No. 26, 45 | |
Born: | Starke, Florida, U.S. | May 19, 1955
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Career information | |
Status | Retired |
CFL status | American |
Position(s) | RB |
Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
Weight | 192 lb (87 kg) |
College | Florida State |
High school | Merritt Island |
Career history | |
As player | |
1977–1980 | BC Lions (CFL) |
1981–1983 | New York Giants |
1984–1985 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Career highlights and awards | |
CFL All-Star | 1977 |
CFL West All-Star | 1977 |
Awards | 1977 - Most Outstanding Rookie |
Career stats | |
|
Leon "Pop" Bright, Jr. (born May 19, 1955 in Starke, Florida) is a former Gridiron football player in the Canadian Football League for four years and in the National Football League for five years.
He played Jr high school ball at Thomas Jefferson Jr High, high school football at Merritt Island High School in Merritt Island, Florida and was on the 1972 Merritt Island High, Florida Class AAAA state championship team. Bright was named to the FHSAA's All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state of Florida's history. [1]
He played college football at Florida State University where he still holds the record for most yards on a kickoff return, which resulted in a touchdown. [2]
From 1977-1980, Bright played running back, wide receiver, defensive back, and kickoff returner for the BC Lions. [3] [4]
He also played for the New York Giants from 1981–1983, serving as the team's primary punt returner. He was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1984-1985.
Bright was selected to the Lions' 2004 50th Anniversary Dream Team. In 2006, he was the head coach for the Daytona Beach Thunder arena football team.
Leon also runs the Leon Bright Charitable Foundation. His foundation works with underprivileged kids and families.
He is the eldest of 10 children and also the eldest of 23 paternal grandchildren. Bright and wife, Tammy, currently reside in Volusia County, Florida. He has four children and four grandchildren.[ citation needed ]
Jacob E. Scott III was an American professional football player who was a free safety and punt returner from 1970 to 1978 for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Georgia, and was drafted in the 1970 NFL draft in the 7th round, 159th overall pick, by the Miami Dolphins.
Christopher Pierre Hope is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles. Hope was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and has also played for the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. He helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks.
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Curtis Lee Deloatch is a former American football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina A&T.
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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.
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Stefan Logan is an American former professional football player who was a running back and special teamer in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Miami Dolphins of the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at the University of South Dakota. Logan has also played for the BC Lions, Montreal Alouettes, and Ottawa Redblacks in the CFL, and the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions of the NFL.
Merritt Island High School is a public high school located in Merritt Island, Florida. It was built in 1965.
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.
Ed Jones is a former American and Canadian football safety for the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He won five Grey Cups for the Eskimos and was a CFL All-Star. He also was a member of the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1975.
Damian Sims is a former professional Canadian football running back. He was signed by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League as a street free agent in 2009. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Yonus Ramon Davis is an American football running back and kick returner. A native of Oakland, California, he played college football in San Jose State University and signed as a free agent to the BC Lions in 2010. The Lions cut Davis in 2011 after Davis was arrested in California for attempting to sell ecstasy, and Davis served 13 months in U.S. federal prison from 2013 to 2014.
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