Zeke Moreno
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1978)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
|name=Zeke Moreno
|image=
|ImageWidth=
|capshon=
|import=yes
|position1=Linebacker
|number=57, 50
|College=Southern California
|high_school=Castle Park
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1978|10|8|mf=y}}
|birth_place=Chula Vista, California, U.S.
|Height_ft=6
|Height_in=2
|Weight_lbs=246
|NFLDraftedYear=2001
|NFLDraftedRound=5
|NFLDraftedPick=139
|NFLDraftedTeam=San Diego Chargers
|playing_years1={{NFL Year|2001|2004}}
|playing_team1=San Diego Chargers
|playing_years2={{NFL Year|2005}}*
|playing_team2=Houston Texans
|playing_years3=2005
|playing_team3=Philadelphia Eagles
|playing_years4=2005
|playing_team4=Miami Dolphins{{cite web |title=Zeke Moreno |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MoreZe20.htm |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=24 August 2024}}
|playing_years5={{NFL Year|2006}}*
|playing_team5=Houston Texans
|playing_years6={{CFL Year|2007}}–{{CFL Year|2008}}
|playing_team6=Hamilton Tiger-Cats
|playing_years7={{CFL Year|2008}}
|playing_team7=Winnipeg Blue Bombers
|playing_years8={{CFL Year|2009}}
|playing_team8=Toronto Argonauts
|playing_years9={{UFL Year|2010}}
|playing_team9=Sacramento Mountain Lions
|career_highlights=
- Second-team All-Pac-10 (2000)
|CFLAllStar={{CFL Year|2007}}, {{CFL Year|2008}}
|CFLEastAllStar={{CFL Year|2007}}, {{CFL Year|2008}}
|CFL-archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514165124/http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/989
|career_footnotes=
}}
Ezekiel Aaron Moreno (born October 8, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Early life
Moreno, who is of Mexican descent, attended Castle Park High School in Chula Vista, California,{{Cite web |last=Hirsch |first=Troy |date=2022-07-05 |title=Ex-Charger Zeke Moreno recalls high school state title win at Mission Valley stadium |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705155410/https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/stadium-stories/stadium-stories-ex-charger-recalls-high-school-state-title-win-in-mission-valley/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=web.archive.org}}{{Cite web |date=2014-12-08 |title=USC Trojans and their connections to San Diego |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/colleges/usc/post/_/id/19335/usc-trojans-and-their-connections-to-san-diego |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} and was a letterman in football and baseball.{{cite web|title=In The Zone with San Diego Chargers linebacker Zeke Moreno |work=Open Your Eyes |url=http://www.oyemag.com/zeke.html |access-date=July 18, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804173755/http://www.oyemag.com/zeke.html |archive-date=August 4, 2007 }} As a freshman, he was called up to the varsity football team for the playoffs.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/575007982/?clipping_id=128866253|title=Prep Football Previews|work=North County Times|date=September 27, 1996|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=26|via=Newspapers.com}}
As a sophomore in 1994, Moreno helped Castle Park to a 12–2 record and a CIF San Diego Section Division II title with a 24–21 victory over Torrey Pines High School.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/132855649/?clipping_id=128846931|title=1994 CIF Division II champions!|work=The Star-News|date=December 17, 1994|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=14|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/132797420/?clipping_id=128847144|title=Can the Trojans do it again?|work=The Star-News|first=Phillip|last=Brents|date=September 6, 1995|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=7|via=Newspapers.com}} On defense, he earned first-team All-San Diego Section Division II honors at linebacker, and on offense, he rushed for 272 yards and a touchdown on 52 carries at running back.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/133085757/?clipping_id=128847559|title=All-Division CIF-San Diego Section football teams|work=The Star-News|date=June 21, 1995|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=9|via=Newspapers.com}} His head coach, Gil Warren, described him as a "phenom".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/573140245/?clipping_id=128846865|title=Scouting {{!}} Torrey Pines' Opponent: Castle Park|work=North County Blade-Citizen|date=December 12, 1994|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=22|via=Newspapers.com}}
