Dwayne Carswell
Encyclopedia
Dwayne Carswell is a retired American football
tight end
and offensive lineman who played from 1994-2005 for the Denver Broncos
in the National Football League
. He was originally signed as an undrafted
rookie free agent by the Broncos in 1994. He played college football
at Liberty University
.
Carswell won two Super Bowl ring
s with the Broncos in 1998
and 1999
and was selected to the Pro Bowl
in 2001
. His first career reception came on a five-yard pass from Hall of Fame
quarterback
John Elway
. Carswell received the Ed Block Courage Award, after suffering season-ending internal injuries in October 2005, in a car crash in Aurora, Colorado
. Carswell was signed by the Orlando Predators
of the Arena Football League in January 2007
. However, he was waived the next month.
and attended Temple High School and University Christian High School where he was an All-State selection as a junior
and senior
. He was named Second-team All-State as a sophomore
at Temple and also earned All-Conference, All-District and All-County honors during his high school career as a safety, running back
and wide receiver
. He was also named in 1999 to the "Top 100 Athletes of Jacksonville" list.
where he played both running back for two seasons and tight end for his final two seasons. As a sophomore in 1991, he recorded 435 rushing yards and five touchdown
s. As a senior he recorded 32 receptions
for 259 yards. He finished his career with 65 receptions for 511 yards and two touchdowns. While at Liberty, Carswell was coached at Liberty by former Cleveland Browns
' head coach
Sam Rutigliano
.
, however, on May 3, he was signed by the Denver Broncos
. He was later waived by the team on August 26, to be re-signed to the teams' practice squad four days later.
on there until he was signed to the active roster on November 25. He made his NFL
debut on November 27, 1994 against the Cincinnati Bengals
, during the game he played on special teams. In 1995
, Carswell was inactive for seven of the Broncos' first 13 games before making his first career start against the Seattle Seahawks
on December 10, when he replaced Shannon Sharpe
, who had an eye injury. Carwell's first career reception came on a five-yard pass from John Elway
in the second quarter. For the season, he recorded three receptions for 37 yards (12.3 avg.) and two special-teams tackles. In 1996
, Carswell played in all 16 of the Broncos regular-season games and started one at tight end in place of Sharpe. Most of Carswell's playing time during the regular season came on special teams and as the backup tight end on offense. He finished the season with 15 receptions for 85 yards (5.7 avg.) and five special-teams tackles.
In 1997
, Carswell played mostly in a reserve role at tight end and on special teams in all 16 games and made three starts at tight end. He finished the season with 12 receptions for 96 yards (8.0 avg.) and scored his first career touchdown on a 24-yard reception from Elway against the St. Louis Rams
on September 14. On January 25, he recorded one receptions for four-yards in a 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers
in Super Bowl XXXII
. In 1998
, Carswell played all 16 regular-games, making one start, as the backup tight end and recorded four receptions for 51 yards. In 1999
, Carswell became more of a contributor on offense, than in years past. He played all 16 regular-games, starting the last 11, catching 24 passes for 201 yards (8.4 avg.) with two touchdowns while also contributing on special teams.
, Carswell started all 16 regular-season games and set career highs in every receiving category by finishing third on the team with 49 receptions for 495 yards (10.1 avg.) and three touchdowns. And in 2001
, Carswell started all 16 regular-games, recording 34 receptions for 299 yds. (8.8 avg.) and a career-high four touchdowns. For his performance, he was selected to his first, and only Pro Bowl
.
, with the return of Shannon Sharpe
, who had played the previous two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens
, Carswell returned to being the Broncos backup, blocking tight end. For the season, he played all 16 regular-season games, with seven starts, four coming when the Broncos opened the game in a two-tight end set three while replacing the injured Sharpe. In 2003
, Carswell played all 16 regular-season games, with 10 starts, nine when the team started the game in a two tight end set and one replacing an inactive Sharpe. For the season, Carswell recorded six receptions for 53 yards (8.8 avg.) with a touchdown. Nine starts came when the Broncos opened games in a two-tight end set, and his other came at Green Bay on December 28 in place of the inactive Shannon Sharpe. In 2004
, Carswell spent training camp
playing at offensive tackle, however he was later switched to tight end
. He appeared in 15 regular-season games with 14 starts and recorded 22 receptions for 198 yards (9.0 avg.) and one touchdown. In certain formations, he was also used as an H-back
. He missed the Broncos game at Cincinnati on October 18 because he was suspended by the commissioner. The suspension was lifted on October 26.
