Chad Spann

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1988)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Chad Spann

| image = Chad Spann.JPG

| image_size =

| caption = Spann during the 2011 NFL season

| number = 41, 32, 30

| position = Running back

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|8|4}}

| birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana

| death_place =

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 9

| weight_lbs = 210

| high_school = North Central
(Indianapolis, Indiana)

| college = Northern Illinois

| undraftedyear = 2011

| pastteams =

Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2011}})*
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2011}})*
Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2011}})
Omaha Nighthawks ({{UFL Year|2012}}){{cite web |title=Chad Spann |url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-spanncha001 |website=StatsCrew |access-date=25 November 2024}}
New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2013}})*
Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2013}})
Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|2015}})

| highlights =

2× First-team All-MAC (2009–2010)
MAC Most Valuable Player (2010)
MAC Offensive Player of the Year (2010)

| pfr = SpanCh00

}}

Chad Spann (born August 4, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Northern Illinois University.

In 2010, as a college senior, he rushed for 1,388 yards, led the nation with 22 rushing touchdowns, and contributed to the Huskies first 11-win season.{{cite web|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2010&rpt=IA_playerrush&site=org&div=IA&dest=O|title=Bowl Subdivision (FBS) National Player Report Rushing|website=ncaa.org|access-date=23 March 2024}}

Early life

Spann attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, where he was a first-team all-state selection his senior season. He holds the school single-season and career rushing yardage and touchdown records.{{cite web|url=http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/spann_chad01.html|title=Chad Spann NIU biography|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627134534/http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/spann_chad01.html|archive-date=2013-06-27}}

College career

As a college player, Spann established a new single-season touchdown record for Northern Illinois.{{cite web|url=http://today.niu.edu/2010/12/01/footballs-chad-spann-wins-vern-smith-award-given-to-mid-american-conferences-top-player/|title=Football's Chad Spann wins Vern Smith Award, given to Mid-American Conference's top player|publisher=NIU Today}} Spann received the Vern Smith Leadership Award given by the Mid-American Conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/34351/chad-spann-tabbed-macs-top-player|title=Chad Spann tabbed MAC's top player|last=Adelson|first=Andrea|date=December 1, 2010|publisher=ESPN}}

=College highlights=

2010 Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner
2010 MAC Offensive Player of the Year
2x 1st Team All MAC
Back to Back 1000 yd seasons{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14675/chad-spann|title = Chad Spann Stats, News, Bio}}
Led nation in rushing TDs (2010)
Second on NIU's all-time list for career rushing touchdowns
Walter Camp Foundation National Player of the Week (9/25)

=College statistics=

Year	Att	Yards	Avg	Long	TD
class="wikitable" ! colspan="15" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Northern Illinois Huskies football}}"\| Northern Illinois Huskies
2007	11	61	5.5	14	0
2008	88	429	4.9	55	8
2009	179	1,038	5.8	79	19
2010	258	1,388	5.4	79	22
Career	536	2,916	5.4	79	48

Professional career

=Indianapolis Colts=

On July 29, 2011, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent.{{cite web|url=http://www.kffl.com/player/25048/nfl/news/chad-spann |title=Chad Spann |publisher=kffl.com |access-date=December 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205035205/http://www.kffl.com/player/25048/nfl/news/chad-spann |archive-date=December 5, 2014 }} On September 4, 2011, he was placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.{{cite web | title=Colts put Spann on injured reserve for two weeks | work= northernstar.info | url=http://northernstar.info/sports/news/article_42e63cee-d90e-11e0-bff8-0019bb30f31a.html |access-date=September 6, 2011}} On September 6, 2011, he received an injury settlement.{{cite web | title=Colts remove RB Chad Spann from injured reserve making him a free agent | work= northernstar.info | url=http://www.indystar.com/article/20110906/SPORTS03/110906014/Colts-remove-RB-Chad-Spann-from-injured-reserve-making-him-free-agent |access-date=September 6, 2011}}

