| No. 9 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Tight end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 15, 1978 |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 256 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Amory (Amory, Mississippi) |
| College: | Ole Miss |
| Undrafted: | 1999 |
| Career history | |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Joel Rufus French (born March 15, 1978) is an American former college football player who was a tight end for the Ole Miss Rebels. He was a two-time All-American, earning unanimous honors in 1998. [1] He was also a member of the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL).
Joel Rufus French played football and baseball at Amory High School in Amory, Mississippi. [2] [3] He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 30th round of the 1996 MLB June Amateur Draft. [4] [5] [6]
French chose to play football for the Ole Miss Rebels. He was a unanimous All-American in 1998. French was a first-team All-SEC selection in 1997 and 1998. [7] [8] [9] He was a finalist for the Conerly Trophy in 1998. French finished his college career with 84 receptions, 814 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. [10] He chose to forgo his senior season and enter the 1999 NFL draft. [11] [12]
French signed with the Seattle Seahawks after going undrafted in the 1999 NFL draft. [13] He missed the 2000 season while recovering from a knee injury. He was released by the Seahawks on August 5, 2001. [14]
French was signed by the Green Bay Packers on March 26, 2002. [14] He was released by the Packers on July 23, 2002. [14]
In April 2024, French was charged for his alleged involvement in an over $70 million fraud case. [15] [3] French, who managed several durable medical equipment companies, and his co-conspirators used illegally obtained doctors orders to bill Medicare for medically unneccesary medical equipment. [15]