Brady Poppinga Brady Paul Poppinga ( born September 21 , 1979 ) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft . He played college football at BYU . Early years . Poppinga attended Evanston High School in Evanston , Wyoming . He lettered three years in football and basketball and four years in track , and was an All - State selection at both linebacker and tight end . He was named both 4 - A lineman and Wyoming Athlete of the Year as a senior while leading the team to a 9 – 1 record and a 4 - A state title . In 1995 , he earned the Eagle Scout honor . Poppinga also finished second in a 1997 high school discus competition . College career . After graduating from high school , Poppinga served a two - year Mormon mission in Uruguay and enrolled at Brigham Young University in 2001 . Poppinga quickly earned a place on the Cougar roster . He played in all 12 games of the 2001 season at defensive end , recording 10 tackles , a fumble recovery , and one pass defensed on the season . Poppinga also made a significant contribution on special teams . Poppinga ' s performance as a freshman gave him even more playing time in the 2002 season , including two starts and playing time in all 12 contests . He responded with a conference - leading eight sacks , and was named to the first - team All - MWC and as an MWC All - Academic selection . Poppinga also forced three fumble s and had three quarterback pressures on the season . He was also given an award for the top defensive lineman on the BYU Cougars . Poppinga started all 12 contests at defensive end in the 2003 season . He led the team and finished seventh in the conference in sacks with six , and was among the top players in the conference in tackles with 55 ( 34 solo ) and once again earned All - MWC honors . One of his most notable games of the season was a September 6 contest against the Trojans of USC , in which he earned co - defensive player of the game honors for a six tackle performance that included five solo tackles and a sack of star USC quarterback Matt Leinart . In 2004 Poppinga started every game of his senior season , shifting near the end of the season from defensive end to outside linebacker . He finished third on the team in tackles with 79 ( 35 solo ) , also accumulating six sacks and one forced fumble , and for the third time in his career was selected for first - team All - MWC honors . Poppinga was also a candidate among 58 others for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the nation ' s top defensive player . He was named defensive player of the game for a September 4 contest against Notre Dame in which he posted 12 tackles ( seven solo ) , a sack , a forced fumble and a fumble recovery . Professional career . Green Bay Packers . Poppinga entered the National Football League on April 24 , 2005 , when he was selected in the fourth round ( 125th overall selection ) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers . On July 26 , 2005 Poppinga signed a four - year $ 2 . 4 million contract with the Packers . The Packers were excited about Poppinga ' s speed and skills as a pass rushing linebacker . However , Poppinga suffered a hamstring injury during training camp , forcing him to miss three preseason games . Because of the injury , he was unable to compete for a starting position at outside linebacker for the 2005 NFL season , and took a backup role , occasionally playing as part of a deep linebacker corps also featuring Na ' il Diggs , Roy Manning , Robert Thomas and Paris Lenon . Poppinga contributed most significantly to the 2005 season with his high - energy play as a coverage man on special teams plays , posting a team - high 22 special teams tackles through the Packers ' first 13 contests . Though Poppinga never started at linebacker in 2005 , he saw more and more playing time through the season due both to injuries suffered by the starting players and because of his ability as a pass - rusher . This special pass - rushing role played to Poppinga ' s strengths and allowed him to post two sacks during the 2005 season . His best single - game performance was an October 23 contest against Minnesota , in which he accumulated five tackles ( 3 solo ) and one sack of Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper . Green Bay ' s coaching staff was impressed by Poppinga ' s high motor and relentlessness on every play . He displayed both in one of the few Packer victories of the season , a 33 – 25 contest against the Atlanta Falcons . Though the play resulted in an Atlanta touchdown , Poppinga displayed his range and quickness by nearly running down superstar quarterback Michael Vick on a one - yard scramble into the end - zone . Poppinga ' s pursuit forced Vick to stretch the play all the way to the right sideline , and only Vick ' s speed allowed him to dive past Poppinga and over the end zone pylon . The fact that Poppinga had begun the play at the left side of the formation displayed his unrelenting attitude and sharp instincts . In August 2006 packers ' linebackers coach Winston Moss said " I ' ll bet he sleeps with his eyes open , " , referring to Poppinga ' s endless energy . Poppinga ' s season was cut short by an ACL tear on December 