Terry Wooden: From NFL Linebacker To Trusted College Scout
Discover the journey of Terry Wooden, a standout Syracuse linebacker who played nine NFL seasons and became a respected scout for the Saints and Bills. Learn about his impact on and off the field.
Jul 24, 202531.2K Shares600.8K Views
Biography
Terry Wooden(born January 14, 1967 in Hartford, Connecticut) played linebacker for nine seasons in the NFL, mainly with the Seattle Seahawks, followed by a year with the Kansas City Chiefs and a final season with the Oakland Raiders.
He attended Farmington High School in Connecticut, where he captained the football team and earned honors as running back, linebacker, and track sprinter. He then played college football at Syracuse University, where he became a standout. Wooden started all four years, setting school records with 23 sacks and 278 tackles, and was named AP Third‑team All‑America in 1989.
Drafted in the second round (29th overall) by the Seahawks in 1990, he led the team in total tackles in both 1991 and 1995, and led the NFL in solo tackles in 1995 with 114, earning the Seattle Steve Largent Award. He also served as a team captain that same season. Over seven seasons with Seattle, Wooden recorded six interceptions, five forced fumbles, and nine career fumble recoveries, tied for eighth in franchise history.
Following his time in Seattle, Wooden spent one season each with the Chiefs and the Raiders, finishing his playing career in 1998 with a total of 700 tackles, 10 sacks, and 7 interceptions.
After retiring, he moved into scouting. In June 2003, he joined the Buffalo Bills as an area scout. He later joined the New Orleans Saints, where he served as area scout and then national scout, combining over ten years of playing experience with nearly two decades evaluating college talent.
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