He knocks the ball down, knocks the ball loose, forces plays in the backfield and makes plays getting off blocks. You can't hold him down." While Grootegoed played for the Trojans, the team won three straight Pacific-10 Conference championships (2002, 2003, 2004) and two consecutive Associated Press (AP) national championships in 2003 and 2004. He was a second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2003. Following his senior season in 2004, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, and was recognized as a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and a consensus first-team All-American. Professional career National Football League On April 26, 2005, Grootegoed was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2005 NFL Draft, eventually released to their practice squad, and was later picked up by the Detroit Lions. Grootegoed played for the Lions in the final three games of their season. Canadian Football League Grootegoed played for the CFL's Calgary Stampeders from to , and was a member of the Stampeders' 2008 Grey Cup championship team. The Stampeders released Grootegoed on September 9, 2009. References Living people 1982 births American football linebackers American players of Canadian football Canadian football linebackers Calgary Stampeders players Detroit Lions players Tampa Bay Buccaneers players USC Trojans football players All-American college football players Sportspeople from Huntington Beach, California Players of American football from California