Player Profile

PRO: In signing La'Roi Glover to a long-term contract on March 12, 2002, the Dallas Cowboys were expecting big things from one of the NFL's most productive defensive tackles over the previous five seasons. They were not disappointed. Glover stepped into the middle of the Cowboys defensive line and posted a career-high 76 tackles while helping the Dallas defense limit opponents to 3.8 yards-per-rush. Glover - who has posted 31.5 sacks over the past three seasons - also earned his third Pro Bowl selection in as many years. The strong, quick lineman has averaged eight sacks-per-season during his seven-year NFL career (56.5). From 1998-2000, only two other NFL players posted more sacks than Glover's 35.5 (Kevin Carter - 39.5, and Warren Sapp - 36). Glover's 17 sacks in 2000 tied the New Orleans single season record that was set by Pat Swilling in 1992, and that figure is the second highest sack total by any defensive tackle in NFL history - since sacks were first registered as an official NFL stat in 1992. As the elder statesman of the Cowboys defensive line, Glover will be expected to help raise the play of young tackles Michael Myers and John Nix while continuing to put up Pro Bowl caliber numbers. His play inside should also aid the talents of defensive end Greg Ellis on the outside.

2002: In earning his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection, Glover made an immediate impression among Cowboys fans by establishing new career-highs for tackles (76) and quarterback pressures (26) while tying his previous career-best with three passes defensed. He also added 6.5 sacks (eighth in the NFL among defensive tackles), five tackles for losses and two forced fumbles, all of which earned him All-Pro honors from College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Pro Football Weekly and The Sporting News and All-NFC honors from Pro Football Weekly. In his Cowboys debut at Houston (9/8), he tied for the team lead among linemen with six tackles while leading the club with 1.5 sacks and recording his second career interception, two pressures and a tackle for a loss. His 1.5 sacks were part of a six sack effort by the Dallas defense, its best showing since totaling nine sacks against Arizona on Nov. 9, 1997. Against Tennessee (9/15), Glover posted four stops and two pressures and helped limit Eddie George to 65 yards on 19 carries (3.4 avg.). Glover registered three tackles, two pressures, a sack, a tackle for a loss and a forced fumble at Philadelphia (9/22). Against the N.Y. Giants (10/6), he totaled three tackles, a pressure and his third sack of the season, forcing a fumble on the play which Kerry Collins recovered for the Giants. Glover posted four stops against Carolina (10/13) while helping limit the Panthers to a 3.5 yards-per-carry average on 33 rushing attempts. He tied for the lead among Dallas defensive linemen at Arizona (10/20) with seven tackles while tying for the team lead with three pressures. Against Seattle (10/27), Glover tallied six tackles, two passes defensed and the club's only sack while helping limit Shaun Alexander to 58 yards on 23 carries (2.5 avg.) He led all linemen the next week at Detroit (11/3) with four tackles and two pressures while posting the team's only sack. He helped limit the Lions to 148 total yards, the fewest by a Dallas opponent since holding the N.Y. Giants to 105 yards on Sept. 8, 1996. He registered four stops and two pressures at Indianapolis (11/17) before totaling four tackles against Jacksonville (11/24). On Thanksgiving Day against Washington (11/28), Glover posted a season-high eight tackles, a season-high eight quarterback pressures and a sack. His eight pressures were the most by a Cowboy since Charles Haley recorded nine against Green Bay on Nov. 24, 1994, and three of Glover's pressures resulted in interceptions. In helping preserve the Cowboys seven point lead, he stopped Danny Wuerffel for no gain on a third down sneak and Stephen Davis for no gain on a fourth down run up the middle with 3:09 remaining in the game. Glover again tallied a season-high tying eight tackles against San Francisco (12/8) while adding two stops behind the line of scrimmage and two quarterback pressures. He recorded three tackles at the N.Y. Giants (12/15) before leading all defensive linemen with seven stops against Philadelphia (12/21). In the season finale at Washington (12/29), he registered two tackles before leaving the game late in the second quarter with a sprained right knee.

2001: Glover earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection after totaling 45 tackles, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. His eight sacks ranked third on the team and helped the Saints lead the NFL in sacks-per-pass play. He opened the season with two stops and a sack at Buffalo (9/9), then posted three tackles and a sack at the N.Y. Giants (9/30). In the Saints' home opener against Minnesota (10/7), he totaled four tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble while holding the Vikings ground attack to just 34 yards. He recorded two stops and two fumble recoveries at Carolina (10/14) before posting four stops against Atlanta (10/21). He tallied four tackles at New England (11/25). Against Carolina (12/2), he recorded three tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble while helping the defense limit the Panthers to just 49 rushing yards on 19 attempts (2.6 avg.) and 150 total yards. He posted two tackles, a forced fumble and half a sack at Atlanta (12/9) then totaled three stops and a sack against St. Louis (12/17). He recorded a season-high six tackles and a sack against Washington (12/30) before closing the season with three stops against San Francisco (1/6/02).

