31 Fernando
Bryant - CB
PRO
(110-109/2-2): Signed with
the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 11, 2008…released by the New England
Patriots on August 30, 2008…signed by the Patriots on March 20, 2008…released by
the Detroit Lions on February 25, 2008…signed by the Lions as an unrestricted
free agent on March 5, 2004…originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in
the first round (26th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft…has registered
509
tackles (435 solo), seven interceptions, 88 passes defensed, three forced
fumbles and seven fumble recoveries in 110 career
games…as a rookie in 1999, was named to all of the major all-rookie teams as he
started every game and finished second among Jaguars defensive backs with a
career-high 78 tackles in addition to a pair of interceptions, one forced fumble
and three fumble recoveries…led Jaguars cornerbacks with 56 tackles in 2001,
despite playing in only 10 games with nine starts…started every game of the 2002
and 2003 seasons for the Jaguars, totaling 67 tackles and an interception in
2002 and concluding his Jacksonville career with 71 tackles and an interception
in 2003.
2007
(16-16):
Started all 16
games with the Detroit Lions for the first time since 2003 and totaled 76
tackles (65 solo)…notched his 500th career tackle at Minnesota (12/2)…tied a
career high with 14 passes defensed…9/9
at Oakland: Finished with eight tackles (seven solo) and one pass defense…9/16 vs. Minnesota: Made nine solo
tackles and had one pass defense…9/23 at
Philadelphia: Finished with three tackles (one solo)…9/30 vs. Chicago: Tied a season high
with nine tackles (seven solo)…notched his first interception of the season…had
a season-high three pass defenses…10/7
at Washington: Finished with five tackles (four solo)…forced his first
fumble of the season…10/21 vs. Tampa
Bay: Recorded six tackles (five solo)…10/28 at Chicago: Made his
100th career start…finished with seven solo tackles…recorded his
second interception of the season and had one pass defense…recorded one tackle
on special teams…11/4 vs. Denver:
Finished with seven solo tackles and one pass defense…11/11 at Arizona: Made five solo
tackles and had one pass defense…11/18
vs. New York Giants: Finished with six tackles (five solo) and had one pass
defense…11/22 vs. Green Bay: Had one
solo tackle and two pass defenses…12/2
at Minnesota: Recorded three solo tackles and one pass defense…12/9 vs. Dallas: Had two solo tackles
and one pass defense…12/16 at San
Diego: Recorded one solo tackle…12/23 vs. Kansas City: Recorded three
tackles (two solo)…12/30 at Green
Bay: Finished with one solo tackle and had one pass defense.
2006 (10-10):
Made 46
tackles (42 solo), six passes defensed and one fumble recovery…9/10
vs. Seattle:
Recorded eight tackles (seven solo) and had two pass defenses…9/17 at Chicago: Finished with one solo
tackle…9/24 vs. Green Bay: Was
inactive due to personal reasons…10/1 at
St. Louis: Was inactive due to an ankle injury…10/8 at Minnesota: Returned to the
lineup after missing two games to record six solo tackles and one pass
defense…10/15 vs. Buffalo: Finished
with nine solo tackles and one pass defense…10/22 at New York Jets: Recorded three
solo tackles…11/5 vs. Atlanta:
Recorded four tackles (three solo) and one pass defense…11/12 vs. San Francisco: Finished with
four solo tackles…11/19 at Arizona:
Finished with five solo tackles…11/23
vs. Miami: Recorded four tackles (three solo) and one pass defense…recovered
his first fumble of the season…12/3 at
New England: Recorded two tackles (one solo)…12/10 vs. Minnesota: Was inactive due
to a concussion…12/17 at Green Bay:
Was inactive due to a concussion…12/24
vs. Chicago: Was inactive with a concussion…12/27: Placed on the Reserve/Injured
List due to lingering concussion symptoms.
2005
(2-2): Started the
first two games of the season, but was placed on the Reserve/Injured List (9/27)
and missed the remainder of the year due to a clavicle injury…9/11 vs. Green Bay: Finished with seven
tackles (six solo) and one pass defense…forced a fumble…9/18 at Chicago: Recorded three solo
tackles…9/27: Placed on the
Reserve/Injured List with a clavicle injury.
