Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 223 lbs.
College: Michigan
Born: in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Acquired: Free Agent, 2005/ Draft ..2a (40th overall), 2000
Pro Year: 6th
Year with Broncos: 5th
NFL Games Played/Started: 76/41
Postseason: 1/0




2005: Started the first six games and has accrued 36 tackles (27 solo) a sack (7 yds. –QB Drew Brees), two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass defensed. Led the linebackers, placed second on the team, with seven tackles (6 solo) and recovered a fumble at Mia. (9/11). He also saw action on special teams. Recorded four solo tackles, including a sack (7 yds. –QB Drew Brees) forcing a fumble to help limit the Chargers to 41 yards in the second half of the home opener vs. S.D. (9/18). Contributed eight tackles (6 solo) and a forced fumble on Monday Night Football vs. K.C. (9/26). Recorded six tackles (4 solo) at Jac. (10/2) in helping to limit the Jaguars to 12 rushing yards, the fewest yielded by the Broncos defense since 1965 (0 yds., at K.C., 12/19/65). Recorded five tackles (3 solo) and a pass defensed vs. Was. (10/9). Deflected a pass to thwart a two-point conversion which would have tied the score against the Redskins. Recorded six tackles (4 solo) vs. N.E. (10/16).

2004: In his first and only season with Tampa Bay, Gold ranked third on the Buccaneers with 120 tackles (70 solo) while adding one interception (31 yds., at Stl. 10/18), half a sack (5 yds.) and two pass breakups in 16 games (13 starts). The only starts he missed—at Stl. (10/18), vs. Chi. (10/24) and at Ari. (1/2)—were due to Tampa Bay opening the game with three defensive backs. He started in the season opener at Was. (9/12) and made seven tackles (6 solo) before notching seven tackles (2 solo) and a pass breakup the next week vs. Sea. (9/19) in helping limit the Seahawks to 182 total yards. He recorded six tackles (3 solo) at Oak. (9/26) and tallied a season-high 10 stops (3 solo) vs. Den. (10/3), the team that drafted him and for which he was a member of for four seasons. He tallied six tackles (2 solo), an interception (31 yds.) and a pass breakup at Stl. (10/18) on Monday Night Football. He did not start against the Rams because the Buccaneers opened the game in a nickel defense, but he intercepted Marc Bulger and returned the turnover 31 yards. After posting two tackles (both solo) vs. Chi. (10/24) in a game that he did not start (nickel defense), he added eight tackles vs. K.C. (11/7). His lone sack of the year was half a sack (5 yds.) of Michael Vick at Atl. (11/4) in an eight-tackle game. The next week vs. S.F. (11/21), he made eight tackles (7 solo) and helped limit the 49ers to only 26 yards of offense and two first downs in the first half. He finished the Buccaneers’ contest at Car. (11/28) with nine stops (6 solo) before posting eight tackles (7 solo) vs. Atl. (12/5), contributing to the defense posting its ninth shutout in franchise history and first of the season. At S.D. (12/12), he tallied seven tackles (5 solo) before leading the team with a career-high 15 tackles (6 solo) vs. N.O. (12/19).

2003: Gold—selected as the Broncos’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award—started the first six games at weakside linebacker before being placed on injured reserve Oct. 14 because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He underwent surgery at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo., on Oct. 17. Before going down, Gold ranked third on the team in tackles with 39 (34 solo) while also tying for the team lead with two interceptions (14 yds.) and tying for second with six pass deflections. He also made two special-teams stops. In the season opener at Cin. (9/7), Gold recorded 10 tackles (8 solo) and one interception of Jon Kitna that he returned for a 12-yard touchdown. His touchdown was the second of his career, the first coming on a return after he blocked a punt vs. Oak. (11/13/00). The interception was the first of Gold’s career and the first by a Broncos’ linebacker since John Mobley intercepted a pass vs. Oak. (11/11/01). At S.D. (9/14), Gold recorded six solo tackles, two passes defensed and snared his second interception in as many weeks. The interception came after Bertrand Berry deflected a Drew Brees pass and was returned two yards. Gold matched his season high with 10 tackles (8 solo) vs. Det. (9/28) and had a pass deflection and a special-teams tackle. At K.C. (10/5), he recorded nine solo tackles, marking a season high for unassisted tackles. He saw his season come to an end vs. Pit. (10/12) when he went down with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter after tearing the ACL in his right knee covering a Denver punt.

2002: Gold started at weakside linebacker in all 16 games and ranked second on the Broncos in tackles with a career-high 166 (130 solo), including a career-high 6.5 sacks (34 yds.), as well as five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Gold's sack total tied for fifth in the AFC (T-8th in NFL) among linebackers. In his first year as a starter, Gold posted double-digit tackle totals in 10 games, including four in a row and in eight of the final 10 outings. He also posted at least half a sack in each of the final four games, notching 3.5 sacks in that span. In the season opener vs. Stl. (9/8), Gold posted a then career-high 12 tackles (10 solo) to tie for the team lead. Gold posted his first sack of the season at S.F. (9/15), dropping Jeff Garcia for a 7-yard loss, among his 10 tackles (9 solo). His first forced fumble came vs. Buf. (9/22) and led to a 24-yard scoring return by Chester McGlockton. Gold made a career-high 13 tackles (9 solo) at K.C. (10/20). He posted his second sack of the season at N.E. (10/27), dropping Tom Brady for a 3-yard loss, and forced a fumble in the game. He led the team in tackles while tying his career high with 13 stops (9 solo) vs. Oak. (11/11), including his third sack of the season (5 yds. -QB Rich Gannon), giving him sacks in back-to-back games. Against Ind. (11/24), Gold recovered a dropped punt by Colts returner Troy Walters. At S.D. (12/1), he matched his season high with 13 tackles (10 solo). He recorded his fourth sack at the N.Y. Jets (12/8), pulling down Chad Pennington for a 10-yard loss. Gold matched his season high (fourth time) with 13 tackles (10 solo) vs. K.C. (12/15) and also recorded his fifth sack of the season (1 yd. –QB Trent Green). Gold recorded his sixth sack of the season at Oak. (12/22), knocking the ball loose from Rich Gannon on the play for his third forced fumble of the season. He also matched his season high (for the fifth time) of 13 tackles (12 solo) against the Raiders. His fumble recovery came in the season finale vs. Ari. (12/29) when Lional Dalton sacked Josh McCown, forcing the ball loose, and Gold returned it 18 yards to the Broncos’ 16-yard line. In that game, he also raised his sack total 6.5 with a shared sack of McCown.

2001: Gold—voted to play in the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career as the AFC special teams performer, and named All-AFC for special teams by Pro Football Weekly—played all 16 games (0 starts) and posted a then career-best 28 tackles (22 solo), including a then career-high three sacks (14 yds.) while breaking up two passes and forcing a fumble. He excelled on special teams, ranking third on the team with 18 tackles and recovering two fumbles (at K.C. 12/16 and at Ari. 9/23) on the unit. His second fumble recovery came on the opening kickoff of the second half at K.C. (12/16). In the season opener vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/10), he posted one solo tackle in the form of a sack of Kerry Collins for a 2-yard loss. Gold recorded a then season-high in tackles at S.D. (10/21) with four (3 solo). He recorded his second sack (6 yds.) of the season at Dal. (11/22), dropping Ryan Leaf and causing a fumble that was recovered by John Mobley to set up a Broncos touchdown. Gold set his season high initially with five tackles at Mia. (12/2), just one short of his career single-game high set last season at N.O. (12/3/00). Gold tied his season high in tackles with five vs. Oak. (12/30), including one sack, as he took down Rich Gannon for a 6-yard loss in the second quarter.

