Keith Traylor Byron Keith Traylor ( born September 3 , 1969 in Little Rock , Arkansas ) is a retired American football nose tackle who played 17 seasons in the National Football League . He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft . He played college football at Central Oklahoma . Traylor has won a total of three Super Bowl rings ; he won two with the Denver Broncos and the other with the New England Patriots . Early years . Traylor was a two - time all - state and all - conference linebacker at Malvern High School in Malvern , Arkansas . He was also a standout on the basketball court and the baseball diamond , earning all - state and all - conference honors in both sports . Traylor was named Player of the Decade for the 1980s by the Arkansas Democrat - Gazette , and is second in state history for tackles in a season , amassing 231 tackles in 1985 . Traylor , who was considered one of the top ten players in the country as a senior , was one of several highly rated high school football players in Arkansas during the mid - 1980s , including standouts such as Little Rock Parkview ' s ( now named Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School ) Keith Jackson and Pine Bluff High School ' s Eric Mitchell . College career . After finishing high school as a two - time All - American , Traylor originally signed with the Oklahoma Sooners . A 6 - 3 , 250 pound linebacker who ran the 40 yard dash in 4 . 57 seconds , assistant coach Merv Johnson called Traylor a " tremendous physical specimen , " and an " exciting , high - profile recruit . " Academic problems forced Traylor to leave Oklahoma after only four months , going first to Southeastern Oklahoma State University , in Durant , Oklahoma under head coach Morris Sloan , before eventually settling at Central Oklahoma . Traylor began his collegiate career at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville , Kansas where he played two seasons ( 1987 – 88 ) under head coach Dick Foster . He was named Honorable Mention All - American as a freshman , and was a 1st Team All - American as a sophomore . In two seasons at Coffeyville he totalled 229 tackles , 14 sacks , and 9 interceptions . Traylor transferred and played two seasons at the University of Central Oklahoma . He amassed 146 tackles , five sacks , two interceptions , three forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries at Central Oklahoma . He was a first - team All - Lone Star Conference selection as a senior when he posted 79 tackles , five sacks , two interceptions and two fumble recoveries . On October 18 , 2006 , Traylor was named one of the top 75 players and coaches in the history of the Lone Star Conference to commemorate the conference ' s 75th anniversary . Professional career . First stint with Denver . Traylor was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third - round ( 61st overall ) of the 1991 NFL Draft . He started two of the 16 regular season games in which he played for Denver as a rookie , recorded 27 tackles . His first start of NFL career came against the Seattle Seahawks on September 15 when he opened at an inside linebacker spot in place of the injured Michael Brooks . Traylor responded with nine tackles in the game . He also started the following week against the San Diego Chargers and recorded ten stops . He saw action in both playoff games following the season in a reserve role . During the playoffs , he saw some time at fullback in goal - line situations . Following the season , he was an all - rookie selection by Pro Football Weekly and Football Digest . Traylor opened three of the 16 games in which he played with the Broncos in 1992 . He collected 39 tackles , a sack and a forced fumble from his linebacker spot on the season . The first sack of his professional career occurred against the Seahawks on December 20 , when he tackled quarterback Stan Gelbaugh for a 14 - yard loss . Traylor was waived by the Broncos in June 1993 . Short stops in Oakland and Green Bay . Traylor signed with the Los Angeles Raiders on July 19 , 1993 but was released just over a month later . Signed with the Green Bay Packers on September 14 and played in five games with the team , all in a reserve role . He was also inactive for one contest with the Packers . Traylor was released by the team on November 9 . Kansas City Chiefs . Traylor remained a free agent until being signed by the Kansas City Chiefs on January 5 , 1994 . He was inactive for the team ' s first - round playoff game and was waived the following week . He was re - signed by the Chiefs in May 1994 , but was released by the team on August 28 during final cutdowns and spent the entire season out of football . Traylor was once again re - signed by the Chiefs on February 28 , 1995 . Playing in the World League of American Football ( now NFL Europa ) Traylor began to add mass to his linebacker ' s body for a move to the defensive line . He started three of the eight games that he played with the Barcelona Dragons , recording 18 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries . Traylor made the Chiefs ' roster out of training camp and appeared in all 16 games in a reserve role . He was credited with 19 tackles , 1 . 5 sacks , a fumble recovery , a forced fumble and four passes defensed . His best game of the year came against the San Diego Chargers , when he recorded three tackles and a sack . Traylor played in 15 games with the Chiefs in 1996 , including one start . He notched 42 tackles , a sack , a forced fumble and a pass defensed . He also blocked a Cole Ford 43 - yard field goal attempt against the Oakland Raiders . He had a season - high six tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football , while his lone sack of the season occurred against the Detroit Lions . Second stint with Denver . In 1997 , Traylor returned to the team that drafted him six years prior , albeit this time with a much different frame and at a new position . He started all 16 regular season games after re - joining the Broncos , posting 51 tackles , two sacks , an interception and two passes defensed for a unit that ranked fifth in the NFL in overall defense ( 291 . 