2004 (10-10): In his first
season with the Lions, ranked second on the team in passes defensed (13) and led
all cornerbacks in tackles (48)…9/12 at
Chicago: Recorded seven solo tackles and two pass defenses…9/19 vs. Houston: Established season
highs with eight tackles (six solo) and three pass defenses…9/26 vs. Philadelphia: Recorded five
tackles (four solo) and two pass defenses…10/10 at Atlanta: Finished with two
solo tackles and one pass defense…10/17
vs. Green Bay: Recorded two solo tackles and one pass defense…10/24 at New York Giants: Was inactive
due to an ankle injury…10/31 at
Dallas: Was inactive due to an ankle injury…11/7 vs. Washington: Returned to the
lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury…made two solo tackles and
had one pass defense…11/14 at
Jacksonville: Finished with six tackles (five solo)…11/21 at Minnesota: Finished with five
tackles (four solo) and one pass defense…11/25 vs. Indianapolis: Tied a season
high with eight solo tackles and had one pass defense…12/5 vs. Arizona: Made three solo
tackles and had one pass defense…12/12
at Green Bay: Was inactive due to an ankle injury…12/19 vs. Minnesota: Was inactive due
to an ankle injury…12/26 vs.
Chicago: Was inactive due to an ankle injury…1/2 at Tennessee: Was inactive due to
an ankle injury.
2003 (16-16): Started all 16
games and played every snap on defense in eight of the games…made six tackles at
Indianapolis (9/21) and held all-pro WR Marvin Harrison to just 31 yards on four
catches…put together a solid effort at Houston (9/28) with three passes defensed
and his first interception of the season off David Carr…9/7 at Carolina: Recorded four tackles
(three solo) and one pass defense…9/14
vs. Buffalo: Recorded seven tackles (six solo) and two pass defenses…9/21 at Indianapolis: Made six solo
tackles…9/28 at Houston: Made four
tackles (two solo) and had a season-high three pass defenses…had his first
interception of the season…10/5 vs. San
Diego: Made three tackles (two solo)…10/12 vs. Miami: Had five solo tackles
and one pass defense…10/26 vs.
Tennessee: Recorded seven tackles (six solo) and two pass defenses…11/2 at Baltimore: Recorded two tackles
(one solo)…11/9 vs. Indianapolis:
Had five tackles (four solo)…11/16 at
Tennessee: Had one solo tackle and one pass defense…11/23 at New York Jets: Made a
season-high eight solo tackles and had two pass defenses…11/30 vs. Tampa Bay: Had four solo
tackles…12/7 vs. Houston: Made one
solo tackle…12/14 at New England:
Recorded six tackles (five solo)…12/21
vs. New Orleans: Made three solo tackles and had one pass defense…12/28 at Atlanta: Finished with five
tackles (two solo).
2002 (16-16): Played
left cornerback and started all 16 games for second time in career and first
time since rookie season…led Jaguars cornerbacks with 67 tackles (61
solo)…received a defense game ball for his performance vs. Philadelphia when he
made seven tackles while playing with a sprained ankle…9/8 vs. Indianapolis: Recorded three
tackles (two solo) and had one pass defense…recovered his first fumble of the
season…9/15 at Kansas City: Made
three solo tackles and one pass defense…9/29 vs. New York Jets: Made two solo
tackles and recovered his second fumble of the season…10/6 vs. Philadelphia: Made seven solo
tackles…10/13 at Tennessee: Had five
tackles (three solo) and one pass defense…10/20 at Baltimore: Finished with three
solo tackles…10/27 vs. Houston: Made
four tackles (three solo)…11/3 at New
York Giants: Made six solo tackles…11/10 vs. Washington: Recorded five
tackles (four solo) and one pass defense…11/17 at Houston: Made two solo tackles
and had one pass defense…11/24 at
Dallas: Made four solo tackles and had one pass defense…recorded his first
interception of the season and returned it 26 yards…12/1 vs. Pittsburgh: Made five solo
tackles…12/8 vs. Cleveland: Made
three solo tackles and had one pass defense…12/15 at Cincinnati: Recorded four solo
tackles and two pass defenses…12/22 vs.
