David Palmer (American football)
Encyclopedia
David Lee Palmer is a retired American football
player from Birmingham, Alabama
. He played the position of wide receiver
in college at the University of Alabama
and professionally for seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings
of the National Football League
.
Palmer was a star quarterback
for Jackson-Olin High School
in Birmingham and played a variety of other positions. After high school, he signed with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide
to play wide receiver. He played for three seasons at Alabama, where he wore the number 2 jersey and earned the nickname "The Deuce." Palmer became the program's first 1000 yard receiver in a single season. During his junior season, Palmer was named an All-American
and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy
, for which he finished 3rd in the voting. Palmer was often known to take snaps directly under center and run to the right side of the line, making him one of the first "wildcat" quarterbacks.
Palmer elected not to finish his collegiate career, turning pro after the 1993 season
. He was a second round pick for the Minnesota Vikings
in the 1994 NFL Draft
. Palmer spent 7 seasons (1994-2001) in the NFL, all with the Vikings. His career highlights include leading the league in punt returns during the 1995 season. For his career he returned 2 punts and 1 kickoff for touchdowns.
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...
player from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. He played the position of 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 college at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and professionally for seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
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...
.
Palmer was a star 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...
for Jackson-Olin High School
P.D. Jackson-Olin High School
P. D. Jackson-Olin High School, founded in 1952 as Western Olin High School, renamed after principal Pierre Denson Jackson. Affectionately known as J.O., it is the largest high school in the Birmingham City Schools System, serving over 1,700 students from the Ensley area. The school is located at...
in Birmingham and played a variety of other positions. After high school, he signed with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
to play wide receiver. He played for three seasons at Alabama, where he wore the number 2 jersey and earned the nickname "The Deuce." Palmer became the program's first 1000 yard receiver in a single season. During his junior season, Palmer was named an All-American
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...
and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, for which he finished 3rd in the voting. Palmer was often known to take snaps directly under center and run to the right side of the line, making him one of the first "wildcat" quarterbacks.
Palmer elected not to finish his collegiate career, turning pro after the 1993 season
1993 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, but not without controversy.Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl...
. He was a second round pick for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 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 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
. Palmer spent 7 seasons (1994-2001) in the NFL, all with the Vikings. His career highlights include leading the league in punt returns during the 1995 season. For his career he returned 2 punts and 1 kickoff for touchdowns.