- Jerricho Cotchery
-
Jerricho Cotchery 
Cotchery with the Jets during the 2009 NFL season.No. 89 Pittsburgh Steelers Wide receiver Personal information Date of birth: June 16, 1982 Place of birth: Birmingham, Alabama Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight: 200 lb (91 kg) Career information College: North Carolina State NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 4 / Pick: 108 Debuted in 2004 for the New York Jets Career history - New York Jets (2004–2010)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2011–present)
Roster status: Active Career highlights and awards - Ed Block Courage Award (2008)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2011 Receptions 358 Receiving Yards 4,514 Receiving TDs 18 Rushing yards 79 Rushing TDs 1 Stats at NFL.com Jerricho Cotchery (born June 16, 1982) is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football for the North Carolina State University.
Contents
College
Cotchery was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection. He broke school records with 200 career receptions and 15 career 100-yard receiving games, both previously held by consensus All-American Torry Holt (1995–98), and finished second to Holt in school history with 3,119 yards and 21 touchdown catches. Cotchery and Florida State's Peter Warrick are the only two receivers in ACC history to record 200 career receptions and 3,000 career receiving yards. He caught at least one pass in 39 consecutive games, which ties for the longest streak in school history. He ranks 33rd in NCAA history for career receiving yards and tied for 42nd for career receptions. He majored in Sport Management.
Professional career
2004 NFL Draft
Pre-draft measureables Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP 6 ft 0⅜ in 212 lb 4.54 s 1.59 s 2.68 s 3.92 s 6.95 s 36 in 10 ft 1 in All values from NFL Combine[1] Cotchery was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2004 NFL draft.
New York Jets
In 2004, Cotchery caught 6 passes for 60 yards in 12 games (with no starts) as the team's 5th receiver. As a kick returner, he had 13 returns for 362 yards (27.8 yard average) and one touchdown.
In 2005, Jerricho entered the season as the fourth string wide receiver, but following an injury to Wayne Chrebet, he moved up the depth chart to third string. In 16 games (with one start), he caught 19 passes for 251 yards. He returned 4 kicks for 105 yards (26.3 yard average) and 23 punts for 182 yards (7.9 yard average).
Fellow Jets WR Justin McCareins showed up for training camp for the 2006 season and failed his physical, landing in new head coach Eric Mangini's doghouse. Mangini promoted Cotchery to be the second starting receiver opposite Laveranues Coles calling him "most outstanding player in our offseason program." [2] Cotchery responded with 82 catches (tied for 16th in the NFL) and 961 yards (22nd). Many of his catches were spectacular or in important situations. Much of his success comes from his remarkable ability to gain yards after a catch.
The Jets made the playoffs as a wild card team behind Cotchery's strong play in 2006. Cotchery had 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Jets' wild-card weekend loss to the New England Patriots.
Cotchery signed a multi-year extension with the Jets on March 1, 2007.[3]
Former Jets head coach Herm Edwards admitted he regretted not playing Cotchery more while he was head coach of the NY Jets.[4]
Cotchery made 57 catches for 821 yards in 2009. Although he only had 3 touchdowns, he was a very important player for rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez to throw to. His most impressive touchdown of the season was against the New England Patriots in Week 11, where he caught a 29 yard touchdown pass in a tight space at the edge of the endzone. In Week 17 facing the Cincinnati Bengals, Cotchery caught numerous passes and fought for yardage that made the running game more fluid. He then caught a pass from Mark Sanchez and ran it in for a touchdown, but it was a rushing touchdown.
After several seasons, Cotchery was released by the Jets on August 4, 2011.[5]
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cotchery agreed to a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 11, 2011 after he had met with the team at training camp the previous week.[6]
Personal life
Cotchery was born with six fingers on his left hand.[7] He is the second youngest out of 13 children. On May 30, 1998, Cotchery was in a car accident. He lost a lot of blood through several cuts on his arms, hands and head. Cotchery still has scars on his wrists and hands, and as of 2008, shards of glass continue to work their way up and out of his skin.[7]
Cotchery is married to his wife, Mercedes whom he married a month after being selected by the Jets in 2004.[8] The couple adopted their daughter, Jacey, in 2007.[8]
Cotchery majored in Sports Management at North Carolina State.
Community work
- He established the Cotchery Foundation in 2007 to “inspire children to conceive and achieve goals by providing programs and services designed to enhance their futures.”
- He is a recipient of the Jets' 2007 Marty Lyons Award for community service.
- He also hosted a one-day Skills & Drills Football Clinic at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, with teammate and fellow Alabama native Kerry Rhodes in 2007.
- He is also a winner of the Jets' 2006 Kyle Clifton Good Guy Award, which recognizes consistent willingness, cooperation and professionalism in everyday dealings with various departments in organization.
- Hosts an annual summer football camp for children ages 7–18 at William Patterson University in Wayne, NJ.
- On April 22, 2009 he participated in NFL's Take a Player to School Day. He got the chance to spend the day with fourth grader at Susan E. Wiley Elementary School, Javier Benitez and his classmates. He conducted an assembly on the importance of health and fitness as well as hard work and staying in school, and he participated in a physical education class.
References
- ^ http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=58471&draftyear=2004&genpos=WR
- ^ NY Newsday T-Rock's take Tom Rock
- ^ Matuszewski, Erik (2007-03-01). "Jets' Jerricho Cotchery Receives Multiyear Contract Extension". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aoL80qL2xtD8. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
- ^ Cimini, Rich (2007-12-28). "Jerricho Cotchery catches on after Herm Edwards' departure". New York Times. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2007/12/28/2007-12-28_jerricho_cotchery_catches_on_after_herm_.html. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
- ^ Cimini, Rich (August 4, 2011). "Jerricho Cotchery released by Jets". ESPN. Archived from the original on August 4, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/60hCJd6wm. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
- ^ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11223/1166728-100.stm
- ^ a b Houser, Ben (2008-09-23). "Cotchery follows a path defined by faith". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=3602380. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
- ^ a b Bishop, Greg (September 13, 2008), "For Jets and Family, Future Is in Cotchery’s Hands", NYTimes.com (New York Times), archived from the original on October 10, 2010, http://www.webcitation.org/5tNbVIfnx, retrieved October 10, 2010
External links
Categories:- 1982 births
- Living people
- People from Birmingham, Alabama
- Players of American football from Alabama
- African American players of American football
- American football wide receivers
- American Christians
- NC State Wolfpack football players
- New York Jets players
- Pittsburgh Steelers players
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