Players

AYERS AT A GLANCE:
• A third-year defensive end who totaled 57 tackles and 1.5 sacks (6.5 yds.) in his first two NFL seasons at the outside linebacker position.
• 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.

Quickly: Ayers made the switch from linebacker to defensive end prior to the start of the 2011 season and recorded a career best in sacks (3-12) and starts (13) in addition to his 39 tackles (25 solo), two pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. He notched the longest scoring fumble return by a Broncos rookie in team annals with his 54-yard touchdown on Monday Night Football vs. Pittsburgh (11/9/09).

2011 Postseason Highlights:

• vs. Pittsburgh (1/8): Recorded two sacks, his first in postseason play... His second sack came on the final play of regulation to send the game into overtime.

2011 Season Highlights:

• vs. Oakland (9/12): Recorded a solo tackle as he stopped game-high rusher RB Darren McFadden.
• vs. Cincinnati (9/18): Recorded a QB hit on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.
• at Tennessee (9/25): Recovered a fumble in the second quarter.
• vs. San Diego (10/9): Had a tackle for loss in the third quarter when he took down QB Philip Riversafter Rivers recovered his own fumble... Recorded his first sack and first forced fumble of the season on the same play in the fourth quarter.
• vs. Detroit (10/30): Finished with one sack, two tackles for a loss and a QB hit.
• at Oakland (11/6): Had a pass break up on a second down in the fourth quarter that helped force the Raiders to punt.
• vs. New England (12/18): Finished with two tackles including a tackle for a loss on New England’s first play of the third quarter.
• vs. Kansas City (1/1): Had a sack in addition to his three solo tackles.

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) in limiting Titans running back Chris Johnson to his third-lowest rushing output (53 yds.) in his previous 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 thirdbest 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.