Gordon Banks (American football)

Last updated

Gordon Banks
No. 80, 87, 88
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1958-03-12) March 12, 1958 (age 66)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school: Loyola
(Los Angeles, California)
College: Stanford
Undrafted: 1980
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:35
Receiving yards:458
Receiving touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Gordon Gerard Banks (born March 12, 1958) is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Stanford University.

Contents

Early life

Banks attended Loyola High School in the Pico-Union neighborhood, lettering in football and track.

He accepted a football scholarship from Stanford University, where he was a backup at wide receiver. In 1977, he was second on the team with 16 kickoff returns for 222 yards (13.9-yard average).

In 1978, he led the team with 13 kickoff returns for 269 yards (20.7-yard average). He finished his college career with 29 receptions for 294 yards and 5 touchdowns.

He became a standout in track, running the 100 metres in 10.33 seconds.

Professional career

New Orleans Saints

Banks was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 1980 NFL draft. As a rookie, he played mainly on special teams and had 4 tackles. He was waived on October 12, 1981. [1]

San Diego Chargers

On July 8, 1982, he signed with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent. [2] He was cut on August 31. [3]

Oakland Invaders (USFL)

In 1983, he signed as a free agent with the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League, where he was a teammate of Anthony Carter. In his first year, he registered 61 receptions for 855 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 1984, he tallied 64 receptions (first on the team) for 937 yards (first on the team) and 5 touchdowns.

In 1985, the Invaders were merged with the Michigan Panthers and he became a teammate of Anthony Carter and Bobby Hebert. He recorded 62 receptions (second on the team) for 1,115 receiving yards (second on the team) and 5 touchdowns.

Banks finished as one of the career receiving leaders in USFL history, recording 187 receptions for 2,907 yards. He was the only player to catch a pass in all 54 USFL games and was the Invaders' All-time leading receiver.

Dallas Cowboys

When the USFL folded in 1985, he signed in mid-season as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, reuniting with Dick Nolan, who was his head coach with the Saints. At the time, he was the team's fastest player. [4] He was activated On December 5, playing as a punt returner in 2 regular season games and one playoff game. [5]

In 1986, he was named a starter at wide receiver for the season opener against the New York Giants, in place of an injured Mike Renfro. He had 15 receptions for 178 yards before Renfro returned to the lineup in the sixth game. He took over the punt return duties in the seventh game, leading the team with a 5.9-yard average. He finished the season with 17 receptions for 202 yards and 27 punt returns for 160 yards.

The next season, injuries on the wide receiver corps, forced the Cowboys to start him in 4 contests. In 5 games he had 15 receptions for 231 yards and one touchdown, but suffered a stress fracture in his foot that forced him to miss the last 7 games and eventually ended his professional career. He was waived on August 28, 1988. [6]

Personal life

Banks and his wife Derozette are the senior pastors at Overcomer Covenant Church in Auburn, Washington. [7]

Related Research Articles

Jamaica Rector is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals. He also was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Northwest Missouri State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butch Johnson (American football)</span> American football player (born 1954)

Michael McColly "Butch" Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He played college football for the UC Riverside Highlanders and was selected in the third round of the 1976 NFL draft.

Reginald "Reggie" Terrell Swinton is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at Murray State University.

Skyler Levon Green is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints. He also was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning All-American honors.

Kelvin Brian Martin is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl XXVII with the Cowboys against the Buffalo Bills, giving him his only Super Bowl title. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles before playing ten seasons in the NFL from 1987 to 1996 for the Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Kevin Ray Williams, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning first-team All-American honors in 1991.

Tyrone Christopher Hughes is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

John Alan Williams is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. He also was a member of the Michigan Panthers and Oakland Invaders in the United States Football League. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin.

James Anthony Dixon is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Fort Worth Cavalry in the Arena Football League. He played college football at the University of Houston.

Roderick World Harris is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles. He also was a member of the Sacramento Gold Miners, Shreveport Pirates, Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Texas A&M University.

Cornell Rodney Burbage is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played college football at the University of Kentucky.

Ken-Yon Cedric Rambo is a former professional American football wide receiver in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State University.

Wane Keith McGarity is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Rodgers (gridiron football)</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1988)

James Rodgers Jr. is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football for the Oregon State Beavers, earning second-team All-American honors in 2009. Rodgers signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent following the 2012 NFL draft. He played college football for the Oregon State Beavers, earning second-team All-American honors in 2009. He has also played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). As a coach, he served as the outside linebackers coach for the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

<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.

Kenneth Wayne Duckett was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Wake Forest University.

Lance Lenoir is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Western Illinois.

Leon Eugene Gonzalez III is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Bethune-Cookman University.

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

Steven Sims Jr. is an American professional football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas and signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KaVontae Turpin</span> American football player (born 1996)

KaVontae Lamon Turpin is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at TCU.

References

  1. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Banks Burning Path In Front of Sherrard" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  5. ↑ "For The Record" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Cowboys Cut Banks, Titensor" . Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  7. ↑ Klaas, Mark (June 22, 2018). "Former pro football player finds his calling as youth pastor". Auburn Reporter. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
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.