Rick DiBernardo

Rick Anthony DiBernardo (born June 12, 1964) is a former American football linebacker who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL).^[1]

Rick DiBernardo

No. 56, 53
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1964-06-12) June 12, 1964 (age 61) Redondo Beach, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:	Edison (Huntington Beach, California)
College:	Notre Dame
NFL draft:	1986: undrafted
Career history
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1986)* St. Louis Cardinals (1986) Los Angeles Rams (1987)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Fumble recoveries: 2 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

DiBernardo was born on June 12, 1964, in Redondo Beach, California. He attended Edison High School, where he played football and basketball.^[2] In his junior season, DiBernardo set an Edison basketball record with 17 field goals against Costa Mesa High School.^[3]

As a senior, DiBernardo was named to the South team in the Orange County All-Star basketball game.^[4] Edison football coach Bill Workman said DiBernardo "could start at every position on our team except quarterback and tailback and it would be very close at those positions".^[2] Parade magazine named DiBernardo to their All-America team, where the magazine's editors selected the best high school football players in America to the honorary team.^[5] USC, UCLA, Nebraska, Washington, and Notre Dame all tried to recruit DiBernardo to their football programs.^[6] In the visit with Notre Dame, head coach Gerry Faust talked to him about the university's "unique" atmosphere, its high academic standards and the Irish tradition".^[7] After he visited the university's campus, DiBernardo chose to attend Notre Dame.^[8]

College career

DiBernardo graduated with majors in marketing and psychology.^[6]

Professional career

DiBernardo was not selected by a team in the 1986 NFL draft, where organizations choose athletes to play for their teams, but he later signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[6] The Buccaneers traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals for a twelfth-round draft pick in the following year's draft.^[9] With the Cardinals, DiBernardo played as a reserve linebacker and as a long snapper on special teams.^[6] He played in all 16 games that season, as the Cardinals finished with a 4–11–1 record.^[1][10] After his first season in the NFL, DiBernardo considered retiring from the game and going back to Notre Dame for a master's degree. He instead decided to attend Cardinals' training camp, where he learned that Mike Morris had been signed as the St. Louis long snapper.^[6]

" [The Rams] said come over to (Ram Camp at Cal State Fullerton) tomorrow. I was just saying, 'There is a God. He is listening.' This is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Friday was the greatest day ever."

DiBernardo on signing with the Rams^[11]

On July 21, 1987, DiBernardo told Cardinals coach Gene Stallings he would be retiring from football, citing concerns about his job security. He showed an interest in a marketing or administration job.^[6] On August 14, while he worked for a moving company, DiBernardo received a call from a marketing agency that offered a management position; he accepted.^[11] Four hours later, the Los Angeles Rams offered him a tryout. DiBernardo signed with the Rams for "about minimum wage" as a reserve linebacker and long snapper.^[11] He played in three games for Los Angeles, and had two fumble recoveries.^[1] The Rams released DiBernardo along with nine other players in the beginning of September.^[12]

Personal life

In 2008, DiBernardo worked as a mutual fund regional vice president in Orange County, CA and as a part-time college football referee.^[13]