born August 11, 1986) is an American former college and professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL). Luigs played college football for the University of Arkansas, earned consensus All-A ...
—the 2007
Rimington Trophy
The Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded to the player considered to be the best American football center in college football. Dave Rimington was a center who played at the University of Nebraska from 1979 to 1982.
A member of the National College F ...
winner—and helped the Crimson Tide to a 49–14 win. In a memorable play on a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line late in the first half, Cody blasted past Luigs and left guard
Wade Grayson to grab running back
Michael Smith before he could reach the end zone.
In Alabama's rout over
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
at
Sanford Stadium
Sanford Stadium is the on-campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States (also known as UGA). The 92,746-seat stadium is the tenth-largest stadium in the NCAA. Architecturally, the stadium is kn ...
, Cody was instrumental in holding
Doak Walker award
Since 1990 the Doak Walker Award honors the top running back in college football in the United States. It is named in honor of Doak Walker, a former running back who played for the SMU Mustangs from 1945 to 1949 and in the National Football League ...
candidate
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...
to just 34 yards rushing. In the seventh game of the season against
Ole Miss, he received a knee injury during the third quarter which sidelined him for two weeks.
In the annual
Iron Bowl
The Alabama–Auburn football rivalry, better known as the Iron Bowl, is an American college football rivalry game between the Auburn University Tigers and University of Alabama Crimson Tide, both charter members of the Southeastern Conferenc ...
versus rival
Auburn
Auburn may refer to:
Places Australia
* Auburn, New South Wales
* City of Auburn, the local government area
*Electoral district of Auburn
*Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region
*Auburn, South Australia
*Auburn, Tasmania
*Aub ...
, Cody and teammate Bobby Greenwood sacked quarterback
Kodi Burns
Kodi Burns (born December 24, 1988) is an American football coach who is the wide receivers coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the wide receivers coach at the University of Tennessee and A ...
, giving Cody his first half-sack of the season. He also recovered a fumble, which set up an Alabama touchdown. In the
2008 SEC Championship Game versus
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, Cody recorded three tackles in a 31–20 loss. In the loss, the Crimson Tide allowed 142 yards rushing—the second most in the
2008 season. In the
season finale
A season finale (British English: last in the series; Australian English: season final) is the final episode of a season of a television program. This is often the final episode to be produced for a few months or longer, and, as such, will try to ...
, he recorded one assisted tackle, while holding the
Utah Utes
The Utah Utes are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent the University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City. The athletic department is named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the Runnin' ...
to 13 yards rushing. However, Alabama went on to lose the game 31–17, finishing the season 12–2.
Alabama′s rush defense considerably improved in 2008. After giving up 128.4 rushing yards a game in 2007, the Crimson Tide only allowed 78.8 yards per game in 2008. “As far as one guy who has changed our team more than any, you’d have to go with Terrence,” offensive lineman
Mike Johnson said.
Cody was subsequently given the team’s Defensive Achievement Award for a newcomer who has played a critical role in the effectiveness of his unit.
Despite being commonly regarded as a top prospect, Cody decided to pass on from the
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. T ...
. On
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
of 2008, an "announcement" on his
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
page said that he was leaving early, but turned out to be a joke by his girlfriend.
2009 season
Prior to the
2009 season Cody dropped about 10 pounds and worked on his conditioning, hoping to keep himself in the game on third-down passing situations. He was often replaced by Josh Chapman on passing downs in 2008. Nick Saban stated Cody needed to reduce his weight to in order to become an every-down player and pass-rusher; he reported for fall practice at ,
set a goal to reach by the season opener,
and eventually dropped his weight to . Only a couple of days before the first game, Cody and a few of his teammates were sidelined with flu-like symptoms. Cody returned after a three-day absence.
Cody was named to the 2009
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is an award for college football in the United States. Awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas annually to the college football player "who best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lombar ...
,
Lott Trophy
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football defensive IMPACT player of the year. IMPACT is an acronym for: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the ...
, and
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football interior lineman in the United States as adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named an All-Ame ...
pre-season watch lists.
''Rivals.com'' ranked him as the No. 1 defensive tackle in
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 ...
in 2009.
On October 14, 2009, Cody and teammate Rolando McClain were announced as two of the twelve finalists for the 2009 Lombardi Award. Cody was also named to ''
The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' and ''
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W 5 ...
'' midseason college football All-American teams.
In a game against
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
on October 24, Cody blocked his first two
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
s of his career, including a 44-yard attempt in the game's final seconds, to secure Alabama's 12–10 win. According to ''Yahoo! Sports national columnist Dan Wetzel, Cody earned himself
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
consideration with his performance against the Volunteers.
A couple of weeks later,
Mike Hiserman of the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' also called for Heisman consideration for Cody, describing him as "the best player on what might be college football's top defense."
