Shelton Quarles

Shelton Eugene Quarles (born September 11, 1971) is an American football executive and former linebacker who is the senior director of football operations for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Vanderbilt Commodores and was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 1994. He also played for the BC Lions and the Buccaneers, for whom he played for from 1997 to 2006.

Shelton Quarles

Quarles in 2014
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position:	Director of football operations
Personal information
Born:	(1971-09-11) September 11, 1971 (age 53) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Whites Creek (TN)
College:	Vanderbilt (1990–1993)
NFL draft:	1994: undrafted
Career history
As a player:
Miami Dolphins (1994)* BC Lions (1995–1996) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997–2006)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a staff member / executive:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007–2009) Pro scout Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010–2011) Coordinator of pro scouting Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2013) Director of pro scouting Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014–2024) Director of football operations Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2025–present) Senior director of football operations
Career highlights and awards
As player Super Bowl champion (XXXVII) Pro Bowl (2002) As executive Super Bowl champion (LV)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 710 Sacks: 13.0 Forced fumbles: 8 Fumble recoveries: 8 Interceptions: 4 Defensive touchdowns: 2 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Quarles is an alumnus of Whites Creek High School in Nashville, Tennessee and was a student and a letterman in football. In football, he won a first-team All-State honors as a senior, and finished his career with 30 sacks, 505 tackles, and five interceptions. He was also a member of National Honor Society. Shelton Quarles graduated from Whites Creek High School in 1990.

Playing career

Quarles played college football in Vanderbilt earning second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior and signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 1994 but was cut in training camp. Quarles then played for two seasons (1995-96) with the Canadian Football League's BC Lions before signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent in 1997.

Quarles helped lead the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl championship in the 2002 season. Quarles also holds the record for the longest play in Buccaneers' history with a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in 2001.^[1] On April 24, 2007, it was announced that the Bucs were going to release him before the 2007 NFL draft after he failed a physical.^[2]

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Won the Super Bowl
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Interceptions				Fumbles
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sck	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	FF	FR	Yds	TD
1997	TAM	16	0	4	1	3	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
1998	TAM	16	0	12	9	3	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999	TAM	16	14	54	37	17	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
2000	TAM	14	13	51	36	15	2.0	1	5	0	5	0	2	5	0
2001	TAM	16	16	52	34	18	2.0	1	98	1	98	1	0	0	0
2002	TAM	16	16	113	74	39	1.0	2	29	1	25	0	0	0	0
2003	TAM	11	11	80	57	23	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
2004	TAM	15	15	104	71	33	3.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2005	TAM	16	16	134	104	30	1.0	0	0	0	0	4	1	0	0
2006	TAM	12	12	106	68	38	2.5	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0
		148	113	710	491	219	13.0	4	132	2	98	8	8	5	0

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Tackles				Interceptions				Fumbles
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sck	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	FF	FR	Yds	TD
1997	TAM	2	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999	TAM	2	2	8	6	2	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2000	TAM	1	1	6	6	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2001	TAM	1	0	8	5	3	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2002	TAM	3	3	22	17	5	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2005	TAM	1	1	11	5	6	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		10	7	55	39	16	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Executive career

On August 1, 2007, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Quarles as a pro scout in their personnel department. On January 20, 2011, the Buccaneers promoted Quarles to Coordinator of Pro Scouting.

On July 16, 2013, the Buccaneers promoted Quarles to director of pro scouting.^[3] On May 29, 2014, the Buccaneers promoted Quarles to director of football operations.^[4]

On May 18, 2025, Quarles was promoted once more, this time to the role of senior director of football operations.^[5]

Personal life

Quarles is married to his wife, Damaris, and have three children together: a daughter, Gabriela Nicole, and sons, Shelton Eugene Jr. and Carlos Antonio. They reside in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Quarles launched the IMPACT Foundation whose mission is to benefit at-risk children, youth, and their families by providing assistance, programs, and events designed to build self-esteem, provide unique life changing opportunities, and beneficiaries to set and achieve life goals.

Upon retiring Quarles was appointed by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to the board of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority.^[6] He served in the position until 2009.