Sean Tufts

Sean Tufts (born March 26, 1982 in Aurora, Colorado) is a former American football linebacker in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers.

University of Colorado Football 2000–2003
At the University of Colorado Sean Tufts was the starting middle linebacker from 2001–2003. Including the 2001 Big XII Championship season. His senior year Tufts was voted Captain and was placed on the Butkus watch list. He averaged 8 tackles per game and finished the 2003 season with 95 tackles. Despite a disappointing team record, Sean was drafted in the 6th Round of the NFL draft.

Carolina Panthers Football 2004–2006
Tufts was the 196th pick in the 2004 NFL draft. He was used sparingly in 2004, playing in the season's final three games. In 2005, he backed up Pro-bowler Dan Morgan and was a key contributor on special teams. The Panthers reached the playoffs as the NFC Wildcard and defeated the New York Giants 23–0, and the Chicago Bears 29–21 before losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. Knee injuries forced Tufts to the sidelines for the 2006 season. In his career Tufts played in 18 games for the Panthers and totaled 16 career tackles, with one recovered fumble.

Professional
After retiring from the NFL, Sean returned to the University of Colorado to pursue his MBA. At the Leeds School of Business Sean is focusing on Energy and Finance, and was voted class president and is the Director of the Net Impact Case Competition. While pursuing his MBA Sean joined the Ralphie Handlers, responsible for the #1 mascot in college football. The Ralphie team runs a live American bison before CU Football games. Sean was the first and only former CU player to run Ralphie. Sean works in the Wind Energy Field as a Development Manager with RES Americas, located in Broomfield, CO.

Personal
On June 26, 2010 Sean married long time girlfriend Orly Ripmaster in Vail, Colorado. Orly lettered in both Soccer and Lacrosse at Harvard University before using her red-shirt season to play soccer for the CU Buffs. In 2003, while Tufts Captained the CU Football Team, Orly helped lead the CU Soccer team to the first Big XII Championship. Orly and Sean reside in Denver with their two AKC Registered Bernese Mountain Dogs. Orly is a hotel consultant for Smith Travel Research (STR Analytics) based in Boulder and is a regular contributor to HotelNewsNow.com. Sean enjoys wood working and photography. Sean and Orly both enjoy tricking their friends into hard labor and wish they were better at "Settlers of Catan".