Robert Geathers

Robert Lee Geathers, Jr. (born August 11, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft.

Geathers played his entire professional career for the Bengals and became a regular starter at defensive end in 2005, his second season in the NFL. With the Bengals, Geathers has been known for making sacks and returning recovered fumbles. Geathers has many family members who played football at the college or professional level; his uncle Jumpy Geathers played in the NFL from 1984 to 1996, and his father Robert Geathers Sr. was a 1981 draft pick. A younger brother Clifton Geathers has played in the NFL since 2010 and another brother Kwame Geathers played for the San Diego Chargers.

In July 2017, Geathers was selected as #48 of the 50 greatest Cincinnati Bengals players in the team's 50-year history.

Early life Geathers played at Carvers Bay High School and graduated in 2001. As a senior, he recorded 100 tackles and nine sacks on defense and played quarterback on offense. This helped him garner several scholarship offers, and decided to attend the University of Georgia.

College career At the University of Georgia, Geathers majored in sports studies and began playing on the Georgia Bulldogs football team in 2001 as a true freshman. During his three-year career with Georgia, Geathers started 16 of 39 games and in 2001 was the only true freshman to play all games.

On April 25, 2004, the Cincinnati Bengals used the team's second fourth-round pick (117th overall) to select Geathers. Geathers debuted with the Bengals on September 26 after sitting out the first two games due to an ankle injury. As a rookie, Geathers primarily played on special teams. Geathers made his first NFL start on November 14, 2004, versus the Washington Redskins. Geathers finished the 2004 season with 16 tackles, 4 passes deflected, and 1 interception.

2005 season The following season in 2005, Geathers started all sixteen games and the Bengals' Wild Card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On December 10, Geathers and rookie Odell Thurman combined for a sack of Charlie Frye in the Bengals' 23–20 win over in-state rival Cleveland Browns.

2006 season On September 10, 2006, Geathers made a tackle on a scrambling Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green on Green's chest and shoulder, and Green had a concussion. There was no penalty on the play. Coach Marvin Lewis maintained that Eddie Kennison might have tried to block Geathers forcing him into Green. Green was on the injured list for almost two months. Geathers was not fined by the NFL for his hit. Geathers finished the 2006 season with 42 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

On January 11, 2007, the Bengals extended Geathers' contract by six years with a maximum value of $33.7 million.

2007 season Geathers was the Bengals' top sacker with 3.5 sacks in 2007 and also had 47 tackles, 3 passes deflected, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. In the season, Geathers started all 16 games: 12 as left defensive end and 4 as strongside linebacker.

2009 season In 2009, Geathers led the Bengals in tackles with 36 and made 3.5 sacks, 3 passes deflected, and 1 forced fumble. He started 15 regular season games and the Wild Card game. On November 15 against the Steelers, Geathers's sack of Roethlisberger on first-and-goal from the Bengals' 8 held the Steelers to a field goal.

2010 season On September 26, 2010, Geathers's recovery of a Jonathan Stewart fumble and return to the Carolina Panthers' 37-yard line set up a game-clinching touchdown drive for the Bengals. Geathers finished 2010 playing and starting in all 16 games, with 33 tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes deflected, and 1 forced fumble.

NFL career statistics Legend Led the league Bold Career high

Regular season Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD 2004 CIN 14 1 16 9 7 3.5 3 1 36 1 36 6 1 0 0 0 2005 CIN 16 16 34 25 9 3.0 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2006 CIN 16 0 42 28 14 10.5 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2007 CIN 16 16 47 25 22 3.5 4 1 30 0 30 3 2 1 0 0 2008 CIN 11 11 38 22 16 2.5 6 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2009 CIN 15 15 36 21 15 3.5 4 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 113 1 2010 CIN 16 16 33 22 11 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 5 0 2011 CIN 14 13 29 10 19 2.5 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2012 CIN 16 16 30 12 18 3.0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2013 CIN 2 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2014 CIN 16 0 21 10 11 1.0 2 1 2 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 152 104 326 184 142 34.0 44 3 68 1 36 20 7 5 118 1

Playoffs Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD 2005 CIN 1 1 2 2 0 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2009 CIN 1 1 3 1 2 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2011 CIN 1 1 3 2 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2012 CIN 1 1 4 2 2 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2014 CIN 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 12 7 5 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Family Geathers comes from a line of football athletes. He is the son of Robert and Debra Geathers. Robert Sr. was a standout defensive lineman at South Carolina State and was a third round draft choice in the 1981 NFL draft, but an injury ended his career. His uncle James "Jumpy" Geathers played at Wichita State University and then in the NFL, recording 62 sacks and two Super Bowl wins in a 13-year career (1984–96 with New Orleans, Washington (Super Bowl XXVI), Atlanta, and Denver (Super Bowl XXXIII).

His brother Clifton Geathers played for the University of South Carolina and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL draft. His other brother Kwame Geathers is a former nose tackle for the San Diego Chargers. His cousin Clayton Geathers played defensive back for the Indianapolis Colts. His other cousin, Carlton Geathers, is a center on the University of South Carolina basketball team.