Quenton Bode
 |
 | |
| No. 42 – New Orleans Second Line | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 22, 2006 (aged 56) Anchorage, Alaska |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Eagle River High School |
| College: | Nebraska |
| ISFL Draft: | 2030 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2 |
| DSFL Draft: | 2029 / Round: 3 / Pick: 4 |
| Career history | |
| Roster status: | Active |
Quenton Bode (born January 22, 2008) is an American football linebacker for the New Orleans Second Line of the National Simulation Football League. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, and played one season with the San Antonio Marshals of the Developmental Simulation Football League.
Contents
Early years
Not much is known about Quenton Bode's early years. It is believed that while he was still a cub, his mother fled south in search of food and better living conditions, and the two were somehow separated.
He was found on the outskirts of Anchorage by Robert and Martha Bode, a human couple. Neither had much knowledge about polar bears--Robert was an editor at a local newspaper, and Martha taught biology at a nearby high school--but they took him in anyway. After caring for the young polar bear cub for several months, they decided to raise him as their own. They named him Quenton and subsequently adopted him; his listed birthdate is his date of adoption.
Quenton took to human society quickly, and was soon enrolled in school. Having a polar bear in the classroom came as quite a shock to the community, but the city soon rallied behind their unique son. Quenton was a good student and, according to one instructor, "a joy to teach."
Quenton grew fond of football, and it wasn't long before he started his football journey. He played middle school football for several years but was soon picked up by the varsity team. He played running back for most of his high school career and helped Eagle River win three state titles. Despite his dominant performance at the high school level, he received very little attention from D1 schools. Ultimately, he decided to walk-on at the University of Nebraska, his mother's alma mater.
College career
Bode walked on to the Nebraska football team his freshman year, and spent much of that time riding the bench. It was at this point he made the switch from running back to linebacker, as Nebraska already had several talented running backs on roster. His one notable game came against Iowa, in which he picked off Iowa quarterback Sandy Russell and ran the ball back for the game-winning touchdown.
Bode's sophmore year was slightly better. Although he was not in the starting lineup, he saw intermittent playing time. He ended the season with twenty-six tackles, one sack, and two interceptions.
Between Bode's sophomore and junior years, Nebraska saw an entirely new coaching staff brought in. The new coach, former Nebraska standout Ndamukong Suh, recognized Bode's untapped potential, and named him a starter. Bode's junior year was a breakout year. He saw regular playing time, and performed well above expectations. The Cornhuskers went 12-1 (after going 4-8 the year before), and Bode was named the team Defensive Player of the Year. He was also recognized as a second-team All-American, finishing the year with sixty-five tackles, three sacks, four interceptions, and three forced fumbles (one of which Bode recovered).
Many of the players from the Nebraska offense left the school after Bode's senior year. Several declared for the NFL draft, while others graduated or transferred to other schools. This meant that Bode's senior year was played with a very young offense, and the team struggled because of it. Despite the team going 5-7, Bode had a career year. He finished the year with one hundred and thirty-seven tackles, four sacks, five interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown), and three forced fumbles. He was a consensus first-team All American, won both the Butkus Award and the Jack Lambert Trophy, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He also graduated with a degree in journalism.
Professional career
After his senior year, Bode declared for the Developmental Simulation Football League (DSFL) draft. He was placed on the Central Grizzlies roster for the 2030 Prospect Bowl. The Grizzles lost in the Prospect Bowl Championship Game to the Pacific Owls.
