pro career 2007 season 2006

VETERANS
JASON
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 302
Third NFL Season
Third Packers Season
SPITZ
GUARD/CENTER
MISC.
LAMBEAU
FIELD
RECORDS &
HISTORY
2007 REVIEW
DRAFT &
FREE AGENTS
SPITZ
ADMIN. &
COACHES
COMMUNITY
LOUISVILLE
Born: Dec. 19, 1982
NFL Gm. Played/Started: 28/25
Acquired: D3b-06
Enters his third year as
perhaps the most consistent of the Packers’ plethora of young interior offensive linemen…Begins training
camp as the starting right guard and backup center…Has
battled some injuries through his two seasons, but has
missed only four games and started a total
of 25 contests at three different positions
(RG, LG, C)…Known for his toughness
and a nasty streak that belies his good
nature and sense of humor often on display off the field…
Named a starter prior to his first NFL training camp after
being the second of the Packers’ two selections in third
round (75th overall) in 2006…A four-year starter at
Louisville, started the final 38 games of his college career
at guard and earned postseason honors his final three
seasons…Because of size and body frame, was thought
by some scouts to be a better prospect at center in the
NFL…As a senior, played at Louisville when two 2008
Green Bay draft picks were sophomores, quarterback
Brian Brohm (second round) and fellow offensive lineman
Breno Giacomini (fifth round)…Proved his strength at the
NFL scouting combine, bench-pressing 225 pounds 25
times and squatting 585 pounds, reminiscent of his high
school days as a competitive weightlifter, when he won a
Florida state championship as a senior with a 425 bench
press and 650 squat.
►►Has battled injuries but has
missed only four games in two
seasons, starting a total of 25
contests at three different positions (RG, LG, C).
►►Started at both guard positions
at Louisville, but was thought
by some scouts to have better
at a glance…
long-term pro prospects at center because of size and body frame.
►►Overcame knee injury as redshirt freshman and started final
38 games of college career, earning postseason honors in
final three seasons.
►►Was a senior at Louisville when 2008 draft picks Brian
Brohm (QB) and Breno Giacomini (OL) were sophomores.
►►Won a state championship as a competitive weightlifter at
The Bolles High School in Jacksonville, Fla.
►►At The Bolles, football coach was Corky Rodgers, who also
coached former Packers’ running back and current RB coach
Edgar Bennett at Robert E. Lee High, also in Jacksonville, Fla.
PRO
career
2007 season
Played in 14 of 16 regular-season
games with 12 starts: seven at
right guard, three at center and two at left guard…Started
both playoff games at right guard…Suffered a calf injury
in the third preseason game and missed the finale, returning to practice for Week 1…Started at Philadelphia (Sept.
9). Aggravated the calf injury late in the third quarter; was
replaced by Junius Coston and did not return…At New
York Giants (Sept. 16), in the fourth quarter when Chad
Clifton went out with an ankle injury and Daryn Colledge
took the left tackle spot with Coston moving to left guard,
Spitz filled in at RG. Also inserted at RG for a handful of
snaps when Coston was utilized as a blocking tight end
in the team’s short-yardage package…Active, but did not
play, vs. San Diego (Sept. 23) and at Minnesota (Sept.
30)…Vs. Chicago (Oct. 7), took over for Scott Wells at
center late in the third quarter when Wells left the game
after being poked in the eye (injury later diagnosed as a
broken bone in his eye socket)…Made his first career
start at center the following game vs. Washington (Oct.
14)…Started again at center the next game at Denver
(Oct. 29); was part of an offense that posted 430 yards
in the team’s 19-13 overtime win. Ryan Grant rushed for
104 yards, giving Green Bay its first 100-yard rusher of
the season…At Kansas City (Nov. 4), started the game
at center and was shifted to right guard when Wells was
brought in at center in the second quarter…Vs. Minnesota
(Nov. 11), started the game at right guard. On Grant’s
30-yard TD run in the first quarter, blocked two defenders,
allowing Grant to burst through an opening. Helped Green
Bay amass a season-high 488 yards, and helped hold the
Vikings without a sack; Grant collected 119 yards rushing…Started vs. Carolina (Nov. 18) and again at Detroit
(Nov. 22)…Vs. Carolina, blocked DT Maake Kemoeatu to
allow Grant to cut back for a game-long 23-yard rush…
At Detroit, helped pave the way for 481 yards of total
offense and 101 yards rushing for Grant; offense did not
allow a sack…At Dallas (Nov. 29), started the game at RG,
but took over Colledge’s LG spot in the second quarter
(coach’s decision), with Coston filling in at RG…Started
the next game vs. Oakland (Dec. 9) at LG and again at
St. Louis (Dec. 16)…Vs. Oakland, was part of an offense
that totaled 455 yards and 179 rushing yards (156 from
Grant) and held the Raiders’ defense to zero sacks. On
Grant’s game-long 26-yard run at the end of the game,
pinned LB Kirk Morrison to open a running lane…At St.
Louis (Dec. 16), took on two defenders to allow Grant
to break through for a 26-yard gain…At Chicago (Dec.
23), switched guard spots with Coston, starting at RG…
Resumed his role as the starting RG vs. Detroit (Dec. 30),
and helped the team rush for 217 yards, 113 coming from
Brandon Jackson, his first 100-yard rushing performance
of the season…Started both playoff contests…Vs. Seattle
in Divisional playoff (Jan. 12), opened at RG and was part
of an offensive line that assisted Grant to 201 yards and
three TDs, both club playoff records. Made a key block on
26-yard Grant run, stifling DT Craig Terrill.
