| Zaire Anderson | |
| Number: | 47, 50 |
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Birth Date: | August 18, 1992 |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[1] |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 11 |
| Weight Lbs: | 220 |
| High School: | Frankford (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| College: | Nebraska |
| Undraftedyear: | 2015 |
| Pastteams: |
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| Highlights: | |
| Statlabel1: | Total tackles |
| Statvalue1: | 37 |
| Statlabel2: | Forced fumbles |
| Statvalue2: | 2 |
| Statlabel3: | Fumble recoveries |
| Statvalue3: | 1 |
Zaire Anderson (born August 18, 1992) is a former American football linebacker who played for the Denver Broncos.[2] He played college football at Nebraska.[1]
Anderson started 18 of 28 games in three seasons at Nebraska after beginning his college career at Riverside City College. He registered 159 tackles (77 solo), five sacks, six passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He led the Cornhuskers with 103 tackles in addition to recording two sacks, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior, earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten Conference honors.[2] Anderson played 12 games (5 starts) as a junior, finishing the season with 52 tackles (28 solo), three sacks, and one pass defensed. He recorded 95 tackles, 6.5 sacks and two passes defensed in 2011 at Riverside City College. Anderson was named a JC Gridwire All-American and the National Division East Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 after finishing the season with 92 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss and nine sacks.[3]
Anderson was signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2015. He was waived on September 5, 2015 and was signed to the Broncos' practice squad on September 7, where he spent his entire rookie season. On February 7, 2016, Anderson was part of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50. In the game, the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers by a score of 24–10.[4] After the season, Anderson was signed by Denver to a future contract on February 10, 2016.
Anderson made his NFL debut vs. the Carolina Panthers in a Super Bowl 50 rematch on September 8, 2016. He played in all 16 games (1 start), totaling seven tackles (4 solo) on defense to go along with seven tackles and one forced fumble on special teams. He made his first career start vs. the Oakland Raiders on January 1, 2017.[3]
In 2017, Anderson recorded 20 tackles (15 solo) and three special-teams stops in 16 games (2 starts). In Week 17 of the 2017 season, Anderson recovered a fumble by Chiefs' fullback Anthony Sherman and returned it 38 yards for the touchdown.
On September 1, 2018, Anderson was waived by the Broncos.[5]
Anderson played prep ball at Frankford High School in Philadelphia, where he was named a first-team All-Philadelphia Public selection his senior season. Anderson earned his degree in child, youth and family sciences in 2014 and played his senior season as a graduate student at Nebraska.[3]