Dave Meggett

Last updated

Dave Meggett
No. 30, 22
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1966-04-30) April 30, 1966 (age 58)
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Height:5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school: Bonds-Wilson
(North Charleston, South Carolina)
College: Morgan St.
Towson (1986–1988)
NFL draft: 1989  / round: 5 / pick: 132
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:1,684
Rushing average:4.2
Rushing touchdowns:8
Receptions:336
Receiving yards:3,038
Receiving touchdowns:11
Return yards:9,274
Return touchdowns:8
Player stats at PFR

David Lee Meggett (born April 30, 1966) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. A return specialist for most of his career, he ranks second in NFL punt return yards, which he led at the time of his retirement.

Contents

Meggett played college football for the Towson Tigers, where he won the Walter Payton Award as a senior in 1988, and was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 1989 NFL draft. [1] Primarily utilized on special teams, he received one Pro Bowl selection during his six seasons with the Giants, in addition to winning Super Bowl XXV. Meggett spent his next three seasons as a member of the New England Patriots, where he was named to a second Pro Bowl, and played for the New York Jets in his final season.

Involved in several legal problems during and after his playing career, Meggett was convicted in 2010 on burglary and criminal sexual conduct charges. He is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence at Lieber Correctional Institution in South Carolina.

College career

Meggett played college football at Division II (1986)/ Division I-AA (1987–88) Towson State University. In his senior season, Meggett led the team in rushing yards (844) and touchdowns (12), while also setting a school record for average yards per kickoff return (32.2) and kickoff return touchdowns (2), earning him the Walter Payton Award. His career average of 25.5 yards per kickoff return (29 returns for 745 yards) was also a school record. [2]

Professional career

Meggett was used frequently as both a rusher and a receiver in his NFL career, but was primarily used to return kickoffs and punts on special teams. He led the league in punt return yards (582) in his rookie season, while gaining 577 kickoff return yards, 531 receiving yards, and 117 rushing yards, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl. Meggett led the NFL in punt return yards again in his second season (467), helping the Giants record a 13–3 regular season record and a 20–19 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. During the 1990 postseason Meggett saw his duties increase when starting running back Rodney Hampton went down with an injury. Splitting time with veteran back Ottis Anderson, he had a solid performance in the Super Bowl, recording 129 all-purpose yards (48 rushing, 18 receiving, 37 punt return, 26 kickoff return).

After four more seasons with New York, Meggett signed with the Patriots in 1995, reuniting with his coach Bill Parcells, who had been his coach with the Giants. In 1996, he had the best season of his career, recording 1,966 all-purpose yards, earning his second trip to the Pro Bowl, and helped New England gain a berth in Super Bowl XXXI. Although his team lost the game 35–21 to the Green Bay Packers, his performance was solid, recording 155 total yards (117 kick return, 30 punt return, eight receiving). Meggett spent one more year with the Patriots before being released due to legal issues. [3] Meggett then join New York Jets in 1998 (once again joining Parcells in a move to new team), but played in just two games during the season. Once again a free agent, Meggett was not resigned by the Jets. Receiving no offers from any other team, Meggett retired at the age of 32, just two years after making the Pro Bowl.

In his ten NFL seasons, Meggett amassed 1,648 rushing yards, 336 receptions for 3,083 yards, 3,708 punt return yards, and 5,566 yards returning kickoffs. In total, Meggett gained 14,005 all-purpose yards and scored 29 touchdowns (eight rushing, 11 receiving, seven punt returns, one kickoff return).. He also completed four of eight passes for 114 yards and four touchdowns..

At the time of his retirement, his 3,709 punt return yards were the most in NFL history; he has since been passed by Brian Mitchell.

