NFL champ coming to Saginaw Saturday

The Saginaw Spirit will welcome Super Bowl champion LaMarr Woodley to Saturday’s home game where he will be participating in a ceremonial puck drop at center ice before the game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and Saginaw native will also speak to Spirit season ticket holders and fans in the Bud Light Blue Line Club pre-game.

“We were honored to have LaMarr as our guest for a ceremonial puck drop after he was named Michigan’s ‘Mr. Football’ for his efforts at Saginaw High,” stated Spirit president and partner Craig Goslin. “Now we are honored to present him to Spirit fans as a NFL Super Bowl champion and All Pro linebacker. He is an all-star on and off the field as he continuously works on initiatives such as the Heroes for Kids charity golf outing to give back to the Saginaw region and support the community he calls home.”

Woodley led Saginaw High to a Michigan Division II state football title in 2000. The linebacker was recognized as being the best high school football player in the state of Michigan in 2002 after being named the Gatorade Player of the Year.

He continued to find success in his college career, being a four-year defensive starter and three-year offensive starter at the University of Michigan. His senior year was capped off in 2006 with national recognition, being awarded the Rotary Lombardi Award for best college offensive/defensive lineman of the year and the Ted Hendricks Award for best college defensive end. In 2006, he was selected to the All-Big Ten Conference First Team as well as being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. Woodley shared co-MVP honors with Texas Longhorns and current Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young following Michigan’s loss to Texas in the 2005 Rose Bowl.

Woodley was selected by the Steelers in the second round, 46th overall, in the 2007 NFL Draft. He was a starter for the Steelers in their Super Bowl XLIII (2008) victory and was named to the NFL Pro Bowl in 2009. He was also named Second Team All-Pro in 2009, as voted on by the Associated Press.