2006
Played in 14 games, with 13 starts, and was
inactive for two contests…Despite a painful
thigh injury that sidelined him during Weeks 2-3, and
a Week 5 throat injury that landed him in the hospital,
still played 932 of the Packers’ 1,117 offensive snaps
(83.4 percent)…Opened the season as the starting LG,
but played most of the campaign at RG after fellow
rookie Colledge reclaimed the LG position…Started his
NFL debut in season opener vs. Chicago (Sept. 10), but
sustained a right thigh bruise and missed the next two
contests…Returned to practice Sept. 27 with a large,
custom-made pad on the thigh, and played as a backup
at Philadelphia (Oct. 2), receiving most of the second-half
snaps at RG…Regained his starting job vs. St. Louis (Oct.
8), but began the day with an upset stomach and was
taken to the hospital at halftime after vomiting blood…
Diagnosed with a minor tear in his esophagus, returned to
226
VETERANS
COMMUNITY
full practice during the ensuing bye week…At Miami
(Oct. 22) — with Clifton suddenly inactive (illness) —
started at LG with Colledge moving to LT and Tony
Moll taking the RG spot, marking the first time since
at least the 1970 merger that the Packers started three
rookies on the offensive line, according to Elias Sports
Bureau; was part of an offensive line that helped the
team gain 155 yards rushing, including 118 from
Ahman Green. On Green’s 70-yard TD run, made a key
block, preventing Pro Bowl linebacker Zach Thomas
from making the tackle…Against Arizona (Oct. 29),
helped the offense amass 203 yards on the ground
(383 total), including 100-yard performances from
both Green (106) and Vernand Morency (101)…In
17-9 triumph vs. Detroit (Dec. 17), played briefly at
center when Wells lost his shoe.
college
2007 REVIEW
RECORDS &
HISTORY
LAMBEAU
FIELD
participated in numerous community events during his two
years in Green Bay, including activities to benefit the March
of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Family
Services of Northeast Wisconsin…Also has played games
and ate dinner with patients at the local Families of Children
with Cancer holiday party, rung bells for the Salvation Army
during Red Kettle campaign over the holidays, served hot
lunch to students at De Pere (Wis.) Middle School who
donated food as part of the Packers Women’s Association
food drive, and helped refurbish the Green Bay West H.S.
football field as part of the Home Depot Neighborhood MVP
Program…Attended a pep-rally at Our Lady of Lourdes
school in De Pere after they won a makeover of their equipment room and brand new sports equipment…Took part in
Edgar Bennett’s Celebrity Bowl-A-Thon to benefit the Angel
Fund, the Brett Favre Celebrity Softball Game, a dinner to
benefit the Donald Driver Foundation, the Packers Tailgate
Tours and the TRIFECTA golf tournament put on by teammate Mark Tauscher…Owns a B.S. degree in marketing…
Likes to read, ride his scooter and bicycle, play golf and is
interested in finishing a second college major in finance
(he’s four classes away) and pursuing a master’s degree
in marketing…Notes Louisville’s victory over Florida State
as a freshman in 2002 as the best sporting event he’s ever
been a part of…Residence: Jacksonville, Fla.
DRAFT &
FREE AGENTS
Russell, played nose guard at Yale…At The Bolles High
School in Jacksonville, Fla., was a first-team All-First Coast
selection as a two-way lineman…As a senior, finished with
10 sacks and 56 total tackles to earn second-team all-state
honors from the Florida Times-Union…Coach at Bolles
was Corky Rodgers, who also coached former Packers running back and current RB coach Edgar Bennett at Robert
E. Lee High in Jacksonville…Began prep career at Wolfson
High School…Also lettered in track and field as shot put
and discus thrower and competed in organized weightlifting, winning a state championship as a senior with a
bench press of 425 pounds and a squat of 650 pounds…
Has worked with Boys and Girls Clubs and participated
in the Louisville student-athlete volunteer program…Has
SPITZ
name Jason Russell Spitz…Born
personal Given
in Boardman, Ohio…Single…Father,
ADMIN. &
COACHES
A four-year starter at Louisville,
started the final 38 games of his
college career at guard and earned postseason honors
his final three seasons…Earned first-team All-Big East
Conference honors as a senior, starting all 12 games
at left guard…Helped Cardinals rank ninth in nation in
total offense (482 yards per game), third in scoring
(43.2 points per game), and third in pass-efficiency
rating (159.85)…Allowed only two sacks on the
season…As a junior, experimented at center during
fall camp, but started all 12 games at right guard and
was named second-team All-Conference USA for the
second time…Part of an offense that led Division I-A
in total offense (539.0 ypg), scoring (49.75 ppg) and
pass-efficiency rating (174.36)…Allowed only 2½
sacks over the season…Started all 13 games at right
guard and was named second-team All-Conference USA
as a sophomore…Part of an offensive line that allowed
only 13 sacks for the season…Helped Cardinals rank in
the top 10 nationally in rushing with 2,966 yards, a school
record…Cracked starting lineup at right guard in second
game as a redshirt freshman, at Duke (Sept. 7)…Started
five straight games before suffering torn medial collateral
ligament in left knee…Missed five games and returned to
starting lineup vs. Marshall (Dec. 18) in GMAC Bowl.
Jason Spitz Pro Games Played/Started
GS
13
12
25
2
Additional statistics: Miscellaneous tackles — 3
in 2006, 1 in 2007; NFL total: 4.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS
u2006 Selected by Green Bay Packers as second of two
third-round selections (75th overall) of ’06 NFL
Draft, April 29 (pick obtained from New England
with second-round choice for Patriots’ secondround selection)…Signed first contract, July 26.
NFL debut/first start: vs. Chicago, 9/10/06
CURRENT CONTRACT EXPIRATION: After 2009
227
MISC.
Year Team
GP
2006 Green Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2007 Green Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
NFL totals (two years) . . . . . . . . 28
Postseason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2