2004: Warren played 13 games (13 starts) at defensive tackle for Cleveland and recorded 38 tackles (21 solo), four sacks (26.5 yds.) and a team and career-high three forced fumbles. He ranked third on the Browns in sacks and tied for second on the team with 21 quarterback pressures. In the season opener vs. Bal. (9/12), he left the game in the second quarter with a strained pectoral muscle. The injury forced him to miss most of the Browns’ contest at Dal. (9/19) before he was inactive for the next three games. He returned to the field vs. Cin. (10/17), recording two tackles and half a sack (3.5 yds.) of quarterback Carson Palmer. He posted four tackles (2 solo) vs. Phi. (10/24), including a 4-yard sack of Donovan McNabb in overtime. At Bal. (11/7), Warren posted two tackles (both solo) and forced a fumble. He recorded 1.5 sacks for eight yards vs. NYJ (11/21), sharing a sack (3 yds.) of Quincy Carter with linebacker Andra Davis. Warren forced a fumble on running back Corey Dillon along with making three tackles (1 solo) vs. N.E. (12/5). Warren’s season high for tackles came at Mia. (12/26) when he posted seven stops (4 solo) with an 11-yard sack of quarterback A.J. Feeley on a play in which he also forced a fumble.
2003: Warren played all 16 regular-season games (15 starts) for the Browns at defensive tackle and recorded a career-high 5.5 sacks (26.5 yds.), 70 tackles (33 solo), three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. His 34 quarterback pressures were tops on the Browns while he ranked third on the team in sacks. He posted at least half a sack in three consecutive games in December, the longest streak of his career, and recorded the first multiple-sack game of his career (2 sacks at Den. 12/14). In the season opener vs. Ind. (9/7), Warren posted two tackles (both solo), and he added three tackles and a fumble recovery (QB Chris Redman) that set up a touchdown at Bal. (9/14). Warren led a dominating effort by the defensive line at S.F. (9/21) with three tackles (1 solo) in limiting the 49ers to 75 yards rushing. He recorded his first sack of the year (0 yds. -QB Tommy Maddox) at Pit. (10/5) in a three-tackle game. Warren tallied a then season-high six tackles (4 solo) at Oak. (10/12) and made three tackles (1 solo) vs. S.D. (10/19). Warren recovered a fumble by running back Marcel Shipp vs. Ari. (11/16) in a two-tackle game (1 solo). He posted his second sack of the year vs. Pit. (11/23) in a seven-tackle game (4 solo). He tied a career best by breaking up two passes against the Steelers. Warren posted half a sack (2.5 yds.) of Marc Bulger vs. Stl. (12/8) to force a punt while finishing the contest with six tackles (2 solo). At Den. (12/15), he recorded a season-high 10 tackles (6 solo) and tallied two sacks (12 yds.) of Jake Plummer. With seven tackles (4 solo) and a sack (5 yds.) of Anthony Wright at Bal. (12/21), he extended his sack streak to three games.
2002: Warren started all 16 regular-season games for Cleveland and totaled 56 tackles (39 solo), two sacks (11 yds.) and three pass breakups while forcing and recovering two fumbles. He added 25 quarterback pressures to rank third on Cleveland while also blocking a field goal attempt (vs. Car. 12/1—a 22-yd. attempt by Shayne Graham). In an AFC Wild Card Game at Pit. (1/5), Warren started and played in his first career playoff game, posting two tackles (both assists). In the regular-season opener vs. K.C. (9/8), he made three solo tackles. Warren recorded a season-high eight tackles (5 solo) at Pit. (9/29). He posted his first sack of the year (8 yds.) and added a forced fumble at NYJ (10/27). He forced a fumble on his 8-yard sack of Chad Pennington against the Jets to set up a Cleveland touchdown. Against Car. (12/1), he blocked kicker Shayne Graham’s 22-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter to halt a potential Panthers scoring drive. Warren accounted for Cleveland’s only sack in its game vs. Ind. (12/15) with a 3-yard takedown of Peyton Manning, and he forced and recorded a fumble on running back James Mungro. In the regular-season finale vs. Atl. (12/29), Warren posted three tackles (2 solo) and recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter that the Browns converted to a touchdown to help secure a playoff berth.
