Ryan Winterswyk Ryan Winterswyk ( born February 10 , 1987 ) is a former American football tight end . He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2011 . He played college football at Boise State . Despite beginning his college football careers as a walk on , he was selected as a first - team All - WAC player three consecutive years and was selected as the Most Valuable Defensive Player for the 2008 and 2009 Boise State teams that were undefeated in the regular season . Boise State . From walk on to All - Decade Team . Winterswyk attended high school in La Habra , California . Despite having 150 tackles as a senior at La Habra High School , Winterswyk " got little love from recruiters . " He considered playing in junior college when the secondary coach from Boise State University suggested he enroll there , but as a walk on with no scholarship . He followed that suggestion and enrolled at Boise State in 2007 . He was a walk on at the safety position in January 2007 . He was a four - year starter on defense for the Boise State Broncos football team from 2007 to 2010 . He was selected as a first - team All - WAC player three consecutive years ( 2008 , 2009 , and 2010 ) and was a key defensive player for Boise State teams that compiled an overall record of 38 – 2 from 2008 to 2010 , including an undefeated 14 – 0 record in 2009 . He was a defensive starter in 43 games for Boise State from 2007 to 2010 . Despite his original walk - on status , Winterswyk is acknowledged as " one of the best defensive ends in school history . " 2007 season . As a red - shirt freshman in 2007 , he led the team with nine tackles for loss and was selected as an honorable mention Freshman All - American by " The Sporting News " . 2008 season . As a sophomore in 2008 , he was selected as a first - team All - WAC player and was named the Co - Most Valuable Defensive Player on a Boise State team that compiled a 12 - 0 record in the regular season and was ranked third in the country in scoring defense ( allowing only 12 . 6 points per game ) . 2009 season . As a junior in 2009 , Winterswyk was placed on both the Lott and Lombardi Award watch lists . He received his second consecutive first - team All - WAC honor and was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player on a Boise State team that compiled a perfect 14 - 0 record . In January 2011 , he was named to the WAC All - Decade Team for the 2000s . Cover of " Sports Illustrated " . After its 14 - 0 finish in 2009 , " Sports Illustrated " picked Boise State as a contender for the national championship . In the August 2010 issue announcing its pre - season picks , a photograph of Winterswyk and two other players appeared on the magazine ' s cover . In its feature story on the rise of Boise State , " Sports Illustrated " devoted four paragraphs to Winterswyk . The article noted : Winterswyk has gone from walk - on to four - year starter . His 19 career sacks include a clutch fourth - quarter takedown of Dalton in the Fiesta Bowl . Once a clueless freshman who struggled to master a three - point stance , he ' s now the star of a defense returning 10 starters . His rapid ascent embodies the Boise State program , which in 15 seasons has risen from I - AA to serial BCS buster . " The Orange County Register " took note of Winterswyk ' s fame : " Ryan Winterswyk , a 2005 La Habra High School grad , graces the cover of the Aug . 16 Sports Illustrated , and is also featured in an article on the inside pages . " In an interview with the " Los Angeles Times " , Winterswyk credited the players who laid the foundation for Boise State ' s development and noted his desire to meet expectations : " You don ' t want to be on the cover of SI and then go blow it all . " In an on - line edition in October 2010 , SI . com again published a photograph of Winterswyk with the caption : " Ryan Winterswyk and Boise State rank No . 1 nationally in total defense , rushing defense and pass - efficiency defense . " 2010 season . As a senior in 2010 , Winterswyk was slowed early in the season by a knee injury that required him to undergo surgery . However , he remained such a dominant defensive player that opposing coaches regularly assigned two players to block him . He started all 12 games at defensive end for Boise State and received his third consecutive first - team All - WAC honor . Winterswyk was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy , given to outstanding college football players who began their careers as a walk - on . He was also invited to play in the annual East - West Shrine Game in January 2011 in Orlando , Florida . Professional career . Atlanta Falcons . Winterswyk was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent following the 2011 NFL Draft on July 27 , 2011 . The Falcons converted him to tight end after playing defensive end at Boise State . He was released during final cuts on September 3 , 2011 . He spent the final five weeks of the season on the team ' s practice squad before being re - signed to the active roster following the season . He announced his retirement from the NFL on April 30 , 2012 .