On November 10, Cody was named one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award, alongside
Jerry Hughes
Jerry Ray Hughes Jr. (born August 13, 1988) is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at TCU, where he was twice recognized as a consensus All-American befor ...
,
Gerald McCoy
Gerald Keith McCoy Jr. (born February 25, 1988) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ...
, and
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Ngwa Suh ( , born January 6, 1987) is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Nebraska, where he earned All-American honors, and was drafte ...
.
He was the seventh Crimson Tide player to be named a finalist and the second in a row, joining offensive tackle
Andre Smith, who was a finalist for the award in 2008. Former All-American linebacker
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius O'Landa Bennett (born August 25, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998 ...
was the only Alabama player to win the Lombardi Award, capturing the honor in 1986. In the end,
Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Ngwa Suh ( , born January 6, 1987) is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Nebraska, where he earned All-American honors, and was drafte ...
won the award. On November 19, Cody joined
Pat Angerer,
Eric Berry
James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he was a two-time unanimous All-American and recog ...
, Jerry Hughes, and Ndamukong Suh as the five finalists for the 2009
Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football defensive player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to be the best in the National Collegiate Athle ...
,
but was again beat out by Suh for the award. On November 23, Cody,
Brandon Spikes
Brandon Spikes (born September 3, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Florida, was recognized as an All-American twice and was a member of two BCS National Championship teams. He wa ...
and Suh were announced as the three finalists for the 2009
Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and professional Ameri ...
,
which was eventually won by Suh as well.
In his two seasons at Alabama, Cody helped the Crimson Tide to lead 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 of ...
in rushing defense, allowing opponents a rushing average of only 78.8 and 78.1 yards per game in 2008 and 2009, respectively. No individual player reached the 100-yard rushing mark against the Crimson Tide in those two seasons;
Anthony Dixon
Anthony Rishard "Boobie" Dixon (born September 24, 1987) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for Mississippi State Univers ...
of
Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univers ...
came closest with 81 yards in 2009. Cody's presence improved Alabama's pass rush despite his not being an effective pass rusher himself. Wrote Michael Casagrande: "The power that comes with his size typically forces opposing lines to focus two players on blocking him, thus creating favorable rushing lanes for unblocked linebackers."
Prior to the
2009 BCS National Championship Game
The 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship Game was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and fea ...
, Cody drew awestruck praise from
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
players and coaches. "They call him Mount Cody. Mount Cody is for a reason. He plays like he’s 450 pounds. He can move like he’s
Sergio Kindle
Sergio Valent'e Kindle (born September 20, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas, and was the first player ever to be a final ...
," said Longhorns guard
Charlie Tanner.
Alabama's defense held Texas to 81 yards rushing—more than 70 yards below their season average—on 28 attempts, and helped the Crimson Tide to their first national title since 1992.
Along with Crimson Tide teammates
Javier Arenas,
Mike Johnson,
Leigh Tiffin
Van Leigh Tiffin, Jr. (born August 3, 1988) is a former American football kicker. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Alabama. Named for his father, he is called Leigh to distin ...
, and
Colin Peek
Colin Davis Peek (born June 4, 1986) is a former American football tight end. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology before transferring to the University of Alabama. Peek signed a free agent contract after going undrafted, due to an inj ...
, Cody participated in the
2010 Senior Bowl
The 2010 Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2009 college football season, and prospects for the 2010 Draft of the professional National Football League (NFL), as well as for the United Footb ...
on January 30, 2010. In the Senior Bowl weigh-in at the Mobile Convention Center, Cody tipped the scales at 370 pounds, which hurt his draft status according to NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock.
College awards and honors
College career statistics
Professional career
2010 NFL Draft
Frequently drawing comparisons to
Ted Washington
Theodore Washington Jr. (born April 13, 1968) is a former American football nose tackle. He was drafted out of Louisville by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He also played for the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bil ...
and
Shaun Rogers,
Cody was considered one of the rare two-gap defensive tackles that NFL teams covet for their 3–4 type defenses.
Many NFL experts therefore projected Cody to be selected in the first-round of the
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the firs ...
.
One of the teams interested in Cody was rumored to be his near-hometown
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
, who lost their veteran defensive tackle
Jason Ferguson to injury during the
2009 season.
Some pro scouts, however, were concerned about Cody's weight and said he needed to reduce it to in order to be an effective NFL player. They questioned whether he had the stamina to be a three-down player, or the quickness to be an effective pass rusher, at his college weight of about .
''ESPN′s'' K. C. Joyner analyzed Cody's relative playing time in a four-game
SEC stretch in October 2009 (at
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, at
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, vs.
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, vs.
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
), and found that Cody was in the Alabama defensive lineup on only 122 of 281 plays.
Joyner also discovered that during that stretch Cody drew an impressively high amount of double-teams: 63.6 percent, compared to NFL player
Albert Haynesworth's
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
double-team mark of 51.3 percent.