Subsequent to his NFL career, Meggett was an assistant coach at American International College for over two years, and then moved to North Carolina.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesRushingReceivingPunt returnsKick returns
GPGSAttYdsAvgLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTDRetYdsAvgLngTDRetYdsAvgLngTD
1989 NYG 162281174.21803453115.66244658212.77612757721.4430
1990 NYG 161221647.55103941010.53814346710.96812149223.4580
1991 NYG 162291535.3301504128.22232828710.37012551420.6420
1992 NYG 160321675.2300382296.0242272408.93902045522.8921
1993 NYG 161693294.8230383198.45003233110.37512440316.8350
1994 NYG 163912983.3264322939.23402632312.46822954818.9300
1995 NWE 160602504.2252523346.4190453838.52303896425.4620
1996 NWE 161401223.1120332928.82605258811.36013478123.0540
1997 NWE 16220603.01011920310.74914546710.44703381624.7610
1998 NYJ 207243.418011515.01505408.018011616.0160
Career146123981,6844.25183363,0389.062113493,70810.67672525,56622.1921

Personal life and prison sentence

Meggett has nine children from eight different women, [4] including Davin Meggett, who grew up in Clinton, Maryland. He went to Surrattsville High School and played football at the University of Maryland. [5]

Meggett was one of the favorite players of coach Bill Parcells, playing for him on the Giants, Patriots, and Jets. When Parcells coached the Dallas Cowboys, Meggett consulted with the team's punt returners during training camp.

In 1990, Meggett was arrested for soliciting a prostitute, but was acquitted. He was charged with assaulting his then-girlfriend in 1995, but was acquitted because the judge believed that the girlfriend was the aggressor and that Meggett had used "reasonable force" to keep her out of his house. [4]

In 1998, Meggett was arrested in Toronto after authorities alleged that he assaulted an escort worker after a three-way sexual encounter. Following this incident, the Patriots promptly released him per their zero-tolerance policy for violence against women enacted after the fallout from their selection of Christian Peter two years earlier. According to a 2014 report in SB Nation , the public reaction to this incident led other teams to look askance at Meggett's history with women, and was a reason why his number was never called by another NFL team after the Jets opted against re-signing him. [4] A trial on the assault charge ended with a hung jury in April 2000. [6]

In later years, Meggett faced multiple legal and financial difficulties related to his failure to pay child support. He'd earned over $10 million during his NFL career, but he was required to pay a significant amount of back-owed child support to his nine children, which depleted his earnings. Due to financial troubles, he eventually sold his Super Bowl ring on eBay. [4]

Meggett was the parks and recreation director in Robersonville, North Carolina. Most of his salary was diverted to pay child support. [4] He resigned in 2006, after he was accused of sexually assaulting his former girlfriend. [7] In 2007, he was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery in the case, but only received two years' probation. Authorities said he was allowed to move back to South Carolina to serve his probation. [6] Soon afterward, in 2008, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl, but prosecutors opted not to pursue the case due to their questions about her credibility. [4]

In January 2009, Meggett was arrested for raping and robbing a part-time student at the College of Charleston. On November 10, 2010, Meggett was convicted of burglary and criminal sexual conduct, and sentenced to 30 years in prison. [4] [8]

Meggett, South Carolina Department of Corrections ID #00343610, is serving his sentence at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville, South Carolina. His earliest possible release date is July 6, 2034. [9] While incarcerated, Meggett has accrued several disciplinary infractions for possessing or attempted possession of a cell phone, leading to detention and loss of privileges. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXV</span> 1991 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1990 season. The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19, winning their second Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXXI</span> 1997 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1996 season. The Packers defeated the Patriots by the score of 35–21, earning their third overall Super Bowl victory, and their first since Super Bowl II. The Packers also extended their league record for the most overall NFL championships to 12. It was also the last in a run of 13 straight Super Bowl victories by the NFC over the AFC. The game was played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXXV</span> 2001 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2000 season. The Ravens defeated the Giants by a score of 34–7, tied for the seventh largest Super Bowl margin of victory with Super Bowl XXXVII. The game was played on January 28, 2001, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, making it the first time Raymond James Stadium has held a Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmond Howard</span> American football player (born 1970)

