Ferris State To Officially Retire Jersey Of Bulldog Legend and NFL Standout Zach Sieler This Friday

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University will honor and pay tribute to a Bulldog legend and one of the National Football League's (NFL) top defensive linemen this Friday (April 25) during the annual Crimson & Gold Spring Football Game as FSU officially retires the jersey of alum Zach Sieler during a special halftime ceremony.

Sieler, who has spent the past seven years in the NFL, was tabbed as the Miami Dolphins' Most Valuable Player this past fall. He became the first-ever Bulldog to be drafted by a NFL franchise back in 2018 when he was picked in the seventh round by the Baltimore Ravens. Sieler wore jersey #96 during his FSU career.

"We're looking forward to honoring Zach on Friday and he's extremely deserving of this recognition," said FSU head coach Tony Annese. "He has been an ambassador for Ferris State University and Bulldog Football on the game's biggest stage in the National Football League and we're proud of his achievements and thankful for what he's meant for our university."

The three-time national champion Bulldogs will close out spring drills with the annual Crimson & Gold contest presented by Jersey Mike's on Friday, which is slated for a 3 p.m. (ET) start. The game will be broadcast live on YouTube @ferrisathletics along with local radio flagship station Sunny 97.3 FM and the Bulldog Sports Network online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com with pregame coverage starting at 2:30 p.m.

A force on the defensive front during his Bulldog career, Sieler was selected 238th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens after his career at Ferris State, where he joined the team as a walk-on. He played for the Ravens in parts of two seasons before moving the Dolphins in 2019.

Sieler was an All-American in each of his final two seasons and twice received the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year honor along with being chosen in both 2016 and 2017 as the Division II Conference Commissioners Association Super Region Defensive Player of the Year. He also was twice chosen as a national finalist for the Cliff Harris National Small College Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was successful in the classroom as well, being a three-time GLIAC All-Academic Team honoree.

Originally from Pinckney, Sieler was selected this past season to receive the Dan Marino Most Valuable Player Award, an honor voted on by South Florida media members who regularly cover the Dolphins. The team captain led a defensive unit that ranked among the league's best, consistenly disrupting offensive backfields over the course of the year and delivering game-changing plays in pivotal moments.

Sieler is the league's only interior defensive lineman in the NFL to record 10 plus sacks in each of the last two seasons. He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week recognition this past fall for the first time in his professional career. Overall, Sieler has tallied 30 sacks with 49 tackles for loss and 170 solo tackles with 140 assists in 91 games over his seven seasons in the league.

The Bulldog alum will become only the second Ferris State Football player in the program's 116-year history to ever have his jersey retired, following former teammate and two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner Jason Vander Laan. Along with being honored at halftime, Sieler will also be the keynote speaker on Friday evening for the Bulldogs' National Championship Ring Cermeony and banquet held on campus.

Admission to Friday's spring game is free and gates will open one hour prior to kickoff.