Eric Steinbach

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Eric Steinbach
Date of birth	April 4, 1980 (age 27)
Place of birth	New Lenox, Illinois
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight	290 lb (132 kg)
NFL Draft	2003 / Round 2 / Pick 33
Career Highlights
Honors	2002 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year
Stats
Statistics	NFL.com DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
2003-2006 2007-present	Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns

Eric Steinbach (born April 4, 1980 in New Lenox, Illinois) is an American football player who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns. Steinbach was widely rated as the top guard available in the 2003 NFL Draft after a University of Iowa career culminated by All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly and the Walter Camp Foundation. His senior season also included Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year honors from league coaches. In the 2003 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (33rd overall) and was immediately named a starter. So far during his four year career, Eric has appeared in 63 out of a possible 64 regular-season games, 62 as a starter. Yahoo! Sports called him one of the Top 10 Free Agents to watch for a few months prior to the end of the 2006 season.^[1] The versatile and durable Steinbach can play at the guard, tackle, and center positions on the offensive line, and his speed and athleticism help to make him one of the leagues premier pulling lineman.

On August 8, 2006, he was arrested and charged with boating under the influence on the Ohio River after he violated an idle-only zone.^[2] As of January, 2007, the Bengals had seen nine arrests in a period of nine months.

Steinbach is a graduate of Providence Catholic High School. He was a member of the 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 State Championship Teams. He was also a part of the Celtics' 50-game winning streak. Robert Gallery, another highly touted offensive lineman, was a college teammate at Iowa.

On March 2, 2007, (the first day of the years NFL Free Agency period) the Browns signed Steinbach to a 7-year, $49.5 million contract (of which $17 million is guaranteed), making him one of the highest payed offensive lineman in the history of the game. He had consistently been rated as a Top 5 Free Agent (and widely considered number one among offensive lineman) following the 2006 season by every major sports authority, and is set to anchor an improving Browns offensive line.^[3]