Andre Gurode
refer to caption
Gurode with the Cowboys in 2009
No. 65, 64
Position:Center
Personal information
Born: (1978-03-06) March 6, 1978
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:320 lb (145 kg)
Career information
High school:North Shore (Houston, Texas)
College:Colorado
NFL Draft:2002 / Round: 2 / Pick: 37
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
  • Houston Roughnecks (2023)
    Offensive line coach
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:161
Games started:131
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Andre Bernard Gurode (/dʒəˈrɒd/; born March 6, 1978) is an American professional football coach and former player. He played as a center and guard in the National Football League (NFL).

Gurode player college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. During his eight seasons with Dallas, he was named to five Pro Bowls. In his final three seasons, Gurode spent one year each with the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Oakland Raiders.

Early life

Gurode was born in Houston, Texas.[1][2] He played high school football at North Shore High School in Houston.[3][4] As a senior, USA Today, PrepStar and SuperPrep selected him as an honorable mention high school All-America. He was also named to the Houston Chronicle Top 100 List and made the Austin American-Statesman "Fab 55" team. He earned All-Area honors as a senior (second-team honors as a junior), and was All-District and All-Greater Houston as a junior and senior (when he also was his team's most outstanding offensive lineman).

Gurode lettered three times in basketball and four times in track with personal bests of 186' 0" in the discus and 54' 1" in the shot put.

College career

Gurode attended the University of Colorado, where he played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team from 1998 to 2001.[5] He was a four-year starter for the Buffaloes, playing both center and guard on the offensive line. He started his first two and a half seasons at center, before moving to guard in the middle of his junior year. As a junior in 2000, he started the first six games of the year at center and the final five games at guard. He received the John Mack Award, as selected by the coaches for being Colorado's most outstanding offensive player and was also selected honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference honors while helping the Buffaloes to a 7–5 record and a win over the Boston College Eagles in the Insight.com Bowl. As a senior, he started every game at right guard.

Gurode was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2000 and 2001, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American as a senior in 2001.[6] During his career he allowed just 7.5 sacks in 2,653 plays as a starter for the Buffaloes.

He earned a degree in ethnic studies from the University of Colorado, where he was a member of the school's "Academic Starters" team.

He was named to the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in the 2023 Class.[7]

Professional career

2002 NFL Draft

Gurode initially projected as a guard and was ranked the best available in the 2002 NFL Draft, along with Kendall Simmons.[8] He was regarded as an early second round pick,[9] and was eventually selected 37th overall by the Dallas Cowboys.[10]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jump
6 ft 4+3⁄8 in
(1.94 m)		 316 lb
(143 kg)		 35 in
(0.89 m)		 11 in
(0.28 m)		5.34 s1.89 s3.14 s5.05 s8.15 s30.5 in
(0.77 m)		8 ft 4 in
(2.54 m)
All values from NFL Combine[11][12]

Dallas Cowboys

Gurode was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft as a center.[13] He started fast by becoming the first rookie in club history to start at center on opening day.[14][15]

It is believed 2002 was the first time an NFL franchise had five African-American starters on their offensive line, when the Cowboys lined up Gurode at center, tackles Flozell Adams and Solomon Page, guards Larry Allen and Kelvin Garmon.[16] Gurode also became part of history as the starting center on the Cowboys offensive line that helped Emmitt Smith eclipse Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, playing against the Seattle Seahawks on October 27. While he started the first six games of the 2002 season at center, Gurode was moved to help compensate for the number of injuries along the offensive line, compiling another eight starts at right guard.[17]

In 2003, Bill Parcells was hired as the Cowboys head coach and decided that Gurode's best position was at guard, starting 15 games at that position in 2003 and 13 games in 2004 with mixed results, before getting benched for the final two games.[18][19]

At the start of the 2005 season, Parcells accepted he made a misjudgment by moving Gurode to guard and switched him back to center, with the Cowboys also signing Marco Rivera to take his place at guard. That season, he was a versatile backup, playing behind Al Johnson at center and Rivera at right guard. He appeared in all 16 games and started two.[20]

In 2006, he rededicated himself to football and won the starting center job again, over Al Johnson. On October 1, 2006, in the third quarter of a game against the Tennessee Titans, Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomped on Gurode's head. Haynesworth's cleats caused a laceration requiring thirty stitches.[21] Haynesworth was ejected, and subsequently suspended by the NFL for five games without pay.[22] Gurode started all 16 regular season games and one postseason game for the Cowboys in the 2006 season.[23]

Following the 2006 season, Gurode was named to his first Pro Bowl as an injury replacement.[24] On February 20, 2007, the Cowboys re-signed Gurode to a six-year contract worth US$30 million including a $10 million signing bonus.[25][26]

Gurode developed into one of the league's most respected centers since returning to being a full-time starter in 2006. He started in 14 regular season games and one postseason game in the 2007 season.[27] He started in all 16 games in the 2008 season.[28] He started in all 16 games in the 2009 season.[29] In the 2010 season, he started in all 16 regular season games.[30] He was selected to the Sporting News All-Pro Team (2007, Pro Football Writers 2009), [31][32] as well as to five straight Pro Bowls (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).[33] He was ranked 57th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[34]

