Thom Gatewood

Last updated

Thom Gatewood
No. 83
Position: Tight end, wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1950-03-07) March 7, 1950 (age 74)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: Baltimore City College
(Baltimore, Maryland)
College: Notre Dame (1968–1971)
NFL draft: 1972  / round: 5 / pick: 107
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:17
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Thomas Gatewood Jr. (born March 7, 1950) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.

Contents

Early Life

Gatewood grew up in Baltimore. He was second of Thomas and Wilhelmina’s six children. He attended Baltimore City Public Schools where he was a straight-A student. Unbeknownst to his parents, who emphasized academics, he played football in high school at Baltimore City College where he started as a sophomore on a junior varsity that was undefeated and unscored upon. He then started at wide receiver/tight end in both his junior and senior years. He was coached by George Young, who later became the General Manager of the New York Giants. His teams won championships both years and he was recruited by dozens of schools. [1]

College career

While at Notre Dame, Gatewood set many receiving records, many of which were not broken until at least 30 years later. During his career he had 157 receptions for 2,283 yards and 19 touchdowns. In 1970, he was a consensus All-American after a then school record 77 receptions for 1,123 yards. [2] The record was broken in 2006 by Jeff Samardzija who had 78. [3] His 157 career receptions were also a record until 2006 when both Samardzija and Rhema McKnight broke it. Gatewood still holds the record for the most catches per game in a season with 7.7. [4]

Professional career

Gatewood was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL draft. He played in seventeen games over two seasons, recording no receptions. [5]

College Football Hall of Fame

On January 9, 2015, the National Football Foundation announced that Gatewood would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame later that year. [6] [7]

Personal life

His grandson, A. J. Dillon, is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers. He played college football for Boston College. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Brown (American football)</span> American football player (born 1966)

Timothy Donell Brown is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to do so. He spent sixteen years with the Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the NFL's greatest wide receivers of all time. Brown has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2015, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Weis</span> American football coach

Charles Joseph Weis Sr. is a former American football coach. He was the head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2005 to 2009 and the Kansas Jayhawks from 2012 to 2014. He also served as an offensive coordinator in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs. Weis most recently hosted "Airing It Out," along with Bob Papa, on Sirius XM NFL Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Samardzija</span> American baseball player (born 1985)

Jeffrey Alan Samardzija, nicknamed "Shark", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played college baseball and football for the University of Notre Dame, and was recognized as a two-time football All-American playing wide receiver. He was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, and made his major-league (MLB) debut in 2008. He played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs from 2008 to 2014, the Oakland Athletics in 2014, the Chicago White Sox in 2015, and the San Francisco Giants from 2016 to 2020. He was an all-star in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Rote</span> American football player (1928–2002)

William Kyle Rote, Sr. was an American professional football player who was a running back and wide receiver for eleven years in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants. He was an All-American running back for the SMU Mustangs and was the first overall selection of the 1951 NFL draft. Following his playing career, Rote was the Giants backfield coach and was a sports broadcaster for WNEW radio, NBC, and WNBC New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Young (American football executive)</span> American football player, coach, and executive (1930–2001)

George Bernard Young was an American professional football executive. He served as the general manager of the New York Giants from 1979 to 1997. He was named NFL Executive of the Year five times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice Stovall</span> American football player (born 1985)

Maurice Aurilius Stovall is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

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

Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was an All-American college football player at the University of Michigan, and was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. Manningham won Super Bowl XLVI with the Giants, defeating the New England Patriots, and catching a crucial 38-yard pass in the final minutes. He also played two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

Derrick Binet Mayes is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning second-team All-American honors in 1995. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft. Mayes also played for the Seattle Seahawks, and was briefly a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Tate</span> American football player (born 1988)

Golden Herman Tate III is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award in 2009. Tate was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He later played for the Detroit Lions, with whom he made a Pro Bowl appearance. He also played a season for the Philadelphia Eagles and two seasons for the New York Giants. After his football career, Tate played baseball as a center fielder for the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League (WCL) in 2022 after not playing the sport since 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hakeem Nicks</span> American football player (born 1988)

Hakeem Amir Nicks is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, and was selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. Nicks has also played for the Indianapolis Colts.

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

Michael Floyd Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2008 to 2011, finishing with 271 catches for 3,686 yards and 37 touchdowns, all school records. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft, but was dismissed from the Cardinals during the 2016 season, after he was arrested on drinking and driving charges. He has also played for the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Eifert</span> American football player (born 1990)

Tyler Gregory Eifert is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, receiving first-team All-American honors and winning the John Mackey Award as the top college tight end in 2012. Eifert was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theo Riddick</span> American football player (born 1991)

Theo Riddick is a former American football running back of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also played for the Denver Broncos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Jones</span> Canadian-born American football player (born 1992)

Tai-ler "T. J." Fitzgerald Jones is a former American-Canadian professional American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Fuller</span> American football player (born 1994)

William Vincent Fuller V is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning second-team All-American honors in 2015. Fuller was drafted by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. He also played for the Miami Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equanimeous St. Brown</span> German-American football player (born 1996)

Equanimeous Tristan Imhotep J. St. Brown is an American professional football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He is the older brother of Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Boykin</span> American football player (born 1996)

Miles Boykin is an American professional football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) He played college football at Notre Dame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cole Kmet</span> American football player (born 1999)

Cole Kmet is an American professional football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Hamilton</span> Greek-American football player (born 2001)

Kyle Hamilton is a Greek-American professional football safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning consensus All-American honors in 2021 before being selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Austin Jr.</span> American professional football player (born 2000)

Kevin Austin Jr. is an American professional football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame.

References

  1. Walters, John. "Thom Gatewood LOTS MORE THAN FOOTBALL". nd.edu. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  2. "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 10. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  3. Vitovitch, Frank. "Best of the 2000's – #5 Jeff Samardzija". uhnd.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  4. "Tom Gatewood". sports-reference.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  5. "Thom Gatewood". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  6. "Notre Dame's Thom Gatewood Named to College Football Hall of Fame". wsbt.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  7. "Thom Gatewood". footballfoundation.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  8. Benbow, Julian (October 30, 2022). "With Notre Dame in his blood, A.J. Dillon takes family values to BC". Boston Globe . Retrieved September 4, 2019.