Desmond Kevin Howard is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, where he was a two-time All-American, including a unanimous All-American selection in 1991, winning the Heisman Trophy. He was selected fourth overall in the 1992 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. Howard spent most of his career on special teams as a return specialist and holds the NFL single season record for punt return yardage. With the Green Bay Packers, Howard was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXI after setting an NFL record for punt return yards and returning a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown, the longest return in Super Bowl history at the time. To date, he is the only special teams player to receive the award. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Terry Tyree Glenn was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and Dallas Cowboys. He was selected by the New England Patriots seventh overall in the 1996 NFL draft. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning consensus All-American honors in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Faulk</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Kevin Troy Faulk is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, receiving first-team All-American honors, and was selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Patriots. Faulk held a variety of offensive and special teams roles during his career and contributed to the franchise's first three Super Bowl titles. For his accomplishments in New England, he was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2016. After retiring from the NFL, Faulk returned to LSU as a coach from 2018 to 2021. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Metcalf</span> American football player (born 1968)

Eric Quinn Metcalf is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at Texas. His father Terry was a running back for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The National Football League playoffs for the 2006 season began on January 6, 2007. The postseason tournament concluded with the Indianapolis Colts defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI, 29–17, on February 4, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Ginn Jr.</span> American football player (born 1985)

Theodore Ginn Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Washington</span> American football player and coach (born 1982)

Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. is an American former professional football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) as a running back and return specialist and made 2 Pro Bowls and 2 All-Pro teams during his career. Washington holds many kick return records for both the Jets and Seattle Seahawks.

Russ Purnell is an American football coach. He has served for 26 seasons as an assistant coach in the NFL, mainly coordinating the special teams units. He is one of only 21 NFL assistant coaches who have won at least one Super Bowl championship with two different teams. He was also the special teams coordinator for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League (UFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the New York Giants (1979–1993)</span>

The period of 1979 to 1993 was one of the most successful in New York Giants franchise history. Members of the NFL's National Football Conference, the Giants struggled after reaching the NFL Championship Game in 1963. The 1964 season began a 15-year stretch in which the Giants were unable to make the playoffs. However, in 1979 they started rebuilding, hiring General Manager George Young, the first GM in the family-run team's history. Young, a former Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins executive, assembled a team that would become successful in the 1980s and early 1990s. Led by a run-oriented offense and a defense nicknamed the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew", the team qualified for the postseason six times in 10 seasons from 1981 to 1990. During that period, they won Super Bowl XXI (1987) and Super Bowl XXV (1991).

Dedric Lamar Ward is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys. He also was an assistant coach in the NFL. He played college football at University of Northern Iowa.

The 1996 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 27th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 37th overall. They finished with a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished first in the AFC East division. After a disappointing 1995 season, Drew Bledsoe bounced back with 4,086 passing yards and threw 27 touchdown passes to 15 interceptions while Curtis Martin had another Pro Bowl season. The team would win the divisional and conference championship by double-digit margins, however, the team lost Super Bowl XXXI to the Green Bay Packers 35–21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jets–Patriots rivalry</span> American football rivalry

The Jets–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots.

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

Dwayne Lenard Harris is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordarrelle Patterson</span> American football player (born 1991)

Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American professional football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, kickoff returner, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.

Braxton Berrios is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami (FL). He was a star athlete at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he played quarterback and wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deonte Harty</span> American football player (born 1997)

Deonte Harty is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Assumption Greyhounds and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Harty grew up in the Baltimore suburb of Middle River, Maryland and played high school football at Archbishop Curley High School where he also lettered in basketball and track & field.

References

  1. ↑ "1989 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  2. ↑ "2020 Football Record Book (PDF)" (PDF). Towson University Athletics.
  3. ↑ "The sordid end of David Meggett". January 21, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Greg Hanlon (January 21, 2014). "The Sordid End of David Meggett". SB Nation.
  5. ↑ Jenkins, Sally (February 17, 2012). "Stats, scores and schedules". The Washington Post.
  6. 1 2 "Ex-NFL RB David Meggett sentenced to 30 years in prison after conviction on charges of criminal sexual conduct, burglary - ESPN". ESPN. November 11, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Former Giant, Patriot Meggett Gets 30 Years For Burglary, Sex Charges". GantDaily.com. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Ex-NFL player Meggett gets 30 years in prison". NFL News. November 10, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  9. ↑ "South Carolina inmate record".
  10. ↑ "South Carolina Department of Corrections Inmate Information". May 8, 2021. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
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.