Richard Alston (gridiron football)

Last updated

Richard Alston
Born: (1980-11-20) November 20, 1980 (age 43)
Newark, New Jersey
Career information
Position(s) WR
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight215 lb (98 kg)
College East Carolina
High school Warren County (NC)
Career history
As player
2003 Cleveland Browns*
2004 Berlin Thunder
2004–2005 Cleveland Browns
2006 Edmonton Eskimos
2007 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2008 Cleveland Gladiators*
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Richard Alston (born November 20, 1980) is a former professional gridiron football wide receiver and return specialist who played for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Contents

Alston played college football for the East Carolina Pirates as a quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. While at East Carolina University, Alston studied economics. [1] After failing to make the Browns' regular season roster in 2003, he was allocated to the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe, where he became a World Bowl champion. Alston played as a kick returner for the Browns in 2004 before playing in the CFL from 2006 to 2007.

College career

Alston played high school football at Warren County High School in Warrenton, North Carolina as a quarterback. [2] [3] He later attended college at East Carolina University, where he played for the Pirates from 1999 to 2002. As a freshman, Alston was used by the Pirates coaching staff in tandem with sophomore teammate David Garrard as a quarterback. [4] As Garrard's usage increased going into his junior and senior years, the Pirates coaching staff tried out Alston at several different positions. After starting the 2001 season as a running back, Alston was converted mid-season to a wide receiver, the position in which he would play out the rest of his college and professional careers. [5] [6] In his final year with the Pirates, Alston led the team with 702 receiving yards on 36 catches, adding six touchdowns. [7]

Professional career

Alston went undrafted in the 2003 NFL Draft. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League in May 2003. [7] Alston did not make the Browns' regular season roster, [8] but he was allocated to the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. While with the Thunder in 2004, Alston threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Chas Gessner in World Bowl XII. The trick play, which had Alston line up as a receiver before throwing the ball, helped the Thunder defeat the Frankfurt Galaxy 30–24 to become World Bowl champions. [3]

In 2004, Alston returned to the Browns. [9] While he was not valuable to the Browns at wide receiver, the team used him as a return specialist. In a November game against the Baltimore Ravens, Alston scored his first NFL touchdown after returning the opening kickoff 93 yards. [10] He played in nine regular season games in 2004 returning kickoffs. [11] Alston returned to the Browns' training camp in 2005, where he competed with André Davis and Josh Cribbs to remain a kick returner. [12] The Browns released Alston in their final round of cuts. [13]

The Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL signed Alston in 2006. In training camp, he competed with several other import receivers for a roster spot, including former Denver Broncos player Chris Cole. [14] The coaching staff also evaluated him along with Tony Tompkins and Toby Zeigler to return kicks. [15] Alston solidified his spot on the roster by leading the team in preseason catches. [16] Alston remained on the roster into the regular season. After Eskimos wide receiver Trevor Gaylor dropped a pass near the Eskimos sideline during Week 1, the Eskimos coaching staff removed Gaylor from the starting lineup. [17] Alston started his first game in the CFL the following week against the Calgary Stampeders. [17] He suffered an ankle injury during his first start, but he quickly recovered to catch three passes for 76 yards two weeks later against the BC Lions. [18] [19] In August, Gaylor reclaimed his starting position from Alston after Alston dropped a long pass in a game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. [1] [20] Alston finished the regular season with seven games played, recording 23 catches for 261 yards and a single two-point conversion. Although the Eskimos had considered him as a potential kick returner in training camp, he returned only one kickoff along with three punts. [2]

In February 2007, the Eskimos traded Alston to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The deal also sent Nicolas Bisaillon, Timmy Chang, and a draft pick to the Tiger-Cats in exchange for defensive back Jason Goss. [21] The Tiger-Cats receiver corps were considered a weakness going into the 2007 season, and the team tried out at least fourteen receivers in training camp. [22] In mid-June, The Hamilton Spectator reported that Alston was showing potential in training camp and had a "leg up" to make the team. [23] Alston made the active roster for the regular season and played in one game for the Tiger-Cats, but he was released in early July. [2] [24] He briefly signed with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League in November 2007, but the Gladiators released Alston in February 2008 before the start of the regular season. [25] [26]

Related Research Articles

The 1996 CFL season is considered to be the 43rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 39th Canadian Football League season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Maas</span> American football player

Jason Maas is the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and a former Canadian football quarterback in the CFL. He is best known for his playing career with the Edmonton Eskimos where he won two Grey Cup championships. He also played for the Alouettes and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He has coached the Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa Redblacks, and Saskatchewan Roughriders and was the head coach of the Eskimos from 2016 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Tucker</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1976)

