Isaiah Buggs
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Isaiah Buggs
| image = Isaiah Buggs (cropped).jpg
| caption = Buggs with the Detroit Lions in 2022
| current_team = San Antonio Brahmas
| number = 95
| position = Defensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|8|24}}
| birth_place = Ruston, Louisiana, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 335
| high_school = Ruston
| college = {{ubl|Mississippi Gulf Coast CC (2015–2016)| Alabama (2017–2018)}}
| draftyear = 2019
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 192
| pastteams =
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2019}}–{{NFL Year|2021}})
- Las Vegas Raiders ({{NFL Year|2021}})*
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2022|2023}})
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2023|2024}})*
- San Antonio Brahmas ({{UFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Super Bowl champion (LVIII)
- CFP national champion (2017)
- Second-team All-SEC (2018)
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2023
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 89
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 2.0
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 1
| statlabel5 = Interceptions
| statvalue5 =
| statlabel6 = Pass deflections
| statvalue6 = 4
| pfr = BuggIs00
}}
Isaiah Buggs (born August 24, 1996) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Alabama.
Early life and college
Buggs attended and played high school football at Ruston High School in Ruston, Louisiana.{{Cite web |last=Hansucker |first=Adam |date=December 24, 2014 |title=Buggs makes the leap into Ruston's top defender |url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/high-school/2014/12/24/buggs-makes-leap-rustons-top-defender/20876085/ |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=News Star}}{{Cite web |last=Hansucker |first=Adam |date=May 16, 2018 |title=Once a Bearcat: Alabama's Buggs returns to Ruston |url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/05/16/once-bearcat-alabamas-buggs-returns-ruston/615844002/ |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=News Star}}
He played at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 2015 and 2016.{{Cite web |last=Hurt |first=Cecil |date=September 29, 2018 |title=A long journey to Tuscaloosa |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/news/local/2018/09/29/game-day-isaiah-buggs-long-journey-to-tuscaloosa/9750872007/ |access-date=February 16, 2024 |website=The Tuscaloosa News |language=en-US}} During the two years he had 134 tackles and 7.5 sacks. In 2017, he transferred to the University of Alabama.{{Cite web |last=Champlin |first=Drew |date=December 13, 2016 |title=Top JUCO defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs commits to Alabama over LSU |url=https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2016/12/top_juco_defensive_lineman_isa.html |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=AL.com}} During his first year at Alabama in 2017, Buggs started 13 of 14 games, recording 51 tackles and 1.5 sacks.{{Cite web |last=Paschall |first=David |date=April 6, 2018 |title=Alabama's Isaiah Buggs welcoming spring grind |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2018/apr/06/alabamas-isaiah-buggs-welcoming-spring-grind/467732/ |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=Chattanooga Times Free Press}} He had five tackles in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Georgia. He returned to Alabama in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Spenser |date=January 11, 2018 |title=Alabama DL Isaiah Buggs announces NFL decision |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/alabama-isaiah-buggs-announces-nfl-decision/L7aljAaN53DvBB8foVLJSL/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022073542/https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/alabama-isaiah-buggs-announces-nfl-decision/L7aljAaN53DvBB8foVLJSL/ |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3 1/8
| weight = 306
| dash = 5.15
| ten split = 1.82
| twenty split = 3.01
| shuttle = 4.83
| cone drill = 8.01
| vertical = 24.5
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 0
| bench = 20
| arm span = 31 1/4
| hand span = 9 1/4
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |last=Zierlein |first=Lance |title=Isaiah Buggs Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/isaiah-buggs/32004255-4756-2722-5ae6-6be714984175 |access-date=March 16, 2020 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2019 NFL Draft Scout Isaiah Buggs College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1021704&DraftYear=2019 |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
=Pittsburgh Steelers=
Buggs was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round (192nd overall) of the 2019 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Steelers select Buggs in sixth round |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-select-buggs-in-sixth-round |access-date=February 16, 2024 |website=Steelers.com}} In his rookie season, he appeared in eight games and recorded three total tackles.{{Cite web |title=Isaiah Buggs 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BuggIs00/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=January 2, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on November 27, 2020,{{Cite web |last=Varley |first=Teresa |date=November 27, 2020 |title=Steelers place three on Reserve/COVID-19 List |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-place-three-on-reserve-covid-19-list |access-date=January 2, 2021 |website=Steelers.com}} and activated three days later.{{Cite web |last=Varley |first=Teresa |date=November 30, 2020 |title=Steelers make moves ahead of Ravens game |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-make-moves-ahead-of-tuesday-s-game |access-date=January 2, 2021 |website=Steelers.com}} He was released by the Steelers on January 8, 2022.
