Zach Strief

Zachary David Strief (born September 22, 1983) is a former American football offensive tackle who played 12 seasons for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL).

Zach Strief
Strief in 2012
No. 64
Position:Offensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1983-09-22) September 22, 1983
Cincinnati, Ohio
Height:6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Weight:320 lb (145 kg)
Career information
High school:Milford (OH)
College:Northwestern
NFL Draft:2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 210
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:158
Games started:94
Fumble recoveries:1
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

High school and college career

A native of the Cincinnati suburb of Milford,[1] Strief attended Milford High School and earned All-Midwest Region honors with the Eagles football team.[2] Besides football he also earned varsity letters in basketball and track and field. He was also an honor student.[3] In January 2009 Milford High announced to it would retire Strief's number 63 jersey (which he also wore in college), only the second jersey to be retired by Milford.[2]

Strief attended Northwestern University in Evanston and redshirted his first year. By his junior season he became starting right tackle for Wildcats and started in 40 straight games under Mike Dunbar, who was the Wildcats' offensive coordinator.[1] He earned consensus Second-team All-Big Ten honors twice and was named an All-American by the FWAA during his senior season, becoming the Wildcats' first offensive lineman to win national recognition since Chris Hinton.[3] NFLDraftScout.com described him as a "hard worker who has no problems digesting a complicated playbook."[3] He graduated with a degree in communication studies and sociology in 2005.[4]

Professional career

He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. After backing up Jon Stinchcomb for five years, in the 2011 season he became the team's starting right tackle with Stinchcomb's retirement[1] and part of the Saints' offensive line that won the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award as the best offensive line in the NFL.[5] (He also shared in the same award as a backup in 2009.)

Strief was a 2013 Pro Bowl alternate but was not selected to the game.

Strief re-signed with the Saints on a five-year extension during free agency in 2014.[6] This is the second time he re-signed in free agency.[7][8]

Strief was elected as the Saints' representative to the National Football League Players Association Board of Player Representatives for the 2014 season.[9] He has also served as an offensive team captain since the 2012 season.[10]

In 2017, Strief suffered a knee injury in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings and missed the next two weeks. He returned in Week 4, only to re-injure the knee and was placed on injured reserve on October 3, 2017.[11]

On March 12, 2018, Strief announced his retirement from the NFL.[12]

Broadcasting career

On July 25, 2018, Strief was named as the play-by-play voice announcer for Saints radio broadcasts, replacing the retired Jim Henderson. Strief works with color analyst and former teammate Deuce McAllister on the broadcasts.[13]

Personal life

Strief was previously married to former Saintsation Mandy Schexnaydre.[1][14][15][16]

Since moving to New Orleans, Strief has set up a foundation which organizes youth camps and aids Milford student-athletes.[2] In 2009, he produced a cookbook for charity entitled When You're the Biggest Guy on the Team![17]

Strief also spearheads the POB initiative along with other former and current Saints players. This initiative provides groceries to COVID-19 survivors, meals for healthcare workers and for those in the artist communities who may be facing food insecurity as a result of the pandemic.

After retiring from the NFL, Strief has opened the brewery Port Orleans in New Orleans.

References
  1. Goheen, Kevin (August 28, 2012). "Zach Streif gets unexpected return home from Hurricane Isaac". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  2. "Milford High School Retires Zach Strief's Jersey". The Cincinnati Enquirer. January 7, 2009.
  3. "Zach Strief, Northwestern, NFL Draft". CBS Sports.
  4. Baker, Matt (May 3, 2006). "NU's Strief finds NFL home with New Orleans Saints". The Daily Northwestern (via CSTV).
  5. Mickles, Sheldon (February 1, 2012). "Brees wins FedEx honor; o-line takes Madden Protectors Award". The Advocate.
  6. "Zach Strief, New Orleans Saints agree to terms on 5-year contract". neworleanssaints.com. March 17, 2014.
  7. "T Zach Strief Signs RFA Tender". neworleanssaints.com. April 12, 2010.
  8. "A Look at Saints' 2014 Free Agents in Order of Importance". thesainsnation.com. February 3, 2014.
  9. "2014 NFLPA Board of Player Representatives". NFLPA.
  10. New Orleans Saints bio
  11. Alper, Josh (October 3, 2017). "Saints place Zach Strief on injured reserve". ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com.
  12. "New Orleans Saints tackle Zach Strief announces retirement". NewOrleansSaints.com. March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  13. "Zach Strief tapped as new Saints radio announcer". WGNO.com. July 25, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  14. Saintsations Alumni
  15. "Our Quarterback Is In His Hands: An Interview with Zach Strief". The Times-Picayune. October 22, 2009.
  16. "Strief bound for Super Bowl XLIV". Milford-Miami Advertiser. February 3, 2010. p. A9.
  17. Triplett, Mike (June 4, 2009). "New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Zach Strief shows off his other talents in cookbook". The Times-Picayune.
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