Pro Career:
Originally signed by the Steelers as a rookie free agent on 4/17/00 and was signed to Pittsburgh practice squad before being elevated to the active roster on 10/17/00. Re-signed with the Steelers on 4/2/02 and signed restricted free agent deals with the Steelers on 4/20/03 and 3/4/04 before signing a four-year deal with Pittsburgh as an unrestricted free agent on 3/4/04. Signed with the Rams on 7/22/08 as a free agent and played in 11 games in St. Louis before being released on 11/26/08. Signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on 4/2/09.
2008: Appeared in 11 games with four starts for the Rams before being released on 11/26 … recorded starts @ Sea (9/21); @ Was (10/12); vs. Dal (10/19) and @ NE (10/26).
2007: Played in 10 games with four starts before being placed on the reserve/injured list with a knee injury in his final season in Pittsburgh.
2006: Started 12 games at FB as his blocking efforts helped RB Willie Parker gain 1,494 rushing yards, the third-highest single-season total in Steelers history … helped lead the way for Parker to gain 213 rushing yards vs. NO (11/12); 213 yards was the second highest single-game total in Steelers history … playing in his 100th career game, paved the way for Parker to gain a Steeler record 223 rushing yards vs. Cle (12/7).
2005: Started eight of 16 games during the regular season and also started all four postseason contests ... helped the Steelers rank third in the AFC and fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (138.9 avg.) ... paved the way for Parker’s 1,000-yard rushing season in his first season as the Steelers starting RB … started at FB in Super Bowl XL vs. Sea (2/5) and threw a key block on QB Ben Roethlisberger’s 1-yard TD run late in the second quarter to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead.
2004: Played in 16 games with nine starts during the regular season and also started in two playoff contests ... finished the year with four rushes for 18 yards and caught 10 passes for 75 yards and one TD … helped block for RB Duce Staley’s fourth 100-yard rushing performance and the Steelers season-high 225-yard rushing performance vs. NE (10/31) … scored the eventual game-winning TD @ Cin (11/21); TD reception was his first TD catch in two years.
2003: Started 12 of 16 games and finished the season with 29 yards on seven carries and one TD ... added nine receptions for 107 yards … recorded the most productive game of his career @ Cin (9/21), registering 13 rushing yards on a career-high three carries and had two receptions for seven yards … blocking efforts were instrumental in RB Jerome Bettis’ season-high 115 yards rushing and team’s
181-yard rushing performance vs. SD (12/21).
2002: Played in 16 games with 13 starts in his third season with the Steelers, establishing single-season career bests with 18 receptions for 122 yards ... added six rushes for 16 yards ... also started two playoff games … scored his second-career TD and first receiving TD on a four-yard pass from
Tommy Maddox @ Cin (10/13) while blocking efforts helped pave the way for Bettis’ first 100-yard game of the season … set a career-high with four receptions for 19 yards vs. Cin (11/24).
2001: Served as backup FB and played in 13 games with one start for Pittsburgh ... missed entire preseason after suffering calf injury in training camp ... placed on physically unable to perform list on 7/20 ... added to the active roster on 9/2 ... finished year with seven carries for 29 yards and one TD while adding two receptions for five yards ... played in two postseason contests … scored first TD of his career, the game-winner, on a four-yard run @ Bal (12/16).
2000: Joined the Steelers active roster on 10/17 from the practice squad after Jon Witman was placed on the injured reserve list ... played in 10 games with seven starts … earned his first career start @ Bal (10/29) … made first career carry, a 22-yard rush vs. Oak (12/3).
College:
Three-year starter at fullback at New Hampshire … gained 518 yards on 92 carries and caught 25 passes for 275 yards and one score as a senior … rushed for 293 yards and totaled 96 receiving yards as a junior despite battling ankle injuries … finished second on the team with 451 yards rushing and two TDs as a sophomore after redshirting the previous season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament … also added five receptions for 75 yards and one TD … made four starts as a true freshman, but missed the final two games with a shoulder injury.
Personal:
Full name Daniel S. Kreider … last name pronounced CRY-der … lettered in football at Manheim Central (PA) High School … named the best player in the state in Section II following his senior season when he rushed for 1,289 yards and 32 TDs on 146 carries … along with his wife, Karen, has three kids; sons McCabe and Kellen and daughter Vienne.
