| No. 65 Cleveland Browns | |
| Offensive guard | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: April 4, 1980 | |
| Place of birth: New Lenox, Illinois | |
| Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | Weight: 295 lb (134 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: Iowa | |
| NFL Draft: 2003 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33 | |
| Debuted in 2003 for the Cincinnati Bengals | |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 13, 2011 | |
| Games played | 125 |
| Games started | 124 |
| Fumbles recovered | 3 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Eric Steinbach (born April 4, 1980) is an American football player who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (33rd overall) in the 2003 NFL draft. He played college football for the University of Iowa.
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Steinbach is a graduate of Providence Catholic High School. He helped his team to a 50-game winning streak and three consecutive state championships. As a senior he had 46 tackles, 55 assists, and a school record 26 QB sacks on his way to being named conference MVP and first team all-state. One of the top high school players in the country, he was named Super Prep and PrepStar all-American.[1]
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. He was an education major.
In the 2003 NFL Draft, Steinbach was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (33rd overall) and was immediately named a starter. Through the 2006 season, Steinbach has appeared in 63 regular-season games, 62 as a starter, missing only one game. Steinbach's relentless work-ethic makes him a standout at the guard position. 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.[2] 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 March 2, 2007, (the first day of the year's NFL Free Agency period) the Browns signed Steinbach to a 7-year, $49.5 million contract (of which $17 million is guaranteed), making him at the time one of the highest paid offensive lineman in the league. 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.[3]
On 2007-12-18, Steinbach was named as a first alternate for the 2008 Pro Bowl at offensive guard.[4]
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