Craig Robertson

Craig Robertson (born February 11, 1988) is a former American football linebacker.

He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2011.

Robertson played college football at North Texas.

Craig Robertson attended Stafford High School in Stafford, Texas.

Robertson played many positions in high school, including option quarterback, running back, cornerback, wide receiver, kicker and punter.

Robertson was also an all-star performer in basketball and baseball.

He was also an honor roll student and member of student council while prepping at Stafford High School.

Following a stellar career on and off the field at Stafford, Robertson chose to play football at the University of North Texas.

Robertson is one of only three former football players from Stafford High School to play in the NFL.

The athletic Robertson was initially recruited to play safety at North Texas.

However, Robertson displayed a physicality that coaches felt would be better served at linebacker.

After redshirting his freshman year, Robertson became the starter at linebacker midway through his redshirt freshman season, a position he held the remainder of his collegiate career.

During his tenure at North Texas, Robertson earned All-America honors as a freshman, and Sun Belt All-Conference honors as a sophomore and senior.

As a senior, Robertson led the conference in solo tackles and total tackles.

While attending North Texas, Robertson became a member of Phi Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Robertson went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft and did not receive any offers to sign as an undrafted free agent or invitations to tryout during rookie minicamp.

On December 19, 2011, the Cleveland Browns signed Robertson to their practice squad after he attended a tryout.

He remained on the practice squad for the last two games of the regular season.

On January 3, 2012, the Cleveland Browns signed Robertson to a two-year, $870,000 reserve/futures contract.

Throughout OTA's and training camp, he competed for a roster spot, as a backup linebacker, against James-Michael Johnson, Quinton Spears, Kaluka Maiava, Emmanuel Acho, Ben Jacobs, L. J. Fort, and JoJo Dickson.

Head coach Pat Shurmur named Robertson the backup outside linebacker, behind Scott Fujita, Kakula Maiava, and James-Michael Johnson, to begin the regular season.

He had an opportunity to play immediately on defense after rookie Emmanuel Acho was placed on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury, starting outside linebacker Chris Gocong was placed on IR after tearing his Achilles tendon during camp in August, and the Browns' other starting outside linebacker, Scott Fujita, was suspended for the first three games due to his participation in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.

He made his professional regular season debut in the Cleveland Browns' season-opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded nine combined tackles, two pass deflections, and made his first career interception off a pass by quarterback Michael Vick in their 17–16 loss.

He made his first career tackle with teammate D'Qwell Jackson on tight end Brent Celek and his first career solo tackle on Jason Avant, with both coming in the first quarter.

In Week 3, Robertson earned his first career start, in place of Kakula Maiava, and made eight combined tackles during a 24–14 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

On November 18, 2012, Robertson recorded five combined tackles and made his first career sack on quarterback Tony Romo during a 23–20 loss at the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

On December 23, 2012, he earned his third career start and recorded a season-high 14 combined tackles (12 solo) in a 34–12 loss at the Denver Broncos.

Defensive coordinator Dick Jauron opted to start Robertson at outside linebacker, instead of Kakula Maiava.

Robertson finished his rookie season with 93 combined tackles (62 solo), three pass deflections, two interceptions, and one sack in 16 games and three starts.

He was used as an extra linebacker in nickel packages and was tasked with covering the tight end.

On December 31, 2012, it was reported that the Cleveland Browns' new owner, Jimmy Haslam, fired head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert, Jr. after they finished fourth in the AFC North with a 5-11 record.

Robertson entered OTA's and training camp in 2013 and competed to be a starting inside linebacker in Ray Horton's base 3-4 defense against James-Michael Johnson.

Head coach Rob Chudzinski named Robertson the starting right inside linebacker, along with left inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, to begin the regular season.

He started in the Cleveland Browns' season-opener against the Miami Dolphins and made five combined tackles in their 23–10 loss.

On October 27, 2013, Robertson recorded a season-high 11 solo tackles and sacked Alex Smith in the Browns' 23–17 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8.

On November 17, 2013, he made three combined tackles before exiting the Browns' 41–20 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals in the second quarter with a knee injury.

He attempted to return to the game, but was unable to continue.

Robertson underwent an MRI the following day and was diagnosed with a knee sprain that sidelined him for the next two games (Weeks 12–13).

He finished the 2013 season with 85 combined tackles (57 solo), three pass deflections, three sacks, and an interception in 14 games and 14 starts.

On December 30, 2013, the Cleveland Browns' general manager Mike Lombardi unexpectedly fired head coach Rob Chudzinski after the Browns finished 4-12.