San Antonio Marshals
After the Prospect Bowl, Bode declared for the 2029 DSFL Draft (S14). In the draft, the San Antonio Marshals selected Quenton Bode with the fourth pick in the third round (sixteenth overall). Other notable Marshals draftees in that year were running back Morgan Marshall, defensive end Nero Alexander, safety Walt Green, and linebacker Mo Berry; these five players quickly came to be known as the "Fab Five." The Fab Five (or Fab V) helped carry San Antonio to one of the best seasons in DSFL history: the team finished the season with 398 points scored and a +205 point differential, both league records. The team also allowed just 198 points, good for second all-time (the Marshals PA record is now fourth all-time, after the Tijuana Luchadores allowed 188 and 165 points in 2033 (S18) and 2034 (S19) respectively). Bode himself had an impressive rookie season, finishing in the top ten for tackles and sacks, as well as being one of just nine players to record a defensive touchdown. He recorded ten tackles against the Tijuana Luchadores in their playoff matchup, but the Marshals were ultimately defeated by the Luchadores in the first round. After the playoffs, Bode declared for the 2030 ISFL Draft (S15).
| Ht | Wt | 40‑yd dash | 20‑ss | 3‑cone | Vert jump | Broad | BP | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
225 lb (102 kg) |
4.34 s | 4.20 s | 7.22 s | 34.0 in (0.86 m) |
11 ft 0.2 in (3.36 m) |
39 reps | 25 |
New Orleans Second Line
The New Orleans Second Line selected Quenton Bode with the second pick in the first round (second overall) of the 2030 ISFL Draft (S15). Other notable Second Line draftees that year were linebacker Johnny Slothface, running back Forrest Gump, cornerback Deon Taylor, and offensive lineman Brave Ulysses. The draft was a small reunion for Bode, Gump, and Ulysses, as all three played for the Central Grizzlies in the Prospect Bowl. Most of the team's draftees elected to remain in the DSFL; Bode was one of just two who decided to play for New Orleans in 2030 (S15). Shortly after the draft, Bode signed a three-year, $9.5 million contract with New Orleans; the contract also included a no-trade clause.
2030 was a tough one for the Second Line, as they finished with a dismal 2-12 record. Bode's performance was one of the few bright spots for the team that year, however. His team-high 108 tackles was good for eighth in the league, and put him well on his way toward claiming the team tackle record as well.
2031 (S16) saw a big change in the landscape of the league with the addition of two expansion teams: the Chicago Butchers and the Austin Copperheads. The expansion meant that the schedule had to be changed, and so S16 was the first in which only 13 games were played. The season also started off on a bright note, as many of Bode's fellow draftees were called up to the NSFL. Johnny Slothface played next to Bode at linebacker, and Forrest Gump took over as running back. The team as a whole improved, but couldn't manage a winning record and ended the season at 6-7. In a strange twist of fate, Bode once again ended the season with 108 tackles. Like in Season 15, he led the team in tackles, and he ended the season in the top ten for tackles (at seventh overall).
During the offseason, Bode signed a three-year, $6 million extension with New Orleans. Most notably, the extension did not include the NTC that his rookie contract had.
In 2032 (S17), the Second Line came crashing back down to earth. The team that had almost secured a winning record in 2031 instead crawled their way to the end of the season and a 4-9 record. Despite their poor showing (or perhaps because of it), Bode flourished on the defensive side of the ball. He made 16 tackles in the final game of the regular season, an impressive feat which allowed him to claim the top spot in the league for tackles.
2033 (S18) started off very promising for New Orleans: the team was 4-2 halfway through the season and sat atop many of the league power rankings. However, the second half of the season was not as kind to the team. After winning their Week 7 matchup, the Second Line went 0-5 to finish the regular season, losing several games against much weaker opponents. The Second Line had hoped to make the playoffs, but instead was forced to watch from home with a 5-8 record. Bode, like many of his teammates, was frustrated with how the season ended up, and he resolved to work hard and come back in Season 19 stronger than ever. This resolution came in spite of a strong season from Bode; he was second in the league in tackles, including a monstrous 15 tackle game in Week 15, and he ended the season with a career-high four TFLs.
