Which NFL team did Eryk Anders play for? UFC 289 fighter's football career explored

American mixed martial arts expert Eryk Anders has a rich and exquisite MMA and American football legacy. The current UFC middleweight was a Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide team member and has played football at the highest level.

These days he's more focused on climbing up the UFC middleweight rankings to get a shot at the title someday.

Eryk Anders played for the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL season. He was a team practice squad member coming into the season and featured in some preseason games as a linebacker. However, he was cut before the season started, which spelled the end of his brief NFL career.

Following his release from the Browns, Anders was signed by the CFL's Calgary Stampeders as a practice squad player. Once more, he featured in some unofficial games but wasn't handed a full-time contract. He was released shortly after.

Eryk Anders' college football career

Eryk Anders attended Smithson Valley High School, where he played as a linebacker and earned plaudits for his toughness and agility. Several schools recruited him, but he chose the American college football powerhouse, the University of Alabama.

Anders played for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2006 to 2009 as a linebacker, starting 14 games in his senior season.

The highlight of his time in Bama was a win in the 2009 BCS National Championship against the Texas Longhorns. In this match, he led the Crimson Tide with seven tackles and a forced fumble. Following this game, Anders declared for the 2010 NFL draft, where scouts expected him to be a day-three pick or go undrafted.

Anders went undrafted, eventually signing a contract with the Cleveland Browns. His time with the Browns was brief, and he never played a single NFL game. He ultimately transitioned to mixed martial arts, a profession in which he has achieved significant success since.