Tyler Brayton

American football player (born 1979)

Tyler Brayton (born November 20, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Oakland Raiders 32nd overall in the 2003 NFL draft. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes. Brayton also played for the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts.

In 47 games at the University of Colorado, Brayton recorded 152 tackles with 12.5 sacks, 25 stops for losses, 34 quarterback pressures, 17 third down hits, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and six pass deflections.

Brayton was the last NFL draft pick in the first round in 2003, after Oakland acquired the first round pick from the eventual Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for head coach Jon Gruden at the end of the 2001 season. Gruden became the Buccaneers coach after Tony Dungy's firing, with the latter taking over as the Indianapolis Colts coach when Jim E. Mora was fired the same year. Brayton was one of two Raiders selected in the first round in 2003; the other was Nnamdi Asomugha. In his debut season, he played and started in all 16 games and finished the campaign with 61 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The following season, he recorded 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks and his first career interception at the Kansas City Chiefs on December 25. During the 2005 season, Brayton played in all 16 games, notching up three starts and finished the season with 16 tackles and one sack. In 2006, he finished with 42 tackles. In his final year with the Raiders, Brayton finished the season with 11 tackles. On November 6, 2006 in a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Brayton kneed Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens in the groin after Stevens had kneed him, and was ejected. Brayton was later fined $25,000 by the NFL and Stevens was fined $15,000.

On March 4, 2008, Brayton was signed by the Carolina Panthers. In his first season at the Panthers, he played and started in all 16 games and finished the campaign with 40 tackles and a career high 4.5 sacks. On December 12, 2010 in a game against the Atlanta Falcons, Tyler Brayton came off the bench and elbowed Atlanta Falcons cornerback Christopher Owens in the head while Owens was running along the Carolina sideline as part of the punt coverage unit. The NFL fined Tyler Brayton $15,000 for the illegal hit. Carolina released him on July 29, 2011.

Brayton signed with the Indianapolis Colts on August 15, 2011.

Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD 2003 OAK 16 16 61 48 13 2.5 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2004 OAK 15 15 45 37 8 2.5 4 1 24 0 24 7 0 0 0 0 2005 OAK 16 3 22 20 2 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2006 OAK 16 13 43 34 9 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2007 OAK 16 0 12 10 2 0.0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2008 CAR 16 16 40 35 5 4.5 6 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 2009 CAR 15 15 46 37 9 5.0 6 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 2010 CAR 15 14 22 16 6 0.0 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 1 0 2011 IND 16 1 27 15 12 2.0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 141 93 318 252 66 17.5 34 1 24 0 24 16 6 6 1 0

Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD 2008 CAR 1 1 4 3 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 3 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Brayton is the grandson of former Washington State University baseball coach Bobo Brayton.