Anthony Dewayne McDaniel (born January 20, 1985) is an American former professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
player who was a
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 ...
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). 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 ...
for the
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity college athletics, intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in NCAA Division I, ...
. McDaniel was signed 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 ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 2006. He also played for the
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 ...
,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
,
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
,
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 ...
, and
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 ...
.
College career
McDaniel played college football at the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...
but was dismissed from the team after assaulting a fellow Tennessee student during a pick up basketball game. He left college as a junior to enter the
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft, also called the NFL Draft or (officially) the Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment. Each team is given a position in the drafting o ...
and was picked up by Jacksonville as an undrafted
free-agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
.
Professional career
Jacksonville Jaguars
McDaniel played in 11 games as reserve
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 ...
for the Jaguars during the 2006 season. McDaniel finished the year with 21 tackles and one sack. He was inactive for the final five games of the season while battling a hip injury.
Miami Dolphins
On March 19, 2009, McDaniel was traded to the
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 ...
for a seventh-round pick in 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 ...
.
Seattle Seahawks
On March 28, 2013, McDaniel signed a one-year contract with the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
. McDaniel and the Seahawks won
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
43–8 over the Denver Broncos in February 2014, and would lose
Super Bowl XLIX
Super Bowl XLIX was an American football game played to determine the champions of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2014 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conf ...
28–24 to the New England Patriots the next season. On August 2, 2015, McDaniel was released for salary cap reasons after the Seahawks signed
Russell Wilson
Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...
and
Bobby Wagner
Bobby Joseph Wagner (born June 27, 1990) is an American football inside linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State, and was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NFL D ...
to long-term extensions that offseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On August 10, 2015, McDaniel signed a one-year contract with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
.
Seattle Seahawks (second stint)
On August 16, 2016, McDaniel signed with his former team.
New Orleans Saints
On June 16, 2017, McDaniel 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 ...
. He was released on September 2, 2017.
San Francisco 49ers
On October 17, 2017, McDaniel signed with 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 ...
. On November 13, 2017, McDaniel was released by the 49ers.
New Orleans Saints (second stint)
On December 27, 2017, McDaniel re-signed with the Saints. He was placed on injured reserve on January 10, 2018. He was released by the Saints on February 6, 2018.
Legal troubles
2005
In January 2005, McDaniel assaulted fellow University of Tennessee student, Edward Goodrich, during a pick-up basketball game for which Goodrich received four broken bones and needed a metal plate inserted into his face to repair injuries. McDaniel, originally charged with aggravated assault, a
felony
A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...
, pleaded guilty to
misdemeanor
A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than adm ...
assault and agreed to pay
restitution
The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery, in which a court orders the defendant to ''give up'' their gains to the claimant. It should be contrasted with the law of compensation, the law of loss-based recovery, in which a court o ...
to Goodrich for an undisclosed amount. Goodrich had filed an $800,000 lawsuit against McDaniel in
Knox County Circuit Court.
2010
On February 6, 2010, McDaniel was arrested on the charge of domestic battery against his girlfriend which allegedly occurred in the driveway of his
Broward County Florida residence. He was released on
bond
Bond or bonds may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bond (finance), a type of debt security
* Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States
* Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemica ...
the following day. McDaniel was the first of two
defensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
for the
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 ...
,
Phillip Merling
Phillip Blaine Merling (born April 19, 1985) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson University.
He was also a member of th ...
being the second, to be
arrested
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
and charged with battery against a female during the 2010 offseason.
The charges were later reduced to disorderly contact, a misdemeanor. He pleaded no contest, was sentenced to six months probation, and was required to attend counseling. After pleading no contest, the NFL suspended McDaniel one game, without pay, for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Sun Sentinel "NFL suspends Dolphins DL McDaniel for one game"
/ref>
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDaniel, Tony
1985 births
Living people
People from Hartsville, South Carolina
Players of American football from Columbia, South Carolina
American football defensive tackles
Tennessee Volunteers football players
Jacksonville Jaguars players
Miami Dolphins players
Seattle Seahawks players
Tampa Bay Buccaneers players
New Orleans Saints players
San Francisco 49ers players