Samuels has established himself as one of the premier tackles in the league in just eight NFL seasons. In 2008, he earned his sixth Pro Bowl selection, third-most in franchise history trailing only Darrell Green and Ken Houston, who both have seven. He has been involved in many off-season projects, including construction on a mixed-income housing development in Selma, Ala.
How Acquired: Selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft
PRO:
Has started 136 regular season games and three postseason contests with the Redskins
Has been named to six Pro Bowls (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008)
Six Pro Bowl berths are the third-most in franchise history, trailing only Ken Houston and Darrell Green (7)
Has represented the NFC in the past four Pro Bowls
Ranks third among active tackles in Pro Bowl appearances, trailing only Seattle’s Walter Jones (9) and Chicago’s Orlando Pace (7)
Has made four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (2005-08), marking the most consecutive appearances by a Redskins offensive lineman since Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm went to four straight all-star games (1983-86)
Has helped open up holes for the six of the top 10 single-season rushing totals in team history – Clinton Portis 1,516 yards (2005), Clinton Portis 1,487 yards (2008), Stephen Davis 1,432 yards (2001), Stephen Davis 1,318 yards (2000), Clinton Portis 1,315 yards (2004) and Clinton Portis 1,262 yards (2007)
2008 Season (WAS)
Played and started in 12 regular season games and was inactive in one contest (at Detroit, 10/26)
Was placed on Injured Reserve (triceps tear) on December 9, 2008, and missed the last three games (at Cincinnati, 12/14, vs. Philadelphia, 12/21 and at San Francisco, 12/28)
Was named to the 2008 Pro Bowl but did not play because of the triceps injury
Named a Team Captain
Had consecutive starting streak snapped at 73 games after he was declared inactive with (knee cartilage irritation) at Detroit (10/26)
Paved the way for RB Clinton Portis to rank fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,487) and total yards from scrimmage (1,705)
Helped Portis tie for the NFL lead in total first downs (82) with Chicago Bears RB Matt Forte and Atlanta Falcons RB Michael Turner
Helped Portis to have the second-most rushing yards (1,487) in a single-season in club history
Opened up running lanes for Portis to post more than 120 yards rushing in five consecutive contests (121 rushing yards, at Dallas, (9/28); 145 at Philadelphia, (10/5); 129 vs. St. Louis, (10/12); 175 vs. Cleveland, (10/19) and 126 at Detroit, (10/26)
Led the way for Portis to tie a club record for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games (5 straight contests in 2008), a record shared by Rob Goode (1951), Portis (2005) and Ladell Betts (2006)
2007 Season (WAS):
Named to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season (fifth overall appearance)
Started all 16 regular-season games and one postseason contest at left tackle
Paved the way for the Redskins to post their third highest all-time rushing total in a single game ( 296 yards on 48 carries at New York Jets, 11/4)
2006 Season (WAS):
Named to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season (fourth overall appearance)
Started all 16 regular-season games at left tackle
Helped Ladell Betts rush for a career-best 1,154 rushing yards and four touchdowns
2005 Season (WAS):
Started all 16 regular-season games and two postseason contests at left tackle
Named to the Pro Bowl (third overall appearance)
Helped open up running lanes for Clinton Portis to rush for a franchise-record 1,516 yards
2004 Season (WAS):
Started all 16 regular-season games at left tackle
Helped running back Clinton Portis rush for 1,315 yards, becoming only the fourth Redskin in history to do so in a single season
2003 Season (WAS):
Started 13 regular-season games at left tackle
Missed vs. New Orleans (11/30), at New York Giants (12/7) and vs. Dallas (12/24) because of a knee injury
2002 Season (WAS):
Started 15 regular-season games at left tackle and earned his second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl
Voted as the Redskins 2002 Ed Block Courage Award winner, annually given to a player from each NFL team that exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage
2001 Season (WAS):
Started all 16 regular-season games at left tackle and was voted to the Pro Bowl
Earned game balls, along with the rest of the offensive line, for two games: vs. Seattle (11/4) and at New Orleans (12/30)
Featured on the cover of the December 3, 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated along with running back Stephen Davis after becoming the first team in NFL history to lose its first five games, then go on to win its next five games
2000 Season (WAS):
One of only four players on offense to start every game, joining RT Jon Jansen, C Mark Fischer and TE Stephen Alexander
Won co-Offensive Rookie of the Month for October with Dolphins tackle Todd Wade
Missed the last three quarters in the season finale vs. Arizona (12/24) with a neck injury
Won the Outland Trophy as college football’s top lineman after his 1999 senior season
Semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and a First-Team All-American
First-Team All-SEC by coaches, Associated Press, the Birmingham News and the Mobile Press Register
Won the Jacobs Award as the SEC’s most outstanding blocker
Started 42 straight games, from early in his 1996 freshman season until his last regular-season game as a senior, without yielding a sack
Didn’t allow a QB pressure in 1999, had 91 knockdown blocks and played nearly every offensive snap during the regular season opening many holes for Shaun Alexander, who gained 1,383 yards rushing
Attended John Shaw High School in Mobile, AL where he played both offense and defense
Helped Shaw to an 8-3 record and a spot in the state playoffs
Brother, Lawrence, plays arena football for the Tampa Bay Storm and became the AFL’s all-time receptions leader this past season