At the
2010 Senior Bowl
The 2010 Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2009 college football season, and prospects for the 2010 Draft of the professional National Football League (NFL), as well as for the United Footb ...
, Cody disappointed a lot of NFL scouts when he weighed in at , above his official weight according to the 2009 Alabama media guide. In the game, however, Cody "moved pretty well for a 370-pound behemoth" and used "his hands well to create a little space to get penetration". He finished with 1.5 tackles for loss. Cody worked out at API in
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ...
, along with
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...
,
Jason Worilds
Jason Adjepong Worilds (born March 3, 1988) is a former American football outside linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played col ...
, and former Alabama teammates Mike Johnson and Roy Upchurch.
[.] He made pre-draft visits to 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 its ...
,
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
,
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
, and
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 tea ...
.
At the NFL Combine, Cody weighed in at , making him the heaviest combine participant since
Aaron Gibson
Aaron Gibson (born September 27, 1977) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. He also was a member of the Austin Wranglers and Cleveland G ...
in 1999. He had managed to shed some weight since the Senior Bowl, but according to
Mike Mayock he was still not worthy of a first-round pick. Cody ran a 5.71 sec
40-yard dash
The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed and acceleration of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time can have a he ...
, the slowest by an eventually drafted defensive tackle since
Corey Swinson, a seventh round pick in the
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Th ...
. Cody was selected in the 2nd round (57th overall) by 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 its ...
. He was the highest picked Alabama Crimson Tide defensive tackle since
Cornelius Griffin
Cornelius Griffin (; born December 3, 1976) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pearl River Community College and Alabama. ...
was drafted 42nd overall by 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. ...
in the
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15– 16, 2000, at the Thea ...
.
Baltimore Ravens
At Baltimore, Cody was projected to strengthen a Ravens defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per carry (3.4) of any NFL team in and had a streak of 39 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher—broken when
Cincinnati's Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson (December 28, 1982 – August 17, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was recognized as a co ...
rushed for 120 yards on October 11, 2009. Regarded by Ravens director of player personnel
Eric DeCosta
Eric DeCosta (born April 10, 1971) is an American football executive who is the executive vice president and general manager for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL), a position he officially assumed on January 11, 2019.
D ...
as a first-round prospect "from an ability standpoint," Cody competed against
Kelly Gregg
Kelly Michael Gregg (born November 1, 1976) is a radio personality and a former American football nose tackle. He currently contributes to various radio programs in Oklahoma City on KRXO-FM, 107.7 "The Franchise". He was drafted by the Cincinnati ...
for the starting defensive tackle spot in . The combination of Cody and 345-pound defensive tackle
Haloti Ngata
Etuini Haloti Ngata (; born January 21, 1984) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football for the University of Oregon and earned consensus All-American honors. Ngata was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fi ...
gave Baltimore the
AFC North
The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was adopted after the restructuring of the 2002 NFL s ...
’s heaviest interior line, reminiscent of the
Sam Adams
Samuel Adams ( – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and ...
and
Tony Siragusa
Anthony Siragusa Sr. (May 14, 1967 – June 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Goose", was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 12 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football L ...
tandem on the 2000–2001 Ravens teams.
Cody signed a four-year, $3.385 million (equivalent to $ million in ) maximum value contract with the Ravens on July 26, 2010. In training camp at
McDaniel College
McDaniel College is a private college in Westminster, Maryland. Established in 1867, it was known as Western Maryland College until 2002 when it was renamed McDaniel College in honor of an alumnus who gave a lifetime of service to the college. ...
, Cody—along with veteran cornerback
Walt Harris—failed their conditioning test for the Ravens, and were thus placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. He passed the conditioning test on his third try, allowing him to go to training camp for the Ravens.
In his professional debut, a preseason game against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
, Cody had a solid performance, finishing with five tackles (four solo). His most impressive play came in the first half, when he tackled
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Chondon Williams (born April 25, 1983) is a former American football running back and professional wrestler. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He st ...
single-armed for a loss while holding off Panthers center
Ryan Kalil
Ryan Joseph Kalil (born March 29, 1985) is an American film and television producer and former NFL center. He played college football at USC, where he was a member of two national championship teams, was named a first-team All-American, and won ...
with the other. On November 21, he made his first official start, debuting against the Carolina Panthers at
Bank of America Stadium. Unlike his preseason performance, he was criticized for his poor performance from fans and head coach
John Harbaugh
John William Harbaugh (born September 23, 1962) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he coached the defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles and served ...
. During a play, the Panthers offensive lineman pushed Cody out of the way, allowing
Mike Goodson
Michael Darryl Goodson Jr. (born May 23, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Texas A&M. Goodson was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the ...
to have a 45-yard run. Cody finished the game without any tackles, as the Ravens defense allowed 120 rushing yards. As a rookie in 2010, Cody played 13 games with 13 tackles.
