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An 11-year veteran and 2-time Pro Bowler, Dre’ Bly provided experience and productivity to the 49ers secondary after joining the team in May 2009. Since entering the NFL as a 2nd-round draft choice of the St. Louis Rams in 1999, Bly has generated impressive all-around statistics. His 43 career INTs since 1999 rank 4th among all active NFL players, while his 20 FFs are t-2nd among CBs during that time span. He is t-6th among all active players with 5 INTs returned for TDs, and has a total of 8 TDs scored on returns (5 INT, 2 FR, 1 PR).

TRANSACTIONS: Originally a 2nd round (41st pick overall) draft choice by StL in 1999…Signed by Det. as an unrestricted free agent on 3/1/03...Traded to Den. on 3/2/07...Waived by Den. 2/17/09...Signed by SF on 5/21/09.

2009 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
NOSE FOR THE BALL
CB Dre’ Bly has earned the reptutation of being a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball throughout his career. He currently ranks 6th in the NFL among active players with 43 career INTs. He is also a threat to score once he has the ball in his hands, ranking t-6th (along with CB Nate Clements) with 5 INT returns for TDs among active players. The two form a lethal tandem when they are on the field combining for 73 career INTs, t-5th in the NFL among active teammates.

TWO OF THE BEST IN THE BACKFIELD
Since 2001, CB Nate Clements and CB Dre’ Bly have been two of the top defensive backs in the league when it comes to getting their hands on the ball. Each one ranks in the top 5 among DBs in both FFs and PDs. Bly leads the league in INTs among CBs since 2001, while Clements ranks 9th.

2009 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
•Ranked 2nd on the team with 14 PDs.

2009 GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
•Played nickelback at Arz. (9/13), leading the team with 3 PDs while limiting Arizona WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin to just 90 yds. rec. combined.
•Registered an INT (QB Matt Ryan) vs. Atl. (10/11).
•Made his first start of the season vs. Jax. (11/29).
•Held QB Kurt Warner to a season-low 178 passing yds. and a 44.9 QB Rating vs. Arz. (12/14), not allowing a TD pass by Warner for the first time this season.
•Picked off QB Donovan McNabb at Phi. (12/20).
•Tallied an INT, 2 PDs, 1 FF and 1 FR vs. Det. (12/27).
•Posted a sack at StL (1/3).

GOLDMINE:
•Dre’ has made himself a pillar in the community. In 2003, he established the Dre’ Bly Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to improve education through physical excellence. The organization helps to promote physical awareness by improving athletic facilities and promoting the importance of athletics in maintaining a healthy body and a healthy mind.
•Dre’ donated $150,000 to the University of North Carolina in 2004 to set up a football scholarship in his name. The son of two teachers, he wanted to give the opportunity to others to have a similar experience as he did at North Carolina.

AWARDS & HONORS:
1999: NFC Defensive Player of the Week (NFC-CG)
2003: NFC Pro Bowl (starter)
2004: NFC Pro Bowl (starter)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
•Earned Pro Bowl honors in his first two seasons with Detroit and became the first Lions player since Jimmy Allen (1978-81) to lead the club or tie for its season high in interceptions during four consecutive years (2003-06).
•His 40 career interceptions entering 2009 rank 4th among all NFL players since 1999, while his 18 forced fumbles are the most among cornerbacks during that time span.
•He is tied for 4th among all active players with 5 INTs returned for TDs, and owns a total of 8 TDs scored on returns (5 INT, 2 FR, 1 PR).
•Joined the 49ers after spending the previous two seasons with the Broncos, where he led the team in interceptions each year.
•Went to Broncos in a trade from Detroit that sent him and a Lions’ 2007 sixth-round choice to Denver in exchange for RB Tatum Bell, T George Foster and a Broncos’ 2007 fifth-round pick.
•Spent his first four NFL seasons (1999-2002) with St. Louis, helping the club to a win in Super Bowl XXXIV as a rookie in 1999 and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI in 2001.

2008 (Denver)
•Started all 16 games and totaled a team-high 2 INTs.
•Had 5 tackles, 1 FF and 1 PD at Cle. (11/6).
•Recorded 3 tackles and an INT at Atl. (11/16).
•Had 5 tackles and 2nd INT of season at NYJ (11/30).

2007 (Denver)
•Was one of three Denver defenders to start all 16 games as he led the club with 5 INTs.
•Contributed 4 tackles and a pair of PDs at Buf. (9/9) to help limit the Bills to 97 passing yds.
•Posted 1 INT vs. Oak. (9/16) as Denver held the Raiders to 53 passing yds.
•Had 3 tackles, 3 PDs and 1 INT on Sunday Night Football vs. Pit. (10/21).
•Recorded 9 tackles, 2 PDs and 1 INT at K.C. (11/11).

2006 (Detroit)
•Led the Lions with 21 PDs and tied for team lead with 3 INTs. Became first Lion since Jimmy Allen (1978-81) to have at least a share of the team lead in interceptions in four consecutive seasons.
•Assisted on 3 tackles and returned 2 punts for 41 yds. at Ari. (11/19). Also took a handoff reverse from WR Eddie Drummond 36 yds. against the Cardinals.
•Had 2 takeaways at NE (12/3) with an INT and a FR along with 5 tackles.
•Registered 1 INT, 1 FF and 3 PDs at GB (12/17).

