| When Pro Bowl strongside linebacker Jamir Miller went down with a torn achilles tendon early in the Browns first preseason game, it didn't take long for Darren Hambrick to get the call. A fast and athletic linebacker, Hambrick put up big numbers in Dallas in 2000, leading the team with 154 tackles. But a contract dispute in 2001 poisoned Hambrick's standing with the team. Five games into last season, Hambrick was released by the Cowboys and signed to a one-year deal by Carolina.
As an unrestricted free agent in 2002, Hambrick didn't get a lot of looks in the free agent market. And for good reason: Hambrick's history is both long and checkered. In 1995, he was tossed off the University of Florida squad for fighting at a team dinner prior to the Sugar Bowl (he finished his college career at South Carolina). In 1999, Hambrick was charged with fleeing a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence after being pulled over for speeding. The next year, Hambrick touched off a brawl before a Monday Night Football game with the Redskins, after starting a fight with LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels.
Hambrick may or may not be a serious headcase, but he is a serious athlete who has shown he can play in the NFL. Hambrick once posted a 7' 1" high jump in college, and was projected as a strong safety in the NFL before adding 20 pounds of muscle to his 6' 2" frame. Browns head coach Butch Davis calls Darren Hambrick a "fast, athletic guy". The hope is that his lateral quickness and nose for the ball will help offset the loss of Jamir Miller's stellar play.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2002: Signs a one-year contract estimated to be worth around $500K with the Browns following a severe injury suffered by Jamir Miller in the Browns opening pre-season game. Hambrick was an unrestricted free agent after his 2001 season with Carolina.
2001: Hambrick started 13 games for the Cowboys and Panthers. Waived following five games with the Cowboys. Started 8 out of 9 games with the Panthers, leading the team in tackles twice. Recorded 10 tackles in the Cowboys season opener.
Hambrick was ripped in the media for skipping voluntary off-season workouts, a result of his irritation with be offered the minimum tender for a restricted free agent. Exacerbating the problem was that Hambrick signed the offer and then proceeded not to show up, perhaps causing Cowboys Head Coach Dave Campo to cut him as an example. Hambrick also suffered from off-field problems (paternity suit) during the summer.
Note: Darren Is The Older Brother Of Running Back Troy Hambrick who is currently with the Dallas Cowboys
2000:Darren led the Cowboys in tackles with 150 as a starting linebacker. Started in all 16 games.
1999: Started 12 games for the Cowboys.
1998: Drafted in the fifth round(130 overall) by the Dallas Cowboys.
1997: Senior season was a virtual washout after breaking leg in season opener for South Carolina. Returned late in the season, but did not work out at combines. The resulting inactivity dropped Hambrick significantly in the NFL draft.
1996: Named second-team ALL SEC at South Carolina.
1995: Joined his brother Troy Hambrick at South Carolina and sat out a year after transferring to SC from the University of Florida. Scuffled with teammate Anthony Riggens at a New Year's Eve banquet (hit him with a glass pitcher while they were eating), leading to |
