Tom Zbikowski
Tom Zbikowski was born in Park Ridge, Illinois, United States on May 22nd, 1985 and is the Football Player. At the age of 38, Tom Zbikowski biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 38 years old, Tom Zbikowski has this physical status:
Thomas Michael Zbikowski (born May 22, 1985) is a former American footballer who plays for England.
He is also a professional boxer.
In the third round (86th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens.
He received All-American recognition for playing college football for the University of Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007. Zbikowski has also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.
Early years
Thomas Michael Zbikowski was born in Park Ridge, Illinois, on May 22, 1985, when he was the youngest of four children born to Edmund Richard Zbikowski and Susan Lois (née Schatz) Zbikowski. Kristen and Edmund Joseph "E.J." are his siblings. He is of Polish descent on his father's side of the family and of German descent on his mother's side of the family. He grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He attended Greenbrier Elementary School and Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, as well as high school at Buffalo Grove High School in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. In 2003, he graduated from Buffalo Grove. During elementary and middle school, he played youth football with the Buffalo Grove Bills and the Bensenville Bandits. He played quarterback at Buffalo Grove, setting school records in scoring (202 total points), and rushing (2357 yards, 8.4 average, 32 tds) before becoming a defensive back.
College career
Zbikowski played college football at Notre Dame. He made his debut as a sophomore in 2004, appearing in all 12 games and finished fourth best on the team with 70 total tackles (37 solo, 33 assisted) and two forced fumbles. He was named Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 following his performance at Michigan State as he had a team-high nine tackles, forced a fumble and returned it for a 75-yard TD and recorded his first career interception.
Zbikowski broke out as one of college football's best utility players during his junior season, excelling as a safety and a return man. Zbikowski accounted for four touchdowns (two interception returns and two punt returns) in 12 games played. He finished fourth on the team with 71 total tackles and led the defense with five interceptions while leading the Irish to the Fiesta Bowl. Following the seasons, Zbikowski earned Third-Team Associated Press All-America honors.
He served as 2006 team captain alongside Brady Quinn and Travis Thomas and was selected to the second-team All-American squad by the Walter Camp Football Foundation after helping the Irish earn a bid in the Sugar Bowl. Zbikowski was also named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press and was a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's best defensive back. He ended the year with 79 tackles, recovered a fumble for a touchdown against Penn State, and recorded his third career punt return touchdown with 52-yard return against North Carolina.
Zbikowski returned to Notre Dame for his fifth year in 2007, recording a career-high 80 total tackles with a pair of interceptions and fumble recoveries. He continued to shine as a return man, racking up 234 return yards on punts. He graduated in May with degrees in sociology and computer applications.
Professional career
Zbikowski was selected with the 86th overall pick in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He made the team and played four seasons for Baltimore as a defensive back and kick returner. He appeared in 56 games for the Ravens, including 14 starts as a safety. He made his professional debut on September 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals, posting his first career tackle on special teams during a 17-10 win. He had two interceptions in 2009, and helped as a returner. He declared free agency after the 2011 season.
Zbikowski signed with the Indianapolis Colts on March 16, 2012. He was the Colts' regular starting strong safety until he was injured during the 12th game of the season, missing the rest of the regular season. He did return for a Wild Card playoff game. The Colts lost that game 24-9 to Zbikowski's old team, the Baltimore Ravens. Indianapolis released him on March 15, 2013.
On March 23, 2013, Zbikowski was signed by the Chicago Bears to a one-year deal worth $715,000, but was released on August 25 during training camp.
On September 10, 2013, Zbikowski was suspended by the National Football League for four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. He later stated that the banned substance was a diuretic he took to lose weight. In November 2013, he told David Haugh of the Baltimore Sun: "I don't want that label of a guy who took a PED because as much as I'm a hustler, I don't like cheating, I never even thought about that. I don't take protein shakes. I drink coffee, green tea and eat food. That's what I've done my whole life.
The suspension proved to be a moot point because Zbikowski retired from the NFL. He explained, "Football got old to me…I enjoyed my first two years in the NFL because it was a challenge. I was playing with the best. But after a while you don't care whether you win or lose because you're still getting a paycheck. I enjoyed high school and college much more."
In 2015, Zbikowski completed fire academy training and joined the Chicago Fire Department. He is no longer a member of the Fire Department as of 2019.