Drew Nowak
{{Short description|American football player (born 1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Drew Nowak
| image =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number = 64, 62
| position = Center
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|3|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 300
| high_school = De Pere (WI)
| college = Western Michigan
| undraftedyear = 2012
| pastteams =
- Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2013}})
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2014}}–{{NFL Year|2015}})
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
| status =
| highlights =
- MAC Defensive Player of the Year (2011)
- First-team All-MAC (2011)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 10
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 7
| pfr = NowaDr00
}}
Drew Nowak (born March 7, 1990) is an American former professional football center. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He played college football at Western Michigan.
Early life
Nowak played high school football at De Pere High School in De Pere, Wisconsin, a suburb of Green Bay. He played mostly on the defensive line but played some center his senior year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article32392107.html|title=Drew Nowak has risen from undrafted defensive tackle to starting Seattle Seahawks center|access-date=July 29, 2016}}
He attended college at Western Michigan University. Donning jersey number 92, he totalled 180 total tackles as a defensive lineman. He led the Mid-American Conference in tackles for loss and sacks his senior year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/drew-nowak-1.html|title=Drew Nowak|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=July 29, 2016}}
Professional career
=Jacksonville Jaguars=
Nowak signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars following the 2012 NFL draft as a rookie free agent.{{cite web|title=Jaguars sign 17 rookie Free Agents|url=http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-PressRelease/Jaguars-sign-17-rookie-Free-Agents/ffc824ca-bd96-42a9-8818-c389997fa543|work=Jaguars.com|accessdate=September 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615162549/http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-PressRelease/Jaguars-sign-17-rookie-Free-Agents/ffc824ca-bd96-42a9-8818-c389997fa543|archive-date=June 15, 2012|url-status=dead}} He was originally signed as a defensive tackle, but due to depth at the position and injuries on the offensive line, he made the switch to offensive guard. Nowak spent the entire 2012 season on injured reserve.
Nowak was released on August 30, 2013, and signed to the team's practice squad on September 1. He was promoted to the active roster on December 17, 2013.
= Seattle Seahawks =
The Seahawks signed Nowak to their practice squad September 3, 2014.{{Cite web |url=http://www.seahawks.com/team/players/roster/drew-nowak |title=Drew Nowak | Seattle Seahawks |access-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127121931/http://www.seahawks.com/team/players/roster/drew-nowak |archive-date=November 27, 2015 |url-status=dead }} On May 4, 2016, the Seahawks released Nowak.
Nowak was named the starting center for the Seahawks in September. 2015.{{cite web| url = http://mynorthwest.com/292/2804374/After-a-whirlwind-training-camp-Drew-Nowak-in-line-to-start-at-center-for-Seahawks| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150903234035/http://mynorthwest.com/292/2804374/After-a-whirlwind-training-camp-Drew-Nowak-in-line-to-start-at-center-for-Seahawks| archive-date = 2015-09-03| title = After a 'whirlwind' training camp, Drew Nowak in line to start at center for Seahawks - Seattle Seahawks {{!}} 710 ESPN Seattle}} On September 20th, 2015 Nowake made his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in front of his hometown crowd.https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/lifelong-packers-fan-drew-nowak-to-make-lambeau-field-debut-with-seahawks/ On December 1, 2015, he was waived.{{Cite web|title = Seattle Seahawks part ways with C Drew Nowak|url = http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/football/article/Seattle-Seahawks-part-ways-with-C-Drew-Nowak-6668867.php|website = seattlepi.com|date = December 2, 2015|accessdate = December 4, 2015}} On December 4, the Seahawks signed him to their practice squad.{{cite web|title=Seahawks injury and personnel updates: Drew Nowak back on practice squad|url=http://mynorthwest.com/292/2861930/Seahawks-injury-and-personnel-updates-Drew-Nowak-back-on-practice-squad|website=mynorthwest.com|date=December 2, 2015|access-date=December 9, 2015}}
On January 18, 2016, the Seahawks signed Nowak to a future/reserve contract.{{Cite web|title = NFL Transactions: Monday 1/18 - NFL Trade Rumors -|url = http://nfltraderumors.co/nfl-transactions-monday-118/|website = NFL Trade Rumors -|date = January 18, 2016|publisher = NFL Trade Rumors|access-date = January 19, 2016|language = en-US}} On May 4, 2016, Nowak was waived by the Seahawks.{{cite news|last1=Condotta|first1=Bob|title=Seahawks waive 5 players, including former starting center Drew Nowak and former Husky Josh Shirley|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-waive-5-players-including-former-starting-center-drew-nowak-and-former-husky-josh-shirley|newspaper=Seattle Times|date=May 4, 2016|accessdate=May 4, 2016}}
= Kansas City Chiefs =
On May 10, 2016, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Nowak after he was cut by the Seahawks to make room for rookies.{{Cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/10/chiefs-sign-former-seahawks-center-drew-nowak-and-some-other-guys/|title=Chiefs sign former Seahawks center Drew Nowak and some other guys|date=May 10, 2016|access-date=July 29, 2016}} On August 28, 2016, Nowak was waived by the Chiefs.{{cite web|title=Chiefs Waive Eight Players|url=http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Waive-Eight-Players/d2c43ffc-079a-49a0-a6e2-c44a206b2618|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126141910/http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Waive-Eight-Players/d2c43ffc-079a-49a0-a6e2-c44a206b2618|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 26, 2017|website=Chiefs.com|date=August 28, 2016}}
Personal life
Nowak grew up as a fan of his hometown Green Bay Packers, the only publicly owned NFL team, and owns three shares of the team, despite being a player for another NFL team.{{cite web|title=Seahawks' Drew Nowak is a Packers' minority owner|url=https://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/834655|work=thescore.com|accessdate=September 19, 2015}}
Drew currently owns Freedom Green Farms in Kalkaska, Michigan where he grows medical and recreational cannabis. {{Citation needed|date=December 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.wmubroncos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4600&ATCLID=1392224 Western Michigan Broncos bio]
- [http://www.jaguars.com/team/roster/Drew-Nowak/80fe4579-6597-4d2b-a21b-f7c1d14f4b9d Jacksonville Jaguars bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924135723/http://www.jaguars.com/team/roster/Drew-Nowak/80fe4579-6597-4d2b-a21b-f7c1d14f4b9d |date=September 24, 2012 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nowak, Drew}}
Category:Players of American football from Green Bay, Wisconsin
Category:Western Michigan University alumni
Category:Western Michigan Broncos football players
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players