# Derek Wolfe
**Derek Wolfe** (Derek J. Wolfe; born 1990 in Lisbon, Ohio) is a former [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) defensive lineman who played nine seasons in the NFL, eight with the [Denver Broncos](https://www.edgepedia.org/denver-broncos) and one with the [Baltimore Ravens](https://www.edgepedia.org/baltimore-ravens), and won Super Bowl 50 with Denver in February 2016[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm) • [2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl). Listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 285 pounds, he played defensive end and defensive tackle, wearing number 95 throughout his career[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Lisbon, Ohio; Beaver Local High School[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm) |
| Draft | Denver Broncos, 2nd round, 36th overall, 2012 NFL Draft[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm) |
| College honors | 2011 Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year; 70 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks as a senior[3](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/gobearcats.com/documents/2012/9/14/12_fb_media_supplement.pdf) |
| Super Bowl 50 | 2.5 sacks of Cam Newton, 10 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 5 quarterback hits in Denver's 24-10 win[4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/03/29/nfl/1585441867_236505.html) |
| Denver totals | 33 sacks, 299 tackles, 46 tackles for loss, 77 quarterback hits over eight seasons[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl) |
| NFL career | 122 games, 34.0 sacks, 225 solo tackles; 108 games (all starts) with Denver, 14 with Baltimore[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm) |
| Retirement | Announced July 29, 2022, at the Broncos' training center[5](https://www.denvergazette.com/2022/07/29/super-bowl-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-with-denver-broncos-a6bb81d4-c16f-5f4a-93f1-7a754873519a/) |
## College career at Cincinnati
Wolfe played college football at the [University of Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-cincinnati), lettering through 2011[6](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/wolf01080.html). As a senior defensive tackle in 2011 he recorded 70 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, earned first-team All-Big East honors, and was named the conference's Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside the league's Offensive Player of the Year, running back Isaiah Pead[3](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/gobearcats.com/documents/2012/9/14/12_fb_media_supplement.pdf) • [7](https://utsports.com/documents/download/2017/6/20/cincinnati_2011_football.pdf). He finished his [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati) career with 19.5 sacks, fourth on the school's all-time list, and 35.0 tackles for loss, tenth on that list[7](https://utsports.com/documents/download/2017/6/20/cincinnati_2011_football.pdf).
His final college season nearly did not happen. In an April 2012 interview he said he had grown tired of being broke as a college student, and that the decision to return sharpened his play: "I think I played a lot harder and a lot faster, I grew up as a player and I improved my football intelligence"[8](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2012/apr/01/wolfe-in-line-for-nfl-draft/).
## 2012 NFL Draft
The Broncos selected Wolfe with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, making him UC's highest-drafted player since Bob Bell went 21st overall in 1971[9](https://gobearcats.com/news/2012/4/27/Pead_amp_Wolfe_Selected_In_Second_Round_Of_2012_NFL_Draft.aspx) • [10](https://gobearcats.com/all-time-nfl-draft-picks). In his senior season he had also received a second-team [All-America](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-america) nod from the Associated Press and second-team all-conference honors from The NFL Draft Report[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl) • [11](https://media.denverbroncos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/151129_bios_NE.pdf). Wolfe later said he was frustrated at not going a day earlier in the first round and did not expect Denver to be his destination; at the time he had less than $10 to his name and had never opened a bank account[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl).
## Denver Broncos, 2012-2019
**Rookie season.** Wolfe secured a starting role immediately and played all 16 games as a rookie, starting every game at left defensive end and playing 84 percent of Denver's defensive snaps[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm). He became the first Denver defensive lineman to start every game as a rookie since an earlier era noted in the team's media guide[12](https://media.denverbroncos.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Wolfe_Derek.pdf). His first sack came against [Ben Roethlisberger](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-roethlisberger) in his first game, and he celebrated it with a howl that became his trademark after big plays for the rest of his Denver career[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl).
**The 2013 neck injury.** In 2013 Wolfe suffered a spinal cord injury that required him to be carted off the field in Seattle and later produced seizure-like symptoms, casting doubt on his future in the game[13](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/remembering-derek-wolfe-s-career-with-the-broncos). He recovered, played all 16 games the following season, and started 11 games in 2013 and 16 in 2014[13](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/remembering-derek-wolfe-s-career-with-the-broncos) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm).
**Super Bowl 50 season.** In 2015 Wolfe started 12 games on the left side of a defensive line paired with [Von Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/von-miller), on a defense the Ravens' media guide described as the league's best at 283.1 yards allowed per game on the way to Denver's third Lombardi Trophy[14](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1598641387/league/hhw2gjmmjklm8ghcdgtg.pdf). In the [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) itself, a 24-10 win over the [Carolina Panthers](https://www.edgepedia.org/carolina-panthers), Wolfe recorded 2.5 sacks of Cam Newton, 10 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 5 quarterback hits[4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/03/29/nfl/1585441867_236505.html). Wolfe later called that season his favorite, saying a defense of that quality "comes along like once a decade"[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl).