Jason Tucker is the wide receivers coach for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is formerly a gridiron football wide receiver where he played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL and the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Christian University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny McManus</span> American gridiron football player (born 1965)

Danny McManus is a former professional American football and Canadian football quarterback who passed for over 53,000 yards in seventeen seasons in the Canadian Football League. He currently serves as the assistant general manager and director for U.S. scouting for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played every season in the league from 1990 to 2006, as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and finally with the Calgary Stampeders. As of 2007, his all-time CFL passing yardage is third most next to Damon Allen and Anthony Calvillo. He worked as a color commentator for TSN's CFL broadcasts, having previously appeared as a guest analyst on the CFL on CBC late in his playing career. On December 2, 2013, he was named the assistant general manager and director of U.S. scouting for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Previous to that, he served as the director of scouting for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Christopher J. Thompson is a former NFL and CFL cornerback. He is currently the head junior varsity coach and safeties coach for Holy Cross School (LA).

The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern-day Canadian football, the 51st season for the Canadian Football League. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, were aired on TSN. This meant the CFL was no longer aired on broadcast television in Canada. As of 2008, TSN was available in approximately 8.8 million of Canada's 13 million households. Montreal hosted the 96th Grey Cup at Olympic Stadium on November 23, when the championship was won by the Calgary Stampeders.

John Chick is a former professional Canadian football defensive end who played eight seasons in the Canadian Football League, primarily with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. After signing with Saskatchewan in 2007, he was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player after the 2009 CFL season. He would help the team capture the Grey Cup twice, in 2007 and 2013. Chick has also spent time in the National Football League (NFL) with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. Prior to playing professional football, Chick played college football for the Utah State Aggies. During his senior season with the Aggies, Chick recorded 12.5 quarterback sacks, good enough for fifth overall in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Chick also played for the Hamilton Tiger Cats and Edmonton Eskimos later in his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Reinebold</span> Canadian football coach (born 1957)

Jeff Reinebold is an American gridiron football coach who is currently serving as the special teams coordinator and assistant defensive backs coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Reinebold has also coached for the Las Vegas Posse, Edmonton Eskimos, BC Lions, and Montreal Alouettes. In addition to the CFL, he has coached in the NCAA, NFL Europe and The Spring League. He has also served in an executive for University of Hawaii—Mānoa. Reinebold has appeared as football analyst on Sky Sports NFL telecasts in the United Kingdom.

Scott Stewart Milanovich is an American professional football coach and former player who is the head coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was also the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Football Team of the CFL. Milanovich has also held positional coaching roles in the NFL Europe and the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season</span> Season of Canadian Football League team the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The 2008 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season was the 51st season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 59th overall. The Tiger-Cats attempted to win their ninth Grey Cup championship, but they failed to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, which is the longest playoff drought in franchise history.

Brian Edward Tyms is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida A&M. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers as undrafted free agent in 2012. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argonauts, Orlando Apollos, and Salt Lake Stallions.

Kendial Lawrence is a former Canadian football running back who was last a member of the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college football at Missouri. Lawrence also played in the Italian Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simoni Lawrence</span> American gridiron football player (born 1989)

Simoni Lawrence is an American-born Canadian football linebacker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derel Walker</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

Derel Walker is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was named a CFL All-Star in 2015 and 2016 and received the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award in 2015. He is a Grey Cup champion after winning the 103rd Grey Cup with the Edmonton Eskimos in his rookie year. He previously attended Texas A&M University where he played college football for the Aggies.

The 2016 CFL season was the 63rd season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 59th Canadian Football League season. Toronto hosted the 104th Grey Cup on November 27. The regular season began on June 23 and ended on November 5.

Kojo Aidoo is a former Canadian football fullback and special teams specialist who played for the Edmonton Eskimos, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2003 to 2007.

Ted Alford is a former professional gridiron football wide receiver. After playing college football at Langston University, he played for seven teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL), including the Edmonton Eskimos, BC Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts, and Calgary Stampeders. In his rookie season with the BC Lions, Alford became a consistent starter and was nominated for the Most Outstanding Rookie award. He spent the next several years moving from team to team, playing in only 8 CFL games from 1997 through 2000.

The 2017 CFL season was the 64th season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 60th season of the Canadian Football League. The regular season began on June 22 and concluded on November 4. The playoffs commenced on November 12 and concluded on November 26 with the Toronto Argonauts defeating the Calgary Stampeders to win the 105th Grey Cup.

