Gabe Carimi Gabe Carimi ( ; born June 13 , 1988 ) is an American football offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League ( NFL ) . Carimi had 49 starts at left tackle in his four - year Wisconsin Badgers college career , which culminated at the 2011 Rose Bowl . He was awarded the 2010 Outland Trophy , as the nation ' s top collegiate interior lineman . He was also a unanimous All - American , and the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year . Carimi was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round , 29th overall pick , of the 2011 NFL Draft . He began the 2011 season as the Bears ' starting right tackle . Carimi was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on June 9 , 2013 . He signed with the Falcons in 2014 . Early years . Carimi was born in Lake Forest , Illinois . He attended Monona Grove High School in Monona , Wisconsin . He started there as a , freshman . He grew into his body , worked on his flexibility , and developed his athleticism by becoming a karate black belt . He credits his karate training with laying a foundation for his later discipline , improving his flexibility , and helping him develop the hand coordination and hand placement he uses as a football player . He was on the high school ' s track team . Seeded 15th in the state in discus as a senior , he placed 5th in the 2006 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association track and field Division 1 discus championships , at . He earned four letters in track , and was team captain in his senior year . Carimi also played football for the high school ' s Silver Eagles . Playing both offensive and defensive tackle , he lettered for four years . In 2005 , the Silver Eagles ran behind him 70 % of the time when he was at offensive tackle , while as a defensive end he had five sacks . He was voted a football Parade All - American and PrepStar All - American as a senior , while he captained the team . He was also the " Capital Times " and " Wisconsin State Journal " Player of the Year , first - team all - state in 2005 , a first - team selection by the Associated Press and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association ( as a two - way player ) , and was twice first - team all - conference . Regarded as a three - star recruit by " Rivals . com " , Carimi was rated the No . 3 football player in Wisconsin and the No . 30 offensive tackle prospect in the class of 2006 . His coach Mike Stassi predicted : " He ' s going to be the new wave of offensive linemen , that can run and move . And this guy ' s got it all . " College career ; All - American and Outland Trophy . Carimi elected to attend his hometown University of Wisconsin - Madison . He chose it because of its academic and football reputations , a scholarship that he was offered , and its proximity to his home . He majored in civil engineering , and played football for the Wisconsin Badgers football team . He had played right tackle and defensive end in high school . But in his freshman year in 2006 , during which time he was redshirt ed , he began practicing at left tackle , because it was the next open spot . He was described that season as running very well , and having tenacity , athletic ability , and impressive lateral movement while pass - blocking . Carimi started all 13 games as a freshman at left tackle for the Badgers in 2007 , replacing All - American Joe Thomas , who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns at No . 3 in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft . He was a second - team Freshman All - American selection by " Rivals . com " and " The Sporting News " , and a first - team Freshman All - Big - Ten selection by " The Sporting News " , as well as an Academic All - Big - Ten . As a sophomore in 2008 , he started all 10 games he played in . That year he was second - team Pre - season All - Big Ten by " Lindy ' s " and " Athlon Sports " , honorable mention Sophomore All - American by " College Football News " , and Academic All - Big Ten . As a junior in 2009 , he started all 13 games . He was a first - team Mid - season All - Big Ten selection by Phil Steele , a first - team All - Big Ten selection by media , a fourth - team All - American by Phil Steele , and Academic All - Big Ten . Commenting in " Sports Illustrated " in October 2009 , Tony Pauline wrote : " Carimi is the next great offensive lineman to come from the Badger program . He ' s a terrific pass - protecting left tackle , with the size necessary to grow into a dominant run blocker . " During his senior year in 2010 , when he was co - Captain of the Big Ten champion Badgers , Phil Steele made him a mid - season first - team All - American selection . He contributed to an offense that was ranked 5th in the nation in scoring ( at 41 . 5 ppg ) , and 12th in rushing ( at 245 . 