Tennessee: Recorded three tackles (two solo) and had two pass defenses…12/29 at Indianapolis: Made a
season-high eight solo tackles and had one pass defense.
2001
(10-9): Finished with
56 tackles (50 solo), tops among Jaguars cornerbacks…made nine tackles vs.
Cleveland (9/30), tying his then-career high…injured his foot in Monday night
game vs. Green Bay (12/3) after making a career-high 10 tackles and missed the
remainder of the season…9/9 vs.
Pittsburgh: Made six solo tackles and had one pass defense…9/23 vs. Tennessee: Made two solo
tackles and had one pass defense…9/30
vs. Cleveland: Tied a then-career high with nine tackles (eight solo)…10/7 at Seattle: Was inactive…10/18 vs. Buffalo: Did not start for
the first time in his career…recorded two solo tackles…10/28 at Baltimore: Recorded eight
tackles (six solo)…11/4 at Tennessee:
Finished with seven tackles (six solo)…11/11 vs. Cincinnati: Recorded five
tackles (four solo) and one pass defense…11/18 at Pittsburgh: Recorded five
tackles (four solo) and one pass defense…11/25 vs. Baltimore: Made four solo
tackles…12/3 vs. Green Bay: Made a
career-high 10 tackles (eight solo)…left the game early with a foot injury…12/9 at Cincinnati: Was inactive due to
a foot injury…12/16 at Cleveland:
Was inactive due to a foot injury…12/23 at Minnesota: Was inactive due to
a foot injury…12/30 vs. Kansas City:
Was inactive due to a foot injury…1/2:
Placed on the Reserve/Injured List.
2000
(14-14): Started all 14
games played, leading Jaguars cornerbacks with 57 tackles (42 solo)…received a
defensive game ball along with 13 other players for team’s first shutout ever
vs. Cincinnati (9/17)…tied for team lead with seven tackles (six solo) in a
Monday night game at Indianapolis (9/25)…made four tackles and recovered a
fumble to thwart a Dallas drive in the fourth quarter at Dallas (10/29)…9/3 at Cleveland: Recorded six tackles
(four solo) and had one pass defense…9/10 at Baltimore: Made four tackles
(three solo) and had one pass defense…9/17 vs. Cincinnati: Recorded seven
tackles (six solo) and one pass defense…9/25 at Indianapolis: Recorded seven
tackles (six solo)…10/1 vs.
Pittsburgh: Made four tackles (two solo) and had one pass defense…recorded
his first interception of the season…10/8 vs. Baltimore: Made one solo
tackle and had one pass defense…10/16 at
Tennessee: Recorded four tackles (three solo)…10/22 vs. Washington: Was inactive…10/29 at Dallas: Finished with four
tackles (three solo)…recovered his first fumble of the season…11/12 vs. Seattle: Finished with five
tackles (four solo)…11/19 at
Pittsburgh: Made five tackles (four solo) and had one pass defense…11/26 vs. Tennessee: Made two tackles
(one solo) and had one pass defense…12/3
vs. Cleveland: Started at cornerback but did not record a tackle…12/10 vs. Arizona: Was inactive…12/17 at Cincinnati: Recorded two solo
tackles and one pass defense…12/23 at
New York Giants: Finished with six tackles (four solo) and one pass
defense.
1999
(16-16/2-2): Named to every
All-Rookie team (Pro Football Writers of America/Pro Football Weekly, Football News, College & Pro Football Newsweekly
and Football Digest)…started
every game and led Jaguars cornerbacks second among defensive backs (fourth on
the team) with 78 tackles (64 solo)…became sixth Jaguars rookie to start on
opening day…made his first NFL interception in his second pro game at Carolina
(9/19) off Steve Beuerlein…got his first fumble recovery the next week vs.
