#99 Igor Olshansky | DE

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Position: DE

College: Oregon

Height: 6-6

Weight: 309

Age: 26

Experience: 5th NFL Season

Acquired: Draft 2 -2004

Hometown: San Francisco, California

Career Stats

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One of the strongest players in the National Football League, Igor Olshansky (Ee-gor, ol-SHAN-ski) continues to hold down the right side of the Chargers’ defensive line. Igor has been a starter since the day he was drafted in the second round in 2004. In three of his four NFL seasons, the Bolts have ranked in the league’s top seven in rushing defense.

The 2007 season was without a doubt Olshansky’s finest. He finished the year with career highs in tackles (69) and sacks (3.5) and he also recorded the first interception of his career when he picked of Oakland’s JaMarcus Russell on the first play from scrimmage in the regular season finale.

It’s no coincidence that 2007 was the first season since his rookie year in which Olshansky was healthy enough to start all 16 games. While the five-year veteran is known for his brute strength, he’s worked hard with defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely to develop better technique with his hands and body. The extra work paid dividends in 2007 as Olshansky demonstrated his ability to shed blockers in the run game and set a career high with nine quarterback hits.

Igor is proud of his Jewish heritage. He has many tattoos, including two of the Star of David. Igor is regularly featured in Jewish news publications locally and nationally.

Igor is the first player from the former Soviet Union to be drafted by and play for an NFL team. He was born in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine and his family immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine when he was 7 years old, settling in San Francisco. The Olshansky family spoke virtually no English when they arrived in the States, but the Jewish community in San Francisco embraced them and they quickly assimilated in their new home. For several years Igor attended the Chabad-run Hebrew Academy, where he developed a strong Jewish identity. Igor also stayed true to his family’s Russian heritage and speaks fluent Russian.

Igor is married to the former Liya Rubinshteyn. Like Igor, Liya is a native of the Ukraine. Both grew up in the San Francisco area and have known each other their entire lives. They began dating in junior high school and in January, Liya gave birth to the couple’s first child, a son named Lorence Lev.

Initially, Igor played basketball in high school. His dad, Yury, played basketball in the Russian Army and Igor followed in his footsteps. He did not play football until his junior year of high school, yet he was good enough to earn a scholarship in the Pac-10 at the University of Oregon. After an outstanding career for the Ducks, Igor left school following his junior season. He was one of the strongest rookies in the league. At the 2004 NFL Combine, Igor bench-pressed 225 pounds an amazing 41 times. At Oregon, he set a team record with a 505-pound bench press and during his on-campus pre-draft workout, Igor increased his 225-pound bench press to 43 reps.

Perhaps some of Olshansky’s strength rubbed off from his grandfather, Abraham Rubashevsky, who fought for the Red Army in World War II and was wounded 11 times, leaving his left hand disabled. Due in part to the influence of his grandfather, Igor still studies military history and martial arts.

The Olshanskys live in San Diego and have two Schnauzers named Nika and Caesar.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Second-round pick (35) by San Diego, April 24, 2004…signed six-year contract, Aug. 2, 2004.

2007: Named to USA Today’s All-Joe Team…set new career highs with 69 tackles and 3.5 sacks…led Bolts’ defensive line in tackles…recorded three forced fumbles, tying Shaun Phillips for team high…shared five-yard sack of Brett Favre Week 3 at Green Bay with Shaun Phillips on 2^nd-and-7 play that helped force Packers punt…shared two-yard sack with Shawne Merriman on Oakland’s final play of Oct. 14 win at Qualcomm Stadium…forced fourth-quarter fumble by Adrian Peterson at Chargers’ 12-yard line Week 8 at Minnesota…fumble was recovered by Drayton Florence…also tallied tackle for loss against Vikings…collected late third-quarter sack and forced fumble vs. Baltimore Nov. 25…Ravens recovered fumble, but drive would end on downs later in series…shared four-yard sack with Jacques Cesaire in fourth quarter of Dec. 2 game at K.C….season-high 10 stops Dec. 9 in overtime win at Tennessee…came up with huge play on first series of ESPN Monday Night Football game against Denver Dec. 24…sacked Jay Cutler on third-and-seven play and forced fumble after Broncos had driven to Chargers’ 18-yard line…fumble was recovered by Shawne Merriman and Bolts drove for field goal on ensuing possession…recorded first interception of career on first snap of game at Oakland Dec. 30…Bolts scored touchdown on ensuing possession to take 7-0 lead…was first official interception in game since playing in 2000 California-Texas Prep All-Star game following senior year at St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco…had 37-yard interception return for touchdown as collegian at Oregon negated by teammates’ penalty…teamed with Shawne Merriman for one-yard tackle for loss of Joseph Addai on second play of game in AFC Divisional Playoffs at Indianapolis…shared eight-yard sack with Stephen Cooper midway through fourth quarter of AFC Championship Game at New England.

