John Armstrong (American football)

Last updated

John Armstrong
Personal information
Born: (1963-07-07) July 7, 1963 (age 61)
Calhoun City, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College: Richmond
Position: Defensive back
NFL draft: 1986  / Round: 11 / Pick: 286
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games:3
Player stats at PFR

John Earl Armstrong (born July 7, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) in 1987.

Armstrong played multiple positions for the Bruce High School football team, as well as basketball and track and field, before going on to Northwest Mississippi Community College. [1] There he earned junior college All-American status as the team won a national junior college championship. [2] [3] [1]

After two years, he joined the football team of the University of Richmond, where he majored in physical education. [2] [4] He became a starting cornerback during his senior year in 1985 and ranked among the top punt and kickoff returners in the country. [3]

In the 1986 NFL draft, Armstrong was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 11th round. [5] [6] He was released from the team on August 19. [7] Armstrong signed with the Buffalo Bills in 1987 and played with the team in the preseason, but was placed on waivers on August 31. [8] [9]

He rejoined the team as a non-roster replacement player during the 1987 National Football League Players Association strike. On September 23, he was interrogated and harassed at a hotel by striking Bills players, including Greg Bell, Joe Devlin, Sean McNanie and Fred Smerlas, for playing as a strikebreaker. [10] He appeared in three games for Buffalo, starting two. [11] He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1988, but was cut in August before the season began. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Rice</span> American football player (born 1962)

Jerry Lee Rice is an American former football wide receiver who played for 20 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers before two shorter stints at the end of his career with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. Nicknamed "World" because of his superb catching ability, his accomplishments and numerous records, Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in NFL history. His biography on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame website names him "the most prolific wide receiver in NFL history with staggering career totals". In 1999, The Sporting News listed Rice second behind Jim Brown on its list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players". In 2010, he was chosen by NFL Network's NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players as the greatest player in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy "White Shoes" Johnson</span> American football player (born 1952)

William Arthur Johnson, better known as Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 through 1988. A 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time NFL Team selection, Johnson was one of the first players to display elaborate celebrations in the end zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Casillas</span> American football player (born 1963)

Tony Steven Casillas is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) from 1986 through 1997. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, winning an NCAA national championship in 1985, when he also won the Lombardi Award and was the UPI Lineman of the Year. Casillas was also part of the Dallas Cowboys back to back victories in Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII, both against the Buffalo Bills. In 2004, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Nathaniel Bernard Odomes is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills (1987–1993), Seattle Seahawks (1994–1995), and the Atlanta Falcons (1996). Before his NFL career, he played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers, returning 36 punts for 359 yards and intercepting nine passes. His seven interceptions in the 1986 season led the Big Ten Conference. He was selected by the Bills in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

William P. Fralic Jr. was an American professional football player who was a guard for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 1993. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Marcus Glenn Cotton is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).

Scott Allison Woerner is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. In the 1981 Sugar Bowl, Woerner intercepted a pass by the Notre Dame quarterback in the closing minutes of the game which sealed Georgia's national championship for that year. He still holds several return records at the University of Georgia. He had the most kickoff return yards (190) in a single game. He also holds the most punt return yards (488) in a season (1980). Woerner was drafted in the third round of the 1981 NFL draft by the Falcons. He played for the Atlanta Falcons during that 1981 season and was their leading punt returner. The Falcons cut him before the start of the 1982 season. In 1983, 1984, and 1985 he played safety for the Philadelphia Stars of the short-lived United States Football League (USFL). The Philadelphia Stars won 2 of the 3 USFL championships. The Sporting News selected him as a USFL All-League player both of those seasons. Woerner played briefly for the New Orleans Saints during the NFL Players Strike.

William T. Brooks Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Brooks was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL from 1986 to 1996 for the Colts, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Redskins. Brooks played college football for Boston University.

Lionel Vital is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He was recently the General Manager for the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL). He was a member of the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also was a scout and director of personnel in the NFL. He played college football at Nicholls State University.

Dennis Earl Woodberry is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Redskins and in the United States Football League for the Birmingham Stallions. Woodberry played college football at Southern Arkansas University.

Daniel Scott "Danny" Miller is an American former professional football player who was a kicker in the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL).

Roland Mitchell is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL).

<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.

Dennis Eugene Havig is a former American football guard in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the eighth round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He later played for the Houston Oilers and Green Bay Packers.

Donald Ira Holmes is former American football coach and former professional wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 12th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mesa State and Colorado.

Noel Charles Jenke was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for three different teams during the 1971 through 1974 seasons. Before playing professional football, Jenke was a minor league baseball player in the Boston Red Sox organization.

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

Joseph Lere "Lee" Smith is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Marshall University, and was drafted by the Patriots in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. In late January 2022 he announced he would retire from the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Lauletta</span> American football player (born 1995)

Kyle James Lauletta is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Richmond Spiders and was selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He was also a member of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars. He also played in the United States Football League (USFL) for the Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals.

Emanuel Weaver III is an American former professional football player who was a nose tackle in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons. He also was a member of the New Jersey Generals in the United States Football League. He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

References

  1. 1 2 Baker, Lee (November 4, 1985). "John Armstrong". The Clarion-Ledger . p. 37. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 O'Connor, John (October 26, 1985). "Happy returns". Richmond Times-Dispatch . p. 27. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 O'Connor, John (October 26, 1985). "Armstrong leads in returns". Richmond Times-Dispatch . p. 32. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "University of Richmond Player of the Week". Richmond Times-Dispatch . September 26, 1985. p. 52. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "1986 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Team-by-team draft picks". South Bend Tribune . April 30, 1986. p. 12. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ The Associated Press (August 20, 1986). "Vikings cut 6, waive 10". Winona Daily News . p. 9. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Roberts, Rich (August 23, 1987). "Ed Luther Has Long Second Half". Los Angeles Times . p. 76. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Transactions". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . September 1, 1987. p. 27. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Pitoniak, Scott (September 24, 1987). "Confrontation spices strike". Democrat and Chronicle . p. 33. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "John Armstrong statistics at Pro-Football-Reference". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Falcons Cuts". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . August 30, 1988. p. 65. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Falcons". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . August 30, 1988. p. 70. Retrieved July 19, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
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.