Charles Alston is a former professional gridiron football defensive end who played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Alston played college football and college basketball at Bowie State University, becoming the first NCAA player to play both a football and basketball game in the same day. In his first of two years with the Bulldogs, Alston was named to the All-Conference football team in his role as an offensive lineman. He later led the Bulldogs in his second year as the team captain. From 2003 to 2004, Alston attempted to break into the National Football League (NFL), spending time with three different teams in the preseason or as a practice squad player. He never played a regular season game in the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jhaustin Thomas</span> American football player (born 1993)

Jhaustin Thomas is a professional Canadian football defensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Trinity Valley Cardinals from 2013 to 2014 and the Iowa State Cyclones from 2015 to 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 Hall, Vicki (July 25, 2006). "Excitement missing from CFL: Too many penalties, three-hour-plus games result in a boring product". Edmonton Journal. p. D2.
  2. 1 2 3 Maher, Tod; Gill, Bob (2013). The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946–2012. Maher Sports Media. p. 145. ISBN   978-0-9835136-6-7.
  3. 1 2 "Berlin plays sloppily but wins World Bowl". St. Petersburg Times. June 13, 2004. p. 5C.
  4. ↑ Hendrickson, Brian (November 16, 1999). "Rivalry on fire; Pirates emotionally charged". Morning Star. pp. 1C–2C.
  5. ↑ Hendrickson, Brian (September 11, 2001). "Focus turns to ECU's Henry; Spotlight shines on quiet tailback after big game vs. Tulane". Morning Star. p. 1C–2C.
  6. ↑ Timanus, Eddie (November 23, 2001). "Weekend preview". USA Today. p. 10C.
  7. 1 2 "Former Pirate Alston Signs With Cleveland Browns". ECU Pirates. May 30, 2003. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  8. ↑ "ACTIVITY". The Globe and Mail. August 27, 2003. p. S4.
  9. ↑ "Panthers get revenge; Carolina rallies late in Super Bowl rematch". The Herald-Sun. Associated Press. August 29, 2004. p. D8.
  10. ↑ Powell, Camille (November 8, 2004). "Ravens Get a Pick-Me-Up; Reed's NFL-Record 106-Yard Interception Return in Last Minute Seals Win". November 8, 2004.
  11. ↑ "Richard Alston". NFL.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Cleveland Browns 2005 Season Preview". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. August 19, 2005.
  13. ↑ McClelland, Sean (September 4, 2005). "Browns' Jameson suspended 4 games; Safety penalized for violating NFL's substance-abuse policy". Dayton Daily News. p. C7.
  14. ↑ Hall, Vicki (May 9, 2006). "Fleming unconcerned by competition at camp". Edmonton Journal. p. D5.
  15. ↑ Petersen, Scott (May 30, 2006). "Tompkins aching to return: Special-teams dynamo can only watch as Alston, Zeigler try to take his job". Edmonton Journal. p. D3.
  16. ↑ Petersen, Scott (June 16, 2006). "Meet the Eskimos' newcomers". Edmonton Journal. p. C7.
  17. 1 2 Hall, Vicki (June 22, 2006). "Gaylor tossed to the sidelines: Eskimos receiver demoted from starter to scratch for Saturday's home opener, Alston to step in". Edmonton Journal. p. C5.
  18. ↑ Hall, Vicki (July 9, 2006). "Esks defence still in need of work: Coach Danny Maciocia sees improvement". Edmonton Journal. p. C3.
  19. ↑ "CFL Weekly". National Post. CanWest News Service. July 12, 2006. p. S4.
  20. ↑ Hall, Vicki (August 2, 2006). "Right time to be perfect: Maciocia looks for consistency from Gaylor after five weeks on the bench". Edmonton Journal. p. D3.
  21. ↑ "Riders sign pair of imports". The Leader-Post. February 14, 2007. p. C7.
  22. ↑ Peters, Ken (June 2, 2007). "80 Men * 46 Spots * 21 Days; The Hamilton Tiger-Cats Look to Set a New Tone as 2007 Training Camp Opens". The Hamilton Spectator. p. SP12.
  23. ↑ "Veterans, rookies, Americans vying for receiving jobs". The Hamilton Spectator. June 18, 2007. p. SP07.
  24. ↑ Peters, Ken (July 6, 2007). "Ticats plan ground attack; Coach Taaffe wants to set the tone by running over Argos D-line". The Hamilton Spectator. p. SP06.
  25. ↑ "FOOTBALL". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 29, 2007. p. C7.
  26. ↑ Manoloff, Dennis (February 24, 2008). "Alston among players let go". cleveland.com. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
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.