PRO CAREER: Appeared in 75 career games, making 48 starts over 5 seasons with the Chicago Bears (2011) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2007-10)... Posted 43 receptions for 325 yards (7.6 avg) and 7 TDs in his career... Added 2 special teams tackles... Returned 4 kickoffs for 19 yards... Saw action in 7 career playoff games (6 starts), catching 3 passes for 22 yards.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Drafted by the Steelers in the third round (77th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft... Resigned as one-year contract with Pittsburgh (4/15/10)... Signed three-year contract with Chicago (7/29/11). SIGNED through 2013
PRO CAREER: Appeared in 75 career games, making 48 starts over 5 seasons with the Chicago Bears (2011) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2007-10)... Posted 43 receptions for 325 yards (7.6 avg) and 7 TDs in his career... Added 2 special teams tackles... Returned 4 kickoffs for 19 yards... Saw action in 7 career playoff games (6 starts), catching 3 passes for 22 yards.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Drafted by the Steelers in the third round (77th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft... Resigned as one-year contract with Pittsburgh (4/15/10)... Signed three-year contract with Chicago (7/29/11). SIGNED through 2013
2011 SEASON: Played in 15 regular-season games, starting 8 at TE... Hauled in 7 receptions for 50 yards and 2 TDs... Returned 2 kickoffs for 14 yards. GAMES PLAYED-STARTED: 15-8
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2010- Played in 14 regular-season games, starting 13 at TE/FB... Missed two games because of a concussion... Collected nine catches for 80 yards and one touchdown... Saw action in all three postseason contests, starting two games at TE... Finished with one catch for nine yards in the postseason. 2009 - Appeared in all 16 games at TE, making 7 starts... Notched five receptions for 25 yards and 1 touchdown. 2008 - Played in 16 regular-season games, making 13 starts... Established career highs with 17 receptions for 136 yards (8.0 avg.)... Caught a career-high six passes for 53 yards (8.8 avg.) against IND (11/9), then matched that total by catching six more passes for 55 yards (9.2 avg.) the following week against SD... Started all three postseason games, catching one pass for six yards. 2007 - Appeared in 14 games, starting five... Inactive Weeks 3 and 4 due to a deep thigh bruise... Made NFL debut in Week 1 win over Cleveland, where his first career reception (five yards) went for a touchdown... For the season posted five receptions for 34 yards (6.8 avg.) and three scores... Also started the AFC Wild Card Game, where he made one catch for seven yards.
COLLEGE: At Minnesota, won the 2006 John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation's top tight end... Holds the school career records for tight ends with 109 receptions for 1,291 yards... As a senior, all-Big Ten first-team selection and honored by the league as the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award... Won the team's Bronko Nagurski Most Valuable Player Award... Started 11 games, missing the Ohio State clash after separating his right shoulder... Finished second on the team with 47 receptions for 564 yards (12.0 avg.) and 4 touchdowns... Recorded one solo tackle... In 2005, named all-Big Ten first-team
and academic all-Big Ten choice... Started every game, finishing third on the team with 26 receptions for 333 yards (12.8 avg.) and 4 touchdowns... As a sophomore, honorable mention all-Big Ten started every game, finishing third on the team with 24 receptions for 298 yards (12.4 avg.) and 4 touchdowns... As a freshman, earned all-Big Ten freshman honors from The Sporting News... Saw action in all 13 games, starting 10 contests... Ranked sixth on the squad with 12 catches for 96 yards (8.2 avg.)... Gained 49 yards on 3 kickoff returns (16.3 avg.)... Redshirted as a true freshman.
PERSONAL: Attended St. Michael-Albertville H.S. where he was first-team all-metro pick by the Minnesota High School Coaches Association, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and KARE 11-TV as a senior... Named the Defensive MVP of the 1999 3A state championship game and was also the Defensive MVP of his conference... Earned three letters as a center on the basketball team and named all-conference three times for his play on the hardwood... Father was a tight end at Nebraska (1975-77) and chosen in the fifth round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
