Nick Barnett

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Nick Barnett

Green Bay Packers — No. 56
Middle linebacker
Date of birth: May 27, 1981 (1981-05-27) (age 27)
Place of birth: Barstow, California
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	Weight: 232 lb (105 kg)
National Football League debut
2003 for the Green Bay Packers
Career history
College: Oregon State
NFL Draft: 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 29
Teams: Green Bay Packers (2003-present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Pro selection (2007)
Stats at NFL.com

Nicholas Alexander Barnett (born May 27, 1981 in Barstow, California) is an American Football linebacker who plays for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. The Packers drafted him out of Oregon State University in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft with the 29th overall selection.

Many consider Barnett to be a strong and consistent football player. Barnett and his defensive teammates have not had a steady defensive coordinator for more than four years. In 2006 the Packers hired Bob Sanders as their fourth defensive coordinator in as many years. Despite instability in the coaching staff, Barnett and the other Packers linebackers have established themselves as some of the better linebackers in the league. Barnett has anchored the young linebacking corps ever since his rookie year in 2003, and has been the starting middle linebacker of the Green Bay Packers from Day 1 of his NFL career.

On April 10, 2007, Barnett signed a six year contract extension worth $34.85 million, after extended negotiations with Packers management.^[1]

[edit] College career

Barnett was a four year letter winner (1999-2002) at Oregon State, starting the last three seasons at strong side linebacker.

As a Senior, Barnett was a first team All-Pacific 10 Conference selection. He lead the conference in tackles with 121 (62 solo).

Registered his single game collegiate-high 18 tackles (11 solo) against the University of California in 2001.

He majored in Business Administration and Communications. ^[2]

[edit] College statistics

[edit] Professional career

[edit] Green Bay Packers

Nick Barnett during pre-game warm-ups at Lambeau Field.

Barnett was named the GMC Defensive Player of the Week for games played on September 23 - 24, 2007 for his superb coverage against Brian Westbrook.

Barnett recorded seven tackles (five solo) that helped limit Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson to under 3-yards/carry in the Packers' 31 - 24 win over San Diego. He also had a timely fourth-quarter interception at the Green Bay 40 and returned it to the 2-yard line to set up the Packers' second score in a span of 56 seconds and to secure the victory.^[3]

Barnett has made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in every season of his career but still hasn’t played in a game yet.^[4]

[edit] Professional Statistics

[edit] Arrest

Early in the morning on Sunday, June 17th, 2007,Nick Barnett was arrested for battery after an altercation at the Wet Nightclub in Appleton, Wisconsin. According to witnesses, Barnett shoved a woman inside of the nightclub and was later seen in a heated argument with another patron of the nightclub. Some witnesses said that the owner of the nightclub was assaulted, but she steadfastly denied this. Barnett was released from jail after he posted a $500 bond, and he attended the preliminary stages of Brett Favre's charity softball tournament later that day. However, he left before the actual event started. The bar's owner later said that the whole incident had been blown out of proportion and that Barnett had been provoked by female fans who were anxiously seeking autographs. According to the bar owner and several bartenders, Barnett and other Packers players were at the bar when these fans entered, interrupting the players and hoping for autographs. When many of the players, including Barnett, declined to sign the autographs, one of the fans threw a drink at Nick Barnett's face. It was then that Barnett shoved the woman away and she fell to the ground.

Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy had expressed concern that Nick Barnett may have been suspended for at least some of the upcoming season, especially in light of Commissioner Roger Goodell's tough stance on poor conduct off the field. After hearing the new account of the events that landed Barnett in jail, McCarthy said, "...There's two sides to every story. I've listened to his side and we'll let the process take its course."^[5]

[edit] References