2006: Started Week 1 at Oakland but left game after first play of night with knee sprain and did not return...was inactive Week 2 with same knee injury...returned to starting lineup Weeks 3-5...tallied half-sack and tackle for loss in Oct. 8 game against Pittsburgh...teamed with Shaun Phillips to stop Najeh Davenport for one-yard loss on third-and-one play in second quarter, forcing Steelers to kick 39-yard field goal...instead of potential 14-0 lead, they only went up 10-0 and the Chargers scored touchdown on their next possession to trim lead to 10-7...following that drive, Pittsburgh only scored three points rest of night... shared three-yard sack of Ben Roethlisberger with Luis Castillo in third quarter on drive after Bolts had scored touchdown to take 17-13 lead...helped force punt three plays later...inactive Weeks 6-7 while recovering from minor knee surgery during week leading up to Oct. 22 game at Kansas City...returned to starting lineup Weeks 8-16...collected eight-yard sack in second quarter of Chargers’ Nov. 12 game at Cincinnati...collected season-high seven tackles and recovered fumble in second quarter after Shawne Merriman sack and forced fumble Dec. 3 at Buffalo...helped Bolts hold Bills to just 63 yards rushing...collected tackle for loss among seven stops Dec. 24 at Seattle, stopping Shaun Alexander for four-yard loss early in second quarter...started AFC Playoffs vs. New England and collected five tackles…came up with huge play on first series of ESPN Monday Night Football game against Denver Dec. 24…sacked Jay Cutler on third-and-seven play and forced fumble after Broncos had driven to Chargers’ 18-yard line…fumble was recovered by Shawne Merriman and Bolts drove for field goal on ensuing possession.

2005: Started Week 1 at right defensive end…inactive Week 2 at Denver while recovering from knee and ankle injuries suffered in season opener against Dallas…saw action off bench Weeks 3-4…moved back into starting lineup against Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football Oct. 10 and responded with seven tackles, including one for loss…racked up career-high two sacks in 27-14 win at Oakland Oct. 16…helped hold Philadelphia to season-low 24 yards rushing Oct. 23, just one week after holding Oakland to 39 rushing yards…counted tackle for loss among three stops in 31-26 win over New York Jets Nov. 6…combined with Randall Godfrey for one-yard tackle for loss against Washington Nov. 27…helped hold Oakland to 81 rushing yards in ESPN Sunday Night Football game Dec. 4 with 24 yards coming on final play of game…shared two seven-yard sacks with Shawne Merriman in 26-17 win at Indianapolis Dec. 18…sacks came on first play of first and third drives of game, both leading to punts after three-and-outs…inactive for Dec. 31 season finale against Denver with thigh injury.

2004: Tackle for loss among three stops versus Tennessee Oct. 3…first-career sack at Atlanta Oct. 17…career-high seven tackles, including one for loss, at Carolina Oct. 24…four tackles, including one for loss, against New Orleans Nov. 7…tallied tackle for loss at Indianapolis Dec. 26.

COLLEGE: Second-team All-Pac-10 as junior…honorable mention as sophomore…recipient of Joe Schaffeld Trophy as Ducks’ top defensive lineman after sophomore and junior seasons…finished career with 146 tackles and 11.5 sacks…honorable mention academic all-conference as freshman in 2001…redshirted in 2000…played at Oregon from 2000-03…majored in psychology.

PERSONAL: Born May 3, 1982 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine…first-team all-league at St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, California…second-team all-metro by San Francisco Examiner and honorable mention all-area by San Jose Mercury News…scored touchdown on 17-yard interception return in California-Texas All-Star Game.

Career Stats

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