Clifton Dawson

Last updated

Clifton Dawson
No. 34, 30
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1983-10-08) October 8, 1983 (age 40)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school: Toronto (ON) Birchmount Park
College: Harvard
CFL Draft: 2006  / Round: 6 / Pick: 47
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:30
Rushing yards:64
Rushing touchdowns:1
Receptions:2
Receiving yards:15
Player stats at PFR

Clifton George Dawson (born October 8, 1983) is a former gridiron football running back. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Harvard.

Contents

Dawson was also a member of the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans.

Early life

Dawson was born in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. He attended Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute in Toronto, [1] and was a good student and a letterman in football and track. In football, as a senior, he led his team to the Toronto City Championship, was named the team's Most Valuable Player, and was an All-Canada selection.

College career

Dawson briefly attended Northwestern University before opting to transfer to Harvard University. [2]

During his freshman season at Harvard, he was unanimously selected for the first-team All-Ivy League, making him the first offensive player in Ivy League history to earn first-team honors as a freshman. Dawson set the league's single-season record for rushing yards by a freshman with 1,187 yards and became the first freshman in Ivy League history to rush for more than 1,000 yards. Dawson fumbled just once in 215 carries. [3]

During his sophomore season, he was again named a unanimous first-team All-America selection and was named to the New England Football Writers All-New England team. He placed tenth in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the top player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision. He led the Ivy League in rushing, with an average of 130.2 yards per game, making him the highest-ranking sophomore in Division I-AA and one of just three sophomores among the nation's top 25 rushers. He set Harvard's single-season records for rushing yards (1,302), rushing touchdowns (17), total touchdowns (18) and points (108). He rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of the ten games with the Harvard Crimson. [3]

In his junior season, Dawson was again a unanimous first-team All-Ivy League selection and named to the New England Football Writers All-New England. He attained a total of 1,139 yards in the season. He rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of Harvard's ten games. He ended the season by scoring the historic game-winning touchdown in the third overtime period of Harvard's 30-24 win against Yale. [3]

In his senior season, Dawson became the all-time Ivy League career rushing leader, with 4,841 yards. Dawson earned this title on November 11, 2006 while playing Penn with a 55-yard run down the left sideline on his second carry of that game. In attaining this title, Dawson broke the long-standing record set by Ed Marinaro of Cornell in 1971. [4] In addition to this record, Dawson finished his Harvard career as the Ivy League record holder for rushing touchdowns (60), career touchdowns (66), career points (398), and career all-purpose yards (6,138). He broke every career rushing and scoring record that Harvard keeps and became the only offensive player in Ivy League history to be named a first-team All-Ivy selection four times. He was the ninth NCAA Division I player to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a season four times. He won the Boston Globe Gold Helmet Award, recognizing the top season-long performance by an FCS player in New England, and finished ninth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award. Dawson led the Division I FCS in scoring (13.20 points per game). He finished his career ranked 16th in NCAA FCS history in rushing and tied for fifth in career rushing touchdowns and fifth in career points. [3]

Dawson also ran track and majored in Economics while at Harvard. [3]

Professional career

Toronto Argonauts

Though he was not selected during the 2007 NFL draft, Dawson was drafted in the sixth round of the 2006 Canadian Football League Draft by the Toronto Argonauts.

First stint with Colts

He was signed as a free agent by the Indianapolis Colts after the conclusion of the draft. [5] He was one of the team's final cuts.

Cincinnati Bengals

Dawson subsequently signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He made his NFL debut on September 16, 2007. He played in two games with the Bengals and then, on September 25, he was released.

Second stint with Colts

Two days later, Dawson was re-signed by the Colts. Dawson played in eleven games with the Colts during the 2007–08 season and remained with the team during the 2008 off-season and training camp. [6] The Colts waived him near the end of the 2008 training camp, but re-signed him the next day. [7] However, he was released again before the final preseason game.

Dawson was re-signed by the Colts on October 14, 2008. It was during this stint that he scored his first and only NFL touchdown. He was released on March 22, 2009.

Houston Texans

Dawson signed with the Texans on May 19, 2009. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on August 3. [8] He was released with an injury settlement on August 7. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshall Faulk</span> American football former player (born 1973)

Marshall William Faulk is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Hart (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1986)

Leon Michael Hart is an American football coach and former player. Hart played college football as a running back at the University of Michigan, from 2004 to 2007, and holds the Michigan Wolverines career rushing record with 5,040 yards. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in 2008, and played three seasons in the NFL. Hart has worked as an assistant football coach at the University of Michigan, Syracuse University, Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, and Indiana University Bloomington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmad Bradshaw</span> American football player (born 1986)

Ahmad Bradshaw is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Marshall Thundering Herd. Bradshaw was selected in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL draft by the New York Giants. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, winning Super Bowls XLII and XLVI as a member of the Giants, defeating the New England Patriots each time. He was the leading rusher in each game, becoming one of eight running backs in NFL history to be the leading rusher in two Super Bowls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Elias</span> Former American football player (born 1972)

Keith Hector Elias is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) and XFL. He was an All-American in high school and college where he established school, conference and national records while playing for the Princeton Tigers football team.

