There was a time when now-retired defensive end Dwight Freeney was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. However, even before that, Freeney was a dominant force.
The 39-year-old recently recalled a time at Syracuse when he sacked then Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick 4.5 times in one game:
“He had no chance,” Freeney told Pro Football Talk, per Michael David Smith. “And what I mean by that is, I was so fast — I don’t know what was going on with me that game, but I was so quick off the ball, the offensive tackle was barely out of his stance and I was by him. So there really wasn’t a chance for Mike to use his speed. So I kind of got him before he got started. There was nothing he could have done. The Carrier Dome noise, something was going on with me that day, where I was just unblockable. That’s probably one of my most favorite games that I played in.”
It wasn't long after that when the Indianapolis Colts took Freeney with the 11th overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft.
During his rookie campaign, Freeney was dominant, racking up 41 tackles, 13 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Somehow, he did not make the Pro Bowl, but he then proceeded to make trips to Honolulu in each of the next three seasons, including the 2004 campaign when he led the league with 16 sacks.
Overall, Freeney made seven Pro Bowl appearances and earned three First-Team All-Pro selections throughout his NFL career.
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