:Moe Gardner
{{Short description|American football player (born 1968)}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Moe Gardner
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 67
| position = Defensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|8|10}}
| birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 265
| high_school = Cathedral
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
| college = Illinois (1987–1990)
| draftyear = 1991
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 87
| pastteams =
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|1991|1996}})
| highlights =
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (1991)
- Unanimous All-American (1989)
- Consensus All-American (1990)
- Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Year (1990)
- Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (1989)
- 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1989, 1990)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (1987)
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 446
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 10
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| pfr = GardMo20
| CollegeHOF = 2487
}}
Morris "Moe" Gardner Jr. (born August 10, 1968) is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons from 1991 to 1996. He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL draft.
Early life
Gardner graduated from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.
College career
He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he played for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team, and he was a twice consensus All-American in 1989 and 1990. He was selected as the only active player named to Illinois All-Century team in 1990 and ranks second in school history in career tackles for loss.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1990. He was also named as a finalist for both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award.
Professional career
Gardner was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 87th overall pick in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1991 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1991/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} 1993 is arguably considered to be his strongest season. That year, he recorded 128 tackles leading the Falcons defensive linemen and finishing second overall on the team.
Honors
In January 2022, Gardner was announced as a member of the 2022 class of the College Football Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=NFF Announces Star-Studded 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class |url=https://footballfoundation.org/news/2022/1/10/nff-announces-star-studded-2022-college-football-hall-of-fame-class.aspx |website=National Football Foundation - Official Athletics Website |access-date=11 January 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1989 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1990 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Big Ten Conference football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{Atlanta Falcons 1991 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardner, Moe}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football players
Category:All-American college football players
Category:Players of American football from Indianapolis
Category:Cathedral High School (Indianapolis) alumni
Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
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