{{Short description|American football player (born 1979)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Nick Greisen | image = | caption = | number = 54, 55, 59 | position = Linebacker | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|8|10}} | birth_place = Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lbs = 242 | high_school = Sturgeon Bay | college = Wisconsin | draftyear = 2002 | draftround = 5 | draftpick = 152 | pastteams = * New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2002}}–{{NFL Year|2005}}) * Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2006}}) * Baltimore Ravens ({{NFL Year|2007}}–{{NFL Year|2008}}) * Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2009}}) * Omaha Nighthawks ({{UFL Year|2010}}–{{UFL Year|2011}}) | highlights = * 2× First-team All-Big Ten (2000, 2001) | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 263 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = 4.0 | statlabel3 = Forced fumbles | statvalue3 = 5 | statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue4 = 7 | statlabel5 = Interceptions | statvalue5 = 1 | pfr = GreiNi20 }}
'''Nick A. Greisen''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|r|aɪ|s|ən}} {{respell|GRY|sən}}; born August 10, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Greisen also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. He is the younger brother of quarterback Chris Greisen and the cousin of offensive lineman Casey Rabach.
==Early life== Greisen was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. He attended Sturgeon Bay High School, where he played running back, linebacker and punter on the football field.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |last1=Branch |first1=John |title=A Star Is Born in the Giants' Versatile Greisen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/20/sports/football/a-star-is-born-in-the-giants-versatile-greisen.html?auth=login-google |url-access=limited |website=New York Times |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=October 20, 2005}}</ref> Greisen was a five-sport athlete his senior year of high school.<ref name="NYT" />
==College career== Greisen played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison after being offered a scholarship at a Badgers camp before his senior year of high school.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mulhern |first1=Tom |title=Greisen remembers his roots |url=https://journaltimes.com/news/state-and-regional/greisen-remembers-his-roots/article_6ea6da83-1001-5052-b526-ed8db4ce185b.html |website=Journal Times |publisher=Lee Newspapers |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=November 17, 2001}}</ref> After playing as a backup his freshman and sophomore years, Greisen cracked the starting lineup as a junior and led the Big Ten in tackles.<ref name="NYT" /> He also earned All-Big Ten honors after his junior season.<ref name="BoH" /> A team captain his senior year, he led the country in tackles and was first-team all-Big Ten.<ref name="Tackle" /><ref name="BoH" />
==Professional career==
===New York Giants=== Greisen was selected in the fifth round (152nd overall) by the New York Giants in the 2002 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2002/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He played mostly on special teams during his first two seasons, and also made his first start in December of his rookie season when Mike Barrow was injured.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Price-Brown |first1=Laura |title=Grandpa Will Be Smiling / Set for first NFL start, Greisen thinks of Stan |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/grandpa-will-be-smiling-set-for-first-nfl-start-greisen-thinks-of-stan-1.247147 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721181237/https://www.newsday.com/sports/grandpa-will-be-smiling-set-for-first-nfl-start-greisen-thinks-of-stan-1.247147 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2020 |website=Newsday |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=December 5, 2002}}</ref> He also saw significant playing time at linebacker after injuries to Barrett Green in 2004 and 2005 opened a starting position.<ref name="NYT" />
===Jacksonville Jaguars=== On April 28, 2006, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Greisen to a two-year contract. The move came after Greisen could not put a deal together with the Tennessee Titans and the Jaguars tried unsuccessfully to sign LaVar Arrington.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pasquarelli |first1=Len |title=Jaguars sign ex-Giants LB Greisen to two-year deal |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2425456 |website=ESPN |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=April 28, 2006}}</ref> During the 2006 season, he started ten games and recorded an interception.<ref name="Len">{{cite web |last1=Pasquarelli |first1=Len |title=Ravens pick up veteran linebacker Greisen |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3027276 |website=ESPN |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=September 19, 2007}}</ref> Greisen was released by the team during final preseason roster cuts in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jaguars cut Leftwich, former starter and first-round pick |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/jaguars-cut-leftwich-former-starter-and-first-round-pick-09000d5d802009dc |website=NFL.com |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=September 1, 2007}}</ref>
===Baltimore Ravens=== On September 19, 2007, Greisen signed with the Baltimore Ravens after the team waived Dennis Haley.<ref name="Len" /> On March 13, 2008, the Ravens re-signed him to a three-year, $4 million contract with a $1 million signing bonus.<ref name="Sun">{{cite web |last1=Hensley |first1=Jamison |title=Greisen released after 2 seasons |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2009-03-13-0903120141-story.html |website=Baltimore Sun |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=March 13, 2009}}</ref> Greisen's defensive playing time sharply declined in the 2008 season, and the Ravens released him on March 13, 2009, in a move that saved the team $716,000 in salary cap space.<ref name="Sun" />