Tennessee (9/26), which set up a Jaguars touchdown…earned a defense game ball at
Cincinnati (10/31) when he set up a touchdown with a recovery of a Corey Dillon
fumble at Bengals’ eight-yard line as well as making a season-high nine tackles
(seven solo) and team-leading four passes defensed…earned his second defensive
game ball after he made his second interception of the season vs. New Orleans
(11/21) off Billy Joe Hobert in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown, as
well as seven solo tackles and two passes defensed…made the first postseason
interception of his career vs. Tennessee (1/23) off Steve McNair in the AFC
Championship game…9/12 vs. San
Francisco: Made three solo tackles in his NFL debut…9/19 at Carolina: Finished with one
solo tackle and one pass defense…recorded the first interception of his
career…9/26 vs. Tennessee: Finished
with six tackles (four solo)…recovered the first fumble of his career…10/3 at Pittsburgh: Finished with two
solo tackles and two pass defenses…10/11
at New York Jets: Finished with eight tackles (five solo) and one pass
defense…10/17 vs. Cleveland:
Recorded six tackles (four solo)…10/31
at Cincinnati: Recorded a season-high nine tackles (seven solo) and two pass
defenses…recovered his second fumble of the season…11/7 at Atlanta: Made four solo
tackles…11/14 vs. Baltimore:
Finished with six tackles (five solo) and one pass defense…recovered his third
fumble of the season…11/21 vs. New
Orleans: Made seven solo tackles and had two pass defenses…recorded his
second interception of the season…11/28
at Baltimore: Finished with two solo tackles and one pass defense…forced the
first fumble of his career…12/2 vs.
Pittsburgh: Finished with four tackles (three solo) and a season-high three
pass defenses…12/13 vs. Denver:
Finished with six tackles (four solo)…12/19 at Cleveland: Had one solo
tackle…12/26 at Tennessee: Finished
with seven tackles (six solo)…1/2 vs.
Cincinnati: Made six solo tackles…AFC Divisional Game 1/15 vs. Miami:
Recorded four tackles (two solo)…AFC
Championship Game 1/23 vs. Tennessee: Made four solo tackles and had two
pass defenses…recorded the first postseason interception of his career and
returned it for one yard.
COLLEGE:
Made 40 starts
in 45 games at Alabama, registering 179 tackles (149 solo), had three fumbles
recovered and eight interceptions…returned 17 kickoffs for 466 yards (27.4
avg)…played in two bowl games, the 1996 Outback and 1997 Music City…majored in
physical education. 1998: Consensus
All-SEC first-team selection as a senior after starting every game and recording
a career-high 51 tackles (44 solo) with two interceptions and four pass
deflections…closed out his career with an interception and a pass deflection in
the Music City Bowl against Virginia Tech. 1997: All-SEC second-team choice in
1997 when he made 47 tackles (39 solo) with two tackles for loss, recovered two
fumbles and forced one, deflected 10 passes, had three interceptions for 106
yards in returns and one touchdown…returned 15 kickoffs for 416 yards (27.7
avg). 1996: Second-team All-SEC
selection when he started every game, making 42 tackles (36 solo) with one
fumble recovery, deflected 14 passes, blocked a kick, had three interceptions
for 13 yards and blocked an extra point attempt. 1995: Saw limited action as a
freshman.
PERSONAL:
Was an
All-American as a two-way starter at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro,
Tenn…as a senior, recorded 82 tackles with six interceptions, averaged 30 yards
per punt return and caught 48 passes for 798 yards with eight touchdowns…named
the Lions 2004 Robert Porcher Man of the Year for his countless charitable
contributions off the field…recipient of 2004 Detroit Sports Fans Choice
“Humanitarian” Award for his commitment to the Detroit community…supports organ
donation programs (brother, Larry, received a life-saving kidney transplant in
2001)…initiated the T.A.L.K. (Talking About Life with Kids) program with which
he spent many Tuesdays during the 2004 season going to different high schools in
Detroit to visit with student athletes and talk to them about academics, peer
pressure and stress management…started an essay writing contest in Detroit inner
city middle schools - winners were selected each week of a Lions’ home game and
were rewarded with an opportunity to attend the game and meet Bryant…helped to
purchase and shop for emergency relief supplies for Hurricane Katrina victims at
Costco Wholesale…Fernando is married with three children…Full name: Fernando
Antoneyo Bryant.