Lewis Lorando "Randy" McMillan is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). McMillan played for the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts from 1981 to 1986. He was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft with the 12th overall pick. McMillan played collegiately for Harford Community College, earning All-American junior college honors, before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armanti Edwards</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Armanti Fredrico Edwards Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers from 2006 to 2009, and was named a 2024 inductee of College Football Hall of Fame. Edwards led Appalachian State to one of the biggest upsets in college football history, a 34–32 victory over then fifth-ranked Michigan in 2007. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. In 2017, Edwards won the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts. He last played for the CFL's Edmonton Elks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Avery</span> American football player (born 1984)

Donnie Dion Avery is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Houston and was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. Avery also played for the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shonn Greene</span> American football player (born 1985)

Shonn Greene is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Doak Walker Award and the Jim Brown Trophy in 2008. He was selected by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft. After four seasons with the Jets, he then played two more seasons for the Tennessee Titans.

Davin Meggett is a former American football player. Meggett spent only three seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as a reservist or practice squad member. He played college football for the University of Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon James</span> American football player (born 1987)

Brandon Keith James is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, earning consensus All-American honors and winning two BCS National Championships with the Gators. Thereafter, he played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL and the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Brown (running back)</span> American football player (born 1987)

Donald Eugene Brown II is an American former professional football player who was a running back for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football for the UConn Huskies, becoming the school's all-time leading rusher and earning first-team All-American honors in 2008. He was selected by the Colts in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. Brown was a member of the Colts for five seasons and spent his last two seasons with the San Diego Chargers.

Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Richmond and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Vaughan</span> American football player (born 1986)

Joshua Vaughan is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Richmond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stevan Ridley</span> American football player (born 1989)

Stevan Todd Ridley is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. Ridley was also a member of the New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Patriots, he won Super Bowl XLIX over the Seattle Seahawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Rainey</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Christopher Rainey is an American former professional football running back and kick returner who played in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of Florida's BCS National Championship team in 2009. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL and the Montreal Alouettes, BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Mathews</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

Jeffrey Kyle Mathews is a former American football quarterback who played four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Cornell, where he was ranked among the top 20 quarterbacks in passing yardage in Division I FCS history. He surpassed the Cornell record for total passing yards by more than 2,000 yards and ended his collegiate career as the holder of 47 Cornell and 18 Ivy League conference records. After going undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft, Mathews spent the summer with the Atlanta Falcons, and was a practice squad member of the Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals. He moved north to the CFL, playing two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and a season each with the Toronto Argonauts and the Montreal Alouettes.

John Tyler Varga is a dual Finnish-Canadian former professional American football fullback. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2015. Varga played college football at University of Western Ontario (2011), where he was named the OUA Rookie of the Year, and Yale (2012–2014).

Nicholas Easton is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL). Easton played college football for Harvard University. In the NFL, he was a member of the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and New Orleans Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Taylor (American football)</span> American football player (born 1999)

Jonathan Taylor is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Taylor played high school football at Salem High School, where he set a New Jersey state rushing yards record. He played three seasons of college football at Wisconsin, where he finished his college career as the sixth all-time rusher in the NCAA and became the first player in history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in any three-year span.

Aaron Shampklin is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Harvard. He previously played for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Gamblers and the Los Angeles Chargers.

References

  1. ↑ "Clifton Dawson". Just Sports Stats. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  2. ↑ Powers, John (November 19, 2005). "Dawson's Leap". Boston Globe. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "# 33 Clifton Dawson". Harvard University . Retrieved October 18, 2008.[ dead link ]
  4. ↑ Shapiro, Madeleine I. (November 13, 2006). "Clifton Dawson, Ivy League Rushing King".
  5. ↑ Shapiro, Madeleine (April 29, 2007). "Dawson signs with Colts after going undrafted". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on May 21, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
  6. ↑ "Clifton Dawson Career Notes". Indianapolis Colts. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007.
  7. ↑ Chappell, Mike (August 12, 2008). "Colts re-sign RB Dawson, Keith hurt". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  8. ↑ "NFL transactions for August 3, 2009". Pro Football Weekly. August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 6, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ "NFL transactions for August 7, 2009". Pro Football Weekly. August 12, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.