As a junior, Moreno suffered a knee injury in Castle Park's Metro Conference championship game victory.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/132798652/?clipping_id=128848238|title=Trojans claim second Metro banner|work=The Star-News|first=Eric|last=Howard|date=November 8, 1995|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=11|via=Newspapers.com}} The team was later defeated in the CIF San Diego Section Division II semifinals by Escondido High School.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/573830974/?match=1&clipping_id=128858633|title=Quarter-century wait for Cougars ends with win|work=North County Times|first=Terry|last=Monahan|date=December 3, 1995|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=24|via=Newspapers.com}} Moreno was named the CIF San Diego Section Division II co-Defensive Player of the Year.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/579773144/?clipping_id=128861391|title=Coaches' All-CIF Football Teams|work=The Californian|date=January 7, 1996|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=21|via=Newspapers.com}}
As a senior, Moreno led Castle Park to a 13–0 record and a CIF San Diego Section Division II title, recording two interceptions and 21 rushing yards in their 37–10 championship game victory over Carlsbad High School.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/132860650/?clipping_id=128867118|title=Trojans are CIF champions|work=The Star-News|first=Phillip|last=Brents|date=December 21, 1996|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=16|via=Newspapers.com}} The team was ranked the {{abbr|no.|number}} 1 team in the state in their division. Moreno was named the CIF San Diego Section co-Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to play in the California-Texas Shrine All-Star Game.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/575755028/?clipping_id=128867879|title=Vista's Robinson shares CIF top defensive honor|work=North County Times|first=John|last=Maffei|date=December 22, 1996|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=21|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/155577388/?clipping_id=128868018|title=Shrine All-Star Roster|work=Los Angeles Times|date=May 1, 1997|access-date=July 25, 2023|page=46|via=Newspapers.com}}
College career
Moreno played college football for the University of Southern California's defense from 1998 to 2000. Known as "Zeke And Destroy" by many USC-faithful, Moreno was a force in the middle of the USC defense.
Professional career
Moreno was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round (139th pick overall) of the 2001 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }} He played for the Chargers for four years (2001–2004). Moreno was released by the Chargers following the 2004 season and was hampered by injuries while trying to find a home with another team in 2005. He signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 2007. He was selected as a CFL All-Star in 2007 and 2008.
On September 9, 2008, Moreno was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/blue-bombers-tweak-trade-for-zeke-moreno-1.706077 Blue Bombers tweak trade for Zeke Moreno]
On February 19, 2009, Moreno was traded to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for defensive end Riall Johnson.[http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/2009/02/18/argos_moreno/ Argos acquire Moreno from Bombers]
On February 21, 2010, Moreno was released by the Argonauts.
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| Bold
| Career high |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Tackles !colspan="5"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |
| 2001 | SDG
| 16 || 0 || 16 || 14 || 2 || 1.0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2002 | SDG
| 16 || 3 || 43 || 36 || 7 || 0.0 || 2 || 1 || 8 || 0 || 8 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2003 | SDG
| 16 || 12 || 95 || 78 || 17 || 2.0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2004 | SDG
| 9 || 0 || 12 || 9 || 3 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2005 | PHI
| 4 || 0 || 5 || 2 || 3 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| | 61 | 15 | 171 | 139 | 32 | 3.0 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Records
- Most single season tackles by a Hamilton Tiger-Cat (114)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090404072433/http://www.argonauts.ca/index.php/roster/show/id/989 Toronto Argonauts bio] (archived)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121025125030/http://www.nfl.com/player/zekemoreno/2504654/profile Zeke Moreno at NFL.com] (archived)
- {{Football stats|pfr=M/MoreZe20}}
{{Chargers2001DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moreno, Zeke}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Players of Canadian football from California
Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players
Category:Sportspeople from Chula Vista, California
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Sacramento Mountain Lions players
Category:San Diego Chargers players
Category:Toronto Argonauts players
Category:USC Trojans football players
Category:Winnipeg Blue Bombers players
Category:American sportspeople of Mexican descent
Category:Hispanic and Latino American players of American football