In 2005
, Carswell was switched to offensive guard during training camp, however he received playing time as an eligible receiver in goal line situations in all seven games he played. He recorded two touchdown receptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars
on October 2. Becoming the first offensive lineman in the Super Bowl era, since 1966, to record two touchdown receptions in the same game. When he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, he was tied for second on the team with two touchdown receptions. On September 1, 2006, Carswell was released by the Broncos. On January 24, 2007
, Carswell signed with the Orlando Predators
of the Arena Football League. However, he was waived on February 18.
. The vehicle he was riding in was traveling in the southbound direction when a collision in the northbound lanes, at the intersection of Parker Road and Hampden Avenue, of the road spilled into the southbound lanes. As a result of the accident, Carswell sustained broken ribs and other internal injuries. He was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list on October 31. He was later discharged from the Medical Center of Aurora on November 4. As a result of his recovery from his injuries, Carswell earned the Broncos' Ed Block Courage Award for his recovery from the accident.
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...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and offensive lineman who played from 1994-2005 for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 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...
. He was originally signed as an undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
rookie free agent by the Broncos in 1994. 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 Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
.
Carswell won two Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s with the Broncos in 1998
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
and 1999
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
and was selected to 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...
in 2001
2002 Pro Bowl
The 2002 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 9, 2002 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38, NFC 30. Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
. His first career reception came on a five-yard pass from Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
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...
John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
. Carswell received the Ed Block Courage Award, after suffering season-ending internal injuries in October 2005, in a car crash in Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
. Carswell was signed by the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
of the Arena Football League in January 2007
2007 Orlando Predators season
The 2007 Orlando Predators season was the 17th season for the franchise. They finished the season with an 8–8 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Philadelphia Soul, 41–26.-Schedule:- Playoff Schedule :-Coaching:...
. However, he was waived the next month.
High school career
Carswell was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and attended Temple High School and University Christian High School where he was an All-State selection as a junior
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
and senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
. He was named Second-team All-State as a sophomore
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
at Temple and also earned All-Conference, All-District and All-County honors during his high school career as a safety, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and 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...
. He was also named in 1999 to the "Top 100 Athletes of Jacksonville" list.
College career
Carswell then attended Liberty UniversityLiberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
where he played both running back for two seasons and tight end for his final two seasons. As a sophomore in 1991, he recorded 435 rushing yards and five touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. As a senior he recorded 32 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 259 yards. He finished his career with 65 receptions for 511 yards and two touchdowns. While at Liberty, Carswell was coached at Liberty by former Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Sam Rutigliano
Sam Rutigliano
Sam Rutigliano is a former National Football League head coach.Rutigliano, the son of Italian immigrants, played high school football at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. He played college football at Tennessee and Tulsa. He coached at the high school level in New York...
.
Professional career
Carswell went unselected in the 1994 NFL Draft1994 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...
, however, on May 3, he was signed by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was later waived by the team on August 26, to be re-signed to the teams' practice squad four days later.
Early career
He spent the first 11 weeks of the season1994 Denver Broncos season
The 1994 Denver Broncos season was the team's 35th year in professional football and its 25th with the National Football League. The season would be noted for being the final year that Wade Phillips was head coach.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:*...
on there until he was signed to the active roster on November 25. He made his 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...
debut on November 27, 1994 against 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...
, during the game he played on special teams. In 1995
1995 Denver Broncos season
The 1995 Denver Broncos season was the team's 36th year in professional football and its 26th with the National Football League. The season would be noted for being the first year that Mike Shanahan was head coach. A turning point for the franchise would include the drafting of future Super Bowl...
, Carswell was inactive for seven of the Broncos' first 13 games before making his first career start against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
on December 10, when he replaced Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011...
