Erik Lorig

Early years

Lorig was born in Rolling Hills, California. He is Jewish, and of Jewish (on his father's side) and Scandinavian (on his mother's side) descent.

He played high school football as a tight end at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in California.

There are the two other players from Lorig's high school team that are currently playing in the NFL: Tight End Craig Stevens and Center Collin Baxter.

College career

He played defensive end in college football at Stanford. At 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, he ran the 40-yard (37 m) dash in 4.76 seconds, and was known for having a quick burst off the line. Lorig did not work out while at the combine due to injury. In his first two years at Stanford, Lorig played tight end and wore number 80. In his freshman campaign, Lorig played in all 12 games where he contributed on special teams and served as the offense's blocking TE, often lining up in the backfield as an H-back/fullback. He recorded 10 catches for 100 yards. He was then asked by the new coaching staff to switch to defensive end for his junior year and proceeded to record 39 tackles, including 6 tackles for loss and 3 sacks in 2008, and had 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks in 2007. His NFL prospect status took a severe hit in 2009, when he sat out most of the season because of a torn pectoral muscle.

In his five years at Stanford he started 25 of 29 games, and had 95 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, and 4.5 sacks, earning Honorable Mention All-Pac 10 as a junior, and All-Pac All-Academic team twice (2008, 2009).

As an undergraduate at Stanford, Lorig majored in Public Policy, a sub-department within the School of Economics, with an emphasis in Technology Policy, and minored in Film and Media Studies. As of March 2011, he was pursuing a master's degree in Digital Media Interaction at Stanford during his off-seasons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010–2013)

Lorig was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round (253rd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract for $1.8 million on June 18, 2010.

Lorig switched from defensive end to fullback/tight end on October 3, 2010. He made his NFL debut at Cincinnati a week later, and had his first NFL start against Carolina on November 14, 2010, starting at fullback. In 2010, he played in 9 games, starting 1, and in 2011, he played in 16 games, starting 7.

On September 9, 2012, he tied for first on the team with a career-high four receptions. He had his first career touchdown reception at Minnesota on October 25, 2012. In 2012, he played in all 16 games, starting 7. In 2013, he played in 15 games, starting 9.

In his four seasons with the Buccaneers, he played in 56 games (starting 24 at fullback and tight end), while catching 30 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown.

Lorig became a free agent in 2014. In February 2014, the Buccaneers were reported to be interested in re-signing him.

New Orleans Saints (2014)

Lorig signed a four-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on March 18, 2014. He was released by the Saints on September 1, 2015.