**Later Denver years.** In 53 games from 2016 through 2019, Wolfe posted 159 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 43 quarterback hits, 16 sacks, and 11 passes defensed[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl). In week 9 of the 2016 season he fractured his elbow in a loss to the Raiders, an injury that did not require surgery[15](https://as.com/us/us/2016/11/08/nfl/1478629715_695554.html). His 2019 season ended with a career-best 7 sacks before a season-ending injury[13](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/remembering-derek-wolfe-s-career-with-the-broncos). His Denver tenure closed after that season, when the Broncos acquired five-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey from the [Tennessee Titans](https://www.edgepedia.org/tennessee-titans) for a seventh-round pick[16](https://www.nfl.com/news/veteran-derek-wolfe-super-bowl-50-winner-with-broncos-retires).
## Baltimore Ravens, 2020
In March 2020 Wolfe signed with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency on a one-year deal reported at $3 million guaranteed with up to $3 million more in incentives, filling the interior line spot vacated by Michael Pierce[4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/03/29/nfl/1585441867_236505.html). He appeared in 14 games with 8 starts for Baltimore in 2020, his final NFL season[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm).
## Retirement and after
Wolfe announced his retirement on July 29, 2022, walking the fields at the UCHealth Training Center and receiving a standing ovation from the 3,270 fans in attendance for training camp, ending a nine-year career[5](https://www.denvergazette.com/2022/07/29/super-bowl-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-with-denver-broncos-a6bb81d4-c16f-5f4a-93f1-7a754873519a/). In his retirement video he said, "In my opinion, that Super Bowl was the easiest game that we played all year"[16](https://www.nfl.com/news/veteran-derek-wolfe-super-bowl-50-winner-with-broncos-retires). His career totals across both teams were 122 games, 34.0 sacks, and 225 solo tackles[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm).
After retiring he worked in Denver sports radio at 104.3 The Fan alongside Andrew Mason; his departure from the station was reported in July 2023[17](https://barrettmedia.com/2023/07/21/derek-wolfe-out-the-fan/).
## Playing style
Wolfe played left defensive end in Denver's 3-4 front for most of his career, moving to right defensive end in 2019[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm). Before the draft he said he enjoyed playing end in a 3-4 alignment because he "gets a lot of space to work on one guy"[18](https://sidelinescouting.com/draft-guide/2012.pdf). Alongside Von Miller, with whom he played eight years, Wolfe was described as half of a dominant pair of edge defenders; he sometimes ran picks to free Miller as a pass rusher, and Miller compared the two to [Steve Nash](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-nash) and [Dirk Nowitzki](https://www.edgepedia.org/dirk-nowitzki) for how they played off each other[2](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl).
## References
1. [Derek Wolfe Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WolfDe00.htm)
2. [Super Bowl 50 champion Derek Wolfe announces retirement from the NFL, DenverBroncos.com](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/super-bowl-50-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-from-the-nfl)
3. [2012 University of Cincinnati Football media supplement](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/gobearcats.com/documents/2012/9/14/12_fb_media_supplement.pdf)
4. [Derek Wolfe se unirá a Baltimore Ravens por un año, AS.com](https://as.com/us/us/2020/03/29/nfl/1585441867_236505.html)
5. [Super Bowl champion Derek Wolfe announces retirement with Denver Broncos, Denver Gazette](https://www.denvergazette.com/2022/07/29/super-bowl-champion-derek-wolfe-announces-retirement-with-denver-broncos-a6bb81d4-c16f-5f4a-93f1-7a754873519a/)
6. [Derek Wolfe Stats, Pro Football Archives](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/wolf01080.html)
7. [2011 Cincinnati Football media guide](https://utsports.com/documents/download/2017/6/20/cincinnati_2011_football.pdf)
8. [Wolfe in line for NFL draft, Vindy Archives](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2012/apr/01/wolfe-in-line-for-nfl-draft/)
9. [Pead & Wolfe Selected In Second Round Of 2012 NFL Draft, University of Cincinnati Athletics](https://gobearcats.com/news/2012/4/27/Pead_amp_Wolfe_Selected_In_Second_Round_Of_2012_NFL_Draft.aspx)
10. [All-Time NFL Draft Picks, University of Cincinnati Athletics](https://gobearcats.com/all-time-nfl-draft-picks)
11. [Updated Player Biographies, Denver Broncos media guide](https://media.denverbroncos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/151129_bios_NE.pdf)
12. [Wolfe_Derek.pdf, Denver Broncos media](https://media.denverbroncos.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Wolfe_Derek.pdf)
13. [Remembering Derek Wolfe's career with the Broncos, DenverBroncos.com](https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/remembering-derek-wolfe-s-career-with-the-broncos)
14. [Baltimore Ravens media guide](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1598641387/league/hhw2gjmmjklm8ghcdgtg.pdf)
15. [Parte de guerra #9 NFL, AS.com](https://as.com/us/us/2016/11/08/nfl/1478629715_695554.html)
16. [Veteran DL Derek Wolfe, Super Bowl 50 winner with Broncos, retires from NFL after 10 seasons, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/veteran-derek-wolfe-super-bowl-50-winner-with-broncos-retires)
17. [Derek Wolfe Out at 104.3 The Fan in Denver, Barrett Media](https://barrettmedia.com/2023/07/21/derek-wolfe-out-the-fan/)
18. [2012 Draft Guide, Sideline Scouting](https://sidelinescouting.com/draft-guide/2012.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Defensive ends › Retired and historical defensive ends*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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