Sean Porter
Sean Porter (born January 12, 1991) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, where he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2012 after recording 79 tackles and a team-leading 9.5 sacks.[1] Porter was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.[2] He played four seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Bengals (2013–2014), Jacksonville Jaguars (2015), and San Francisco 49ers (2016), appearing in 15 games with 21 total tackles.[2] As of 2025, Porter is retired from professional football.)Early life
Little is known about the early life of Sean Porter, the probation officer and coach. Publicly available information primarily focuses on his professional career beginning in the late 1980s with the Los Angeles County Probation Department.[3]College career
Recruitment and freshman year
Porter, a three-star recruit out of Samuel Clemens High School in Schertz, Texas, was rated the No. 70 outside linebacker in the nation by ESPN and No. 61 by Rivals.com.[4][5] Originally committed to the University of Houston under head coach Kevin Sumlin, Porter flipped his commitment to Texas A&M in favor of the program's higher profile and the opportunity to play under head coach Mike Sherman, who had taken over in 2008 and emphasized a strong defensive tradition.[6][7] He chose Texas A&M over other offers from Oklahoma State, Kansas, and SMU, drawn by Sherman's personal recruitment efforts and the Aggies' need for athletic linebackers in their 4-3 defense.[6] As a true freshman in 2009, Porter saw action in all 13 games for the Texas A&M Aggies, becoming one of only seven true freshmen to play in every contest that season.[1] He recorded 42 total tackles, including 4 tackles for loss and 1 sack, primarily in rotational duty behind veterans while adjusting to the increased speed and complexity of college-level play.[8] Porter made two starts late in the season, emerging as a key rotational outside linebacker opposite standout Von Miller, and demonstrated early promise in run defense despite the challenges of physical maturation and learning a new defensive scheme as a newcomer.[9] Academically, like many true freshmen, he navigated the demands of balancing rigorous coursework with football, while integrating into a veteran-laden linebacker room that tested his work ethic and team chemistry.[1]Sophomore and junior years
During his sophomore season in 2010, Sean Porter emerged as a key rotational linebacker for the Texas A&M Aggies in the Big 12 Conference, recording 74 total tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks over 13 games while starting several contests.[8] He demonstrated versatility in the defensive scheme under head coach Mike Sherman, contributing 6 pass deflections to rank seventh in the Big 12, and his increased snaps reflected maturation from his freshman year where he had limited but promising appearances.[8] Notable performances included a career-high 10 tackles against Oklahoma State, helping to contain a high-powered offense in a close 35-38 loss, and a standout effort versus Oklahoma with 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 3 pass deflections in a 33-19 victory that highlighted his coverage skills against a rival.[10] His half-sack came in a divisional matchup against Arkansas, underscoring his growing pressure on quarterbacks.[10] In his junior year of 2011, Porter had a breakout campaign as a starter at outside linebacker, amassing 79 tackles (50 solo), a team-high 9.5 sacks, and 17 tackles for loss—figures that led the Big 12 in sacks and ranked third in tackles for loss—while earning first-team All-Big 12 honors from both coaches and media.[8][11] These stats brought his career sack total to 11 entering his senior season, establishing him as a disruptive force in Sherman's 4-3 defense and a leader in the linebacker rotation alongside veterans like Von Miller earlier in his career.[8] He excelled against rivals, recording 2 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in a thrilling 29-30 loss to Oklahoma State, and 2 sacks with 4 solo tackles in a high-scoring 38-42 defeat to Arkansas, where his pass rush helped force turnovers.[12] Against Texas, Porter contributed 6 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the 25-27 Lone Star Showdown loss, solidifying his role in containing spread offenses.[12] His consistent production, including a forced fumble, bolstered Texas A&M's defense during a 6-6 regular season that preceded the program's transition to the SEC in 2012 under new head coach Kevin Sumlin.[8]Senior year and honors
In his senior year of 2012, Sean Porter transitioned to a full-time starting role at outside linebacker for the Texas A&M Aggies during their first season in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), appearing in all 13 games and contributing significantly to the team's defensive efforts. He recorded 66 total tackles, including 38 solo stops, along with 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and his sole career interception, which he returned for 16 yards.[8] These performances capped a college career in which Porter accumulated 261 tackles across 52 games played from 2009 to 2012.[8] Porter's leadership was prominent in his final season, as he was selected as one of the team's four captains alongside Steven Terrell, Patrick Lewis, and Ryan Swope, a role that underscored his influence on the Aggies' defense.[13] At the conclusion of the year, he received the Coaches' Choice Award at Texas A&M's annual banquet, recognizing his contributions as a senior leader.[13] Building on his standout junior campaign, where he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after leading the conference with 9.5 sacks and recording 79 tackles, Porter entered 2012 as a preseason All-SEC first-team selection by the league's coaches.[14][15]Professional career
2013 NFL Draft