7 yards per game ) . As a senior , Carimi won the 2010 Outland Trophy , awarded to the nation ' s top collegiate interior lineman . He was the second Outland Trophy winner in school history , joining Joe Thomas , and the 14th Big Ten awardee . Seven of the prior ten Outland Trophy winners were top - 10 NFL draft picks . He also was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year , and was recognized as a unanimous first - team All - American , having received first - team honors from the Associated Press , American Football Coaches Association , Football Writers Association of America , " Sporting News " , and Walter Camp Football Foundation . In addition , he was a consensus first - team All - Big Ten selection , and Academic All - Big Ten , and won the Wayne Souza Coaches Appreciation Award ( Offense ) . He helped Wisconsin to an 11 – 2 record for the season , and a Rose Bowl appearance . At the start of his senior year he had been named a pre - season first - team All - American by " Lindy ' s " and Consensus Draft Services , a first - team All - American and All - Big Ten by " Athlon Sports " , second - team All - American and first - team All - Big Ten by Phil Steele , second - team All - American by The Kickoff , first - team All - Big Ten by Blue Ribbon , and named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List . He was named a mid - season first - team All - American and first - team mid - season All - Big Ten by Phil Steele , and second - team All - American by " Sports Illustrated " . In March 2011 , the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame awarded him the Marty Glickman Award , as the male Jewish Athlete of the Year . In college , he started 49 of a possible 52 games , all at left tackle . In an April 2011 interview , he indicated that he had still never been to a professional football game in his life . Professional career . 2011 NFL Draft . Carimi was drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears , with the 29th pick on April 28 , 2011 . The Bears had actually sought to " trade up " , and pick Carimi even earlier in the draft . They tried to make a trade with the Baltimore Ravens , to use Baltimore ' s earlier slot to select Carimi at No . 26 , but the trade had fallen through at the last moment due to a miscommunication . In the year prior to drafting Carimi , the Bears had allowed a league - high 56 sacks , and ranked 22nd in running the ball . Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith said Carimi would come in as a left tackle . General Manager Jerry Angelo said he is versatile enough to play both left and right tackle , while Smith said the Bears would keep all options open , including potentially that of guard . He was nicknamed " The Bear Jew " after the Bears drafted him , a reference to a character in the movie " Inglourious Basterds " , by Chicago radio personality Dan Bernstein , of 670 " The Score " , and Carimi tweeted that he is considering adopting the nickname . At the January 2011 Senior Bowl weigh - in , Carimi was the second - tallest player at 6 feet 7 . 125 inches ( 2 . 01 m ) , had the second - longest arms ( 35 . 25 inches ) , and had the second - longest wingspan ( 83 . 25 inches ; second to Mississippi State ’ s Derek Sherrod ) . His hand size was 10 . 38 inches , and he weighed in at 315 pounds , 10 pounds lighter than his playing weight in college . ESPN analysts rated him the third - best player at the Senior Bowl . NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock observed that Carimi is " a little bit like a Jon Runyan . He ' s kind of got a little nasty to him . " Mayock also described him as " a thug , which I mean in a positive sense " , and commented on his ability as a run blocker . He added : " I think he ’ s the kind of guy . . . you try . . . at left tackle , and if he can ’ t handle the speed out there , you ’ ve got an all - pro right tackle . " Matt Bowen of the " National Football Post " said that Carimi was his favorite prospect in the draft , and was one of the five players who most impressed him at Senior Bowl activities . Bowen thought his pass protection was at NFL standards , noting that he had " good enough feet to get back and attack speed off of the edge because of his reach . There is no doubt Carimi can win up front in the run game , " while adding that he " is the type of player you want in the locker room . " Wes Bunting of the " National Football Post " said : he understands angles , and he ' s a real velcro player . I mean , once he gets those big paws on you and he has these long arms , it ' s really tough to disengage from . . . No one gets after the run game as well as Carimi . Neil Hayes of the " Chicago Sun - Times " wrote : " Many consider Carimi to be the best offensive - tackle prospect in the class . . . Carimi played well against top competition and his feet are quick enough to play left tackle . " CBS Sports lauded " his prototypical size " and " excellent athleticism " . As to his pass blocking , it noted that he has " the elite agility and nimble feet to protect the quarterback ' s blindside . Very difficult to turn the corner against because of his lateral movement and solid footwork . Also protects the inside lane well . Delivers a strong hand punch capable of knocking back an opponent . . . Uses his length to block his man with one hand and knock an edge blitzer off his path with the other . " With regard to his run blocking , it said he is " known as an athletic pass protector , but is a strong blocker " . While he exclusively played left tackle in college , he was projected by some as a left tackle and by others as a right tackle . At the February 2011 NFL combine pre - draft workouts , he completed 29 repetitions on the 225 - pound bench press , a " solid number " , according to " Sports Illustrated " ' s Tony Pauline . He also ran the 40 - yard dash in under 5 . 