Danny Vitale
{{Short description|American football player (born 1993)}}
{{for|the comedian|Dan Vitale (comedian)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Danny Vitale
| image = Danny Vitale 2018 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Vitale with the Cleveland Browns in 2018
| current_team =
| number = 40, 45
| position = Fullback
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|10|26}}
| birth_place = Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 239
| high_school = Wheaton Warrenville South
| college = Northwestern
| draftyear = 2016
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 197
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2016}}–{{NFL Year|2018}})
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2018}}–{{NFL Year|2019}})
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2020}})
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2015)
| status =
| statweek =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Rushing attempts
| statvalue1 = 1
| statlabel2 = Rushing yards
| statvalue2 = 3
| statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Receptions
| statvalue4 = 15
| statlabel5 = Receiving yards
| statvalue5 = 145
| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6 =
| pfr = VitaDa00
}}
Dan Michael Vitale III (born October 26, 1993) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Northwestern Wildcats and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots.
Early life
Vitale was born one of two sons to Lisa and Dan Vitale. His brother Tommy played as a linebacker while at Northwestern University. Vitale attended high school in Wheaton, Illinois, the same as former football player Red Grange, actor John Belushi and astronomer Edwin Hubble.[https://nusports.com/sports/football/roster/dan-vitale/4121 Danny Vitale College Football Profile] NU Sports.com Retrieved February 3, 2023.
While attending Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Vitale earned distinctions including places on the honor roll and National Honor Society. He played high school football as both a wide receiver and running back. During the 2011 season, Vitale earned All-Area and All-State awards. He earned a letter in wrestling where he competed at 152 lbs, lettered two years in football and earned letters three years in track.
College career
Vitale played for Northwestern University, beginning with his freshman season in 2012. He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Conference three times, during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. While at Northwestern, Vitale majored in economics, with minors in business institutions and integrated marketing communications.[https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-vitale-iii-3b325ab1 Dan Vitale III Profile on Linkedin.com] Retrieved February 3, 2023.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 0 7/8
| weight = 239
| dash = 4.60
| ten split = 1.59
| twenty split = 2.69
| shuttle = 4.12
| cone drill = 7.12
| vertical = 38.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 3
| bench = 30
| arm span = 31 3/4
| hand span = 9 3/4
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=Danny Vitale Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/danny-vitale/32005649-5434-9599-b603-179f4d924335 |access-date=February 14, 2020 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2016 NFL Draft Scout Danny Vitale College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=125626&DraftYear=2016 |access-date=December 27, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
=Tampa Bay Buccaneers (first stint)=
Vitale was selected by the Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft with the 197th overall pick.{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Matt |date=April 30, 2016 |title=NFL draft: Bucs take Northwestern fullback Dan Vitale |url=http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/nfl-draft-bucs-take--northwestern-fullback-dan-vitale/2275428 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502123615/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/nfl-draft-bucs-take--northwestern-fullback-dan-vitale/2275428 |archive-date=May 2, 2016 |access-date=May 1, 2016 |website=Tampa Bay Times}} He was released by the Buccaneers as part of final roster cuts on September 3, 2016.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Scott |date=September 3, 2016 |title=Bucs Trim Roster to 53 |url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Bucs-Trim-Roster-to-53/497131d1-73d4-477a-9857-dabc52dfaf49 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807072107/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Buccaneers-Trim-Roster-to-53/497131d1-73d4-477a-9857-dabc52dfaf49 |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |website=Buccaneers.com}}
=Buffalo Bills=
Vitale was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills the next day,{{Cite web |date=September 4, 2016 |title=Bills claim FB Dan Vitale |url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-claim-FB-Dan-Vitale/02f251c3-d3ca-4ab6-a9f8-476d5b41c24f |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902012516/http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-claim-FB-Dan-Vitale/02f251c3-d3ca-4ab6-a9f8-476d5b41c24f |archive-date=September 2, 2017 |website=BuffaloBills.com}} but failed his physical examination, voiding the contract.{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2016 |title=Bills sign four to practice squad |url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-sign-four-to-practice-squad/a34f0d03-676e-4a4d-9a95-79b9fb7da2f4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224052908/http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-sign-four-to-practice-squad/a34f0d03-676e-4a4d-9a95-79b9fb7da2f4 |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |website=BuffaloBills.com}}
=Tampa Bay Buccaneers (second stint)=
On September 10, 2016, he re-joined the Buccaneers as a member of their practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Scott |date=September 10, 2016 |title=Josh Keyes Promoted, Danny Vitale Returns |url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Josh-Keyes-Promoted-Danny-Vitale-Returns/2839c8b6-215d-462f-9d7f-3529c4d6cdf7 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807020540/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Josh-Keyes-Promoted-Danny-Vitale-Returns/2839c8b6-215d-462f-9d7f-3529c4d6cdf7 |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |website=Buccaneers.com}}
=Cleveland Browns=
Vitale was signed off the Buccaneers' practice squad by the Cleveland Browns on October 14, 2016.{{Cite web |date=October 14, 2016 |title=Browns sign FB Dan Vitale; place OL Joel Bitonio on injured reserve |url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-sign-FB-Dan-Vitale-place-OL-Joel-Bitonio-on-injured-reserve/20a93418-d937-417e-8eaf-12f578f6237c |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224113040/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-sign-FB-Dan-Vitale-place-OL-Joel-Bitonio-on-injured-reserve/20a93418-d937-417e-8eaf-12f578f6237c |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}}
On September 1, 2018, Vitale suffered a calf injury and was placed on injured reserve.{{Cite web |last=Gribble, Andrew |date=September 1, 2018 |title=Browns announce 53-man roster |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-announce-53-man-roster |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}} He was released on October 12, 2018.