11 in a game against the Detroit Lions . He received surgery for the injury on December 26 , and participated in the August 2006 training camp . Though some athletes who suffer this particular injury never regain their former speed or mobility , doctors who performed surgery on Poppinga and those working on his rehabilitation were optimistic about his chances for a full recovery . Poppinga won a starting job despite limited action in training camp due to his continuing rehabilitation from injury in 2006 . He played at strong side linebacker in the 2006 season opener , alongside fellow linebackers Nick Barnett and A . J . Hawk . In his fifth start of the 2007 season , during a 27 – 20 loss to the Chicago Bears on October 7 , 2007 Poppinga intercepted a Brian Griese pass in the fourth quarter , extending the streak of at least one Packer interception per game for the 11th consecutive game . This matched the longest streak in team history , which occurred during an 11 game stretch in 1984 – 1985 . On July 24 , 2008 , the Packers signed Poppinga to a five - year $ 17 million extension that runs through the 2012 season . Poppinga was scheduled to make $ 927 , 000 in 2008 under the terms of the four - year deal he signed in 2005 . According to his agent four years were added beyond this year . In 2008 Poppinga played all 16 games with 12 starts and recorded 68 tackles . Poppinga was released on July 28 , 2011 . St . Louis Rams . On August 2 , 2011 , Poppinga signed with the St . Louis Rams . Dallas Cowboys . On November 25 , 2012 , Poppinga signed with the Dallas Cowboys . Personal . Poppinga comes from a very athletic family . His father , Dennis , played as a tight end at BYU from 1968 to 1971 ; his brother Casey played the same position at Utah State University and appeared on the practice squads of the Seattle Seahawks , the Kansas City Chiefs , and the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2004 NFL season ; his brother Kelly played linebacker at BYU , signed with the St . Louis Rams , and now is the linebackers coach at BYU ; and his older sister Tara played volleyball at Utah State . Poppinga received a bachelor ' s degree in business management at BYU . While in college he did some work as a motivational speaker at a school for troubled teenagers , and taught Sunday school in his church organization in Provo , Utah . He is bilingual ( English and Spanish ) as a result of his missionary experience in Uruguay . He married Brooke Hubbard in 2002 ; the couple has a daughter , Jasmine , 6 , and a son , Julius Maximus , 4 On February 15 , 2008 , Poppinga appeared with Senator Barack Obama in support of his presidential campaign in Green Bay , Wisconsin . Charity . Poppinga was the Packers ' 2007 nominee , and one of 32 finalists , for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award , honoring contributions for both humanitarianism and performance on the field . Poppinga is extremely involved with his church . He postponed his college football career for two seasons while serving as a missionary in Uruguay , South America . He currently acts as a youth leader , giving hour - long motivational and moral lessons weekly as well as supporting other youth activities . He has given a fireside on faith , family and football , an event that was open to the entire community . Poppinga has supported the Boy Scouts of America by way of a public service announcement , for which he recorded both an English and Spanish version . In the same way , he has lent his support to the American Family Insurance Military Cap Campaign by shooting various promos . Poppinga also recorded an intro for one of the units included in the Green Bay Packers Fit Kids program . He was a participant in the All - Pro Dad event , encouraging fathers to become more involved in their children ' s lives . Poppinga has hosted a football camp , " The Poppinga Football Experience , " in Utah , as well as a charity fundraiser football camp in Wyoming for a Children ' s Hospital . He has served as an instructor in several other football camps . In addition , he has supported his coach ' s and teammates ' fundraising efforts through participation in Mark Tauscher ' s Trifecta Foundation Annual Golf Outing , the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation Annual Celebrity Softball Game , the Donald Driver Foundation Dinner , and the Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin Green and Gold Gala , an annual event hosted by Coach Mike McCarthy Poppinga has made various monetary donations to the community and beyond . He donated hundreds of dollars worth of new toys to a local nursery , as well as autographed items to an event that benefited the memorial of a fallen Green Bay Fire Fighter . He donated items to the Los Angeles Fire Department , where his brother - in - law is a fire fighter , as a contribution to a fundraiser that benefited victims of 9 / 11 . Through the Fistula Foundation , he paid for surgeries of two women in Ethiopia , and through the Invisible Children Foundation , he purchased school supplies for students in Uganda . He also supported Amnesty International to assist in the case of someone who was unfairly imprisoned .