Porter was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round, 118th overall, of the 2013 NFL Draft.[2] His college performance at Texas A&M, including strong tackling and leadership as a senior captain, contributed to his draft appeal as a versatile defender.[16] Entering the draft process, Porter measured 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 229 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine.[17] He recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.75 seconds, along with 22 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press, showcasing solid athleticism for an outside linebacker prospect.[17] Scouting reports highlighted his quickness, power, and experience in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, projecting him as a developmental player who could contribute on the edge despite his slightly undersized frame for a starter role.[18] Analysts viewed him as a potential mid-round pick with upside in pass rushing and coverage, though his size limited immediate starting projections. On May 13, 2013, Porter signed a four-year rookie contract with the Bengals worth $2,589,300, including a $429,300 signing bonus and guaranteed at signing.[19] The deal featured an average annual value of $647,325, with his 2013 base salary set at approximately $405,000.[19] Expectations positioned him as a depth piece behind established linebackers like James Harrison, with an initial focus on special teams contributions and situational pass-rush duties during his rookie season.[20]Cincinnati Bengals tenure
Porter was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft, with expectations that he would contribute as a rotational outside linebacker and on special teams units.[21] However, his rookie season was derailed before it began when he suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder during training camp, leading to his placement on injured reserve and causing him to miss all 16 games.[22][20] This injury prevented any on-field debut or statistical accumulation in 2013, though Porter remained part of the team's developmental plans for the linebacker position.[23] Entering the 2014 season, Porter recovered from his shoulder injury and secured a spot on the Bengals' 53-man roster as a depth player and special teams contributor.[24] He appeared in the season opener against the New England Patriots on September 7, recording one special teams snap on the opening kickoff, which accounted for 3% of the team's special teams plays in that game.[2] Tragically, during that play, Porter tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, resulting in his placement on season-ending injured reserve on October 7 after just one game and no defensive statistics.[25][26] A preseason hamstring strain had already delayed his full participation earlier that year, further limiting his rotational opportunities.[27] In 2015, Porter began the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list while rehabilitating from the ACL injury, missing the first 10 games.[28] He was cleared to resume practicing on November 10 but did not see game action before the Bengals waived him on November 30 to make room for other roster adjustments.[29][30] Over his three-year tenure with Cincinnati, Porter played in only one game, logged one special teams snap, and recorded no tackles, sacks, or other defensive contributions, largely due to persistent injuries that hampered his development as a professional.[2]Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers
After being waived by the Cincinnati Bengals on November 30, 2015, Porter signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad on December 7, 2015, providing depth at linebacker following his earlier experience in Cincinnati.[31] He remained with the Jaguars through the 2016 season, appearing in two regular-season games that year with no starts, primarily contributing on special teams with 23 snaps.[2] Porter recorded no tackles during those appearances, reflecting his limited role amid competition on the depth chart.[32] In 2017, Porter's time with the Jaguars was brief, as he was released by the team on May 1 during offseason roster adjustments.[33] Shortly after, on August 9, 2017, he signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, marking his third NFL team and aiming to secure a spot in their linebacker group.[34] His tenure with the 49ers was limited to preseason, where a quadriceps injury hampered his participation and contributed to minimal snaps before the regular season.[35] Porter was released by the 49ers on August 29, 2017, as part of final roster cuts, effectively ending his active NFL career amid ongoing challenges from injuries and intense depth chart competition.[36] Over his brief stints with both teams, he appeared in just two regular-season games total, underscoring the instability of his later professional years.[2]Career statistics
Sean Porter's NFL career was limited to three games, all as a special teams contributor, during which he did not record any defensive statistics such as tackles, sacks, interceptions, or forced fumbles.[2] He appeared in one game for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014 and two for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, accumulating 24 special teams snaps in total but no starts.[2] The following table summarizes Porter's year-by-year regular season statistics from 2013 to 2017:| Year | Team | Games Played | Games Started | Special Teams Snaps | Tackles (Total) | Sacks | Interceptions | Forced Fumbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | CIN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | CIN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | CIN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | JAX | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | SF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career Totals | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |