Eugene Lockhart

Last updated

Eugene Lockhart
No. 56, 51
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1961-03-07) March 7, 1961 (age 63)
Crockett, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school: Crockett (Crockett, Texas)
College: Houston
NFL draft: 1984  / round: 6 / pick: 152
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:136
Tackles:1,001
Sacks:16
Interceptions:6
Touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Eugene Lockhart, Jr. (born March 7, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. He played college football at the University of Houston and was selected in the sixth round of the 1984 NFL draft.

Contents

Early life

Lockhart attended Crockett High School and became a two-year starting linebacker for the University of Houston during the 1982 and 1983 seasons.

In 1983, Lockhart was named tri-captain of the Cougars football team. He led the team with 134 tackles, was named second-team All Southwest Conference by UPI and was voted the team's most valuable player. Lockhart graduated with a degree in marketing.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Lockhart was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (152nd overall) of the 1984 NFL draft. He was also selected by the Houston Gamblers in the 1984 USFL Territorial Draft.

Lockhart became the first rookie in Cowboys history to start at middle linebacker, when Bob Breunig went down with a back injury during the first half of the season. After Breunig retired at the end of the year, he became just the fourth player in Cowboys' history to have held that position on a regular basis. After leading the team with 86 tackles (49 solo), Lockhart was named to the 1984 NFL All-Rookie team. [1]

In 1985, in his first full season as a starter, he led the team in tackles (128), fumble recoveries (4) and forced fumbles (3). In 1986, he led the team with 121 tackles, 77 of them solo and had a career-high 5 sacks. In 1988, he led the team with 121 tackles, 72 of them solo, while registering 3 passes deflected and 2 fumble recoveries.

In Dallas, his punishing hits earned him the nickname "Mean Gene, the hitting machine". Lockhart led the team in tackles in four of his seven years with the Cowboys and contributed with more than 100 tackles in every season except 1987, when he registered 80 tackles (52 solo), after suffering a fractured right fibula and missing the last 3 games.

In 1989, he led the NFL and set a club record with 222 tackles, while also leading the team in interceptions (2) and the linebackers in passes deflected (8). He also set club records with 154 solo tackles, 16 double-digit tackle games and 16 solo tackles in a game against the Phoenix Cardinals (10-29-1989). He did not make the Pro Bowl that year, but he was named to the 1989 All-Pro first-team and was a bright spot on an otherwise dismal 1–15 team. In 1990, he led the team with 139 tackles (72 solo).

Lockhart played for the Cowboys during a low point in the franchise's history. He was one of the few standout players on otherwise lackluster teams, which eventually cost him a chance to earn Pro Bowl honors and other accolades. He finished his Cowboys career with 897 tackles and second-team All-Pro honors.

Head coach Jimmy Johnson's system favored more agile linebackers, so Lockhart was traded to the New England Patriots on April 19, 1991. In exchange for the first overall draft pick of the 1991 NFL draft (Russell Maryland), he was traded to the Patriots along with cornerback Ron Francis, linebacker David Howard, a 1991 first round pick (#11 Pat Harlow), and a 1991 second round pick (#41 Jerome Henderson). [2] While cleaning out his locker, he was quoted saying, "It's a cold business — a cold, cold business, and it's even colder in New England."

New England Patriots

In 1991, he had 42 solo tackles, 64 total, which was fourth on the team. The next year, he played in 16 games (8 starts) and finished fourth on the team with 70 tackles (42 solo). He was waived on August 30, 1993. [3]

Lockhart played in the NFL for 9 seasons (7 with the Cowboys, 2 with the Patriots), started 117 games, recorded over 1,001 tackles, 16 sacks and 6 interceptions (1 returned for a TD). [4]

Personal life

Starting in 1998, Lockhart has run an annual turkey giveaway program in his hometown of Crockett. [5]

In 2009, Lockhart and eight others were indicted on federal charges of organizing a $20 million mortgage fraud scheme in the Dallas, Texas, area. In late 2012, Lockhart was convicted and sentenced to 54 months in prison for the fraud. [6] In November 2014, representing himself in court, he lost an appeal to reduce restitution garnishment from his pension. [7] He also filed a lawsuit seeking $80,000 in damages due to allegedly substandard medical care he received during incarceration. [8] He was released in May 2015 after serving about three years of his sentence and was required to complete about two years' probation. [9]

Related Research Articles

Charles Lewis Haley is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys (1992–1996).

William Dexter Coakley is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football in Division I-AA for the Appalachian State Mountaineers, and was selected in the third round of the 1997 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Coakley was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, making him Appalachian State's first inductee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradie James</span> American football player (born 1981)

Bradie Gene James is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans. He played college football at Louisiana State University.

Scott Allen Shanle is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. He played college football at the University of Nebraska.

Kevin Lamont Hardy is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Robert Lee Jones is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, and Washington Redskins. He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates football, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by Dallas in the first round of the 1992 NFL draft with the 24th overall pick.

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

Darrin Andrew Smith is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes.

Reggie Jermaine Torbor is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at Auburn.

Fredrick William Strickland, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers.

Orantes Laquay Grant is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. He was drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played college football at Georgia.

David Howard is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. He also was a member of the Los Angeles Express in the United States Football League. He played college football at Long Beach State University.

Jesse William Solomon is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Florida State University.

Ronald Bernard Francis is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Baylor Bears.

Christopher E. Bordano is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Southern Methodist University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Hicks (American football)</span> American football player (born 1992)

Jordan Hicks is an American professional football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring in 2018, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns.

Alan Raul Campos is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Louisville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Kendricks</span> American football player (born 1992)

Eric-Nathan Marvin Kendricks is an American professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. As a senior in 2014, he won the Butkus Award as the nation's top collegiate linebacker. Kendricks was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft and later played for the Los Angeles Chargers.

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

Micah Aaron Parsons is an American professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Parsons played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he was named a consensus All-American, Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and the Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP as a sophomore in 2019. He was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, and was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leighton Vander Esch</span> American football player (born 1996)

Leighton Vander Esch is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise State Broncos, and was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. He spent six seasons with the team, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in his rookie season before neck injuries prematurely ended his playing career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Eberflus</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Matthew Charles Eberflus is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2021. He previously worked as the linebacker coach for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, and has coached at Toledo and Missouri.

References

  1. ↑ "Lipps heads all-rookie squad" . Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Pats receive Lockhart" . Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ "NFL transactions Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  4. ↑ "You have to look quickly to appreciate Rice's talent" . Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  5. ↑ White, Jan (November 28, 2021). "Lockhart Foundation Distributes Turkeys". East Texas News.
  6. ↑ "Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Eugene Lockhart gets 54 months in $20 million mortgage fraud case". Dallas News. December 12, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  7. ↑ McBride, Jim (November 25, 2014). "Ex-Cowboy "Mean Gene" Lockhart loses appeal". Amarillo Globe-News.
  8. ↑ "Ex-Dallas Cowboy Eugene Lockhart claims medical mistreatment while in federal prison (in 2011)". January 7, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Former Dallas Cowboy out of prison after serving 3 years for mortgage fraud". May 22, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
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.