Travis Claridge

Travis Claridge
	Claridge during his tenure at USC.
No. 71
Position:	Offensive guard
Personal information
Born:	March 23, 1978; Detroit, Michigan,U.S.
Died:	February 28, 2006(aged 27); Las Vegas,Nevada,U.S.
Height:	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:	300 lb (136 kg)
Career information
High school:	Vancouver (WA) Fort Vancouver
College:	Southern California
NFL draft:	2000/ Round: 2 / Pick: 37
Career history
	Atlanta Falcons(2000–2003); Carolina Panthers(2004); Hamilton Tiger-Cats(2005);
Career highlights and awards
	Third-teamAll-American(1999); Morris Trophy(1999); 2× First-teamAll-Pac-10(1998,1999);
	Player stats atPFR

Travis Claridge(March 23, 1978 – February 28, 2006) was anAmerican football offensive linemanin theNational Football League(NFL). He played for theAtlanta Falconsbetween 2000 and 2003 and for theCarolina Panthersin 2004.

Early life[edit]

Travis Claridge was born inDetroit, Michiganand grew up inAlmont, Michigan.His dad coached football at Almont H.S. When he was in the 4th grade he moved with his dad to California. Then as a 7th grader Travis and his dad moved toVancouver, Washington.Travis went toFort Vancouver High School.In 1995, he became the number one offensive lineman in the country and the number two high school football player in the nation. He chose the Trojans of theUniversity of Southern Californiaover 60-plus schools.

College career[edit]

Claridge started 48 games forUSCand the first to do so as a true freshman in college football and was voted thePac-10top offensive linesman in 1999. Started in both theSenior BowlandEast-West Shrine Game.He won theMorris Trophyas the Pac-10s top lineman.

Professional career[edit]

After being selected by theAtlanta Falconsin the second round of the2000 NFL Draft,he started for 62 games in his first four seasons.^[1]However, a knee injury limited him to 6 games in the 2003 and the Falcons did not extend his contract.

Although he signed with theCarolina Panthersas a free agent in 2004, he was cut during training camp. In 2005, Claridge played two games at the right tackle position with theHamilton Tiger-Catsin theCanadian Football League.He played brilliantly in his debut and was voted MVP of the game. It was the first time any player in his first CFL game was voted player of the game. He was injured in his second game and did not play again.

Death[edit]

After being found unconscious at his home inLas Vegas,Nevada,he was transported toSaint Rose Dominican HospitalinHendersonwhere he later died atage 27.TheCanadian Broadcasting Corporationreported on 10 May 2006 that the cause of death was acutepneumonia,exacerbated byrespiratory depressionbrought on byintoxicationwith thepainkiller oxycodone [1].

References[edit]

^"2000 NFL Draft Listing".Pro-Football-Reference.RetrievedMarch 19,2023.

External links[edit]

[1] "2000 NFL Draft Listing".Pro-Football-Reference.RetrievedMarch 19,2023.

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