2 , which was faster than expected and considered very good . Pauline reported that " his footwork was smooth in pass protection , and he looked strong in run blocking drills . " At the March Wisconsin Pro Day workout , Bucky Brooks of NFL . com reported that Carimi : showed good footwork and lateral quickness in drills , and his body control is surprising given his frame . Although he might experience some problems against speed rushers , teams will certainly start him out as a left tackle and move him to the right if he falters . Asked what his agent had advised him , relative to a possible NFL lockout , Carimi answered : “ Don ’ t spend money . ” Chicago Bears ( 2011 – 13 ) . On July 29 , 2011 , the Bears signed Carimi to a $ 7 . 056 million four - year contract . He began his rookie 2011 season as the Bears ' starting right tackle . In Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints , Carimi suffered a season - ending injury to his right knee , that included the dislocation of his kneecap and which required multiple surgeries , including one in December to repair connective tissue around his patella and medial collateral ligament . He played two games for the season , starting both of them at right tackle . In 2012 , controversy ensued when the Saints were found working with a bounty program , which led to questions over whether Carimi was among the players targeted . In 2012 – 13 , Carimi played in 16 games , starting 14 of them ( 11 at right tackle , and 3 at right guard ) . After 11 starts at right tackle Carimi was moved from right tackle , where he was replaced by Jonathan Scott , to guard , though he came back to start the last game of the season at right tackle . Due to injuries to Lance Louis and Chris Spencer in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings , Carimi played at guard for the first time in his career . Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 2013 ) . On June 9 , 2013 , Carimi was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2014 sixth - round selection . The Bucs offensive line coach Bob Bostad coached Carimi at Wisconsin . Carimi was expected to compete with Demar Dotson for the starting right tackle position on Tampa Bay . He started the first two games of the season at left guard . Carimi has two years left on his contract , and is scheduled to earn a guaranteed base salary of $ 1 , 016 , 000 in 2013 . On February 10 , 2014 , the Buccaneers cut Carimi . Atlanta Falcons ( 2014 - present ) . On February 17 , 2014 , Carimi signed with the Atlanta Falcons . Personal life . Carimi , born in Lake Forest , Illinois , is the son of Sanford Carimi , a physician in the Janesville , Wisconsin area , and Alayne Gardner - Carimi , a businesswoman . He weighed 24 pounds by the time he was four months old . He grew up on the Northeast Side of Madison , and then in the nearby town of Cottage Grove when he was a freshman in high school . His sister Hannah , who is two years older than he is , was a kick fighter when she was younger and later rowed for the University of Wisconsin , on its women ' s openweight crew team . The two of them lived together in college , along with one of his football team teammates . Carimi ' s Italian surname comes from his paternal step - grandfather . His parents are Jewish . His mother , originally Catholic , converted to Judaism , and has had an active role in the religious education of her children . Carimi is a practicing Jew and very committed to his religion , and found time as a youth to both go to his football practices and to attend Madison ' s Temple Beth - El , a Reform synagogue . By the time of his Bar Mitzvah , he was already so tall that while blessing him , and even with Carimi bending down , the synagogue ’ s education director had to put his hands on Carimi ’ s shoulders rather than atop his head . For his Bar Mitzvah project , he helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity while he was in seventh grade . Carimi continued his Jewish studies after his Bar Mitzvah . In his freshman year of college in 2007 , when Yom Kippur ( the holiest day of the year in Judaism ; a fast day that is the " Day of Atonement " ) fell on a Saturday , he fasted until an hour before the Big Ten Conference opener against Iowa started that night . Carimi said , " Religion is a part of me , and I don ' t want to just say I ' m Jewish . I actually do make sacrifices that I know are hard choices . ” At the 2011 NFL combine , when asked whether he would play on Yom Kippur in the NFL , he responded : " I already looked out over the next 15 years , and Yom Kippur doesn ' t fall on a Sunday . " As a college player he took the nickname " The Jewish Hammer " or " The Hammer " . He explains that as The Hebrew Hammer was taken " they had to come up with something else " , and that the " hammer " aspect refers to his penchant for throwing opposing players down on the field . A more recent nickname , following his being picked by the Chicago Bears , is " The Bear Jew " . One of his favorite Jewish football players was a former Badger , Matt Bernstein , and he looks to 49ers former offensive linesman Harris Barton as a role model . His uncle suffered from leukemia as a child , underwent chemotherapy while he was in second grade , and lost his hair in the process . At nine years old , he died . He was mentioned often in family discussions . Carimi thought he would do something " that wouldn ' t take a lot of my time but would help other people . " He grew his hair out for 20 months , until it was long enough in 2010 to donate to Locks of Love — a charity that makes wig s out of donated hair to help poor children suffering from illnesses that cause long - term hair loss .