History of Vontaze Burfict in Timeline

Vontaze Burfict is a former American football linebacker who played eight seasons in the NFL. After a successful college career at Arizona State, where he earned All-American honors, concerns about his character and performance at the NFL Combine led to him going undrafted in 2012. He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent and became a key player for them for seven seasons. His final season was spent with the Oakland Raiders. Burfict's career was marked by both talent and controversy.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1976: Last Bengals Linebacker Selected to Pro Bowl

In 1976, Jim LeClair was the last Bengals linebacker to be selected to the Pro Bowl before Vontaze Burfict in 2014.

1986: Birth of Half-Brother DaShan Miller

In 1986, Vontaze Burfict's older half-brother, DaShan Miller, was born. Miller also played football in high school and college.

September 24, 1990: Vontaze Burfict Born

On September 24, 1990, Vontaze DeLeon Burfict Jr. was born. He would later become a professional football linebacker.

2007: Centennial Finished #24

In 2007, Corona Centennial finished the season as No. 24 on USA Today's Top 25.

2008: High School State Championship

In 2008, Vontaze Burfict's Centennial High School team won a CIF state championship and was ranked second in the nation by USA Today. He led the team with 159 tackles.

July 2009: Struggled to Meet Admission Standards

In July 2009, Vontaze Burfict struggled to meet admission standards for Arizona State University based on NCAA eligibility requirements.

2009: U.S. Army All-American Bowl

In 2009, Vontaze Burfict played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was considered a five-star recruit.

October 6, 2010: Burfict Benched for Penalties

On October 6, 2010, Vontaze Burfict was benched by Arizona State's head coach due to an unusually high number of personal foul penalties.

2010: All-American Team Selection

In 2010, Vontaze Burfict finished the season with a team-leading 90 tackles and was selected to The Sporting News' All-American team and named Pacific-10 Defensive MVP.

2010: Preseason All-American

In 2010, Vontaze Burfict was named First-Team Preseason All-American by The Sporting News.

October 2011: Draft Stock Plummet

In October 2011, Vontaze Burfict's draft stock began to decline due to inconsistent play and off-the-field concerns.

2011: Inconsistent Junior Season

In 2011, Vontaze Burfict had an inconsistent junior season at Arizona State, finishing with 69 tackles and 5 sacks.

March 16, 2012: Arizona State Pro Day Performance

On March 16, 2012, Vontaze Burfict attended Arizona State's pro day and described his overall performance as "average".

April 25, 2012: Failed Drug Test Report

On April 25, 2012, it was reported that Vontaze Burfict had failed his drug test at the NFL Combine.

April 29, 2012: Signed by Cincinnati Bengals

On April 29, 2012, Vontaze Burfict was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals to a three-year contract.

September 23, 2012: First Career Start

On September 23, 2012, Vontaze Burfict earned his first career start at weakside linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals.

December 30, 2012: Season-High Tackles

On December 30, 2012, Vontaze Burfict collected a season-high 18 combined tackles in a game against the Baltimore Ravens.

2012: Burfict goes Undrafted

In 2012, Vontaze Burfict was projected as a top pick in the NFL draft, but after an unimpressive NFL Combine performance and character concerns, he was not selected. He was then signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals.

2012: Projected for NFL Draft

In 2012, Vontaze Burfict was regarded as one of the best linebackers and was projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft. However, his draft stock would later plummet.

January 5, 2013: First Career Playoff Game

On January 5, 2013, Vontaze Burfict started his first career playoff game for the Cincinnati Bengals against the Houston Texans.

November 17, 2013: First Career Touchdown

On November 17, 2013, Vontaze Burfict recorded his first career touchdown on a fumble recovery during a game against the Cleveland Browns.

December 27, 2013: Pro Bowl Selection

On December 27, 2013, Vontaze Burfict was selected to play in the 2014 Pro Bowl, marking the first Bengals linebacker selected since Jim LeClair in 1976.

2013: Bengals Clinch Wild Card Spot

In 2013, The Cincinnati Bengals finished first in the AFC North with an 11-5 record and clinched a wild card spot.

2013: Pro Bowl Selection and Controversy

In 2013, Vontaze Burfict earned Pro Bowl honors while also inciting controversy for frequently violating player safety rules.

January 15, 2014: Guenther Promoted to Defensive Coordinator

On January 15, 2014, Paul Guenther was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals.

August 20, 2014: Signed Contract with Bengals

On August 20, 2014, Vontaze Burfict signed a four-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals for $19 million.