9 ypg ) . His sack total marked a career high and is a figure he has since equaled three times . His tackle total led all Broncos linemen . His first career interception came against the Buffalo Bills when he picked off a Todd Collins pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown , as the Broncos went on for a 23 - 20 overtime victory after not arriving in Buffalo until well after midnight the night before because of a snowstorm . Traylor also started all four playoff games following the season , registering 11 tackles , a sack and two passes defensed . He was awarded a game ball in the Broncos ’ Divisional playoff victory at Kansas City when he recorded three tackles , including two tackles for loss , just two days after his mother passed away . He registered two tackles , including a sack and a pass breakup in AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh . He posted two tackles against the Green Bay Packers on January 25 , 1998 as his team won Super Bowl XXXII . Starting 14 of the 15 games in which he played with the Broncos in 1998 , Traylor registered 49 tackles , two sacks , a fumble recovery and two passes defensed . He was part of a unit that ranked third in the NFL in rush defense ( 80 . 4 ypg ) . He was inactive for one game in September with a sprained ankle . Traylor started each of Denver ’ s three playoff games , including the team ' s Super Bowl XXXIII victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Miami , Florida . He totaled six tackles and a pass defensed in the playoffs . In 1999 , Traylor started all 15 games that he played with Denver . He collected 42 tackles , 1 . 5 sacks , two forced fumbles and a career - high six passes defensed . His lone full sack of the season came against the Detroit Lions , while he forced fumbles against the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers . In what would be his final season as a Bronco , Traylor started all 16 regular season games and recorded a career - high 53 total tackles . He also added one sack , a fumble recovery , two forced fumbles and four passes defensed . His tackle total led all Denver linemen . Over a five - game span during the year , registered 23 tackles , including six against the New England Patriots , one of which was a sack . He had a fumble recovery and forced fumble against the San Diego Chargers on November 19 . Chicago Bears . Traylor joined the Chicago Bears as an unrestricted free agent in 2001 and went on to start 15 of the 16 games in which he appeared . He notched 45 tackles , two sacks , an interception , two forced fumbles and four passes defensed . He was part of a defensive unit that ranked second in the NFL , as they allowed an average of only 82 . 1 yards rushing per contest . Traylor and fellow big man Ted Washington controlled the middle of the field , allowing young star linebacker Brian Urlacher to roam the field and make plays practically unchallenged . Traylor ' s second career interception came in the season finale against Jacksonville , when he picked off a Mark Brunell pass and returned it 67 yards to the Jaguars ’ 9 , setting up a Bears touchdown two plays afterward in a 33 - 13 victory . He started the team ' s Divisional Playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles and was credited with four tackles and a pass defended . In 2002 , Traylor started all 15 games that he played with the Bears . He registered 41 tackles , a sack , a forced fumble and two passes defensed . He posted a season - high five tackles and registers his only sack against the St . Louis Rams in a Monday night game . Traylor started all ten games in which he played with Chicago in 2003 , recording 18 tackles , a forced fumble and three passes defensed . He was inactive for six contests ( Weeks 4 - 8 , 15 ) . New England Patriots . Traylor joined the New England Patriots in 2004 and went on to start 10 of the 16 regular season games at nose tackle . He posted 33 tackles on the year and was part of a unit that ranked sixth in the NFL in rush defense , allowing an average of only 98 . 3 yards per game . He started each of the final ten regular season games and opened two of three postseason contests . He recorded two tackles in the playoffs , including one in Super Bowl XXXIX as the Patriots beat the Eagles and Traylor earned his third Super Bowl ring . He ended up wearing number 98 because his teammate of the New England Patriots Ty Warren took his number 94 . Miami Dolphins . Traylor joined the Miami Dolphins in 2005 , as the team needed a nose tackle after then - head coach Nick Saban began to implement a hybrid defense that used the 3 - 4 on occasion . He started all 13 games in which he played and was inactive for three contests with a knee injury . He tallied 40 tackles , a pair of sacks and two passes defensed on the year . His sack total tied a personal single - season high that he achieved on three previous occasions ( 1997 , 1998 , 2001 ) . He was part of a defensive line that allowed a 3 . 7 - yard average per rush attempt , a figure that ranked fourth in the AFC and seventh in the NFL . He underwent surgery on December 6 to remove debris in his right knee , and was inactive for two games before returning to starting lineup for final two games . The season finale marked his 200th career regular season game . For the 2006 season , Traylor had 36 tackles and has four sacks for 18 yards in losses . He was placed on Injured Reserve on December 30 with a knee injury , missing the last game of the season . Before going on IR he started 14 games during the year and was inactive once due to knee problems . Traylor ' s four sacks on the season represented a single season career high , surpassing his previous single season high of two sacks , which he accomplished four times ( 1997 , 1998 , 2001 , and 2005 ) . With six sacks in his last 21 regular season games ( all with Miami ) , Traylor has accounted for almost half the number of sacks in those 21 games as he recorded in the first 193 games of his career . An unrestricted free agent in the 2007 offseason , Traylor was re - signed by the Dolphins to a two - year deal on March 8 . It was previously believed that Fred Evans was the favorite to replace Traylor at nose tackle in 2007 before the veteran re - signed . After a confrontation with teammate Vernon Carey before the final game of the 2007 season , Traylor was kicked off the Dolphins by then - coach Cam Cameron . On February 11 , 2008 , Traylor was one of nine players released by the Dolphins . Personal . Traylor and his wife Krista have one son , Brandon . He currently resides in Broken Arrow , Oklahoma .