Takeo Spike

Takeo Gerard Spikes is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Auburn Tigers. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 13th overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft. A two-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time All-Pro, Spikes also played for the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and San Diego Chargers. Spikes is one of only seven linebackers to start more than 200 NFL games. Only once did Spikes record fewer than 70 tackles in a season. He was a team captain in 13 out of 15 seasons. Spikes played in 219 games without a playoff appearance, the most in NFL history. The Eagles, 49ers, and Chargers all made the playoffs the year after Spikes left each team. After retiring from the NFL, Spikes became a media personality. He is a football analyst on NBC Sports Network and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and co-hosts shows on SiriusXM and the SEC Network.