No. 30 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Cornerback Safety | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | March 8, 1975||||
Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||
Weight: | 204 lb (93 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | McClintock (AZ) | ||||
College: | Oregon | ||||
NFL draft: | 1997 / Round: 3 / Pick: 94 | ||||
Career history | |||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||
| |||||
Player stats at PFR · ArenaFan.com |
Kenneth Tyron Wheaton (born March 8, 1975) is a former professional American football defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Oregon.
Wheaton attended McClintock High School, where he was a two-way player. As a senior he played strong safety and running back, registering 97 tackles (led the team), 669 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He received All-state and Mesa Tribune Area Defensive Player of the Year honors.
He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Oregon. He was a backup as a redshirt freshman. As a sophomore, he became a starter moving between free safety and right cornerback. He collected 60 tackles (fifth on the team) and 4 interceptions, while contributing to the team winning a Pac-10 Championship. He also made arguably the most famous play in Ducks history known as "The Pick". [1] As time was winding down and the University of Washington was driving down to the Oregon nine-yard line, Wheaton intercepted a Damon Huard pass and ran it back for a touchdown not just to save the game, but it also signaled the start of a new era of winning football for Oregon. The play has long been shown on the replay boards at Autzen Stadium before every Ducks home game.
As a junior, he started 10 games at right cornerback, tallied 72 tackles (5 for loss), 5 interceptions and 2 sacks. As a senior, he started at left cornerback, posting 73 tackles (led the team), 15 passes defensed and 2 interceptions. He had a career-high 16 tackles against Arizona State University.
Wheaton finished his college career with 194 tackles, 10 interceptions and the school record of 380 yards on interception returns, breaking a 49-year record previously set by Jake Leicht. He had an interception return for a touchdown of 70-or-more yards in each of his 3 seasons as a starter.
In 2011, he was inducted into the Oregon University Athletics Hall of Fame. [2]
Wheaton was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round (94th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft. [3] His rookie season was a difficult one, a separated shoulder he suffered in a scrimmage against the Oakland Raiders, [4] caused him to miss the first 3 pre-season games, he would return to play in the last exhibition game against the Tennessee Titans, but he re-injured the shoulder and was forced to miss the first 14 regular season games. He also missed time at the end of the year, in order to deal with the death of his younger brother (Derrek), who was killed in a drive-by shooting. [5] He still would play in the last two contests, registering four tackles against the New York Giants in the season finale.
In 1998, after considering that he was the fifth cornerback on the depth chart and that Deion Sanders and Kevin Smith would be difficult to replace as starters, he asked the coaches to switch him to free safety. At his new position, although he was effective defending the pass, he had problems in run-support. He recorded 36 tackles, one interception and 2 fumble recoveries, playing mainly on the nickel defense.
In 1999, he suffered a knee injury while playing against the Indianapolis Colts in the eighth game, that placed him on the injured reserve list on November 16. [6] The injury would turn to be career threatening and the Cowboys didn't renew his contract at the end of the year. [7]
In 2002, after being out of football for two years rehabbing his knee injury, he signed with the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League, playing 9 games (6 starts). [8] He was traded to the Colorado Crush during the offseason, only to be cut by the team in training camp.
In 2003, Wheaton signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and was their starting defensive half back.
In 2004, during a playoff game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Wheaton intercepted a pass in the end zone. In a play reminiscent of "The Pick" in his famous college game, Wheaton returned an interception from deep in his own end for a touchdown, setting a CFL post-season record for the longest ever interception return for a touchdown (116 yards). He went on to help his team win the 92nd Grey Cup championship with the Argonauts that season.
Wheaton was named to CFL East Division All-Star team each year between 2005-2008. He was released on January 9, 2009. [9]
His younger brother, Derrek, also attended McClintock High School playing varsity football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to play college football at Phoenix College and received a football scholarship to attend the University of Oregon. Derrek was killed on his way home from the Phoenix College football banquet, he was the random victim of a drive by shooting. [10] The Arizona Junior High School Basketball Tournament honors his memory with the Derrek Wheaton MVP Award. [11]
Wheaton's cousin, Markus Wheaton, played for Oregon State University and the Pittsburgh Steelers. His other cousin Marquese Wheaton played for the University of Southern Mississippi, and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Buccaneers for the 2012 training camp. [12]
Nathan Jones is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers University. He is currently a game official in the NFL, working as a field judge since the 2019 NFL season. As an NFL field judge, Jones wears the uniform number 33.
Patrick Watkins is an American former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers. He was also a member of the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Florida State University.
Alex Brink is an American former professional football quarterback. After playing college football at Washington State, Brink was selected by the Houston Texans in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Antoine Brandon Cason is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona Wildcats where he was recognized as a consensus All-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. Cason also played for Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and Baltimore Ravens.
Issiac Holt III is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Alcorn State Braves. With the Cowboys, he won Super Bowl XXVII over the Buffalo Bills.
Robert Cole Williams is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at Baylor University.
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.
Elance Antonio Frazier is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League for the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League and the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe. He played college football at the West Virginia University.
Alundis Marcell Brice is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Mississippi.
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah is a former American football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Detroit Lions. He also played for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Cowboys. He played college football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Jamar Wall is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Tech.
Alex Suber is a gridiron football coach and former professional Canadian Football League player. He is currently the defensive backs coach for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a former defensive back who played for six seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played college football for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
Boseko Lokombo is a Congolese-Canadian professional Canadian football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Oregon. Lokombo has been a member of the Montreal Alouettes and the Toronto Argonauts. He has also been a member of the Baltimore Ravens, the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).
Dakota Prukop is an American professional gridiron football quarterback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for Montana State from 2013 to 2015 and for Oregon in 2016. Prukop has also been a member of the Toronto Argonauts, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Elks, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and New Jersey Generals.
Treston Decoud is an American football defensive back who is a free agent. He played college football at Oregon State. He has been a member of the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Renegades, Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Elks and New Jersey Generals.
Tyree Robinson is a former American football safety. He played college football at the University of Oregon.
Donovan Olumba is an American professional football defensive back for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and college football at Portland State University.
Timothy Gerrard Jackson is former American football safety in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Nebraska.
Trevon De'Sean Diggs is an American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Jevon Holland is a Canadian-born American football safety for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.