=Las Vegas Raiders=
On January 17, 2022, Buggs was signed to the practice squad of the Las Vegas Raiders.
=Detroit Lions=
On July 22, 2022, Buggs signed with the Detroit Lions.{{Cite web |last=Reisman |first=Jeremy |date=July 22, 2022 |title=Detroit Lions sign DL Isaiah Buggs |url=https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2022/7/22/23274305/detroit-lions-signing-isaiah-buggs-free-agency-defensive-line |access-date=May 18, 2023 |website=SBNation.com}} He played in all 17 games with 13 starts, recording 46 tackles, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble.
On March 13, 2023, Buggs signed a two-year, $6.2-million contract extension with the Lions.{{Cite web |date=March 13, 2023 |title=Lions re-sign DL Isaiah Buggs |url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-re-sign-dl-isaiah-buggs |access-date=May 18, 2023 |website=DetroitLions.com}} He was released on January 2, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Alper |first=Josh |date=January 2, 2024 |title=Lions cut Isaiah Buggs |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/lions-cut-isaiah-buggs |access-date=January 2, 2024 |website=NBC Sports}}
=Kansas City Chiefs=
On January 4, 2024, Buggs was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Foote |first=Jordan |date=January 4, 2024 |title=KC Chiefs Sign Former Steelers, Lions DL Isaiah Buggs to Practice Squad |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/news/kc-chiefs-sign-former-steelers-lions-dl-isaiah-buggs-to-practice-squad |access-date=January 4, 2024 |website=Sports Illustrated}} Buggs won his first Super Bowl when the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25–22 in Super Bowl LVIII.{{Cite web |last=Maaddi |first=Rob |date=February 12, 2024 |title=Patrick Mahomes rallies the Chiefs to second straight Super Bowl title, 25–22 over 49ers in overtime |url=https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=AP News |language=en}} On February 14, Buggs signed a reserve/future contract with the Chiefs.{{Cite web |last=Sapp |first=Jared |date=February 16, 2024 |title=Chiefs sign 11 players to reserve/future contracts |url=https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2024/2/16/24073440/chiefs-sign-11-players-to-reserve-future-contracts |access-date=February 16, 2024 |website=Arrowhead Pride |language=en}} On June 24, 2024, Buggs was released by the Chiefs in response to multiple legal incidents in the offseason. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and 2 years probation for his crimes against cruelty to animals.{{cite web | title=Chiefs release DL Isaiah Buggs following multiple offseason incidents | website=NFL.com | date=2024-06-24 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/chiefs-release-dl-isaiah-buggs-following-multiple-offseason-incidents | access-date=2024-10-10}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-26 |title=Ex-Chief given hard labor in animal cruelty case |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/40646892/ex-chiefs-dl-isaiah-buggs-gets-hard-labor-animal-cruelty |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}
=San Antonio Brahmas=
Buggs signed with the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL on May 1, 2025.{{cite tweet |user=UFL_PR |title=The #UFL has announced the following transactions for Thursday, May 1 |number=1918106977475195140 |date=May 1, 2025 |access-date=May 2, 2025}}
Personal life
On May 29, 2024, Buggs was accused of animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, after his dogs were found in March chained up with no access to food or water and were surrounded by feces. The dogs were seized from his property on March 28 due to being "malnourished, emaciated and neglected."{{Cite web|title=Chiefs DL Isaiah Buggs turns self in on misdemeanor cruelty to animal charges|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/chiefs-dl-isaiah-buggs-turns-self-in-on-misdemeanor-cruelty-to-animal-charges|access-date=May 31, 2024|website=nfl.com|language=en}}
On June 16, 2024, Buggs was arrested for a second time in less than a month and is facing charges of second-degree domestic violence and burglary.{{Cite web|title=Kansas City Chiefs Player Arrested For Second Time This Offseason, Mugshot Released|url=https://www.totalprosports.com/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs-player-arrested-for-second-time-this-offseason-mugshot-released/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2ruKcD7BlsPecFqc--avNwy0S3aaa6NERo4vm54vUzKkGklohnT2u_cKU_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw|access-date=June 16, 2024|website=totalprosports.com|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://rolltide.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4618 Alabama Crimson Tide bio]
{{2017 Alabama Crimson Tide football navbox}}
{{Super Bowl LVIII}}
{{Steelers2019DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buggs, Isaiah}}
Category:Players of American football from Ruston, Louisiana
Category:Ruston High School alumni
Category:American football defensive ends
Category:Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs football players
Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Las Vegas Raiders players
Category:Detroit Lions players