2001: Selected by Cleveland in the first round (third overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft, Warren made an immediate impact on the defensive line during his rookie campaign, recording a career-high 83 tackles (72 solo), five sacks (36 yds.) and four pass breakups in 15 regular-season games (15 starts) at defensive tackle. His five sacks ranked third on the team and placed fourth in the AFC (6th in NFL) among rookies. Additionally, he led Cleveland with 34 quarterback pressures. Warren registered the first sack of his career in his NFL debut in the season opener vs. Sea. (9/9) when he took down Matt Hasselbeck for a loss of 10 yards in an eight-tackle game. He notched a sack of Randall Cunningham (2 yds.) vs. Bal. (10/21) and finished that game with seven tackles (all solo). In addition to recording two tackles at Chi. (11/4), Warren broke up two passes at the line of scrimmage that resulted in interceptions. He finished the regular season on a strong note, posting eight or more tackles in four of the final six games. At N.E. (12/9), he took down quarterback Tom Brady for a sack (5 yds.) in a nine-tackle game (8 solo). He posted a sack (9 yds.) vs. Jac. (12/16) and contributed a career-high 11 tackles (9 solo). In the season finale at Pit. (1/6), Warren recorded a sack (10 yds.) and nine stops.
COLLEGE: Warren was one of the top interior defensive linemen in the country at the University of Florida, where he posted 159 career tackles (91 solo), 9.5 sacks (61 yds.) and 30 tackles for losses (121 yds.) in 35 games (22 starts). A first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection as a junior, he was rated the best defensive tackle in college football and an All-America Dream Team selection by The NFL Draft Report in 2000. He was instrumental in the Gators’ SEC Championship victory against Auburn in 2000 as the team’s recipient of its Most Inspirational Player Award. One of five team captains, Warren started the first seven games of his junior season at left defensive tackle before switching to the right side for the final four contests. His final year at Florida saw him post 76 tackles (45 solo) along with 4.5 sacks (32 yds.) and 12 tackles-for-losses. He led the Gators with 23 quarterback pressures (five resulted in interceptions) and added one forced fumble. As a sophomore, Warren was named a second-team All-SEC choice (coaches and AP). A co-recipient of Florida’s Best Effort Award, Warren started 10 games (five at each DT position) and recorded 52 tackles, two sacks (13 yds.) and 13 tackles-for-losses. He posted a team-high 19 quarterback pressures and broke up three passes in 1999. As a redshirt freshman in 1998, he played 10 games, recording 27 tackles (14 solo) and two sacks (13 yds.), and started at defensive tackle against Florida State. In 1997, he played the first three games before being granted a medical redshirt due to a knee injury.
PERSONAL: Warren was named to PrepStar’s All-America Dream Team and was ranked among the nation’s top 10 defensive linemen by that publication at Union County High School in Lake Butler, Fla. Warren, who posted 36 career sacks, also was tabbed a SuperPrep All-American. He was named to Florida’s prestigious Super Seniors Team and was a first-team all-state (3A) selection for two seasons, helping Union County to three state titles and a 49-4 overall record. He also was voted a second-team All-American by USA Today and SuperPrep’s Dixie Defensive Player-of-the-Year. An honor roll student all four years in high school, Warren majored in recreation program delivery at Florida. While at Florida, he became the godfather to the daughter (Alisha) of former Gators and Browns teammate LB Andra Davis. He was nicknamed “Big Money” by one of his high school coaches because of his potential as a professional football player. The son of Charles and Joann Warren, Gerard T. Warren was born July 25, 1978, in Lake City, Fla.
Additional Statistics: Blocked a 22-yard field goal attempt by Shayne Graham vs. Carolina (12/1/02). Tipped a 45-yard field goal attempt by Sebastian Janikowski at Oakland (11/13/05).
