Robert Porcher III ( /pɔːrˈʃeɪ/; born July 30, 1969) is an American former football defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina State Bulldogs, where he played under head coach Willie Jeffries. He was selected by the Lions in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. ^[1] A three-time Pro Bowl selection, he was also named first-team All-Pro thrice.

Professional career

During much of his 13-year playing career, he was one of the league's most productive and feared defensive ends. Porcher played in 187 games—third all-time in Detroit history—and set a team record with 95.5 quarterback sacks during his career. He led Detroit in sacks eight times (also a Detroit record). He also became the first Lion to record double-digit sack totals in four consecutive seasons (1996–1999).

Porcher earned trips to the Pro Bowl in 1998, 2000 and 2001. He also finished his career with 24 career games notching more than one sack. From 1996 to 2001, Porcher garnered 68 sacks during that six-year period, which was the second-highest in the NFL during that span. His 673 career tackles are ranked seventh in Detroit Lions history.

After football

Off the field, Porcher became actively involved in the community. His foundation for cancer research and relief fund raised thousands of dollars for programs at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Lions annual Man of the Year award is named the "Robert Porcher Man of the Year" in honor of his tremendous contributions to the community, especially in Detroit.

Porcher is now an entrepreneur, with various business interests, most notably in the transportation industry. ^[2] He opened 3 businesses in Downtown Detroit: Detroit Breakfast House & Grill, Sweet Georgia Brown, and Seldom Blues. ^[3] The Businesses filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009. ^[4]

NFL career statistics

External links

• Review of Porcher's restaurants

References