=Green Bay Packers=
Vitale was signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on October 22, 2018.{{Cite web |date=October 22, 2018 |title=Packers sign FB Vitale to practice squad |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-fb-vitale-to-practice-squad |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022212451/https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-fb-vitale-to-practice-squad |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=Packers.com}} He was promoted to the active roster on December 1, 2018.{{Cite web |date=December 1, 2018 |title=Packers activate Jake Kumerow to 53-man roster |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-activate-jake-kumerow-to-53-man-roster |website=Packers.com}} He appeared in five games in the 2018 season.{{Cite web |title=Danny Vitale 2018 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VitaDa00/gamelog/2018/ |access-date=January 29, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference}}
In the 2019 season, Vitale saw some increased usage in the receiving game with seven receptions for 97 yards. He started in four of the 15 games he appeared in.{{Cite web |title=Danny Vitale 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VitaDa00/gamelog/2019 |access-date=January 29, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference}}
=New England Patriots=
On March 21, 2020, Vitale signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.{{Cite web |last=Dussault |first=Mike |date=2020-03-20 |title=Report: Patriots sign fullback Dan Vitale |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/report-patriots-sign-fullback-dan-vitale |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Patriots.com}} On July 28, 2020, Vitale announced he was opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite news |date=July 28, 2020 |title=Patriots re-sign wide receiver Will Hastings |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-re-sign-wide-receiver-will-hastings |access-date=July 29, 2020 |work=Patriots.com}} He was released after the season on May 27, 2021.{{Cite web |date=May 27, 2021 |title=Patriots Sign TE Troy Fumagalli; Release LB LaRoy Reynolds and FB Danny Vitale |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-te-troy-fumagalli-release-lb-laroy-reynolds-and-fb-danny-vitale |website=Patriots.com}}
On June 6, 2021, Vitale announced his retirement from professional football.{{Cite news |last=Bengel, Chris |date=June 8, 2021 |title=Danny Vitale, former NFL fullback, announces retirement from league on LinkedIn |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/danny-vitale-former-nfl-fullback-announces-retirement-from-league-on-linkedin/ |access-date=June 9, 2021 |work=CBSSports.com}}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Regular season statistics | |||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Year | rowspan="2"|Team | colspan="2"|Games | colspan="5"|Rushing | colspan="5"|Receiving | colspan="2"|Fumbles | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost |
| 2016 | CLE
| 9 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 27 || 6.8 || 17 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | CLE
| 15 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 19 || 6.3 || 11 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | GB
| 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | GB
| 15 || 4 || 1 || 3 || 3.0 || 3 || 0 || 7 || 97 || 13.9 || 27 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | NE
| colspan="14" style="text-align:center;"| Did not play due to COVID-19 opt-out | ||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| Total || 44 || 13 || 1 || 3 || 3.0 || 3 || 0 || 15 || 145 || 9.7 || 27 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| colspan="16"|Source: [http://www.nfl.com/player/dannyvitale/2555218/careerstats NFL.com] |
Post-NFL career
Beginning in November 2021, Vitale founded the health and fitness company VITALETY, LLC. In January 2022, Vitale became Financial Advisor and Financial Planning Specialist for the financial services company Morgan Stanley in New York, New York.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- {{Sports links}}
- [http://www.nusports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2890 Northwestern Wildcats bio]
{{Buccaneers2016DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vitale, Danny}}
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Cleveland Browns players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:Northwestern Wildcats football players
Category:Players of American football from Wheaton, Illinois