2000: With one of the more dominating defensive performances in the NFL, Glover was selected to his first Pro Bowl while earning consensus All-Pro honors and NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the NFL with 17.0 sacks for losses of 112 yards. This sack total ranks second in NFL annals among defensive tackles, trailing Minnesota's Keith Millard's 18-sack effort in 1989. He also recorded 65 tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. His performances earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors an NFC-record three times while earning NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October. At the time, he was just the ninth player in NFL history to win conference Player of the Week honors in two consecutive weeks - at Chicago (10/8) and against Carolina (10/15). He recorded his first sack of the season against Detroit (9/3) while totaling six tackles. He finished with two stops and sacks on consecutive plays at San Diego (9/10) before tallying four tackles and a career-high tying three sacks at Chicago (10/8), earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He earned Defensive Player of the Week honors the following week against Carolina (10/15) after recording another three sack performance. At Atlanta (10/22), he totaled three tackles and a sack, then registered six stops, two sacks and a forced fumble at Arizona (10/29). He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October after posting 17 tackles, nine sacks and a forced fumble in four games. He recorded his 11th sack of the year at Carolina (11/12), and he earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for a record third time after totaling five stops, a career-high tying three sacks and a forced fumble at St. Louis (11/26). Glover's performance helped the Saints defense limit Rams running back Marshall Faulk to 27 rushing yards. He returned the next week against Denver (12/3) to record a season-high 10 tackles, then forced a key third quarter fumble at San Francisco (12/10) which led to a Saints field goal in a 31-27 victory. In the NFC Wild Card game against St. Louis (12/30), he totaled six tackles and a fumble recovery to help the New Orleans defense limit Faulk to 24 rushing yards in the Saints 31-28 victory.

1999: Glover finished fifth on the Saints with 62 tackles while leading the team with 8.5 sacks. He also posted a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass defensed. He recorded his first sack at Chicago (10/3), and he led the team with eight tackles at the N.Y. Giants (10/24). He registered his most productive game of the season at Baltimore (12/19) when he led the Saints with a career-high 11 tackles and a career-high tying three sacks.

1998: In starting 15-of-16 games for the Saints, he led the team with 10 sacks while posting 67 tackles, three forced fumbles, an interception and a pass defensed. He was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl while earning All-Pro honors from USA Today and College & Pro Football Newsweekly, second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press and second-team All-NFC honors from Football News. He kicked off the season recording two sacks and a forced fumble at St. Louis (9/6). His forced fumble was returned for a Saints touchdown by Joe Johnson. He again posted two sacks and a forced fumble against Carolina (9/13), and he intercepted his first career pass against New England (10/4). He registered a season-high eight tackles and a sack at Carolina (11/1) before tying that mark with eight tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble against St. Louis (11/15). He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after totaling four stops and two sacks against Dallas (12/6).

1997: Glover spent the spring playing for the Barcelona Dragons, helping the team to the World League title while earning All-World League honors. He ranked third in the league with 6.5 sacks while totaling 36 stops. He was waived by Oakland Aug. 24 and claimed by New Orleans Aug. 25, where he appeared in 15 games, starting two. He finished with 33 tackles and was fourth on the team with 6.5 sacks while also registering a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Against San Diego (9/7), he registered three tackles and a fumble recovery. He posted three stops at San Francisco (9/14) before recording his first career sack against Detroit (9/21). He tallied his second sack at Chicago (10/5), and he recorded his best game of the season against San Francisco (10/26) when he registered five tackles and a sack. Against Seattle (11/16), he totaled three tackles, a sack and a pass defensed. He started his first NFL game at Carolina (11/30) and his second in the season finale at Kansas City (12/21).

1996: After being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round (166th overall) of the NFL Draft, Glover was inactive for 13 games with the Raiders. He was active but did not play at Chicago (9/29). He saw his first NFL action against Minnesota (11/19) and totaled two tackles. He again saw action at Seattle (11/26) in the defensive line rotation and on special teams.

COLLEGE: Glover was a four-year starter at San Diego State, serving as defensive captain and earning Aztec Outstanding Defensive Lineman honors as a senior after totaling 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He was selected to the All-Western Athletic Conference second-team and to the West squad for the East-West Shrine Game. He was a second-team All-WAC selection as a sophomore and honorable mention selection as a freshman.

PERSONAL: Glover was named Cal-Hi Sports first-team, USA Today second-team All-America, San Diego co-Player of the Year, Los Angeles Times Lineman of the Year and CIF Player of the Year as a senior defensive lineman at Point Loma High School in San Diego, Calif. He closed his final prep campaign with 77 tackles, 17.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries, six forced fumbles and three passes defensed. He also earned three letters in track as a shot putter and three letters in wrestling, earning the top heavyweight wrestler ranking in the state of California as a senior. Glover was nominated by teammates for the Saints "Man of the Year" and "Unsung Hero" awards in 1999 and was named Saints Defensive MVP for the 2000 season. He graduated from San Diego State in the spring of 1999 with a double major in public administration and sociology. He spent the past offseason interning with Personalities & Promotions International - a local sports marketing company owned by Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach - helping arrange autograph and speaking arrangements for local athletes. La'Roi and his wife, Spring, have a son, La'Roi Damon Glover, Jr. (3/11/03).