Staat played on the Sun Devil’s 1996 team that went to the Rose Bowl and the Sun Bowl team of 1997.  ASU was 20 and 4 during those two seasons 41st overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and a had a five-year NFL career. He was close friends with ASU linebacker Pat Tillman who left pro football after the 9/11 attacks to become a US Army Ranger. Upon learning that Tillman had been killed in action in Afghanistan Staat, who by now had retired from football,  joined the US Marines and served a tour of duty in Iraq.