// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did Greg Spires go to the party? Because he heard it was a spire-tacular event.

Greg Spires

No. 94, 96
Position	Defensive end
Personal information
Born	(1974-08-12) August 12, 1974 Marianna, Florida, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	265 lb (120 kg)
Career information
High school	Mariner (FL)
College	Florida State
NFL draft	1998: 3rd round, 83rd overall pick
Career history
New England Patriots (1998–2000) Cleveland Browns (2001) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002–2007) Oakland Raiders (2008)*
* Offseason or practice squad member only
Awards and highlights
Super Bowl champion (XXXVII) Second-team All-ACC (1997)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles 345 Sacks 39.5 Forced fumbles 11 Fumble recoveries 6 Passes defended 15 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Gregory Tyrone Spires (born August 12, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

Spires was also a member of the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Oakland Raiders. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.

College career

Greg Spires played college football at Florida State University as a Seminole. He was a four-year letterman from 1994 to 1998. His NFL draft status dropped to the third round as a result of a cracked fibula entering the end of his junior year. It carried through to three games of his senior season. Also, Spires did not start in his junior season. Throughout his college career, he played the positions of linebacker, nose guard, and defensive end. Greg Spires was redshirted in 1993.

Professional career

New England Patriots

After being drafted by the New England Patriots (3rd round, 83rd selection overall), Spires played in 15 games including the playoff appearance that the Patriots had. He recorded two sacks against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the postseason. During the 1999 season, he played 11 games until he suffered a hip injury against the Buffalo Bills on November 28, 1999, and eventually was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the 1999 season. In 2000, Greg Spires had a great year. He played in all 16 games, and started two of them. Spires recorded a career high 6 sacks and tied Willie McGinest for the team lead. Spires also forced three fumbles. He was re-signed by the Patriots on April 30, 2001. Because of team issues, Greg Spires was released by the Patriots towards the start of the 2001 season, on September 3, 2001. He was claimed and signed by the Cleveland Browns the very next day.

Cleveland Browns

Greg Spires' career with the Cleveland Browns was short-lived. Despite being there for just one season, Spires played in all 16 games and started 4. He recorded four sacks that season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Greg Spires became an unrestricted free agent after the 2001 season and was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Spires found a place with the Bucs and was their perennial starter at left defensive end from 2002 to 2007. He came at just the right time, as the Bucs sailed through the playoffs and won Super Bowl XXXVII against the Oakland Raiders. He totaled 47 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass defended lining up opposite right defensive end Simeon Rice. Because of the chemistry of this defense, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the best pass defense and best overall defense in the NFL. He played on one of the top-tier defenses in 2003, 2004, and 2005 (where they finished first again). Spires helped the Buccaneers to the playoffs, but they lost in the Wild Card round to the Washington Redskins. On February 27, 2008, the Buccaneers released him.

Oakland Raiders

On May 10, 2008, he signed with the Oakland Raiders. He was later released on August 25, 2008.

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Won the Super Bowl
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Interceptions				Fumbles
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sck	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	FF	FR	Yds	TD
1998	NWE	15	1	24	18	6	3.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999	NWE	11	0	9	7	2	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2000	NWE	16	2	17	12	5	6.0	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0
2001	CLE	16	4	30	23	7	4.0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	0
2002	TAM	16	16	44	33	11	3.5	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
2003	TAM	15	15	36	24	12	3.5	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
2004	TAM	16	16	61	47	14	8.0	0	0	0	0	3	2	0	0
2005	TAM	16	16	47	35	12	4.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
2006	TAM	16	16	51	33	18	5.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2007	TAM	10	8	26	21	5	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		147	94	345	253	92	39.5	0	0	0	0	11	6	0	0

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Interceptions				Fumbles
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sck	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	FF	FR	Yds	TD
1998	NWE	1	0	1	1	0	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2002	TAM	3	3	10	9	1	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2005	TAM	1	1	2	1	1	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2007	TAM	1	0	2	2	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		6	4	15	13	2	4.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

External links

• Official Website
• New England Patriots bio
• Oakland Raiders bio
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio