University of Massachusets Athletics
Former UMass Star Cain Signs Contract With Bears
November 16, 2004 | Football
Nov. 16, 2004
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Chicago Bears signed linebacker Jeremy Cain to the active roster on Monday after he spent the first 10 weeks on the team's practice squad. Cain signed a four-year contact. To make room for Cain on the active roster, the Bears placed cornerback Alfonso Marshall on injured reserve due to a ruptured ACL in his right knee suffered on Sunday at Tennessee (11/14).
Cain was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Massachusetts originally signed by Chicago on April 26, 2004.
At UMass, Cain was a two-time All-American at linebacker who was a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award during his junior and senior seasons at UMass (1999-2003). He finished his career fourth all-time in career solo tackles with 252 and fifth in career total tackles with 363. He started 34 of the 45 games he played including the last 32 contests of his career.
As a senior, Cain earned second-team All-America accolades from Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette and was tabbed a third-team All-American by the Sports Network. He was chosen to the All-Atlantic 10 first team and was also named to the Division I-AA All-Star team by the New England Football Writers. He posted 107 tackles (73 solos) with 14 TFLs and 4 sacks.
As a junior, he started every game at OLB and also served as the long snapper on punts during junior campaign. He was honored with a second-team All-America selection from Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. He was selected UMass' Outstanding Defensive Player and named to the All-Atlantic 10 second team. He paced the Minutemen with 133 total tackles (97 solos) and 18 TFLs
