Barrett Ruud played LB for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2001-2004.
He posted 432 total tackles, a pick, and 7 forced fumbles over college career.
Selected in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Finally broke into the starting lineup full time in 2007.
Had 4 straight seasons of 100+ tackles from 2007-2010.
Best season came in 2009, with 142 total tackles, 1 forced fumble and 7 pass deflections.
Signed with the Titans in 2011, but finished season on IR after 9 games.
In 2012, signed with the Seahawks, but was later traded to Saints.
After Saints cut Barrett, he found a home on the Texans who were desperately thin at LB.
As a depth move, Ruud came off the bench for 16 tackles, a sack and 2 pass deflections.
Retired after the 2012 season, Ruud coached LBs with the Huskers from 2018-2022.
Score 2010, #275Score 2009, #280
NOTES:
Yeah so I was eager to get Barrett since he had a short stint on the Texans way back in 2012. The team was at the height of its power and he really helped out any way he could. My friend Lance got him first and passed along the info to me, so I went ahead and hit him up.
Zach Mettenberg was a prototypical pocket passer with a strong arm who played at Butler Community College (2010) and LSU (2011-13).
Over time with Tigers, threw for 35 TDs and 5783 yards on 407 completions.
Selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Mettenberger played at an interesting transitional time for the Titans, at the tail end of the short Jake Locker epoch and the beginning of the Marcus Mariota era in Tennesssee.
During his rookie year, Zach took over for Locker at QB throwing for 8 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and 1,412 passing yards.
Most memorably, Mettenberger had a short running feud with Houston Texans DE JJ Watt.
Mettenberger spent his second season backing up new starter Marcus Mariota.
Again stepping into the starting lineup in injury relief for Mariota, Zach threw for 4 TDs to 7 INT.
Spent 2016 on the rosters of the Chargers and Steelers but didn’t see any action.
After a year off from football, played in the Spring League in 2018 during their Austin showcase.
Later during the league’s QB draft in 2019, was the final selection off the board by the Express.
Joined a crowded QB room, but made the roster behind Christian Hackenberg and Brandon Silvers.
Started 4th game of the season against the San Diego Fleet, completing 18 of 25 passes for 174 yards, leading the team to its first win of the year.
The next week, was sacked multiple times and injured during the contest against the Salt Lake City Stallions.
Wasn’t selected in the 2020 XFL draft and returned to the Spring League.
Went into coaching and in 2022, joined the staff of Alabama as an analyst.
NOTES:
I had been waiting to pounce on Zach for sometime since his days in The Spring League. During that game that I saw him play in, a cold front came in dropping the temperatures at the outdoor event by 30-40 degrees. It was bitterly cold. The crowd treated the game more like a scrimmage. Hardcore fans like myself enjoyed the experience, but the majority of the crowd was dead silent and Mettenberger made sure to make a show of it screaming and yelling and having an insanely good time. I was too intimidated to ask him for his autograph. Also of note, sitting nearby and incognito was former Dallas Cowboys’ QB Babe Laufenberg that I missed out on. -I’m still kicking myself about that one.
After picking up a few cards of Johnny via the Canton Acquisition way back in 2012, I went ahead and decided to close him out on pretty much the rest of the cards I had of him. Upper Deck for once, though came through with a nice shot of Johnny splashing through a wet field. The color is also outstanding on this shot. -A true winner.
Both his Score and Fleer cards are also outstanding shots of a predator linebacker in motion. The Fleer however sorta cheated, using an older shot of Johnny (also seen in his Panini Stickers entry from 1989). Johnny has a really nice stylized autograph. I love how he loops the ‘M’ of his last name under the ‘eads’. Solid.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
