Players

AYERS AT A GLANCE:
• A fourth-year player who started 13-of-16 games at his natural defensive end position in 2011 after playing outside linebacker for the Broncos during his first two NFL seasons.
• Totaled a career-high three sacks in the regular season and led Denver with two quarterback takedowns in the postseason in 2011.
• Started 10-of-11 games played in 2010 and tied for the team lead with 10 quarterback hits despite missing five games due to injury.
• Recorded a tackle for a loss in four consecutive games to start the 2010 season.
• Notched the longest scoring fumble return by a Broncos rookie in team history with his 54-yard touchdown on Monday Night Football vs. Pittsburgh (11/9/09).
• Led the University of Tennessee in tackles for a loss during each of his final two years at the school, totaling 27.5 tackles for negative yardage over that stretch.
• Earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior at Tennessee in 2008, starting all 12 games at defensive end and leading the conference with 15.5 tackles for a loss in addition to pacing Tennessee’s defensive line with 49 tackles (34 solo).
• Shared the Andy Spiva Award as Tennessee’s most improved defender in 2008 while helping the Volunteers tie for third in the country in total defense (263.5 ypg.) and rank 10th in the nation in scoring defense (16.8 ppg.).
• Selected by the Broncos in the first round (18th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Denver as a draft choice 8/3/09.

Ayers’ Single-Game Highs
(Postseason in parentheses)
Tackles — 5, five times, last at Carolina, 11/11/12 (3 vs. Pittsburgh, 1/8/12). Sacks — 1, six times, last at Baltimore, 12/16/12 (2 vs. Pittsburgh, 1/8/12). Passes defensed — 2 at Carolina, 11/11/12 (none). Sack yards — 12 at Carolina, 11/11/12 (24 vs. Pittsburgh, 1/8/12). Interceptions — None (None). Interception return yards — None (None).

2012: Ayers appeared in 15 games for the Broncos in 2012, finishing with 16 tackles and two sacks, while tying a career-high with two pass breakups... Set or tied career highs in tackles (5), sacks (1), sack yards (12) and pass breakups (2), which also tied his single-season high at Car. (11/11)... Made a QB hit in the first quarter to force an incompletion at K.C. (11/25)... Tackled RB Darren McFadden for a 1-yard loss in the second quarter at Oak. (12/6)... Sacked QB Joe Flacco for a 6-yard loss on the penultimate play of the game and hit Flacco on an earlier third-down attempt to force an incompletion at Bal. (12/16).

2011: Ayers played all 16 regular season games (13 starts) at defensive end and tied a career high with 39 tackles (25 solo) to go along with a personal-best three sacks (12 yds.), two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery... Played in both of Denver’s playoff games, totaling five tackles (3 solo) and two sacks (24 yds.)... Recorded the eighth multi-sack game in Broncos postseason history during Denver’s AFC Wild Card Game vs. Pit. (1/8), taking down Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger twice, including on the last play of regulation to force overtime.

2010: Ayers posted 39 tackles (32 solo), 1.5 sacks (6.5 yds.), one pass defensed and one forced fumble in 11 games played (10 starts) in 2010... Tied for the team lead with 10 quarterback hits while ranking fourth on the club with six tackles for a loss... Recorded his first career sack (5 yds.) in the season opener at Jac. (9/12)... Had two tackles for a loss and helped set the edge at Ten. (10/3), limiting Titans running back Chris Johnson to his third-lowest rushing output (53 yds.) in 24 contests... Missed Games 6-10 with a foot injury.

2009: Selected by the Broncos in the first round (18th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft, Ayers totaled 18 tackles (13 solo), two pass breakups and one fumble recovery in 15 games (1 start) for Denver as a rookie... Posted the longest fumble return touchdown by a rookie in club annals with his 54-yard score on Monday Night Football vs. Pit. (11/9)... Registered multiple tackles in five consecutive games (Games 4-8) and six times for the season... Made his first career start at Phi. (12/27) and recovered a fumble on special teams in that contest.

COLLEGE: Ayers totaled 113 tackles (80 solo), nine sacks (61 yds.), one interception (8 yds.) and four pass breakups in 48 career games (14 starts) at the University of Tennessee... Registered a team-high 27.5 tackles for a loss during his final two seasons for the Volunteers... Started all 12 games at right defensive end as a senior, totaling 49 tackles (34 solo), three sacks (29 yds.), 15.5 tackles for a loss (63 yds.) and one interception (8 yds.) to earn second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors... Led the SEC in tackles for a loss (15.5) while pacing the Volunteers’ defensive line in tackles (49) as a senior.

PERSONAL: Ayers was an all-state selection as a linebacker during his senior year at Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville, S.C.... Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas as a senior... Rated the third-best linebacker prospect in the nation and the second-best overall prospect in South Carolina by PrepStar... Had 112 tackles and five interceptions while handling kickoff return duties as a senior... Posted 94 stops, eight sacks and three interceptions as a junior... Ran the 100 meters and was part of his high school’s 4x100 meter relay team... Majored in African studies at Tennessee... Robert Earnest Ayers Jr. was born on Sept. 6, 1985, in Jersey City, N.J.