Vontaze Burfict Career Stats and NFL Timeline
Vontaze Burfict recorded 1,046 career tackles, 22.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions across 11 NFL seasons, primarily as a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders. His most productive seasons came between 2012 and 2016, when he averaged over 100 tackles per year and earned Pro Bowl alternate recognition multiple times. Burfict's final NFL game was in 2019 after a series of suspensions and injuries limited his availability in later seasons, and his career trajectory is frequently referenced in discussions about high-impact, high-risk defensive players NFL.
Before the NFL, Burfict played college football at Arizona State University, where he finished with 330 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and two Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year awards. He declared for the 2012 NFL Draft and was selected by the Bengals in the second round, 67th overall, marking the start of a career defined by aggressive play and frequent disciplinary incidents.
Vontaze Burfict Suspension History and League Impact
Burfict served multiple suspensions during his NFL career, including a 12-game ban in 2016 for repeated violations of the league's unnecessary roughness and headshot rules. His suspension history is one of the longest among active players during his tenure and contributed to his reputation as a controversial but statistically dominant defender SEC.
The NFL's enforcement actions against Burfict highlighted the league's efforts to reduce helmet-to-helmet contact and protect player safety, with his case often cited in rule-change discussions. Despite the suspensions, his on-field production remained among the highest for linebackers, and his tackle numbers consistently ranked in the top tier of the league during his peak years.
Vontaze Burfict Post-NFL Career and Current Status
After leaving the NFL, Burfict joined the Indoor Football League, playing for the Arizona Rattlers and later the Vegas Knight Hawks, where he continued to accumulate tackles and forced fumbles in a smaller, faster-paced league format. His indoor league stats show a similar aggressive style, with high tackle counts and multiple game-changing plays per season ESPN.
As of the latest available public records, Burfict remains active in indoor football and is frequently mentioned in sports analytics circles when reviewing career tackle totals and defensive impact metrics. His career numbers place him among the most statistically active linebackers of his draft class, and his post-NFL performance continues to be tracked by fantasy football platforms and sports data providers NFL.com.