Anthony Zettel

Anthony Zettel
refer to caption
Zettel with the Cleveland Browns in 2019
No. 69, 97, 90, 92, 67
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1992-08-09) August 9, 1992 (age 32)
West Branch, Michigan, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High school:Ogemaw Heights
College:Penn State
NFL draft:2016 / round: 6 / pick: 202
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:76
Sacks:7.5
Forced fumbles:1
Fumble recoveries:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Anthony Joseph Zettel (born August 9, 1992) is an American former professional football defensive end. He played college football at Penn State. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Early life

Zettel attended Ogemaw Heights High School in West Branch, Michigan, where he was a first-team all-state selection as a senior. He recorded 82 solo tackles, 25 assisted tackles and dropped the quarterback in the backfield seven times as a senior.

Zettel also lettered in baseball, basketball and track & field at Ogemaw Heights. As a senior in track, he set the Michigan high school state record in the shot put with a toss of 61 feet 8 inches (18.80 meters), earning his second straight state championship and breaking both the school record (60'9") and the Division II state record (58'8"). That same year, he finished second in the discus with a heave of 175 feet 4 inches (53.44 meters).[1] He also participated in sprints, running the 100-meter dash in 11.55 seconds and helping Ogemaw's 400m sprint relay post a season-low 45.95 in 2010.[2]

Zettel was rated as a four-star recruit and was listed as the nation's No. 6 prep defensive end by Rivals.com.

College career

Zettel played inside and outside during a 2014 first-team All-Big Ten Conference season at Penn State and recorded 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three interceptions. He was moved inside in 2015 and his production dipped a bit with 47 tackles, 11 for loss, four sacks and six pass breakups.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 3+7⁄8 in
(1.93 m) 		277 lb
(126 kg) 		31+1⁄8 in
(0.79 m) 		9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		 4.81 s 1.66 s 2.78 s 4.39 s 7.63 s 30.5 in
(0.77 m)		 9 ft 1 in
(2.77 m)		 28 reps
All values from NFL Combine[3][4]

Detroit Lions

Zettel was selected in the sixth round (202nd overall) by the Detroit Lions in the 2016 NFL draft.[5] He recorded his first career sack against New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning in Week 15 of the 2016 NFL season.

On September 5, 2018, Zettel was waived by the Lions.[6]

Cleveland Browns

On September 6, 2018, Zettel was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns.[7] He was released during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019.[8]

Cincinnati Bengals

On October 17, 2019, Zettel was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals.[9] He was waived on October 21,[10] but re-signed on October 23.[11] He was waived on December 17, 2019.[12]

San Francisco 49ers (first stint)

On December 23, 2019, the San Francisco 49ers signed Zettel.[13] Zettel reached Super Bowl LIV with the 49ers, but the team was defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Minnesota Vikings

On March 25, 2020, Zettel signed with the Minnesota Vikings.[14] He was released on September 2, 2020.[15]

New Orleans Saints

On September 19, 2020, Zettel was signed to the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints practice squad.[16] He was elevated to the active roster on December 5 for the team's week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.[17] He was released on January 11, 2021,[18] but re-signed with the practice squad on January 13.[19] Zettel was released again on January 16.[20]

San Francisco 49ers (second stint)

On July 27, 2021, Zettel signed with the 49ers.[21]

On August 6, 2021, Zettel announced his retirement from professional football.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Anthony Zettel sets standard with new state record in the shot put for Ogemaw Heights".
  2. ^ "Seventy-five yard passes? 375-yard drives? 92-mph fastballs? For Penn State's Anthony Zettel, why not?".
  3. ^ "Anthony Zettel Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  4. ^ "Anthony Zettel College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  5. ^ Birkett, Dave (April 30, 2016). "Detroit Lions add Penn State, Tawas City DL Anthony Zettel". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  6. ^ "Lions awarded DE Romeo Okwara via waivers from New York Giants". www.detroitlions.com.
  7. ^ "Browns claim DL Anthony Zettel". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "Browns cut roster to 53 players". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  9. ^ "Bengals Sign Zettel, Waive Perine". Bengals.com. October 17, 2019.
  10. ^ "Bengals Waive Zettel". Bengals.com. October 21, 2019. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  11. ^ "Bengals Sign Zettel, Waive Willis". Bengals.com. October 23, 2019. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  12. ^ "Bengals Sign Brady Sheldon To Roster, Waive Anthony Zettel". Bengals.com. December 17, 2019.
  13. ^ "49ers Sign DL Anthony Zettel; Waive DL Jeremiah Valoaga". 49ers.com. December 23, 2019.
  14. ^ Peters, Craig (March 25, 2020). "Vikings Agree to Terms with Veteran DE Anthony Zettel". Vikings.com.
  15. ^ "Willekes Placed on Reserve/Injured; Roster Moves". Vikings.com. September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  16. ^ Sigler, John (September 19, 2020). "Saints practice squad adds two free agents after tryouts". Saints Wire. USA Today. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  17. ^ "New Orleans Saints announce roster moves". NewOrleansSaints.com. December 5, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  18. ^ Just, Amie (January 11, 2021). "Saints activate veteran safety D.J. Swearinger from COVID-19 list, waive Austin Carr; see all moves". NOLA.com. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  19. ^ Just, Amie (January 13, 2021). "Saints shuffle practice squad roster, release veterans K Blair Walsh, LS John Denney". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  20. ^ Johnson, Luke (January 16, 2021). "Saints make flurry of roster moves, activate WR Tre'Quan Smith off injured reserve". NOLA. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  21. ^ "49ers Announce a Series of Roster Moves ahead of the Start of Camp". 49ers.com. July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  22. ^ "49ers Sign DL Davin Bellamy; Two Players Return from Reserve/Covid-19". 49ers.com. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.