Brendon Ayanbadejo Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo ( ; born September 6 , 1976 ) is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 1999 . He played college football for the UCLA Bruins . Ayanbadejo has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times as a special teams player . He also was named to the All - Pro team two times as special teams player by Pro Football Weekly / Pro Football Writers Association . He has also been a member of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins in the NFL , the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe , and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers , Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League ( CFL ) . He is the younger brother of fullback and former teammate Obafemi Ayanbadejo . Early years . Ayanbadejo was born in Chicago to a Nigeria n father and an American mother of Irish descent . He has one older brother , Obafemi Ayanbadejo , also a professional football player . Shortly after his birth the family moved to Nigeria , but after his parents separated he returned to the United States with his mother , settling in Chicago and then Santa Cruz , California . He attended Santa Cruz High School . College career . For college Ayanbadejo enrolled at the University of California , Los Angeles , where he played college football for the UCLA Bruins . He was first - team all - Pac - 10 his senior season with four sacks against arch - rival USC ' s Carson Palmer . He majored in history . Professional career . Early career . Ayanbadejo was originally signed by the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League as an undrafted free agent on April 23 , 1999 . He entered the draft 5 times before he was picked up by the Falcons . He served on the practice squad of the Falcons and the Chicago Bears before being picked up by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in 2000 , and spent time with them and the Toronto Argonauts . He played the 2001 season with the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe , and played for the BC Lions of the CFL in 2002 . For September 2002 , the CFL named Ayanbadejo the Defensive Player of the Month for recording two interceptions , six special team tackles , 21 defensive tackles , one pass deflected , and two recovered fumbles . Miami Dolphins . In 2003 he returned to the NFL as a member of the Miami Dolphins . In 2004 , Ayanbadejo made a play that led to one of the biggest upset comebacks in Monday Night Football history . While getting sacked , New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw the ball up for grabs . Ayanbadejo caught it for the interception , and the Dolphins went on to win the game by one point . Chicago Bears . During the 2005 offseason , Ayanbadejo was traded to the Chicago Bears . Ayanbadejo was selected to consecutive Pro Bowl s as a special teamer in 2006 , 2007 , and with the Ravens in 2008 . Second stint with Baltimore Ravens . On March 6 , 2008 , Ayanbadejo signed a four - year , $ 4 . 9 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens . The contract included a $ 1 . 9 million signing bonus . He again made the Pro Bowl that season for his special teams contributions . In 2009 , Ayanbadejo began to contribute more on the Ravens defense . In week three against the Cleveland Browns , Ayanbadejo recorded six tackles , one of which was for a loss , a sack , and an interception . For his effort , he was awarded AFC Defensive Player of the Week ( Week 3 ) . In week 4 against the Patriots , Brendon tore a quadriceps muscle . He said after the game he could miss the rest of the year , and was placed on the Injured Reserve list two days later . On October 24 , 2011 in a game of Monday night football , Ayanbadejo was ejected from the game for striking Jacksonville Jaguars Offensive lineman Guy Whimper in the face . Becoming Super Bowl Champion . In 2013 Brendon Ayanbadejo won the AFC championship playing for Baltimore Ravens against the New England Patriots . The Ravens went on to play Super Bowl XLVII on 2 / 3 / 13 against the San Francisco 49ers and won 34 - 31 , becoming Super Bowl champions . Personal . He is the younger brother of free agent fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo . The two were teammates on the Miami Dolphins in 2003 . They were on the same team again in 2007 , this time the Chicago Bears . Obafemi Ayanbadejo was cut by the Chicago Bears on October 1 , 2007 , after the fullback finished serving his four - game suspension for violating the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances . Ayanbadejo wrote for the " Santa Cruz Sentinel " his first couple of years in the NFL . He has advocated for the passage of the FIT Kids Act , federal legislation that would require school districts to report on students ' physical activity and to give youngsters health and nutritional information . Ayanbedejo is married , has a daughter , Anaya Lee Ayanbadejo , born in August 2006 and a son , Amadeus Prime Ayanbadejo , born in April 2011 . Since 2009 , Ayanbedejo has advocated for legalizing same - sex marriage . His advocacy rather suddenly became a cause célèbre in September 2012 , after Maryland State Delegate Emmett C . Burns , Jr . wrote an August 29 , 2012 letter to Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti , on official Maryland State letterhead , demanding that Bisciotti " take the necessary action . . . to inhibit such expressions from your employee . " Burns ' letter went on to state that , " I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr . Ayanbadejo is doing . " Burns ' letter was widely criticized as an effort to infringe on Ayanbadejo ' s right to free speech . According to " The Washington Post " , the Ravens acknowledged receiving the letter but had no further comment . Shortly after the Burns letter was delivered , Ayanbedejo publicly announced that , as the son of interracial parents whose own marriage would have been illegal in 16 states prior to the U . S . Supreme Court ' s landmark " Loving v . Virginia " decision in 1967 , he had no intention of remaining silent on an issue of conscience and public importance . Ayanbadejo has since said that he has received widespread support in the world of football . Among others , Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe wrote a scathing response to Burns , while the Ravens also publicly sided with Ayanbadejo . In February 2013 , Ayanbadejo and Kluwe filed a joint amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of same - sex marriage , particularly in the case dealing with California Proposition 8 .