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ROSTER
79 TRAI ESSEX
PRO
(33-4/1-0): Signed
a two year deal during the 2009 offseason...originally drafted in the third
round (93rd overall) by the Steelers in the 2005 NFL Draft...has provided depth
at left tackle his first four seasons, making a total of three starts his rookie
year. 2008
(9-0/1-0): Played in nine regular-season games...saw his most significant
action of the season on October 5 at Jacksonville when he relieved an injured
Marvel Smith at LT...saw action as a reserve during the fourth quarter of the
AFC Divisional Game against San Diego...9/7 vs. Houston: Played as a
reserve along the offensive line and on special teams...9/14 at
Cleveland: Was inactive...9/21 at Philadelphia: Was
inactive...9/29 vs. Baltimore: Was inactive...10/5 at
Jacksonville: Played in his 26th career game...saw extensive action at LT
during the second half due to an injury to Smith...helped clear the way for the
Steelers to rush for 129 yards on 26 carries (5.0 avg.) as a team...10/19 at
Cincinnati: Played in his 27th career game...contributed on special
teams...10/26 vs. New\ York Giants: Played in his third
consecutive game... contributed on special teams...11/3 at Washington:
Played in his fourth consecutive game...contributed on special teams...11/9
vs. Indianapolis: Played in his fifth consecutive game...served as the
team’s third tight end on goal-line formations...contributed on special
teams...11/16 vs. San Diego: Played in his sixth consecutive
game...served as the team’s third tight-end on goal-line formations and played a
couple of snaps at RG when Darnell Stapleton briefly left the game...contributed
on special teams...11/20 vs. Cincinnati: Dressed but did not
play...11/30 at New England: Dressed but did not play...12/7
vs. Dallas: Dressed but did not play...12/14 at Baltimore: Played in
his 32nd career game as a reserve along the offensive line...12/21 at
Tennessee: Dressed but did not play...12/28 vs. Cleveland: Played in
his 33rd career game...saw action at offensive tackle during the
fourth quarter...AFC Divisional Game 1/11 vs. San Diego: Played in
his second consecutive postseason game as a reserve along the offensive line
during the final two drives in the fourth quarter...AFC Championship
Game 1/18 vs. Baltimore: Dressed but did not play...Super Bowl XLIII
2/1 vs. Arizona: Dressed but did not play.
2007
(3-0/1-1): Appeared in three games as a reserve tackle and special
teams contributor…made first start of the season and first career playoff start
in the AFC Wild Card Game at LT...9/9 at Cleveland: Was
inactive...9/16 vs. Buffalo: Was inactive...9/23 vs.
San Francisco: Was Inactive...9/30 at Arizona: Was
inactive...10/7 vs. Seattle: Was inactive...10/21 at
Denver: Was inactive...10/28 at Cincinnati: Was
inactive...11/5 vs. Baltimore: Was inactive...11/11 vs.
Cleveland: Was inactive...11/18 at N.Y. Jets: Was
inactive...11/26 vs. Miami: Dressed for the first time this
season but did not see any action...12/2 vs. Cincinnati:
Dressed and saw action on special teams...12/9 at New England:
Was inactive...12/16 vs. Jacksonville: Was
inactive...12/20 at St. Louis: Saw his first offensive action
of the season…helped Najeh Davenport run for 123 yards on 24 carries (5.1 avg.)
and one TD, while also allowing Ben Roethlisberger to finish 16-of-20 passing
for 261 yards and three TDs, which gave him his third perfect (158.3) passer
rating of his career, tying Peyton Manning’s NFL record...12/30 at
Baltimore: Saw action in his second consecutive and 24th
career game...AFC WILD CARD 1/5/08 vs. Jacksonville: Made his
first start of the season at LT…was also the first postseason start of his
career…gave Ben Roethlisberger time to finish 29-of-42 for 337 yards passing
with two TDs…also helped Najeh Davenport finish the game with two rushing
TDs.
COLLEGE:
Is
a solid drive blocker who did a fine job of protecting the quarterback's blind
side...manned the left tackle position for his final 37 games. 2004: A
three year starter (left tackle) on the offensive line...played a key role in
allowing just 12 sacks in 2004...helped NU rank 29th nationally in total offense
(409.5 ypg). 2003: Team's starting left tackle...made his 25th straight
start in the Motor City Bowl game at tackle...was named to ESPN.com's 2003
All-Bowl team for his performance vs. Bowling Green, when NU rushed for a
bowl-record 357 yards...had six championship performances in his last nine
regular-season games...key player in NU's offensive success running the
football. 2002: Moved from tight end to offensive tackle during the
preseason...was making excellent progress at the position until an ankle injury
slowed him down during preseason camp...came back to start at left tackle versus
Air Force...started all 12 games. 2001: Started every game as a tight end
in 2001 for Northwestern, catching three passes for 24 yards and a
touchdown...true freshman tight end who was named to The Sporting News
Big Ten All-Freshman team...scored his first collegiate touchdown against
Iowa, a 3-yard reception...first reception was a 13-yarder at Duke…majored in
African-American studies. PERSONAL:
Attended
Paul Harding (Fort Wayne, Ind.) High School... ranked the fifth-best tight end
in the country by Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report and earned All-America
honors as a senior...Prep Star Super 30 All-Midwest Region, Prep Star Top 125
Dream Team, SuperPrep all region, Bloomington Herald Top 33 all-state,
Associated Press all-state and Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) Top
50 all-state team choice in his final year... IFCA Region III MVP, National High
School Football All-Star and selected to play in the Indiana North-South
All-Star Game...caught 83 balls for 1,416 yards and 14 touchdowns in his high
school career...lettered four times each in football and basketball...named
all-conference in basketball as junior and was a member of the school’s honor
roll 10 times...son of Kimberly and Donald Essex...Full name: Trai Jamar
Essex.
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