He had offseason left knee surgery and missed the 2011 season training camp and three out of four preseason games. With the emergence of second-year player Phil Costa, he was released after the preseason following failed negotiations regarding a restructured contract.[35]

Baltimore Ravens

Gurode reportedly visited the New England Patriots before signing a 1-year, $3 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens on September 4, 2011.[36][37] In the 2011 season, he appeared in 13 games and started five.[38]

Chicago Bears

On November 27, 2012, the Chicago Bears signed Gurode after losing guards Lance Louis and Chris Spencer to injuries sustained in a game against the Minnesota Vikings on November 25.[39] He was waived by the Bears on December 11, 2012.[40]

Oakland Raiders

On July 26, 2013, Gurode signed with the Oakland Raiders.[41] He played in ten games and started four for the Raiders in the 2013 season.[42] At the end of the 2013 NFL season, Gurode became a free agent.

Coaching career

Gurode was officially hired by the Houston Roughnecks on September 13, 2022[43] On January 1, 2024, it was announced the Roughnecks Staff would not be apart of the UFL Merger.[44]

References

  1. ↑ Lane, Mark (September 16, 2020). "Homegrown Legends: Houston's greatest products come home as virtual Texans". Texans Wire. USA Today. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  2. ↑ Drummond, K. D. (January 31, 2011). "Where Did That Guy Come From? Andre Gurode And Dallas Cowboys Interior Linemen". Blogging The Boys. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Andre Gurode - Football". University of Colorado Athletics. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ Lane, Mark (April 20, 2020). "Cowboys hit it big with Roy Williams, Andre Gurode in 2002 NFL Draft". WFAA. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Brooks: Andre Gurode Dreams Big, But Not For Himself". University of Colorado Athletics. May 28, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  6. ↑ 2011 NCAA Football Records Book, Award Winners, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, p. 11 (2011). Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Andre Gurode (2023) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame". University of Colorado Athletics. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  8. ↑ "2002 Draft OG Ranking", NFLDraftScout.com, retrieved December 25, 2009
  9. ↑ "Andre Gurode Draft Profile", Sports Illustrated, April 2002
  10. ↑ "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Andre Gurode, Colorado, OG : 2002 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile", NFLDraftScout.com, archived from the original on March 12, 2012, retrieved December 25, 2009
  12. ↑ "Andre Gurode, Combine Results, OG - Colorado". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  13. ↑ "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  14. ↑ Brown, Rob (April 7, 2011). "Dallas Cowboys: Best NFL Draft Steals of the Past Decade". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  15. ↑ Kavner, Rowan (January 14, 2014). "Frederick Named Center On PFWA All-Rookie Team". DallasCowboys.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  16. ↑ Pasquarelli, Len (January 30, 2003). "ESPN.com: NFL - Color barrier on offensive line disappearing". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2002 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2003 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2004 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2005 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Titans DT Haynesworth nailed with five-game suspension". Sportsline.com. Associated Press. October 2, 2006. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008 – via CBS SportsLine.com wire reports.
  22. ↑ "Haynesworth penalty comes in: Five games". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 2, 2006. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2006 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Gurode 7th Cowboy for Pro Bowl". OTB Sports. February 6, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  25. ↑ Halprin, David (February 20, 2007). "Cowboys sign Andre Gurode to new contract". Blogging The Boys. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  26. ↑ Clayton, John (February 20, 2007). "Cowboys reach six-year deal with No. 1 priority Gurode". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2007 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2008 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2009 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2010 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  31. ↑ "2007 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  32. ↑ "2009 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  33. ↑ Schaible, Brian (July 11, 2023). "Gurode and Solder headline Colorado's 2023 Hall of Fame class". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  34. ↑ "2011 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  35. ↑ Aron, Jaime; Writer, AP Pro Football (August 29, 2011). "Gurode's departure shows Garrett means business". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  36. ↑ Curran, Tom E. (September 3, 2011). "Patriots to visit with Andre Gurode". NBC Sports Boston. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  37. ↑ Hensley, Jamison (September 5, 2011). "Ravens sign Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode to one-year contract". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  38. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2011 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  39. ↑ Biggs, Brad (November 27, 2012). "Bears add veteran lineman Gurode". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  40. ↑ Mayer, Larry (December 11, 2012). "Gould among three Bears played on injured reserve". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  41. ↑ McDonald, Jerry (July 26, 2013). "Oakland Raiders sign veteran lineman Andre Gurode". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  42. ↑ "Andre Gurode 2013 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  43. ↑ "XFL Finalizes Coaching and Football Operations Staffs for All Eight Teams". XFL.com. September 13, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  44. ↑ Alexander, Mookie (December 31, 2023). "Report: RIP, Seattle Sea Dragons?!". Field Gulls. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
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