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Brandon Noble

Brandon Patrick Noble (born April 10,1974 in San Rafael, California) is a football coach and former National Football League player. He is considered one of NFL Europe's great success stories. Noble was hired as the linebackers coach at West Chester University in 2006.

NFL

Noble signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 as a rookie free agent but was waived during training camp. By January 1998, he was back with the 49ers, who then allocated him to the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe. After a strong showing there, including NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Week honors and leading Barcelona to victory in World Bowl V, Noble returned to training camp with the 49ers, but was again released at the end of camp and spent the 1998 NFL season on the practice squad.

In 1999, Noble signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, for the first of four solid seasons with that team. He played in all 16 of their regular season and postseason games that season. Noble's breakout season came in 2000, when he finished second on the Cowboys in tackles with 69, and registered a sack and 10 quarterback pressures. By 2002, Noble was Dallas' full-time starter at defensive tackle.

Noble signed with the Washington Redskins as a free agent on March 1, 2003. He suffered a season-ending left knee injury in the preseason and spent the year on injured reserve. In 2004, he returned from his injury to play in all 16 games, starting seven. He recorded 38 tackles (19 solo) with one sack. He was awarded the team's Ed Block Courage Award, given to the player who best persevered through injury. However, Noble injured his right knee in the 2005 preseason and was again placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

During his rehabilitation, Noble developed a serious type of staph infection, MRSA, which nearly required amputation of his leg. After a long series of setbacks to his recovery, he was released by the Redskins on March 10, 2006 and retired prior to the 2006 season.

Broadcasting

Noble is a regular guest on the ESPN Radio show All Night with Jason Smith during the NFL season in which Smith would dial up Noble's phone number only to get the "caller ID" message and that Smith would get through by identifying himself as an NFL player or coach making news that week. Noble appears via the OnStar hotline when either Amy Lawrence or Bob Valvano is filling in for Smith on AllNight.

He is also a frequent guest on DC101's "Elliot in the Morning" in Washington, D.C., providing Redskins news and analysis.

College

As a senior at Penn State in 1996, Noble posted a team-high 8 sacks and a career-high 72 tackles. He was named second-team All-Big Ten, and was awarded the Hall Foundation Athletic Award, given to the team's most outstanding senior player. In his first full season as a starter during his junior campaign, he registered 53 tackles and four sacks. As a sophomore, he totaled 22 tackles and two sacks during Penn State's undefeated 1994 season, and subsequent Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice in 1998.

High School

Noble was named the Class AAA State Player of the Year as a senior at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He played both offensive and defensive lineman.

Personal

Noble and his wife Mary Kate were married Thanksgiving weekend during the 2000 season. They live in Leesburg, Virginia with their three children: Conner, Grace and a newborn (born fall 2005), and a number of Bulldogs.

Noble was the celebrity football coach for the 2001 Let Us Play! Sports Camp for Girls, a three-day sports camp for inner-city girls founded by former Redskins teammate Bryan Barker.