Eduardo Castañeda

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Castañeda and the second or maternal family name is Menchaca.
Eduardo Castañeda
No. 52, 43
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1983-01-19) 19 January 1983 (age 41)
Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
College:ITESM Monterrey (2003–2006)
Undrafted:2007
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
  • 3× ONEFA champion (2004–2006)

Eduardo Jesús Castañeda Menchaca[1] (born 19 January 1983) is a Mexican former gridiron football linebacker.

Castañeda played college football for the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey, leading the team to three consecutive ONEFA national championships from 2004 to 2006. He began his professional career in 2007, playing one season in NFL Europe with the Rhein Fire before spending time on the practice squads of the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Castañeda also played in the Indoor Football League with the Green Bay Blizzard in 2011, as well as subsequent comebacks with the Dinos de Saltillo and the Parrilleros de Monterrey in Mexico.

Early life

Castañeda was born on 19 January 1983 in the border city of Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico.[2] He began playing American football at the age of 10 with Club Vaqueros de Ciudad Acuña, winning several championships as one of the most competitive teams in AFAINC.[1][2] Castañeda later returned to the Vaqueros organization as a coach in 2020.[2]

College career

Castañeda attended the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), where he played college football for the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey in ONEFA from 2003 to 2006 under legendary coach Frank González.[3] He began his college career at the safety position but was converted to a linebacker.[3] Castañeda helped lead the team to three consecutive ONEFA national championships from 2004 to 2006.[3][4] He was also selected to represent Team Mexico in the Aztec Bowl in 2005 and 2006.[5]

Castañeda credited the Monterrey coaches with teaching him the English terminology that he would later use during his pro career.[6] He graduated with a Licentiate degree in international trade.[2][4]

Professional career

Rhein Fire

Castañeda decided to forego his final year of college eligibility, signing with NFL Europe team Rhein Fire in 2007 as an international prospect.[3][7] In his first game as a pro, he logged three tackles against the Berlin Thunder.[8] He played in 10 games in his lone season with the Fire, recording 10 tackles on defense and five on special teams.

Houston Texans

In July 2007, Castañeda was assigned to the Houston Texans practice squad as part of the NFL International Development Practice Squad Program.[9][10] As a participant in the program, his spot was guaranteed throughout the regular season and did not count against the eight-player practice squad limit.[10]

In the 2008 offseason, Castañeda focused on improving his speed and his footwork to better adjust to NFL gameplay.[11]

Arizona Cardinals

In his second year in the International Development Practice Squad Program, Castañeda joined the Arizona Cardinals practice squad for the 2008 season.[1][12] His former college teammate, Rolando Cantú, had previously become the first player from a Mexican university to play an NFL regular-season game when he appeared for the Cardinals in 2005.[12]

The Cardinals reached Super Bowl XLIII that year, with Castañeda traveling to Tampa, Florida to support his teammates.[13] The team lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–23. However, Castañeda was heavily sought after by the Latino media on Media Day, with his teammates teasing that he was more famous than Kurt Warner.[14][15] He also received a National Football Conference championship ring in the offseason.[7]

Castañeda continued training for the 2009 season, though he was not offered a contract.[16] He was reported to have signed a free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns in July 2010.[16] However, he did not join the team for preseason.

Comebacks

Castañeda played with the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League in 2011.[4][17]

Castañeda was selected by the Dinos de Saltillo of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) in the fifth round of the 2017 LFA draft.[4] He practiced with the team but left before appearing in a game for personal reasons.[18]

Castañeda returned again in 2022 with the Parrilleros de Monterrey, an expansion team in the Fútbol Americano de México league.[19][20] He helped the team to a 28–9 win over the Caudillos de Chihuahua in the season opener for their historic first victory.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c González, Cristyan (July 19, 2008). "Acuñense va a la NFL y lo festejan, será parte de los Cardenales de Arizona". Zocalo.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d González, Cristyan (April 7, 2020). "Regresa ' Bibi' a los Vaqueros". Zócalo Piedras Negras (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via PressReader.
  3. ^ a b c d Moreno, Sebastián (January 20, 2009). "Un borrego muy súper". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  4. ^ a b c d Bautista, Israel D. (December 19, 2016). "Refuerzo exNFL llega a los Dinos". Vanguardia.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  5. ^ González, Cristyan (January 28, 2009). "Un acuñense en el Super Bowl". Zocalo.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  6. ^ Aburto, Ivis (August 15, 2007). "Agradece su inglés". Reforma (in Spanish). Retrieved February 15, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  7. ^ a b "Eduardo Castañeda tendrá anillo de campeón". Zocalo.com.mx (in Spanish). July 28, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  8. ^ Moreno, Sebastián (April 18, 2007). "Otro en la mira". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  9. ^ Carvajal, Jesús (April 18, 2007). "Con el sueño de quedarse". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  10. ^ a b "Texans sign McCardell, Castañeda" (Press release). Houston Texans. July 27, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  11. ^ Carvajal, Jesús (July 16, 2008). "A capturar contrato". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  12. ^ a b "Cards Go International" (Press release) (in Spanish). Arizona Cardinals. June 16, 2008. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  13. ^ Moreno, Sebastián (January 21, 2009). "Un mexicano al Super Tazón". Reforma (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  14. ^ "Fuera estrés". Reforma (in Spanish). January 28, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  15. ^ "Le roba el 'Bibis' cámara a Wagner [sic]". Metro Monterrey (in Spanish). January 28, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  16. ^ a b Moreno, Sebastián (July 5, 2010). "Se pinta de café". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved February 15, 2023 – via vLex México. (registration required)
  17. ^ "Blizzard roster". Green Bay Press-Gazette. March 11, 2011. p. 20. Retrieved February 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Alvarado, Gerardo (March 8, 2017). "¿Y los refuerzos, 'Apá'?". Zocalo.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  19. ^ Parrilleros Football [@ParrillerosFBA] (December 29, 2021). "¡Te presentamos al primer integrante de nuestro Roster 2022! Eduardo "Bibi" Castañeda, Linebacker Ex-NFL y Ex-Borrego Salvaje -Cardenales de Arizona NFL -Texanos de Houston NFL -Rhein Fire NFL Europa #ParrillerosMonterrey #DueñosDelEmparrillado #FAMYOX" (Tweet). Retrieved February 15, 2023 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Santillán, Daniel (April 29, 2022). "Aparecen los Parrilleros". Telediario.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  21. ^ "Parrilleros MTY logran debut imponente sobre Caudillos Chihuahua". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). April 29, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2023.