Carl Pickens
Encyclopedia
Carl McNally Pickens is a former American football
wide receiver
in the NFL
who played for the Cincinnati Bengals
, Dallas Cowboys
and Tennessee Titans
.
At his high school in Murphy, North Carolina he broke a Smoky Mountain Conference record for most TD receptions, he held that record until 2008 when it was broken by Georgee Kerber.
After his High school career, Pickens played college football
for the University of Tennessee
from 1989–1991, where he started his career off as a Safety and was named a Freshmen All-American and All-SEC selection. He then moved to wide receiver where he caught 109 passes for 1,875 yards and 13 touchdowns, and made the College Football All-America Team
as a junior. He did not return to the University of Tennessee for his senior year.
In 1992
Pickens was named The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
by the Associated Press
. In 1995, he set a Bengals record for receptions in a single season with 99, and touchdown catches with 17. Pickens later surpassed his own record by recording 100 receptions in 1996. In his 9 NFL seasons, Pickens recorded 540 receptions for 7,129 yards and 63 touchdowns, while also gaining another 307 yards and 1 touchdown on punt returns. His 63 touchdown receptions were a frachise record until surpassed by Chad Ochocinco in 2010.
He is also known for the "Carl Pickens Clause". This was a loyalty clause that the Bengals created and added to Pickens' contract which would cause him to forfeit all or some of his signing bonus
if he insulted the organization in public. This clause has since been used in contracts with other players.
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
in the NFL
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...
who played for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, 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...
and Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
.
At his high school in Murphy, North Carolina he broke a Smoky Mountain Conference record for most TD receptions, he held that record until 2008 when it was broken by Georgee Kerber.
After his High school career, Pickens 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...
for the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
from 1989–1991, where he started his career off as a Safety and was named a Freshmen All-American and All-SEC selection. He then moved to wide receiver where he caught 109 passes for 1,875 yards and 13 touchdowns, and made the College Football All-America Team
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
as a junior. He did not return to the University of Tennessee for his senior year.
In 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
Pickens was named The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
NFL Rookie of the Year Award
Since 1967, the Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to National Football League players: one for an offensive player and one for a defensive player. These two are often regarded as the "official" awards...
by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. In 1995, he set a Bengals record for receptions in a single season with 99, and touchdown catches with 17. Pickens later surpassed his own record by recording 100 receptions in 1996. In his 9 NFL seasons, Pickens recorded 540 receptions for 7,129 yards and 63 touchdowns, while also gaining another 307 yards and 1 touchdown on punt returns. His 63 touchdown receptions were a frachise record until surpassed by Chad Ochocinco in 2010.
He is also known for the "Carl Pickens Clause". This was a loyalty clause that the Bengals created and added to Pickens' contract which would cause him to forfeit all or some of his signing bonus
Signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
if he insulted the organization in public. This clause has since been used in contracts with other players.