Jeff Novak
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Arlington Heights, Illinois, U.S.
| No. 79, 67 | |||||||
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| Positions | Guard, tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | July 26, 1967 Arlington Heights, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 297 lb (135 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Clear Lake (Houston, Texas) | ||||||
| College | Texas State | ||||||
| NFL draft | 1990: 7th round, 172nd overall | ||||||
| Expansion draft | 1995: 3rd round, 5th overall | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Jeff Ladd Novak (born July 27, 1967) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the World League of American Football (WLAF) and National Football League (NFL). Novak was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and grew up in Clear Lake City outside Houston, Texas. He went to Clear Lake High School before playing college football for the Southwest Texas State Bobcats (now Texas State).
Novak was selected 172nd overall in the seventh round as a guard in the 1990 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers,[1] but was cut and signed by the World Football League. He played for the Montreal Machine in 1990 and 1991. The New York Giants signed him in 1991 and he made the team as a development player. He played for the Giants in 1991 and 1992 and later went to the Miami Dolphins and made the active roster to play for 1993 and 1994. Novak was signed by the Miami Dolphins in 1994. In 1995, he was taken in the expansion draft that brought the first NFL team to Jacksonville, Florida.[2] Novak played for the Jacksonville Jaguars until he was placed on injured reserve in November, 1998. His Jaguar contract expired at the end of 1998 and was not renewed.[3]
End of a career
During a pre-season game, Novak injured his leg which had recently suffered a severe hematoma during a practice. Novak contracted a staph infection in the leg which caused a permanent disability. In June 2002, Novak sued the team physician for malpractice and sought $7.8 million in compensation.[4] The judge eventually dismissed the case.