October 14, 2014: Olsen Accusations

On October 14, 2014, Greg Olsen accused Vontaze Burfict of intentionally trying to injure him and Cam Newton.

October 15, 2014: NFL Fines Burfict

On October 15, 2014, the NFL fined Vontaze Burfict $25,000 for ankle twisting incidents involving Greg Olsen and Cam Newton.

October 29, 2014: Knee Surgery

On October 29, 2014, it was reported that Vontaze Burfict underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

December 9, 2014: Placed on Injured Reserve

On December 9, 2014, Vontaze Burfict was placed on injured reserve.

2014: Pro Bowl Selection

In 2014, Vontaze Burfict was selected to play in the Pro Bowl.

January 26, 2015: Microfracture Surgery Revealed

On January 26, 2015, it was revealed that Vontaze Burfict underwent microfracture surgery to address ongoing issues in his knee that had been surgically repaired the previous October.

July 28, 2015: Placed on Physically Unable to Perform List

On July 28, 2015, the Cincinnati Bengals placed Vontaze Burfict on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list due to his knee injury.

October 31, 2015: Activated from PUP List

On October 31, 2015, the Cincinnati Bengals activated Vontaze Burfict from the PUP list, adding him to the active roster and naming him a starting linebacker.

December 15, 2015: Accusation of Intentionally Targeting Ankle

On December 15, 2015, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger accused Vontaze Burfict of intentionally targeting his ankle during a regular season game on December 13.

December 18, 2015: NFL Fines

On December 18, 2015, Vontaze Burfict received three fines from the NFL totaling $69,454, including a fine for a hit on Ben Roethlisberger and two fines for unnecessary roughness penalties.

January 1, 2016: Season-High Performance Against Ravens

On January 1, 2016, Vontaze Burfict recorded a season-high 12 combined tackles, deflected two passes, and made an interception in a game against the Baltimore Ravens.

January 11, 2016: Suspension for Player Safety Violations

On January 11, 2016, the NFL announced Vontaze Burfict's suspension for the first three games of the 2016 season due to repeated violations of player safety rules.

December 4, 2016: Season-High Performance Against Eagles

On December 4, 2016, Vontaze Burfict achieved a season-high 15 combined tackles, four pass deflections, and intercepted two passes against the Philadelphia Eagles.

August 28, 2017: Suspension for Blindside Block

On August 28, 2017, Vontaze Burfict was suspended for the first five games of the 2017 season due to a blindside block on Anthony Sherman during a preseason game.

August 30, 2017: Suspension Appeal and Reduction

On August 30, 2017, Vontaze Burfict appealed his suspension, and the league reduced it to three games.

September 7, 2017: Contract Extension with Bengals

On September 7, 2017, Vontaze Burfict signed a three-year, $32.53 million contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals, making him one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL.

October 22, 2017: Kicking Incident

On October 22, 2017, Vontaze Burfict gained attention for kicking Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix in the face mask during a game.

October 27, 2017: NFL Fine for Kicking Incident

On October 27, 2017, Vontaze Burfict was fined $12,154 by the NFL for kicking Roosevelt Nix.

December 4, 2017: Concussion After Blindside Block

On December 4, 2017, Vontaze Burfict sustained a concussion after a blindside block by JuJu Smith-Schuster during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was carted off the field.

March 16, 2018: Four-Game Suspension for PED Violation

On March 16, 2018, Vontaze Burfict received a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

October 20, 2018: Fined for Unnecessary Hits

On October 20, 2018, Vontaze Burfict was fined $112,000 for hits on Antonio Brown and James Conner in Week 6 that the league deemed unnecessary.

March 18, 2019: Release from Bengals

On March 18, 2019, Vontaze Burfict was released by the Cincinnati Bengals after playing with the team for seven seasons.

March 19, 2019: Signed with Oakland Raiders

On March 19, 2019, Vontaze Burfict signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Oakland Raiders.

December 30, 2019: Reinstatement to NFL

Vontaze Burfict was reinstated to the NFL on December 30, 2019, after being suspended for the remainder of the 2019 season.

2019: Mother Interviewed about Hard Hits

In 2019, Burfict's mother told USA Today about parents requesting that her son ease up on his hard hits during his high school days.

December 5, 2020: Arrest for Misdemeanor Battery

On December 5, 2020, Vontaze Burfict was arrested for misdemeanor battery outside a casino in Las Vegas. He was later released on bond, and the charges were dropped.

2023: Mention in JPEGMafia and Danny Brown Song

In 2023, rappers JPEGMafia and Danny Brown released a song named "Burfict!" on their collaborative album Scaring the Hoes, referencing the football player Vontaze Burfict.