2034 (S19) proved to be the best season yet, both for Bode and for the team. After having not earned a winning record or a playoff appearance since 2026 (S11), the Second Line finished second in the ASFC with an 8-5 record. In their first playoff game against the Copperheads, New Orleans came back from a 14 point deficit at halftime to win the game and advance to the conference championships. The Second Line faced off against the Orange County Otters, the defending champions. The Second Line fought hard and made sure the game came down to the wire, but the Otters prevailed in the end; they would go on to win their third straight Ultimus Bowl. But the Second Line didn't let that get their spirits down, and they are dialed in for 2035. On an individual level, Bode had arguably his best season yet. He finished below 100 tackles and outside the league's top ten for the first time in his career, but he recorded career-high totals in sacks, passes defended, and interceptions; he also tied his season total for forced fumbles. He ended the 2034 ISFL playoffs (S19) with 13 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.
After the playoffs, Bode agreed to a three-year, $12 million extension, keeping him in New Orleans until 2038 (S23).
The success that both Bode and the Second Line found in 2034 (S19) continued into 2035 (S20). New Orleans finished the regular season at 7-6; although they won one fewer game than the previous season, they earned the second seed in the ASFC and, thus, their second straight playoff appearance. The first round of the playoffs saw the Second Line face off against perennial favorites and long-time rival Orange County Otters. However, New Orleans proved to be the stronger team and walked away victorious. Their victory meant that the 2035 (S20) ASFC championship game would be the first in league history to not feature the Otters, and ended their hopes of a four-peat. The championship matchup instead consisted of New Orleans and the Austin Copperheads, who were making their first appearance in the championship. Unfortunately, the Copperheads prevailed over the Second Line, and would go on to defeat the Yellowknife Wraiths to earn the franchise's first Ultimus. Bode's performance on the field was a large factor in the team's regular season and postseason success. He recorded 115 tackles in the regular season, the second best single-season total of his career and tied for third-highest in the league that season. He also tied his personal single-season record for forced fumbles (with 2), and tied his second-best season performance for passes defended (with 3). He also recorded 13 tackles in the postseason, along with 1 sack. Over the course of the regular season, Bode earned two Defensive Player of the Game awards. He was also awarded three game balls, for his outstanding performances in weeks 2, 4, and 6.
2036 (S21) was nothing short of spectacular for both Bode and New Orleans. The Second Line won their first nine games of the season, which was not only the best start to the season in New Orleans history, but also matched the second-best start in league history. The Second Line's strong start included road wins over Orange County and Austin, and they seemed to be heavy favorites for the first seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Unfortunately, the last four games of the season did not go New Orleans' way, and the Second Line ended the season on a four-game losing streak. Nevertheless, the 9-4 regular season record was New Orleans' best finish since Season 11, and it was still good enough to get them into the playoffs. The wild card round saw the Second Line facing off against the Copperheads in New Orleans (in the newly christened "House of the Rising Sun"). New Orleans won that game handily, defeating the defending champions 23-17. The ASFC conference championship saw New Orleans travel to Orange County in what many considered to be the season's true Ultimus. The Otters were clearly favored in that game, but New Orleans took a commanding lead in the first half. The second half saw Orange County come storming back, and a game-tying touchdown with a minute left to play sent the game into overtime. The Second Line kicked a field goal, and their defense held firm on the Otters' possession to complete the upset and send New Orleans to the Ultimus. The Second Line had home field advantage against the NSFC champs, the Yellowknife Wraiths, and that helped them control the game from the opening kickoff. The Second Line held a 17-0 lead at halftime, and continued to dominate in the second half: if not for a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, the Wraiths would have been held to their lowest score all season. The final score was 33-13, and New Orleans was finally Ultimus champions once again. Bode was one of four players chosen to be on New Orleans' championship banner, an honor that was widely agreed to be well deserved after his impressive individual season performance. The most notable event of Bode's season came in Week 9, when the Second Line played the Arizona Outlaws. Bode recorded 10 tackles in that game, which was enough to earn him the franchise record for career tackles. He's now on pace to break 1000 tackles by the end of his career, an objective that Bode has made clear he's hoping to achieve. He finished the regular season with 115 tackles, matching his Seasons 20 tackle total. He also recorded 3 TFL, 3 sacks, and 3 PDs, in addition to forcing one fumble. He also nearly doubled his playoff tackle total, recording 22 in the Season 21 playoffs and taking his career total to 48. He was named Defensive Player of the Game in New Orleans' Week 7 victory over the Philadelphia Liberty, and he was awarded three game balls for his Week 11, 12, and 13 performances. The Ultimus game ball, awarded to every member of the defensive roster, was technically Bode's first playoff game ball.