2005 (Detroit)
•Led team with 6 INTs despite playing in only 12 games (11 starts). Posted 4 INTs during a three-game streak before missing four games with a wrist injury.
•Had 6 tackles, 2 INTS, 4 PDs, 1 FF and 1 FR vs. Bal. (10/9).
•Made 5th INT of season late in regulation to force game into overtime at GB (12/11).
•Recorded a career-high 13 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs and a FF vs. Cin. (12/18).

2004 (Detroit)
•Earned 2nd consecutive trip to Pro Bowl as he led Detroit with 4 INTs and 26 PDs to go along with 33 tackles in 13 starts.
•Sustained knee injury in 1st qtr. at Chi. (9/12).
•Recorded 2 games with 2 INTs, including his performance at Dal. (10/31) when he compiled 85 yds. on returns, one of which he returned 55 yds. for a TD.
•Notched his second multiple-interception game of the season at Arz. (12/5) as part of his 7 PDs.

2003 (Detroit)
•Earned Pro Bowl recognition after finishing 7th in NFL in INTs and leading all defensive backs with 5 FFs. Joined St. Louis S Aeneas Williams as one of two players in the league to return a fumble and an INT for a TD.
•Returned first INT as a Lion 48 yds for a TD vs. Ari. (9/7).
•Found end zone again when he recovered RB Troy Hambrick’s fumble and returned it 67 yds. for a score vs. Dal. (10/19).
•Recorded 5 tackles, 1 FF and 1 FR at Min. (11/23). Stripped RB Moe Williams, scooped the ball and returned it 44 yds. before tossing a lateral to S Corey Harris, who ran the remaining 35 yds. for a score.
•On Thanksgiving vs. GB (11/27), earned FOX’s Galloping Gobbler Award after recording 2 INTs of QB Brett Favre, forcing 1 fumble and posting 3 PDs.
•Had a career-high 2 FFs, including one that Boss Bailey returned 62 yds. for a TD at Car. (12/21).

2002 (St. Louis)
•Posted a career-high 79 tackles.
•Led secondary with 10 tackles to go along with 1 INT and 1 PD vs. Dal. (9/29).
•Tallied 8 tackles and scored his first career punt return TD vs. Arz. (12/15).
•Returned a fumble 20 yds. for a TD in 4th qtr. vs. SF (12/30).

2001 (St. Louis)
•Helped St. Louis reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. Placed 6th in the conference with 6 INTs, two of which he returned for TDs.
•First scoring return of the season was at Det. (10/8) when he returned a QB Ty Detmer INT 93 yds. for a score.
•Returned INT 56 yds. for a TD at Atl. (12/2).
•Collected a fumbled FG snap at Car. (12/23) and returned it 15 yds. before pitching it to CB Dexter McCleon, who ran 29 yds. for a TD.
•Had 3 tackles in the NFC Championship Game vs. Phi. (1/27) after making 4 tackles and breaking up 3 passes in an NFC Divisional Game vs. GB (1/20).
•In Super Bowl XXXVI against NE (2/3), recorded 3 tackles and 1 PD.

2000 (St. Louis)
•Recorded first INT of season vs. SF (9/17).
•Totaled 4 tackles, first career sack and an INT at Atl. (9/24).
•Intercepted a pass and had 3 tackles at NO (12/24) to help Rams clinch a playoff berth.

1999 (St. Louis)
•Recorded 3 tackles and 1 INT vs. T.B. (1/23) in the NFC Championship Game. His performance earned him the NFL Defensive Player of the Week Award.
•Made 1 tackle in a win vs. Ten. (1/30) in Super Bowl XXXIV.
•Tallied first NFL interception vs. SF (10/10) when he stepped in front of QB Jeff Garcia’s pass in the 4th qtr.
•Scored his first career TD at Car. (12/5) when he scampered 53 yds.for a score in the 4th qtr. after intercepting a pass.

COLLEGE:
Became the first player in the history of the University of North Carolina and the ACC to earn consensus first-team All-America accolades three times. Also was the first collegiate player in any conference to do so since Herschel Walker (1980-82). Made 102 tackles and posted an ACC-record 20 INTs during his collegiate career. Became the first freshman to earn consensus first-team All-America honors in ACC history and joined Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, Bjorn Merten and Marshall Faulk as the only players in college football annals to earn All-America status as freshmen. Recognized as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (nation’s best defensive back) and was the ACC Rookie of the Year as a freshman, setting a conference record with 11 INTs for the Tar Heels.Was one of three finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award (nation’s best defensive player) as a sophomore.

PERSONAL:
•Attended Western Branch (Chesapeake, VA) HS, where he was an All-Tidewater, all-city, all-Eastern region, all-state and all-district selection as a senior.
•Finished prep career with 36 TDs and 16 INTs as a three-year starter.
•Holds annual camps and fundraising events, such as the Dre’ Bly Celebrity Golf Classic.
•Played centerfield for the Tar Heels’ baseball team.
•Born Donald Andre Bly (5/22/77) in Chesapeake, VA. Married to Kristyn, the couple has three sons-Trey, Jordan and Aaron- and a daughter-Peyton.