2000: Selected by the Broncos in the second round (40th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft, Gold played all 16 regular-season games (0 starts) as a rookie and saw action in a reserve role on defense and special teams. He posted 21 tackles (20 solo) on defense with two sacks (4 yds.) and a forced fumble (vs. Oak. 11/13). He recorded 11 solo tackles in a two-game span (Gms. 13-14), posting five vs. Sea. (12/10) after a career-high six at N.O. (12/3). On special teams, Gold ranked third on Denver with 11 tackles and blocked a punt, which he returned 12 yards for his first touchdown, vs. Oak. (11/13). He also recovered two fumbles (vs. Cle. 10/15 and vs. Atl. 9/10) on special teams. He played as a reserve and on special teams in the AFC Wild Card Game at Bal. (12/31) and posted one solo tackle in his first postseason game. Gold made his NFL debut in the season opener at Stl. (9/4) and made four tackles (3 solo). He was spectacular on Monday Night Football vs. Oak. (11/13), registering a sack of Rich Gannon and forcing a fumble on the play that the Broncos recovered. He also blocked a Shane Lechler punt and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown in the win, finishing the game with two special-teams tackles to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Gold became the first Bronco to return a blocked punt for a touchdown since Rob Nairne returned one 22 yards for a score vs. N.E. (11/11/79).

COLLEGE: Gold was a four-year letterwinner and two-year starter at the University of Michigan, switching from running back to linebacker as a sophomore. He earned All-Big Ten Conference honors as both a junior (second team) and senior (first team), leading the Wolverines in tackles with 95 (71 solo) in his final campaign in Ann Arbor. He played every game as a sophomore in his first season as a linebacker following a freshman season in which he mostly saw special teams duty as a running back.

PERSONAL: Gold was a SuperPrep All-American, Blue Chip Illustrated All-Midwest, Detroit News Blue Chip, All-Mega Conference, all-area and Associated Press Class A/AA all-state pick as a running back at Belleville High School in Belleville, Mich. A three-year letterman, he rushed for 934 yards and 21 touchdowns while returning a pair of punts for scores as a senior despite missing the final two games with a knee sprain. Gold’s numbers from his junior year included 920 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He also lettered in basketball (guard) and track (sprinter/high jumper). Gold earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Michigan. His twin brothers, Jason and Jeremy, played football at Central Michigan, and his younger brother, Cory, played football in high school and is a 2002 graduate of Moorehouse College. Gold’s mother and father both graduated from the University of Michigan. Ian Maurice Gold was born Aug. 23, 1978, at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich.


























Gold's Regular Season Record
Year Club G S UT A TT S-Yds. I-Yds. PD FF FR TD-Int. TD-FR S Pts.
2000 Denver 16 0 20 1 21 2-4 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
2001 Denver 16 0 22 6 28 3-14 0-0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
2002 Denver 16 16 130 36 166 6.5-34 0-0 5 3 1 0 0 0 0
2003 Denver 6 6 34 5 39 0-0 2-14 6 0 0 1 0 0 6
2004
Tampa Bay
16
13
70
50
120
0.5-5
1-31
2
0
0
0
0
0
0

2005
Denver
6
6
27
9
36
1-7
0-0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0

Career Totals 76 41 303 107 410 13-64 3-45 16 6 1 1 0 0 6

Additional Statistics: Special teams tackles — 2005 (0), TOTAL (32). Blocked a Shane Lechler punt vs. Oakland (11/13/00) and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown. Special teams fumbles — 2005 (0), TOTAL (5FR).

Gold's Postseason Record
Year Club G S UT A TT S-Yds. I-Yds. PD FF FR TD-Int. TD-FR S Pts.
2000
Denver
1
0
1
0
1
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Career Totals 1 0 1 0 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Single Game High
(Postseason in parentheses)

Sacks — 1, 12 times, last vs. San Diego, 9/18/05 (none). Sack yards — 10 at N.Y. Jets, 12/8/02 (none). Interceptions — 1, three times, last at St. Louis, 10/18/04 (none). Interception return yards — 31 at St. Louis, 10/18/04 (none).