Tony Fiammetta

Tony Fiammetta was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii to parents Vince and Esther Fiammetta. He was raised in Walkersville, Maryland where he attended Walkersville High School. There, he competed in football and lacrosse all four years, and wrestling for one year.

In football, he was a starter at running back. As a senior, he played in just one game before breaking his leg. In that game he recorded 144 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. During his high school career, he recorded 499 yards and 12 touchdowns on 60 carries.

SuperPrep named Fiammetta the 25th-ranked prospect in the Mid-Atlantic. PrepStar named him a 2003 All-East Region player.

Fiammetta accepted a football scholarship from Syracuse University. As a redshirt freshman in 2005, he played in ten games, mostly in a special teams role and did not recorded offense stats.

As a sophomore in 2006, he saw action in all 12 games and had eight carries for 15 yards.

As a junior in 2007, he played in 11 games including 8 starts at fullback, blocking for running back Curtis Brinkley. He had three carries for eight yards and 12 receptions for 75 yards.

As a senior in 2008, he played in 10 games, blocking for running back Brinkley, while collecting 66 yards on five carries. He also was third on the team with 16 receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown. In the season finale, he rushed 58 yards on one attempt against the Big East championship team, Cincinnati. Pro Football Weekly named Fiammetta the first-team All-American fullback.{{cite news|title=Pro Football Weekly's 2008 All-America team|publisher=Pro Football Weekly|date=December 22, 2008}} He also participated in the 2009 Senior Bowl.{{cite web|url=http://www.suathletics.com/News/Football/2009/1/6/fiammetta_allamerica.asp?path=football|title=All-American Fiammetta Earns Senior Bowl Invite|publisher=Syracuse University|date=January 6, 2009|accessdate=September 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110054222/http://www.suathletics.com/News/Football/2009/1/6/fiammetta_allamerica.asp?path=football|archive-date=January 10, 2009|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.seniorbowl.com/north.doc|title=2009 Senior Bowl North Team Roster|publisher=Under Armour Senior Bowl|date=February 6, 2009|accessdate=September 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206031012/http://seniorbowl.com/north.doc|archive-date=February 6, 2009|url-status=dead}}

He finished his college career after appearing in 45 games with 18 starts at fullback. He recorded 16 carries for 89 yards, 28 receptions for 202 yards and one touchdown, while earning a reputation as a fierce blocker, making 108 knockdown blocks in his last 2 seasons.

The NFL Draft Countdown website predicted Fiammetta being selected in one of the middle rounds in the 2009 NFL draft. They described him as an excellent blocker, but with limited ball-carrying experience.{{cite web|url=http://www.draftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/fb/Tony-Fiammetta.php|title=Player Scouting Report|accessdate=September 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203050832/http://draftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/fb/Tony-Fiammetta.php|publisher=NFL Draft Countdown|archive-date=February 3, 2009|url-status=dead}} NFL Draft Scout rated had him as the number-one fullback out of 87 prospective draft picks. He had the most bench reps at the combine by a back with 30 and posted impressive overall numbers for his position.

{{nfl predraft

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| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite news|title=Tony Fiammetta, Syracuse, FB, 2009 NFL Draft Player Profile |publisher=NFL Draft Scout |date=January 23, 2009}}

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Fiammetta was selected in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2009 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers.{{Cite web |title=2009 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} As a rookie, he was a backup at fullback behind Brad Hoover.

In 2010, he appeared in 14 games with 9 starts at fullback. On December 31, he was placed on the injured reserve list, with a left ankle injury that he suffered in the fifteenth game against the Arizona Cardinals.

In 2011, he suffered a concussion in the preseason opener against the New York Giants. On September 3, he was waived after not being able to practice following his injury and the Panthers claiming fullback Jerome Felton.

On September 4, 2011, he was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Cowboys. He was waived on September 7, to make room for Laurent Robinson. He was re-signed on September 13 and went on to become a difference-making lead blocker for running back DeMarco Murray.

He was declared inactive after the ninth game with an undisclosed illness, which turned out to be an inner ear problem, that caused nausea, dizziness and that was likely related to a concussion. Without him for the rest of the season, the production of the running game suffered.

On March 26, 2012, Fiammetta signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots.{{cite web| url=https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4719769/source-pats-agree-with-fiammetta | title=Source: Pats agree with Fiammetta | date=March 26, 2012 | accessdate=June 12, 2020}} On August 5, he was placed on the exempt/left squad list, after leaving training camp to attend a personal issue.{{cite news |author=Mike Reiss |title=Fiammetta out for Pats in '12 |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4726273/fiammetta-out-for-pats-in-12 |publisher=ESPN |date=August 4, 2012 |accessdate=June 12, 2020}}

On March 18, 2013, Fiammetta was reactivated from the reserve/left squad list to the active roster.{{cite news |author=Field Yates |title=Pats reinstate fullback Fiammetta |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4741227/pats-reinstate-fullback-fiammetta |publisher=ESPN |date=March 18, 2013 |accessdate=June 12, 2020}} On April 29, he was released by the Patriots.

On June 10, 2013, Fiammetta was signed by the Chicago Bears following tight end Evan Rodriguez's release.{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-make-roster-moves/0159a6af-f018-4fba-9726-2404c8e3c1e8|title=Bears make roster moves|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=June 10, 2013|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613032657/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-make-roster-moves/0159a6af-f018-4fba-9726-2404c8e3c1e8|archive-date=June 13, 2013|url-status=dead}} He revived his career after appearing in all 16 games (seven starts). On December 28, he was signed to a two-year contract extension.{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-sign-Fiammetta-to-extension/e1ee16cf-e8b4-4910-aab2-f7c92398520f|title=Bears sign Fiammetta to extension|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=December 28, 2013|accessdate=December 28, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231095319/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-sign-Fiammetta-to-extension/e1ee16cf-e8b4-4910-aab2-f7c92398520f|archive-date=December 31, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

On August 22, 2014, he suffered a hamstring injury and was eventually released on September 12.{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Rich|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/chi-bears-david-fales-kelvin-hayden-20140912-story.html|title=Bears cut Fales, Hayden to create roster space|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=September 12, 2014|accessdate=June 12, 2020}} Although he was brought back two days later,{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Fiammetta-Fales-back-with-Bears/514b9c56-eaa9-400f-b738-8a749aba5541|title=Fiammetta, Fales back with Bears|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=September 14, 2014|accessdate=September 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140918200749/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Fiammetta-Fales-back-with-Bears/514b9c56-eaa9-400f-b738-8a749aba5541|archive-date=September 18, 2014|url-status=dead}} he was waived injured on September 25, after playing on only one game because of recurring hamstring problems.{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-sign-Sharpton-cut-Fiammetta/01150d5c-130b-43bc-b93b-4b11ab00acab|title=Bears sign Sharpton, cut Fiammetta|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=September 25, 2014|accessdate=September 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140926191236/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-sign-Sharpton-cut-Fiammetta/01150d5c-130b-43bc-b93b-4b11ab00acab|archive-date=September 26, 2014|url-status=dead}}

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• [https://cuse.com/sports/football/roster/tony-fiammetta/4811 Syracuse Orange football bio]

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Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Hawaii

Category:People from Walkersville, Maryland

Category:Players of American football from Maryland

Category:American football fullbacks

Category:Syracuse Orange football players

Category:Carolina Panthers players

Category:Dallas Cowboys players

Category:New England Patriots players

Category:Chicago Bears players