In the 2011 off-season, the team parted ways with their long-time starting defensive tackle
Kelly Gregg
Kelly Michael Gregg (born November 1, 1976) is a radio personality and a former American football nose tackle. He currently contributes to various radio programs in Oklahoma City on KRXO-FM, 107.7 "The Franchise". He was drafted by the Cincinnati ...
. Cody spent the entire 2011 season as a full-time starter, registering 34 tackles and helping lead the Ravens defense to be ranked 2nd in the league against the run, ranked 3rd overall. In 2011, Cody eventually started all 16 games as the 3-4 type defensive tackle and finished the year with 39 tackles and 1 pass defended.
With the acquiring of
Ma'ake Kemoeatu in the off-season, Cody's playing time was limited after a rough preseason and the Ravens using a 3-4 type defense. In 15 games (3 starts) of 2012, Cody made 25 tackles with 3 passes defended. With the Ravens clinching an AFC North title on a 10-6 record, the team eventually won
Super Bowl XLVII
Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
34-31 against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, giving Cody his first NFL championship title.
Despite Kemoeatu being released following the Super Bowl victory,
Haloti Ngata
Etuini Haloti Ngata (; born January 21, 1984) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football for the University of Oregon and earned consensus All-American honors. Ngata was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fi ...
took over as the starting defensive tackle, again limiting Cody's playing time. In 2013, Cody appeared in 12 games with 1 start making 15 tackles.
On April 4, 2014, Cody was re-signed by the Ravens. He only appeared in one game in the 2014 season and did not record a single statistic that year.
On January 23, 2015, the Ravens announced they had released Cody.
NFL statistics
Key
* GP: games played
* COMB: combined tackles
* TOTAL: total tackles
* AST: assisted tackles
* SACK: sacks
* FF: forced fumbles
* FR: fumble recoveries
* FR YDS: fumble return yards
* INT: interceptions
* IR YDS: interception return yards
* AVG IR: average interception return
* LNG: longest interception return
* TD: interceptions returned for touchdown
* PD: passes defensed
Legal troubles
Animal cruelty
On February 2, 2015, Cody was indicted on animal cruelty and drug charges by a Baltimore County grand jury. The indictment included 15 charges: Two counts of aggravated animal cruelty involving a dog, five counts of animal abuse or neglect involving the same dog, one count of illegal possession of an
alligator
An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...
, five counts of animal abuse or neglect involving the alligator, one count of possession with intent to use the drug
paraphernalia
Paraphernalia most commonly refers to a group of apparatus, equipment, or furnishing used for a particular activity. For example, an avid sports fan may cover their walls with football and/or basketball paraphernalia.
Historical legal term
In l ...
, and one count of possession of
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
. Cody's agent, Peter Schaffer, denied his client's guilt and said that Cody's dog died of worms and that there was no animal cruelty. The investigating veterinarian said the dog was neglected and starved to death.
On November 16, 2015, Cody was found not guilty of two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty but he was convicted of five other counts related to failing to provide care for his dog, Taz. He was also found guilty of illegally possessing an alligator and of neglecting the alligator, and also two misdemeanor drug charges related to marijuana and paraphernalia that police found in his former home. The alligator was confiscated, and relocated to a sanctuary. Prosecuting state attorney Adam Lippe alleged Taz suffered more than four weeks of starvation in a cage in Cody's garage.
On January 4, 2016, Cody's sentencing was delayed because a psychological evaluation of Cody was being completed at the time.
On March 24, 2016, Cody was sentenced to nine months in jail for his role in the dog's starvation death and neglecting the illegal alligator. His girlfriend was acquitted of the aggravated animal cruelty, drug and alligator charges but found guilty of five counts in connection with neglecting Taz.
Personal life
By his own description of his early family life, Cody grew up poor. His mother worked two jobs, as a traveling nurse and a bus driver, to care for him and his seven younger siblings.
His parents were not married, but his father, a construction worker, was a big part of his life until he died in a car accident when Cody was 11.
At the end of his junior year of high school, Cody moved in with the family of a high school teammate.
In his two years at Alabama, Cody became the Tide's most popular player because of his outsized personality and body. Former Alabama quarterback
Greg McElroy
Gregory Vincent McElroy, Jr. (born May 10, 1988) is an American football commentator and former quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) in the seventh round of ...
said of Cody: "He's an enjoyable person to have on our team, have in the locker room, and (he) has great charisma. He has fun when he plays the game, and that's a big reason why he's so popular."
References
External links
*
Baltimore Ravens bio
1988 births
Living people
Alabama Crimson Tide football players
All-American college football players
American football defensive tackles
Baltimore Ravens players
Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs football players
Sportspeople from Fort Myers, Florida
Players of American football from Florida
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