Curtis Conway
Encyclopedia
Curtis Lamont Conway is a former National Football League
wide receiver
and was a first round 1993 NFL Draft
choice out of the University of Southern California
. He was college teammates with fellow receiver Johnnie Morton
and linebacker
Willie McGinest
.
in Hawthorne, California
and was a football
and a track
star. He won All-America
honors as a senior quarterback
. His high school quarterback coach was Dave Keller
. Even though he was an All-American QB, he was more known for his exploits on the track. During that era, Hawthorne was a regular contender at the CIF California State Meet
. In 1987 as a sophomore
he was the anchor of the California State Record 4X100m relay team (40.24) set in the preliminaries, Hawthorne High School was DQ'd at the finals after initially finishing second. In 1988 as a junior he placed second in the 100m (10.85) and placed third 3rd in the 200m (21.30). In 1989 as a senior he won the 100m state title with the time of 10.42 and placed 2nd in the 200m (20.89).
, but did not play.
, the San Diego Chargers
, the New York Jets
and the San Francisco 49ers
.
During his twelve years in the NFL, Conway threw for two touchdown passes, a rarity for the wide receiver position. The most notable of the two came during a game against the Miami Dolphins
on November 13, 1994. Conway lined up split off of and parallel to the holder, on a bizarre field goal formation. Rather than the snap being taken by Eric Kramer, Conway received it, and threw a pass which was tipped up into the air by a Dolphins' defender and caught by fellow Bears' teammate and tight end, Keith Jennings and run into the endzone for a touchdown.
. He teams with Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton
and
Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels
on play-by-play.
champ Laila Ali
, the daughter of Muhammad Ali
. He has three children from a previous marriage. Cameron and Kelton are 15 year old twins, and Leilani who is 11. Curtis Conway and Laila Ali, welcomed their first son together on August 26, 2008, Curtis Jr. On April 4, 2011, they welcomed their second child, a daughter, Sydney.
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...
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...
and was a first round 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
choice out of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He was college teammates with fellow receiver Johnnie Morton
Johnnie Morton
Johnnie James "Big Play" Morton, Jr. is a former NFL wide receiver. Originally drafted by the Lions in the 1st round in the 1994 NFL Draft, he played in Detroit until 2002. He subsequently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played for three seasons. In 2005, he signed with the San...
and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Willie McGinest
Willie McGinest
William Lee "Willie" McGinest, Jr. is a retired American football linebacker in the National Football League.-Early life and career:...
.
High school years
Conway attended Hawthorne High SchoolHawthorne High School (Hawthorne, California)
Hawthorne High School is a public high school located in Hawthorne, California, within the Centinela Valley Union High School District. It opened in the mid 1950s and is most notable for its association with The Beach Boys, whose original members Brian, Carl, Dennis Wilson, and Al Jardine attended...
in Hawthorne, California
Hawthorne, California
Hawthorne is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The city at the 2010 census had a population of 84,293, up from 84,112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and was a football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and a track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
star. He won All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors as a senior quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. His high school quarterback coach was Dave Keller
Dave Keller
Dave Keller was a minor league baseball player, coach and manager and major league coach for the Cleveland Indians. He is currently the minor league hitting coordinator for the Chicago Cubs farm system....
. Even though he was an All-American QB, he was more known for his exploits on the track. During that era, Hawthorne was a regular contender at the CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
. In 1987 as a sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
he was the anchor of the California State Record 4X100m relay team (40.24) set in the preliminaries, Hawthorne High School was DQ'd at the finals after initially finishing second. In 1988 as a junior he placed second in the 100m (10.85) and placed third 3rd in the 200m (21.30). In 1989 as a senior he won the 100m state title with the time of 10.42 and placed 2nd in the 200m (20.89).
College career
Prior to USC, Conway attended El Camino Junior College in Torrance, CaliforniaTorrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, but did not play.
Professional career
He had over 1,000 yards three times in his twelve year NFL career, in which he played for the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
During his twelve years in the NFL, Conway threw for two touchdown passes, a rarity for the wide receiver position. The most notable of the two came during a game against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 13, 1994. Conway lined up split off of and parallel to the holder, on a bizarre field goal formation. Rather than the snap being taken by Eric Kramer, Conway received it, and threw a pass which was tipped up into the air by a Dolphins' defender and caught by fellow Bears' teammate and tight end, Keith Jennings and run into the endzone for a touchdown.
Broadcasting
Beginning in 2009, Conway began working as a color analyst on national NFL radio broadcasts by Compass Media NetworksCompass Media Networks
Compass Media Networks is an American radio network.The company launched in January 2009. It is owned by former Westwood One CEO and former COO of Connoisseur Media, Peter Kosann...
. He teams with Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton
Lee Hamilton (sports)
Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton is an American sportscaster and radio talk show host based in San Diego, California. His current show "Sports Watch" is on from 10am-2pm Pacific Time Monday through Friday on XEPRS-AM, known on-air as "XX 1090 Sports Radio" and he works alongside producers Bobby Wooldridge...
and
Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show is a syndicated talk radio show based at WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show is hosted by Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels and Chris "Hot Wings" Michaels with Eric "Zane" Zeitunian, "Producer" Joseph Gasmann, Jr, Assistant Producer Steve McKiernan, and Robot. The...
on play-by-play.
Personal life
On July 23, 2007, Conway married female boxerBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champ Laila Ali
Laila Ali
Laila Amaria Ali is a retired American professional boxer. She is the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali.-Boxing career:...
, the daughter of Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
. He has three children from a previous marriage. Cameron and Kelton are 15 year old twins, and Leilani who is 11. Curtis Conway and Laila Ali, welcomed their first son together on August 26, 2008, Curtis Jr. On April 4, 2011, they welcomed their second child, a daughter, Sydney.