Tahir Whitehead
 Whitehead in 2014 | |||||||||||||
| No. 59 Detroit Lions | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth: | April 2, 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Jersey City, New Jersey | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 242 lb (110 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Newark (NJ) West Side | ||||||||||||
| College: | Temple | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 5 / Pick: 138 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 12, 2016 | |||||||||||||
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Tahir Ali Whitehead (born April 2, 1990) is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Temple University. He was selected by the Lions in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Early years
A native of Newark, New Jersey, he played high school football at West Side High School, where he was part of the team that won the 2007 state sectional championship.[1]
Professional career
Whitehead was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. On October 11, 2014, Whitehead tallied his first two interceptions against the Minnesota Vikings' rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
During the 2015 season, he finished the season with a combined 47 tackles (36 solo), a career-high two sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery and a career-high six pass defenses.
On March 11, 2016, the Lions re-signed Whitehead to a two-year, $8 million contract.[2][3]
Personal life
He is the nephew of former NFL defensive end Willie Whitehead.
References
- ↑ Stanmyre, Matthew. "NFL Draft 2012: Detroit Lions select Newark native Tahir Whitehead in fifth round", The Star-Ledger, April 28, 2012. Accessed June 11, 2012. "They informed Whitehead, a 2008 graduate of Newark’s West Side High School, they had selected him with their fifth-round pick — the 138th overall — of the 2012 NFL draft."
- ↑ "Lions re-sign LB Tahir Whitehead". Detroit Lions. March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
- ↑ Rothstein, Michael (March 11, 2016). "Breaking down Tahir Whitehead's contract with the Lions". ESPN. Retrieved March 11, 2016.