Ryan Denney: Mormon Athlete

Ryan Craig Denney is a former professional football player. He played defensive end for the Buffalo Bills from 2002 to 2009 and the Houston Texans for the 2010 season.

Denney was born on June 15, 1977, in Denver, Colorado. He lettered in high school football and basketball. As a senior, he was named the Denver Post Defensive Player of the Year. As both an offensive and defensive lineman, he won All-Conference honors. Denney is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a missionary in Argentina prior to playing college football at Brigham Young University.

At BYU, Denney was also an Academic All-American and a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection.

The Buffalo Bills drafted Denney in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. In a 2007 preseason game opening kickoff, Denney broke a bone in his foot. He finished the 2008 season with 58 tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble. In February 2010, the Bills announced that they would not be offering Ryan Denney a contract, which made him an unrestricted free agent. The following September, the Houston Texans announced that they had signed him to a contract but less than a month later they waived him.

Denney and his wife, Laura, have two daughters. His younger brother John Denney is a long snapper for the Miami Dolphins.