In a post-season presser, Bode confirmed that he would be spending the rest of his career as a member of the New Orleans Second Line.
2037 (S22) marked Bode's eighth season in the league. Although the general public couldn't tell, Bode privately admitted to close friends that he was beginning to feel the effects of old age, and that his on-field performance would soon begin declining. Because of that--and because this would be the first season since his rookie year that he would not be playing next to Johnny Slothface--Bode spent the season focusing less on his own preparedness and more on mentoring the next generation of Second Line defenders. New Orleans had drafted a linebacker named Ugarth the Dissector in the S22 draft; as soon as it was clear he would be starting, Bode took the young player under his wing (so to speak). That mentoring clearly paid off: Ugarth had one of the best rookie seasons in league history. Not only did Dissector make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, but he was also a nominee for Linebacker of the Year and won Defensive Rookie of the Year. It was an incredible debut, but unfortunately the team as a whole had a difficult season. The Second Line struggled to win games, finally putting together a four-game win streak late in the season to help them go 8-5 and sneak into the playoffs. Their wildcard matchup was against the Austin Copperheads, who was coming into the playoffs riding a seven-game winning streak to close out the regular season. That momentum continued into their game against New Orleans; the Copperheads won 34-27, but those who watched the game stated it wasn't as close as the final score might indicate. The playoffs concluded with the Orange County Otters facing off against the Colorado Yeti, and in a shocking upset it was the underdog Yeti who walked away as champions. Bode, for his part, had an impressive season. He once again finished in the top ten for tackles with 118, the second-highest season tackle total of his career. He also forced three fumbles, setting a new season best and moving him up on several franchise record lists. He recorded just two TFL, but that was enough to put him into the Second Line's top ten for career TFL. In the Second Line's one playoff game against Austin, Bode recorded an incredible 12 tackles; that was enough to put him solidly in second place for the franchise's playoff tackles record. Bode continued to add to his lead in the franchise's career tackle category: he ended the season with 897 career tackles, well on his way to breaking the one thousand tackle mark.
During the offseason, the league's head office voted to expand the regular season schedule to 16 games, a move that was immediately met with both criticism and praise. Publicly, Bode remained largely silent on the issue. Privately, however, Bode expressed extreme displeasure with the move, according to sources close to him. "The league played fourteen games every season since its inception, that was the norm," Bode was reported as saying. "Then they have what was at the time the biggest draft in history, and decide to play one fewer game each season. Fine, whatever. But now that that group of players is on the decline, suddenly we're fine with playing more games each season? We spent our primes working toward these records, fighting these uphill battles with one fewer game each season. And now the guys who come after us are gonna breeze right by us on their way to the top? I mean, what chance does that give us? There are a lot of guys who now will never get the recognition they deserve, who spent their careers busting their asses to leave some kind of legacy behind, and now that's been taken away from them. What chance do we have at the Hall [of Fame] now?" When asked about the rant, Bode stated that "my personal feelings on the matter are irrelevant," but he also said that he "supported what's best for the league and its future."
