Rick Byas

Last updated

Rick Byas
No. 38
Position: Defensive back
Personal information
Born: (1950-10-19) October 19, 1950 (age 73)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school: Mackenzie (MI)
College: Eastern Michigan
Wayne St.
Undrafted: 1974
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:6
Fumble recoveries:10
Defensive TDs:2
Player stats at PFR

Richard Reese Byas Jr. (October 19, 1950) is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League (NFL); he was also a 1987 inductee to the Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame. [1]

Contents

Early years

While at Detroit's Mackenzie High School, Byas led the football team through an undefeated campaign in 1967. That year, Mackenzie's opponents scored only two points during the entire teacher strike-shortened season. [2] Upon graduation in 1969, Byas attended Eastern Michigan University.

After one year at EMU, Byas transferred to Wayne State; during three seasons with WSU, Byas set or tied eight career, single season and single game football records. In 1973, Byas established WSU single season records for kickoff returns, kickoff return yardage, punt returns, and punt return yardage. Byas was primarily a sprinter and long jumper during his collegiate track and field career; in his senior year, he was captain of both the WSU track and football team. [3] Richard Byas Jr. received his bachelor's degree in education from Wayne State in 1974; the same year he was signed as a free agent by the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

NFL career

Through seven full seasons with the Falcons, as a defensive back and kickoff return specialist, Byas played in 103 games and produced six career interceptions for 193 yards and one touchdown. Byas also totaled 23 career kickoff returns for 519 yards and a 22.6 yard average, and he forced several blocked punts that resulted in Atlanta touchdowns. 1977 was arguably Byas's best season as a pro; he intercepted three passes for 122 yards, including one interception resulting in the lone touchdown of his career - a 72-yard return of an Archie Manning pass in Atlanta's 21–20 loss to the New Orleans Saints. [4]

Related Research Articles

André N. Davis is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech, earning first-team All-American honors in 2000. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. Davis also played for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans in his career. While playing for Virginia Tech Davis appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen Rossum</span> American football player (born 1975)

Allen Bonshaca Lamont Rossum is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Christiansen</span> American football player and coach (1928–1986)

Jack LeRoy Christiansen was an American professional football player who became a college and pro coach. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions as a safety and return specialist from 1951 to 1958. He helped lead the Lions to three NFL championships in 1952, 1953, and 1957 and was a first-team All-NFL player in six of his eight years in the league. He led the NFL in interceptions in 1953 and 1957 and in punt returns for touchdown in 1951, 1952, 1954, and 1956. His eight career punt returns for touchdowns was an NFL record until 1989 and remains the fourth best in league history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Dwight</span> American football player (born 1975)

Timothy John Dwight Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was a two-time All-American. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL draft, and he played professionally for the Falcons, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Oakland Raiders of the NFL.

Kevin Bryant Mathis is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Texas A&M University–Commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Hope (American football)</span> American football player (born 1980)

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.

Darrien Jamal Gordon is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) (1993–2002). He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft. During his NFL career, he played for five teams, appearing in four Super Bowls. Before his NFL career, Gordon played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, intercepting nine passes in three seasons. Since the NFL Scouting Combine began in 1985, he is one of three players who have been drafted in the first round after not being invited to the combine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devin Hester</span> American football player (born 1982)

Devin Devorris Hester Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). The only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is widely considered to be the greatest return specialist of all time. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he was the first player in the university's recent history to play in all three phases of American football: offense, defense and special teams. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. Hester also played for the Atlanta Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks over his 11-season NFL career. He is also the only player to return the opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown. Hester was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for both the 2000s and 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Cribbs</span> American football player (born 1983)

Joshua Cribbs is an American former professional football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes and was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent after the 2005 NFL draft. Cribbs is tied for the second most NFL career record with eight kickoff returns for touchdowns, and also the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game. He has also played for the New York Jets, the Oakland Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts. He was most recently a special teams coaching intern for the Cleveland Browns.

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.

Vincent Joseph Sutherland is an American former professional football player who played wide receiver for two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. He was a standout receiver and kick returner for Purdue University from 1997-2000. He also played for the Arena Football League (AFL)'s New York Dragons. At the time of his graduation in 2001, his 13 receiving touchdowns were a school record for one season. That record was tied in 2002 by John Standeford, and broken in 2004 by Taylor Stubblefield. He also still holds school records for punt return average in a season, punt returns for touchdowns in a season/career, and the longest reception in Purdue history.

Rodrick Hill is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Kentucky State Thorobreds. Hill played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Raiders. After his NFL career, he played five seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and still holds the career interception record for that franchise.

Mercury Wayne Hayes is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver, kickoff returner, and punt returner in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes. Prior to his professional football experience he was a University of Michigan Wolverines football star. He was selected with the 136th overall pick in the 5th round of the 1996 National Football League draft.

Lawrence Andrew Anderson is a former professional American football player who played cornerback and kick returner for seven seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts.

George William Hoey is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back, punt returner and kickoff returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines (1966–1968) and in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals (1971), New England Patriots (1972–1973), San Diego Chargers (1974), Denver Broncos (1975), and New York Jets (1975).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne State Warriors football</span> Football program representing Wayne State University

The Wayne State Warriors football team is the college football team at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. The Wayne State football team played their first game in October 1918. The Wayne State Warriors have competed in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference since 1999, and are currently a Division II member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Wayne State plays their home games at Tom Adams Field at Wayne State Stadium. All Wayne State games are broadcast on WDTK radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Phelps</span> American football player (1924–1982)

Don Cooper "Dopey" Phelps was an American football halfback and defensive back who played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL) in the early 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avery Williams (running back)</span> American football player (born 1998)

Avery Williams is an American professional football running back and return specialist for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boise State.

References

  1. ↑ "Wayne State University Athletics - Official Athletics Website".
  2. ↑ "Detroit Mackenzie Stags Michigan High School Football Scores, Schedules, and Analytics".
  3. ↑ "Wayne State University Athletics - Official Athletics Website" (PDF).
  4. ↑ "Rick Byas Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.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.