Alan Ricard
Encyclopedia
Alan Ricard is an American football
fullback
who most recently played for the Detroit Lions
of the National Football League
. Before signing with the Browns he played with the Baltimore Ravens
from 2001 to 2005, and briefly for the Buffalo Bills
in 2006. He played college football
at the University of Louisiana at Monroe
.
Ricard originally entered the league with the Dallas Cowboys
as an undrafted free agent in 1999 but was released. He signed with Baltimore in 2000 and spent a year on the practice squad before earning a spot on the active roster in 2001. In 55 appearances with the Ravens, including 32 starts
, Ricard carried just 43 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns and posted 32 receptions for 179 yards. But he was a dominant blocker at times in the running game and was solid in pass protection. Ricard was a key contributor in helping Jamal Lewis
achieve his 2,066 yard rushing season in 2003, and he made the Pro Bowl
as an alternate.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
who most recently played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Before signing with the Browns he played with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
from 2001 to 2005, and briefly for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2006. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Louisiana at Monroe
The University of Louisiana at Monroe is a coeducational public university in Monroe, Louisiana and part of the University of Louisiana System.-History:...
.
Ricard originally entered the league with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
as an undrafted free agent in 1999 but was released. He signed with Baltimore in 2000 and spent a year on the practice squad before earning a spot on the active roster in 2001. In 55 appearances with the Ravens, including 32 starts
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
, Ricard carried just 43 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns and posted 32 receptions for 179 yards. But he was a dominant blocker at times in the running game and was solid in pass protection. Ricard was a key contributor in helping Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
achieve his 2,066 yard rushing season in 2003, and he made the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
as an alternate.