Whatever his misgivings about the longer season or his own physical health, 2038 saw Bode have one of the best individual seasons of his career. His Second Line team finished the season with a 9-7 record, thanks to a four-game winning streak to start the second half of the season. Unfortunately, too many of those seven losses came against conference opponents; New Orleans finished the season as the second-place team in the ASFC, and so found themselves in a wildcard matchup against the Austin Copperheads. The game was a defensive display, as only two touchdowns were scored the entire game, but in the end it was the Copperheads who came out on top. Austin managed to defeat Orange County in the conference championships, but lost the Ultimus to a tough Yellowknife Wraiths team. The one-and-done playoff run greatly troubled Bode (who played very poorly in the game), but his own regular season performance was nothing short of incredible. Aided by the increased number of games, Bode finished the season with a monstrous 154 tackles. That was not only enough to lead the league in tackles, but also to set a new single-season tackles record. When asked about this accomplishment, Bode said that while he was proud of it, but that he didn't expect his record to stand very long: "This was the first of many sixteen game seasons. I'm an old bear, and I can tell these longer seasons will be tough on me physically. I'll enjoy holding the record for the time being, but I don't think it will be long before some much younger player comes along and takes it away. Football is a young bear's game, and I'm just not that young anymore." Bolstered by this performance, Bode was voted into the Pro Bowl for the first time since Season 20.
Shortly before the start of the next season, Bode signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Second Line for $3 million.
Professional Career Statistics
DSFL Regular Season
| Season | Team | GP | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | FF/FR | PDs | INTs | Safeties | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | Marshals | 14 | 115 | 3 | 6 | 1/1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
DSFL Playoffs
| Season | Team | GP | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | FF/FR | PDs | INTs | Safeties | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | Marshals | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NSFL Regular Season
| Season | Team | GP | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | FF/FR | PDs | INTs | Safeties | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | Second Line | 14 | 108 | 3 | 3 | 1/0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2031 | Second Line | 13 | 108 | 2 | 2 | 1/1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2032 | Second Line | 13 | 125 | 0 | 1 | 2/2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2033 | Second Line | 13 | 112 | 4 | 1 | 1/0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2034 | Second Line | 13 | 96 | 1 | 5 | 2/1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2035 | Second Line | 13 | 115 | 2 | 1 | 2/1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2036 | Second Line | 13 | 115 | 3 | 3 | 1/0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2037 | Second Line | 13 | 118 | 2 | 2 | 3/1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2038 | Second Line | 16 | 154 | 0 | 2 | 1/2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
NSFL Playoffs
| Season | Team | GP | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | FF/FR | PDs | INTs | Safeties | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2034 | Second Line | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2035 | Second Line | 2 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2036 | Second Line | 3 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2037 | Second Line | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2038 | Second Line | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1/0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Totals
| -- | GP | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | FF/FR | PDs | INTs | Safeties | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | 121 | 1051 | 17 | 20 | 14/8 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Postseason | 9 | 65 | 1 | 2 | 3/0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Achievements and Records
League Achievements
- First polar bear to play professional football
- 1 x DSFL Pro Bowl selection: 2029
- 4 x NSFL Pro Bowl selection: 2033 , 2034 , 2035 , 2038
- 1 x Ultimus Champion: 2036 (S21)
- 8 x Defensive Player of the Game selection
- 2 x League leader in tackles: 2032 (S17), 2038 (S23)
- Starting linebacker for Team USA
- Single Season Records
- 1st in tackles (154)
- 5th in fumble return yards (32)
- Career Records
- T-1st in playoff forced fumbles (3)
- 5th in tackles (1051)
- T-6th in forced fumbles (14)
New Orleans Achievements
- 14 x Defensive Game Ball recipient
- Single Game Records
- T-1st in tackles (16)
- T-1st in forced fumbles (2)
- T-2nd in tackles (15)
- Single Season Records
- 1st in tackles (154)
- T-2nd in forced fumbles (3)
- T-3rd in fumbles recovered (2)
- T-7th in tackles (125)
- Playoff Records
- 1st in forced fumbles (3)
- T-1st in tackles (65)
- T-1st in interceptions (1)
- Career Records
- 1st in tackles (1051)
- 1st in forced fumbles (14)
- T-1st in fumbles recovered (8)
- 10th in TFL (17)
