Brent Urban

Brent Urban's Biography

Brent Urban, a renowned football player from Canada, was born on May 5, 1991. He currently holds the role of a professional defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Urban began his journey in the NFL when he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens, following an outstanding college football career with the Virginia Cavaliers.

Before embracing his passion for football, Urban seasoned his athletic skills on ice, playing for one of the finest international ice hockey teams. At the relatively young age of 15, Urban played alongside four talented individuals who later became NHL draftees. Together, they led the 2006 AAA Mississauga Ice Dogs to an Ontario bantam championship and furthered their athletic achievements on an international stage.

His high school years were spent in Lorne Park Secondary School situated in Mississauga, Ontario. It was here that Urban started playing Canadian football as a freshman. He demonstrated commendable athletic prowess and, as a junior, he scored 16 tackles for loss, 10 tackles, and achieved an impressive record of eight pass break-ups. Because of his superior performance, he was twice selected as Toronto Star All-Star in his school’s football team.

Urban’s skill as a football player did not go unnoticed. He was ranked as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com. Consequently, the University of Virginia offered him a football scholarship which he accepted graciously. During his time as a redshirt freshman in 2010, however, he faced quite a setback in his career. Urban tore his left ACL, and as a result, was only able to participate in three games as a backup defensive end in a 4-3 defense.

In 2011, his sophomore year, he was able to participate in all 13 games serving as a backup defensive end and defensive tackle, scoring 15 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. He had to go through a wrist surgery at the end of this season. Urban underwent another transition in 2012; this time around, he shifted to the role of defensive tackle and started in all 12 games. During this season, he achieved 20 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble and recovery for a touchdown.

His senior year in 2013 saw him injured once more – a high ankle sprain in a match against the University of Maryland ruled him out of the next four matches. Nonetheless, he recorded significant achievements including 40 tackles, a sack, and 11.5 tackles for loss, the latter of which earned him the second position in the team’s overall ranking. He further escalated his accomplishments by leading the nation’s defensive linemen with nine passes broken up. He accomplished all of this despite not being able to play the entire season as a result of his injury.

Before joining the NFL, Urban was selected by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in the second round, 15th overall, of the 2013 CFL Draft. After being drafted to the NFL in 2014, he became the 26th Canadian to have that honor. His rookie year was marred by an ACL injury in training camp which placed him on injured reserve.

Despite the challenges that came with repeated injuries, Urban continued to display perseverance and dedication to his sport. In 2015, upon tearing a biceps muscle during training camp, he was quickly placed on injured reserve, but made a strong return to claim his place on the field on November 25, 2015. This saw him block a potentially game-winning field goal in his first NFL game against the Cleveland Browns; this move propelled his team towards victory as they successfully returned the blocked ball for an astounding game-winning touchdown. Made more impressive by the fact that he achieved this in the last six games of the season, Urban concluded the season with 11 tackles and one sack to his name.

The next year could be described as a mixed bag for Urban. He successfully played in all 16 games of the 2016 season and managed to record 10 tackles, 2 sacks, and two passes defended. However, in just the third game of the following season, Urban was again hit with an unfortunate injury – a Lisfranc foot injury – that necessitated surgical intervention. This injury led him to be placed on injured reserve on September 27, 2017.

Fast forward to March 6, 2018, and Urban secured a one-year contract extension with the Ravens, amounting to $2.35 million. He appeared in all 16 games, scoring a combined 27 tackles alongside 0.5 sacks and two passes defensed. He continued on to play for renowned teams such as the Tennessee Titans and the Chicago Bears before signing a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys in March 2021. Here, he switched to playing defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense. However, his position was undermined by yet another injury that placed him on injured reserve on October 26.

In May 2022, Urban returned to the Baltimore Ravens. Unfortunately, he was released during the final roster cuts on August 30, only to be re-signed the following day after the rookie linebacker David Ojabo was placed on injured reserve. Urban retained the role of backup behind defensive tackle Calais Campbell, and completed the season with 21 tackles and one sack from his 16 appearances.

As exemplified by his intention to re-sign with the Ravens in February 2023, and his decision to do the same in 2024, Urban has demonstrated resilience and grit throughout his career. During the 2023 season, Urban managed to get into 17 games with three starts, recording 22 tackles and a career-high tally of three sacks – a testament to the combination of his hard work and unfaltering love for football.