High energy, productive player…never quits…makes many plays on second or third effort…seems to get better as game goes on…has knack for making plays in the fourth quarter because of never say die attitude…Pro Bowl caliber defensive end…selected by the Rams in the first round (6th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft. 2001: Had best season of career…registered 15 starts at right defensive end…recorded career-highs with 96 tackles (47 solo) and two forced fumbles, and tied career bests with two interceptions and one fumble recovery…also finished second on team with nine sacks and had three passes defensed and 19 quarterback pressures…finished 10th in NFC in sacks...started three postseason contests…finished fifth on team with career-high 19 postseason tackles (11 solo) and second on club with two sacks…inactive for season opener vs. Philadelphia 9/9 with knee injury…returned to action at San Francisco 9/23 and made three tackles (one solo) and recorded one sack for five yards…tied career-high with nine tackles (four solo) and recorded second sack of season in Rams’ home opener vs. Miami 9/30…made four tackles (two solo) and snared game-winning interception after jarring hit by S Adam Archuleta to seal victory with 1:03 left vs. New York Giants 10/14…led defensive line with eight tackles (three solo) following week vs. New York Jets 10/21…tied career-high with nine tackles (six solo), led team with two sacks, and one forced fumble vs. New Orleans 10/28…registered seven tackles (three solo) and had three QB pressures vs. San Francisco 12/9…earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after tying career-high with 2.5 sacks and tying career-high with nine tackles (three solo) at New Orleans 12/17… led defensive line with eight tackles (five solo), had one QB pressure and one pass defensed at Carolina 12/23…tied career-high with nine tackles (four solo) vs. Indianapolis 12/30…recorded two sacks and four tackles (two solo) in season finale vs. Atlanta 1/6…recorded four solo tackles, three QB pressures, and one pass defensed in NFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Green Bay 1/20…tallied postseason career-high eight tackles (two solo) and one sack in NFC Championship Game vs. Philadelphia 1/27…registered seven tackles (postseason career-high five solo), one sack, and three QB pressures in Super Bowl XXXVI vs. New England 2/3. 2000: Started 16 games at right defensive end…made 71 tackles, 11 sacks, had 29 quarterback pressures, four passes defensed, and one forced fumble...tied for seventh in NFC in sacks…had at least 0.5 sack in six of seven contests (Games 7-14)…registered career high 2.5 sacks and had three tackles (one solo) at Atlanta 9/24…tied season high with five tackles (four solo), made 1.5 sacks and had four quarterback pressures at San Francisco 10/29…following week had career-high eight solo tackles, one sack, one pass defensed vs. Carolina 11/5…led defensive line with four tackles and had one sack at New York Giants 11/12…tied season and career highs with eight tackles (six solo) and had one sack and one pass defensed at Carolina 12/3…collected four tackles, one sack and one forced fumble vs. Minnesota 12/10…tied for team lead with five tackles, had one sack and one quarterback pressure in NFC Wildcard Game at New Orleans 12/30. 1999: Started all 16 regular season and three playoff games at right defensive end…selected to 1999 all-Madden team…set career highs in tackles (60), sacks (6.5), interceptions (two), interception returns for touchdown (two), passes defensed (two), and tied career mark with one fumble recovery…tied for team lead with two interceptions returned for touchdown…set career high in total tackles with six (three solo) vs. Atlanta 9/26…made first career interception and returned it 91 yards for the touchdown and tied then career high with six tackles (three solo), recorded 0.5 sack and one pass defensed at Atlanta 10/17…interception return was sixth-longest in franchise history and longest ever by Rams’ defensive lineman…started first career playoff contest and collected five tackles (four solo) in NFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Minnesota 1/16…registered four solo tackles and one quarterback sack in NFC Championship Game vs. Tampa Bay 1/23…made four solo tackles in Super Bowl XXXIV vs. Tennessee 1/30. 1998: Played in 13 games on defense and special teams…finished season with 30 tackles, three sacks, one fumble recovery and five special teams tackles…named Rams Defensive Rookie of the Year by coaches…made first career sack in first quarter vs. San Francisco 10/25…registered one sack for five yards and added four tackles vs. New England 12/13…made three tackles and had one sack at Carolina 12/20…inactive for three games (at Chicago 11/8, at New Orleans 11/15 and vs. Carolina 11/22) with a hamstring injury…returned from inactive list and made 18 tackles and two sacks in final five games…recorded 12 tackles and one sack in eight games prior to injury.
College Highlights:Started final three seasons at University of Nebraska…career totals include 206 total tackles, 26.5 sacks for 178 yards, one interception, three passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery…unanimous all-America and all-Big 12 Conference First-Team selection senior season…recipient of the Lombardi Award, given to nation’s top collegiate lineman…also earned Academic all-Big 12 honors…started 12 games, recording 51 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 17 stops for losses…started 12 games at defensive end junior season…Consensus Academic and Athletic First Team all-America…all-Big 12 first team selection and conference Defensive Player of the Year…had career-highs in tackles (75), sacks (9.5) and tackles for losses (20)…earned third-team all-America honors by Associated Press and first-team all-Big Eight Conference honors sophomore season…started 11 games at right outside linebacker and made 44 tackles and four sacks…had five tackles and one sack in national championship game vs. Florida…selected as Newcomer of the Year by Big Eight conference freshman season…one of only two true freshman to letter…played in every game as reserve outside linebacker…made 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks…made three tackles and tackle for loss late in fourth quarter in Orange Bowl against Miami that helped Cornhuskers’ to first national championship…graduated with degree in pre-pharmacy with emphasis in biological sciences.
Personal Info:Born Grant Alden Wistrom in Webb City, Mo…first-team all-America selection by Super Prep, Blue Chip and USA Today…earned Top 100 honors from Scholastic Coach Magazine as senior at Webb City High School…had 122 tackles, eight sacks, six fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and a blocked punt as linebacker…also played tight end and caught 30 passes for 527 yards and five touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns…led team to two class 4A championships…also played basketball and competed in track…academic all-State choice, graduating with 3.95 grade point average…lists Cornhuskers’ 1997 national championship his senior year while captain as most memorable experience in college…makes frequent visits to Bob Costas Cancer Center at Cardinal Glennon Hospital...supporter of Rainbows for Kids program which provides fun, recreational opportunities for children battling cancer...also teamed with Jerry Wunsch of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to bring St. Louis children with cancer on a trip to Wisconsin for winter fun to form a Circle of Friends...creating a foundation to focus his efforts on providing opportunities for children with cancer...part of Rams defensive line who raised more than $100,000 for St. Patrick Center through Sack Homelessness...brother, Tracey, a tight end, was seventh round draft selection (251st overall) by Tampa Bay in 2002 NFL Draft from Nebraska...plans to be a pharmacist or high school football coach after career...single...resides in Chesterfield, Mo.