Andrew Szczerba
{{Short description|American football player (born 1988)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Andrew Szczerba
| image = Andrew Szczerba 2013.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Andrew Szczerba in 2013
| current_team =
| number = 80, 85
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|07|16}}
| birth_place = Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school = Salesianum School
(Wilmington, Delaware)
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lbs = 256
| college = Penn State
| undraftedyear = 2012
| pastteams =
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2012}})*
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2014}})
| status =
| highlights =
| pfr =
}}
Andrew Joseph Szczerba (born July 16, 1988) is a former American football tight end. He was a member of the Penn State Nittany Lions college football team for five seasons, but only played in three due to injury. After a senior college football season in which he faced adversity with the killing of his uncle, Szczerba signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent after the 2012 NFL draft. After the Cowboys released him, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons and was a member of the Falcons' practice squad during the second half of the 2012 NFL season.
Early life
Szczerba was born on July 16, 1988, in Wilmington, Delaware, to parents Edward and Florence (McCorkle) Szczerba. He and his fraternal twin, Julianna, are the youngest of five children. He attended Salesianum School and played football there leading his team to two state championships in 2005 and 2006 and playing both tight end and defensive end. Szczerba was selected the 2006 Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in Delaware and earned first-team all state honors both offensively and defensively.
Szczerba comes from a football family background. Ed, his father, was a first-team All-State tight end on Salesianum's 1972 state championship team. His late uncle, Joe Szczerba, played football at Sallies and West Chester University and also has another uncle who played Division I-AA college football.{{cite web|last=Ireland|first=Jack|title=Szczerba still hoping for NFL dream|url=http://jackirelandblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/szczerba-still-hoping-for-nfl-dream/|publisher=jackirelandblog|date=February 10, 2012}}
College career
=Recruiting=
{{College Athlete Recruit Start|40=yes|collapse=no|year=2006}}
{{College Athlete Recruit Entry
| recruit = Andrew Szczerba
| position = TE
| hometown = Wilmington, Delaware
| highschool = Salesianum School
| feet = 6
| inches = 6
| weight = 265
| 40 = 4.8
| commitdate = August 13, 2006
| scout stars = 4
| rivals stars = 3
}}
{{College Athlete Recruit End
| 40 = yes
| year = 2007
| rivals ref title = 2007 Penn State Football Commitment List
| scout ref title = Penn State College Football Recruiting Commits
| scouts =
| scout overall =
| rivals overall =
| accessdate = April 23, 2013
}}
Penn State linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden was Szczerba's primary recruiter. He also received offers from eventual Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien while O'Brien was an assistant at Duke, as well as from Maryland, Virginia Tech, and University of Virginia. He committed to play for the Nittany Lions on August 13, 2006.{{cite web|title=Andrew Szczerba|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/bwi/football/recruiting/player-Andrew-Szczerba-52109|work=Yahoo! Sports|publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate=April 23, 2013}}
=Penn State=
Szczerba attended Penn State University and played football under head coaches Joe Paterno and Tom Bradley during his five seasons with the program. After redshirting his freshman season, he appeared in every game during Penn State's 2008 and 2009 seasons.{{cite web|title=Andrew Szczerba Profile|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/szczerba_andrew00.html|work=Penn State Official Athletic Site|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=April 23, 2013}} He was primarily a contributor on special teams. After missing his junior season due to a back injury, there were expectations that Szczerba would have a successful senior season.{{cite news|last=Snyder|first=Audrey|title=Tight end's return could boost offense|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1P2-29511678|accessdate=April 23, 2013|newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date=August 30, 2011|publisher= |url-access=}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}} During his senior season, however, he faced adversity. On September 16, 2011, Szczerba's uncle, a New Castle County police officer, was killed in the line of duty while trying to apprehend a suspect in New Castle, Delaware. Even so, Szczerba did not miss any playing time, but commented that he was "taking it day by day".{{cite news|last=Kaplan|first=Jake|title=Andrew Szczerba "taking it day by day" after recent family tragedy|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-pennstate/Andrew-Szczerba-taking-it-day-by-day-after-family-tragedy--.html|accessdate=April 23, 2013|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=October 12, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Snyder|first=Audrey|title=Penn State defense finds footing in win|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1P2-29670075|accessdate=April 23, 2013|newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date=September 19, 2011|publisher= |url-access=}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}}
Professional career
Szczerba went undrafted in the 2012 NFL draft, and signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Despite a solid training camp,{{cite web|last=Auping|first=Jonathan|title=Rookie TE Szczerba proves to be more than just a blocker|url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JonathanAuping/Rookie-TE-Szczerba-Proves-To-Be-More-Than-Just-A-Blocker/c0bf93c8-0264-415a-964b-42c65236a3f8|work=News & Blogs|publisher=Dallas Cowboys|accessdate=April 23, 2013|date=August 16, 2012}} the Cowboys cut Szczerba on August 31, 2012, during final roster cuts.{{cite web|last=Archer|first=Todd|title=Cowboys make roster moves, still two to go|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4696670/cowboys-make-roster-moves-still-three-to-go|work=Dallas Cowboys Blog - ESPN Dallas|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=April 23, 2013|date=August 31, 2012}} The Atlanta Falcons signed him to their practice squad on November 13, 2012,{{cite web|last=Yasinskas|first=Pat|title=Falcons tinker with roster|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/66685/falcons-tinker-with-roster|work=NFL Nation Blog - ESPN|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=April 23, 2013|date=November 13, 2012}} and he re-signed with the Falcons to a reserve/future contract on January 21, 2013.{{cite web|last=Choate|first=Dave|title=Falcons sign eight players to reserve/future contracts|url=http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2013/1/21/3901692/falcons-sign-eight-players-to-reserve-future-contracts|work=The Falcoholic - SBNation.com|publisher=Vox Media|accessdate=April 23, 2013|date=January 21, 2013}} He was waived on June 11, 2014.{{cite web|last1=Wilkening|first1=Mike|title=Falcons waive two players|date=June 11, 2014 |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/11/falcons-waive-two-players/|publisher=Pro Football Talk|accessdate=June 12, 2014}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Szczerba, Andrew}}
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Players of American football from Wilmington, Delaware
Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football players