No. 33 | |||
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Position: | Defensive back | ||
Personal information | |||
Born: | Bartow, Florida, U.S. | February 20, 1945||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||
Career information | |||
High school: | Union Academy (Bartow, Florida) | ||
College: | Florida A&M | ||
NFL draft: | 1968 / round: 6 / pick: 152 | ||
Career history | |||
Career NFL statistics | |||
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Player stats at PFR |
Nathaniel James, known as Nate James, (born February 20, 1945) is a former college football and track star at Florida A&M University (FAMU). He was drafted into the National Football League (NFL) by the Cleveland Browns and returned several kicks for the team. [1] He was inducted into the FAMU Hall of Fame in 1990. [2]
James attended segregated Union Academy (Bartow, Florida) where he was coached by Claude Woodruff. James recalled Woodruff as a hardline disciplinarian who had a saying: kill a mosquito with an ax, but go sharpen the ax first. [3]
He was part of the FAMU track and field team that won Penn Relays four years in a row. [3]
In 1968, he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 6th round. [4] He appeared in 12 games for the team. [1]
As of 1990, he had been teaching and coaching in Orange County, Florida for 15 years. [3]
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team is named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown. They play their home games at Huntington Bank Field, which opened in 1999, with administrative offices and training facilities in Berea, Ohio. The franchise's official club colors are brown, orange, and white. They are unique among the 32 member clubs of the NFL in that they do not have a logo on their helmets.
Gerard Thurston Warren is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns third overall in the 2001 NFL draft, and also played professionally for the Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots of the NFL.
Paul Dryden Warfield is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 to 1977 for the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, except for a year in the World Football League (WFL) with the Memphis Southmen in 1975. He was known for his speed, fluid moves, grace, and jumping ability. A consistent big-play threat throughout his career, his 20.1 average yards per reception is the highest in NFL history among players with at least 300 receptions.
James Kevin Mack is an American former professional football player who was a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.
Ozzie Newsome Jr. is an American professional football executive and former player who is the executive vice president of player personnel of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Newsome was a tight end for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, and was general manager of the Ravens from 1996 to 2018. Newsome has been inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (1994) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999).
Douglas Leon Atkins was an American professional football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers under head coach Robert Neyland. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Atkins was also drafted to the NBA in the 17th round by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1953 NBA draft.
Leroy Kelly is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 to 1973. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
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.
Earl L. Holmes is a former American football linebacker and former head coach at Florida A&M University. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 4th round of the 1996 NFL draft 126th overall out of Florida A&M University. Holmes was inducted into the FAMU Hall of Fame in July 2005 to join the likes of Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither and FAMU'S "Famed Final Four of 1952."
Donald Denver Fleming was an American professional football player who was a safety for three seasons during the early 1960s with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Fleming played college football for the Florida Gators, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL. His career was cut short by his accidental death by electrocution in 1963.
Kenneth Jerome Riley was an American professional football cornerback who spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals, first in the American Football League (AFL) in 1969 and then the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 through 1983. Riley recorded 65 interceptions in his career, which was the fourth most in NFL history at the time of his retirement. Despite his accomplishments, he was never an exceptionally well-known or popular player. Riley was never once selected to play in the AFL All-Star Game or the Pro Bowl, but he was selected to three All-Pro teams.
Joseph Lee Stydahar nicknamed "Jumbo Joe", was an American professional football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
Johnie Earl Cooks was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Cooks was selected by the Baltimore Colts as the second overall pick in the 1982 NFL draft. He played from 1982 to 1991 for the Colts, New York Giants, and Cleveland Browns. He was a member of the Giants when they defeated the Buffalo Bills 20–19 in Super Bowl XXV. Cooks played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Carl N. "Gaucho" Taseff was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). Taseff had an 11-year playing career, primarily with the Baltimore Colts, where he was a member of the 1958 and 1959 NFL Championship winning teams. Taseff then coached for 27 seasons, winning Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VIII as part of the Miami Dolphins coaching staff.
Bobby Joe Green was an American football professional punter who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Florida Gators.
Robert James Steuber was an American football halfback who played one season in National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, where he quickly became one of the country's most productive runners and scoring threats. He was second in the country in 1942 with more than 1,000 yards of rushing. Steuber was drafted by the NFL's Chicago Bears and played one game for the team, appearing as a substitute on September 26, 1943, in the Green Bay Packers' home opener, which ended in a 21–21 tie. The next day, Steuber entered the United States Navy and was transferred to DePauw University for pre-flight training. Despite having gone from amateur status to professional football, Steuber was allowed to return to college football six days later and led the DePauw Tigers to a 50–0 win over Illinois Normal College, rushing for 225 yards and scoring 25 points in the first half. Playing for DePauw's football team in 1943, he led the nation in scoring.
Rudy Hubbard is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida from 1974 to 1985, compiling a record of 83–48–3. Hubbard led the Florida A&M Rattlers to the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship, in 1978, and consecutive black college football national championships, in 1977 and 1978. Hubbard played college football at Ohio State University, lettering from 1965 to 1967. Following his graduation from Ohio State in 1968, he remained with the Buckeyes for six seasons as an assistant coach under Woody Hayes. In 2008, Hubbard returned to coaching the high school level, serving as head football coach at James S. Rickards High School in Tallahassee for four seasons.
Union Academy is a magnet middle school in Bartow, Florida. It dates to 1897 when it opened as an elementary school for African Americans. It was expanded to include a high school in 1923. The high school was merged into Summerlin Institute in 1969 following the desegregation era and its students became part of Bartow High School on the Summerlin campus. Union Academy became a Middle School.
Major Floyd "Stick" Hazelton was a professional football player. He played for the Chicago Bears after being drafted from FAMU where he was a football and track star. He went to Union Academy, a high school for African Americans in Bartow, Florida established during the segregation era. The school produced several star FAMU and NFL players, especially during Claude Woodruff era.
Claude E. Woodruff was a U.S. marine, college football player and head coach, as well as an assistant football and assistant track coach at various high schools in Central Florida including Union Academy in Bartow, Florida. Programs he coached in produced many players who went on to college football stardom, often at Florida A&M University (FAMU). Several became NFL players. As a player, he was on the 1950 FAMU team that won the Black College National Title. As a coach his teams won five track and field state titles. He is a member of the FAMU and Central Florida Sports Hall of Fame.