Justin Lewis Bannan[1] (born April 18, 1979) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL draft. Bannan also played for the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams, and Detroit Lions, and played college football at Colorado.
 Bannan with the Broncos in 2012 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 97, 94, 95 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | April 18, 1979 Sacramento, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 312 lb (142 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Fair Oaks (CA) Bella Vista | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Colorado | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2002 / round: 5 / pick: 139 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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In 2019, Bannan wounded an acupuncturist when he shot her in the shoulder as she entered her treatment room, where he had been hiding. Bannan was sentenced to sixteen years imprisonment for attempted murder and felony assault in 2022.[2]
Early life
editBannan graduated from Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, California, in 1997 and was a letterman in football and basketball. Bannan received a scholarship to play football at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was a starting player from 1997 to 2001.[2][3]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2+3⁄4 in (1.90 m) |
300 lb (136 kg) |
31+1⁄8 in (0.79 m) |
9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) |
5.01 s | 1.74 s | 2.92 s | 4.24 s | 7.31 s | 29.0 in (0.74 m) |
8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) |
24 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine[4] | ||||||||||||
Buffalo Bills
editBannan was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2002 NFL draft and played for them through the 2005 season.[5]
Baltimore Ravens
editBannan joined the Baltimore Ravens before the 2006 season and played for them until 2009. In the 2008 season, he set a personal-best with 30 solo tackles (56 total), one sack and one interception.[6]
Denver Broncos (first stint)
editOn March 5, 2010, Bannan signed a five-year contract with the Denver Broncos.[7] On March 3, 2011, the Broncos released Bannan.[8]
St. Louis Rams
editBannan signed with the St. Louis Rams on July 30, 2011.[9] He was released following the 2011 season on March 12, 2012.
Denver Broncos (second stint)
editOn April 11, 2012, Bannan signed a one-year deal with the Broncos.[10]
Detroit Lions
editOn August 15, 2013, Bannan signed a contract with the Detroit Lions. Bannan was released from the Lions on September 25, 2013.[11]
NFL career statistics
edit| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
edit| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2002 | BUF | 15 | 0 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | BUF | 14 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | BUF | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | BUF | 16 | 7 | 40 | 23 | 17 | 1.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | BAL | 11 | 1 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | BAL | 15 | 1 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 2.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | BAL | 16 | 15 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 1.0 | 4 | 1 | -4 | 0 | -4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | BAL | 16 | 2 | 35 | 29 | 6 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 1.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | STL | 15 | 14 | 32 | 26 | 6 | 0.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | DEN | 16 | 15 | 42 | 28 | 14 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | DET | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 163 | 72 | 313 | 220 | 93 | 6.5 | 27 | 1 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2008 | BAL | 3 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | BAL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | DEN | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Post-football career
editBannan partnered with his former Broncos teammate Chris Kuper to co-found Black Lab Sports, a sports technology incubator and venture capital firm. The company opened an office in Boulder, Colorado in 2015. The company made its first investment into iSplack, a company that manufactures custom eye black.[2]
Criminal conviction
editOn October 16, 2019, Bannan shot and wounded an acupuncturist as she was entering her locked treatment room. Bannan had been crouching in the corner of the office, which was located in a building shared by Bannan's Black Lab Sports company.[2] When he was arrested, he told police that he was hiding from the Russian mafia and had disposed of his cell phone because he believed someone was tracking him.[12] He also told police he was suffering from hydrocephalus. He had a backpack with him that contained two .45-caliber handguns, as well as a rolled bill containing cocaine residue.[12][13]
Bannan pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and his lawyer argued that multiple head injuries sustained over his football career could have contributed to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease that has been linked to repetitive head trauma.[13] Prosecutors argued that his paranoia was linked to his drug abuse.[2] Bannan was found guilty on one count of first-degree attempted murder, one count of second-degree attempted murder, and two counts of felony assault. He was sentenced to sixteen years in prison, which was the mandatory minimum sentence for his conviction.[2] The victim had requested he receive the minimum sentence, but maximum probation and mandatory drug treatment.[13] The victim filed a civil lawsuit against Bannan and Black Lab sports in 2020.[2]
Personal life
editBannan grew up in Sacramento, California, where his father ran a construction company. He has a brother who is six years older than him.[2][14] Bannan became interested in finance when he joined the NFL, and described investing as a hobby.[14]
Bannon married his wife Sommer in 2011.[14] The couple has one child together. They divorced in 2014. In 2015, Bannan had a child from a different relationship.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Justin Bannan". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Schad, Tom (February 10, 2023). "Ex-NFL lineman Justin Bannan sentenced to 16 years in prison after bizarre 2019 shooting". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Byars, Mitchell (February 10, 2022). "Former Denver Bronco Justin Bannan sentenced to 16 years in prison for Boulder shooting". The Denver Post. Retrieved November 17, 2023.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Justin Bannan College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=498&contentID=10953[permanent dead link]
- ^ Bedinger, Sayre (March 5, 2010). "Denver Broncos Sign DL Justin Bannan". Mile High Report. milehighreport.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Caldwell, Gray (March 3, 2011). "Bannan, Williams released". Denver Broncos. Archived from the original on March 7, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ Klis, Mike (July 30, 2011). "Justin Bannan agrees to terms with Rams". Denver Post. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
- ^ Bena, John (April 11, 2012). "Official: Denver Broncos Sign Justin Bannan". Mile High Report. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Meinke, Kyle (August 16, 2013). "Detroit Lions release 2 players, including CB Conroy Black just 3 days after signing him". MLive. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ a b Butzer, Stephanie (February 10, 2022). "Former Bronco Justin Bannan sentenced to prison for attempted murder". KMGH-TV. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Bieler, Des (February 11, 2022). "Ex-NFL player Justin Bannan sentenced to 16 years for 2019 shooting". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Jones, Lindsay H. (January 1, 2011). "Justin Bannan: Deeper Colorado roots". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2023.