Vontaze Burfict
A linebacker whose ferocious on-field talent was perpetually shadowed by controversy and a punishing style that ultimately defined his legacy.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American football player·Birthday: September 24·Millennials
Biography
Vontaze Burfict went undrafted in 2012 despite being an All-American at Arizona State. The Cincinnati Bengals signed him, and he quickly became the emotional center of their defense. He made the Pro Bowl with a physical style that the league's evolving safety rules could not accommodate. His career accumulated fines and suspensions. A 2016 playoff hit drew a multi-game ban. His time in Oakland ended with another suspension. Burfict reached the summit of undrafted success, yet his style ensured his career is remembered as much for its violence as its brilliance.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Vontaze was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Vontaze Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Vontaze's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned first-team All-American honors in 2010 as a linebacker for Arizona State University.
- Made the Pro Bowl in 2013 after leading the NFL in tackles as an undrafted free agent for the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Recorded over 600 combined tackles and 9 sacks during his eight-season NFL career.
Did You Know?
He was a highly recruited high school running back and linebacker, named USA Today's National Defensive Player of the Year.
He once intercepted a pass from Tom Brady in a playoff game against the New England Patriots.
His final NFL season in 2019 lasted only four games due to a season-ending suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit.
“I play the game the way it's supposed to be played.”
