Quinton Ballard

Last updated

Quinton Ballard
No. 97
Position: Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1960-11-18) November 18, 1960 (age 63)
Ahoskie, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:289 lb (131 kg)
Career information
High school: Gates County (NC)
College: Elon (1979–1982)
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:15
Games started:4
Sacks:2.0
Player stats at PFR

Quinton McCoy Ballard (born November 18, 1960) is a former American football defensive tackle who played one season in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts. He played college football at Elon, helping them win two national championships, and was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 1983. He also spent time with the Miami Dolphins.

Contents

Early life and education

Ballard was born on November 18, 1960, in Ahoskie, North Carolina. [1] He was the youngest of five sons, and each of his brothers also played college football, including Joe, an All-American for North Carolina A&T and Horace, a four-year starter for Livingstone. [2] He grew up in Gatesville and attended Gates County Senior High School, at which he was an all-star football lineman. [2]

Ballard began playing college football for the Elon Fightin' Christians in 1979. [1] He helped them win the NAIA national championship in 1980. [3] He broke his wrist in the championship, and it had not healed by the 1981 season, but he played anyway and led them to another national championship. [3] As a senior, he played through a badly sprained ankle. [4] By the end of his college career following the 1982 season, Ballard had compiled over 200 total tackles and 20 sacks. [3]

Professional career

As a result of his injury as a senior, Ballard was the last player on the BLESTO scouting combine list and did not get selected in either the 1984 NFL Draft or 1984 USFL Draft. [4] He attended a mini-camp held by the New Jersey Generals, but was not offered a contract. [4] Later, he received offers from two NFL teams: the Baltimore Colts and Denver Broncos, accepting the former. [4] Although considered a longshot, Ballard ended up making the team. [4] [5] He spent most of the season as a backup, but became starter due to another player's injury for week ten against the New York Jets. [6] Going up against All-Pro Marvin Powell in the game, he made eight solo tackles, an assist, posted a pass deflection and made one sack, being given the game ball by the Colts following the 17–14 win. [6] He finished the season having appeared in 15 games, four as a starter, and made two sacks. [7]

Ballard entered the 1984 training camp weighing at 309 pounds, and was told by the coaching staff he needed to get down to 290. [8] He changed his diet and lost weight, [8] but suffered an injury and was placed on injured reserve prior to the regular season. [9] In 1985, Ballard was signed by the Miami Dolphins, but was hampered by an injury and played sparingly in the preseason, eventually being released during roster cuts. [10] He attempted a return in 1986 with the Colts, but was released in July of that year. [11]

Later life

Ballard was inducted into the Elon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XVIII</span> 1984 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Los Angeles Raiders to determine the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1983 season. The Raiders defeated the Redskins, 38–9. The Raiders' 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl, later matched by the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. This is the first time the city of Tampa hosted the Super Bowl and was the AFC's last Super Bowl win until Super Bowl XXXII, won by the Denver Broncos.

Daniel Lee Dierdorf is an American sportscaster and former football player. He played 13 seasons (1971–1983) as an offensive tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Hendricks</span> Guatemalan-born American football player (born 1947)

Theodore Paul Hendricks, nicknamed "the Mad Stork," is a former professional American football linebacker who played for 15 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, the Green Bay Packers, and the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Harbaugh</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

James Joseph Harbaugh is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2023, the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014, Stanford University from 2007 to 2010 and the University of San Diego from 2004 to 2006.

Duane Clair Bickett is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers. Bickett played college football at USC.

Sidney H. Abramowitz is an American former professional football player who played offensive tackle for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the fifth round of the 1983 NFL draft. Abramowitz played college football at Air Force and Tulsa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Parker (American football)</span> American football player (1934–2005)

James Thomas Parker was an American professional football player who an offensive tackle and guard for the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played from 1957 to 1967, and was a member of Baltimore's NFL championship teams in 1958 and 1959. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro in nine of his 11 seasons in the NFL. Parker was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973.

Curtis Raymond Dickey is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, spending most of his career with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts before finishing his career with the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Texas A&M University.

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.

George R. Achica is an American former professional football defensive tackle. Achica played professionally for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL), and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Southern California, and was recognized as a consensus All-American.

John Owen Dutton is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Jon Thomas Hand is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. Hand was selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 1986 NFL draft. He played college football at Alabama.

Michael LaVern Fanning was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning first-team All-American honors in 1974. He started in Super Bowl XIV for the Los Angeles Rams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Hinton (American football)</span> American football player (born 1947)

Edward Gerald Hinton is an American former professional football wide receiver who played for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Hinton spent four seasons with the Baltimore Colts, including their 1970 Super Bowl winning season, and one season each with the Houston Oilers and New England Patriots. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma.

Derrick Kingston Hatchett is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of the Baltimore Colts from 1980 to 1983 and the Houston Oilers in 1983. He was released from the Colts and later signed with the Oilers after stating that he was punched by head coach Frank Kush, which the coach denied and threatened to sue in response.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Jones (American football)</span> American football player (born 1986)

Arthur Willis Jones III is a former American football defensive end who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Syracuse. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl XLVII with them. Jones has also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins. He is also the older brother of UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, and Super Bowl winner, former defensive end Chandler Jones of the Las Vegas Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Houston</span> American football player (born 1989)

Justin Donovan Houston is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Georgia, where he earned All-American honors, and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, he was also named to the All-Pro team in 2014. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins.

Gary Anthony Padjen is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Arizona State University.

Edward Charles Judie is a former American football linebacker who played college football for Northern Arizona (1977–1980) and professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers (1982-1983), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1983), and Miami Dolphins (1984). He appeared in 24 NFL games, eight of them as a starter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad White (defensive lineman)</span> American football player (1958–2022)

Bradley Dee White was an American football defensive lineman who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at Tennessee.

References

  1. 1 2 "Quinton Ballard Stats". Pro Football Archives.
  2. 1 2 Harris, Tom (July 13, 1979). "Starving gridder eating up competition". The News and Observer . p. 25, 28 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. 1 2 3 ElonPhoenixWeekly (October 24, 2011). "Hall of Fame - Quinton Ballard, Football". YouTube . Elon Phoenix.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Stellino, Vito (August 7, 1983). "Ballard makes a big pitch for Colt job". The Baltimore Sun . p. 25, 30 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. ↑ "Colts-Patriots rosters". The Baltimore Sun . September 4, 1983. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  6. 1 2 Stellino, Vito (November 7, 1983). "Ballard's first start nets game ball". The Baltimore Sun . p. 30 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  7. ↑ "Quninton Ballard Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com .
  8. 1 2 "Quinton Ballard Changes Diet, Exercises To Lose Extra Pounds". The Indianapolis News . August 1, 1984. p. 32 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  9. ↑ "Transactions". The Province . August 28, 1984. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ "Untitled". The Miami News . August 20, 1985. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  11. ↑ "Transactions". The Greenville News . July 27, 1986. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. ↑ "Quinton Ballard (2008) - Hall of Fame". Elon Phoenix.
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.