=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=

On October 18, 2011, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to join the practice squad.{{cite web | title=Bucs Add RB Depth, Chad Spann Signed To Practice Squad | work= pewterreport.com | url=http://www.pewterreport.com/index.php?option%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D7424:%26Itemid%3D15 |access-date=October 18, 2011}} On November 7, 2011, he was released from the practice squad.{{cite web | title=Chad Spann, Zane Taylor cut from Buccaneers' practice squad | work= bucsnation.com | date= 7 November 2011 | url=http://www.bucsnation.com/2011/11/7/2545272/chad-spann-zane-taylor-cut-from-buccaneers-practice-squad |access-date=November 7, 2011}}

=Pittsburgh Steelers=

On January 4, 2012, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.{{cite web | title=Steelers elevate Chad Spann to active roster | work= nbcsports.com | date= 4 January 2012 | url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/04/steelers-elevate-chad-spann-to-active-roster/ |access-date=January 4, 2012}}{{cite web | title=Steelers Sign RB Chad Spann | work= pittsburgh.cbslocal.com | url=http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/01/05/steelers-sign-rb-chad-spann/ |access-date=January 4, 2012}} On January 8, 2012, he played in the Steelers' playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SpanCh00/gamelog/post/ | title=Chad Spann | publisher=Sports Reference LLC | work=pro-football-reference.com | access-date=December 30, 2016}} On May 2, 2012, he was released.{{cite web | title=Steelers Release RB Chad Spann & CB Antonio Smith | work= steelersdepot.com | date= 2 May 2012 | url=http://www.steelersdepot.com/2012/05/steelers-release-rb-chad-spann-cb-antonio-smith/ |access-date=May 2, 2012}}

=New York Jets=

Spann was signed by the New York Jets on July 27, 2013.{{cite web

|title=Jets place CB Aaron Berry on IR, sign RB Chad Spann

|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jets-place-cb-aaron-berry-on-ir-sign-rb-chad-spann/

|publisher=Fox News

|agency=Associated Press

|date=27 July 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811030755/http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/07/27/jets-place-cb-aaron-berry-on-ir-sign-rb-chad-spann/

|archive-date=11 August 2013

|access-date=27 July 2013

|url-status=live

}} He was released on August 26, 2013.{{cite web|title=Jets Release 14 Players |url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-5/Jets-Release-14-Players/9c0f3677-5dc9-4f6c-b7cc-8482d5fb348c |author=Jets Staff |date=26 August 2013 |publisher=New York Jets |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829232631/http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-5/Jets-Release-14-Players/9c0f3677-5dc9-4f6c-b7cc-8482d5fb348c |archive-date=29 August 2013 |access-date=26 August 2013 |url-status=dead }}

=Houston Texans=

On December 10, 2013, Spann signed with the Houston Texans. He played in one game for the Texans. He was released on May 15, 2014.

=Saskatchewan Roughriders=

Spann was signed to the Saskatchewan Roughriders' practice roster on September 9, 2015. He was promoted to the active roster on October 23.{{cite web | url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions-2015/ | title=TRANSACTIONS – 2015 | publisher=cfl.ca | access-date=December 30, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222041205/http://www.cfl.ca/transactions-2015/ | archive-date=2016-02-22 | url-status=dead }} He played in one game for the Roughriders in 2015, rushing twice for 17 yards. He suffered a torn Achilles while with the Roughriders.{{cite web | url=http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2016/04/21/niu-football-former-niu-great-spann-talks-with-huskies-reveals-thoughts-about-possibly-walking-away-from-game/adslv61/ | title=NIU football: Former NIU great Spann talks with Huskies, reveals thoughts about possibly walking away from game | publisher=daily-chronicle.com | date=April 21, 2016 | access-date=December 30, 2016 | author=Severson, Jesse}} He was released by the team on December 15, 2015.