===Denver Broncos=== On April 28, 2009, Greisen signed a one-year contract with the Denver Broncos.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greisen Joins Broncos |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/04/28/greisen-joins-broncos/ |website=Pro Football Talk |publisher=NBC Sports |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=April 28, 2009}}</ref> He spent the season on injured reserve after sustaining a knee injury in training camp.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clayton |first1=John |title=Broncos re-sign Greisen |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5149575 |website=ESPN |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=April 29, 2010}}</ref> He was resigned by the team on April 29, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Broncos Sign Linebacker Greisen |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/broncos-sign-linebacker-greisen |website=FOX Sports |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> Greisen was waived by the team on August 12, 2010, when the team signed Johnny Williams.<ref>{{cite web |title=Broncos make switch at linebacker |url=https://www.espn.in/nfl/trainingcamp10/news/story?id=5457931 |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=August 12, 2020}}</ref>
===Omaha Nighthawks=== Greisen was signed by the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League on September 8, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4088285 |title=UFL Transactions |work=OurSportsCentral.com |publisher=United Football League |date=2010-09-08 |accessdate=2010-09-08}}</ref> He spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons with the organization.<ref name="BoH">{{cite web |last1=Oxley |first1=Jim |title=Wisconsin Football Countdown: No. 45, Nick Greisen |url=https://badgerofhonor.com/2015/07/22/wisconsin-football-countdown-no-45-nick-greisen/ |website=Badger of Honor |date=22 July 2015 |publisher=FanSided |accessdate=July 20, 2020}}</ref>
==NFL career statistics== {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! colspan="2"| Legend |- | '''Bold''' | Career high |}
===Regular season=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Tackles !colspan="5"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles |- ! GP !! GS !! Cmb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! TFL !! Int !! Yds !! TD !! Lng !! PD !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! TD |- ! 2002 !! NYG | 8 || 1 || 8 || 7 || 1 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2003 !! NYG | 15 || 0 || 12 || 6 || 6 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2004 !! NYG | 15 || 7 || 80 || 61 || 19 || '''2.0''' || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || '''6''' || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2005 !! NYG | '''16''' || '''12''' || '''88''' || '''67''' || '''21''' || 1.0 || '''9''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || '''3''' || '''3''' || '''28''' || 0 |- ! 2006 !! JAX | '''16''' || 10 || 34 || 31 || 3 || 0.0 || 6 || '''1''' || '''6''' || 0 || '''6''' || 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 |- ! 2007 !! BAL | 14 || 2 || 30 || 24 || 6 || 0.0 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2008 !! BAL | 14 || 1 || 11 || 10 || 1 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 98 !! 33 !! 263 !! 206 !! 57 !! 4.0 !! 21 !! 1 !! 6 !! 0 !! 6 !! 13 !! 5 !! 7 !! 29 !! 0 |}
===Playoffs=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Tackles !colspan="5"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles |- ! GP !! GS !! Cmb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! TFL !! Int !! Yds !! TD !! Lng !! PD !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! TD |- ! 2002 !! NYG | 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2005 !! NYG | 1 || '''1''' || '''7''' || '''4''' || '''3''' || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2008 !! BAL | '''3''' || 0 || 3 || 3 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 5 !! 1 !! 11 !! 8 !! 3 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 |}
==Personal life== Greisen appeared on ElimiDate during his playing career in New York.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmadtke |first1=Alan |title=Jags' Greisen courts starting job |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2006-05-23-nfljags23-story.html |website=Orlando Sentinel |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=May 23, 2006}}</ref>
Greisen is married, and obtained an MBA degree from Northwestern University after his playing career ended.<ref name="Tackle">{{cite web |last1=Shaw |first1=Mike |title=Former Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, NFL linebacker Nick Greisen tackles insurance business |url=https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/door-co/sports/2018/03/16/former-clippers-badgers-nfl-linebacker-nick-greisen-tackles-insurance-business/431540002/ |website=Green Bay Press-Gazette |publisher=Gannett |accessdate=July 20, 2020 |date=March 16, 2018}}</ref> With that MBA, he signed on with Pro Financial Services as a sports insurance specialist.<ref name="Tackle" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=greisnic001 Stats Crew profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070713164656/http://www.jaguars.com/Team/Player.aspx?id=2662 Jacksonville Jaguars bio]
{{Giants2002DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greisen, Nick}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Wisconsin Category:American football linebackers Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players Category:New York Giants players Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players Category:Baltimore Ravens players Category:Denver Broncos players Category:Omaha Nighthawks players Category:People from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Category:Kellogg School of Management alumni