, who had an eye injury. Carwell's first career reception came on a five-yard pass from John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
in the second quarter. For the season, he recorded three receptions for 37 yards (12.3 avg.) and two special-teams tackles. In 1996
1996 Denver Broncos season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Awards and records:Pro BowlQB John ElwayRB Terrell DavisTE Shannon SharpeT Gary ZimmermanDE Alfred WilliamsDT Michael PerryLB Bill RomanowskiS Steve AtwaterS Tyrone BraxtonAP Offensive Player of the Year – Terrell Davis...
, Carswell played in all 16 of the Broncos regular-season games and started one at tight end in place of Sharpe. Most of Carswell's playing time during the regular season came on special teams and as the backup tight end on offense. He finished the season with 15 receptions for 85 yards (5.7 avg.) and five special-teams tackles.
In 1997
1997 Denver Broncos season
The Denver Broncos finished the 1997 NFL season by winning Super Bowl XXXII. They went 12–4 during the regular season. The Broncos were the third team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl but not win the Division Title.- Season summary :...
, Carswell played mostly in a reserve role at tight end and on special teams in all 16 games and made three starts at tight end. He finished the season with 12 receptions for 96 yards (8.0 avg.) and scored his first career touchdown on a 24-yard reception from Elway against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on September 14. On January 25, he recorded one receptions for four-yards in a 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
. In 1998
1998 Denver Broncos season
In 1998 the Denver Broncos had a record of 14–2, second best in the NFL, and won Super Bowl XXXIII. It was John Elway's final season and the season Terrell Davis ran for 2,008 yards, making him only the fourth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season....
, Carswell played all 16 regular-games, making one start, as the backup tight end and recorded four receptions for 51 yards. In 1999
1999 Denver Broncos season
The 1999 Denver Broncos season was the team's 40th year in professional football and its 30th with the National Football League. After winning their second consecutive Super Bowl with a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, the team suffered the retirement of Super Bowl XXXIII...
, Carswell became more of a contributor on offense, than in years past. He played all 16 regular-games, starting the last 11, catching 24 passes for 201 yards (8.4 avg.) with two touchdowns while also contributing on special teams.
Replacing Shannon Sharpe
In 20002000 Denver Broncos season
The 2000 Denver Broncos season was the team's 41st year in professional football and its 31st with the National Football League. It also was the team's final year at the famous Mile High Stadium.-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-Postseason:...
, Carswell started all 16 regular-season games and set career highs in every receiving category by finishing third on the team with 49 receptions for 495 yards (10.1 avg.) and three touchdowns. And in 2001
2001 Denver Broncos season
The 2001 Denver Broncos season was the team's 42nd year in professional football and its 32nd with the National Football League. This was the Broncos' first year at the new stadium Invesco Field at Mile High, replacing the old Mile High Stadium.-Staff:...
, Carswell started all 16 regular-games, recording 34 receptions for 299 yds. (8.8 avg.) and a career-high four touchdowns. For his performance, he was selected to his first, and only 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...
.
Later career
In 20022002 Denver Broncos season
The 2002 Denver Broncos season was the team's 43rd year in professional football and its 33rd with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:* *...
, with the return of Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011...
, who had played the previous two seasons 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...
, Carswell returned to being the Broncos backup, blocking tight end. For the season, he played all 16 regular-season games, with seven starts, four coming when the Broncos opened the game in a two-tight end set three while replacing the injured Sharpe. In 2003
2003 Denver Broncos season
The 2003 Denver Broncos season was the team's 44th year in professional football and its 34th with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:* *...
, Carswell played all 16 regular-season games, with 10 starts, nine when the team started the game in a two tight end set and one replacing an inactive Sharpe. For the season, Carswell recorded six receptions for 53 yards (8.8 avg.) with a touchdown. Nine starts came when the Broncos opened games in a two-tight end set, and his other came at Green Bay on December 28 in place of the inactive Shannon Sharpe. In 2004
2004 Denver Broncos season
The 2004 Denver Broncos season was the team's 45th year in professional football and its 35th with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:* *...
, Carswell spent training camp
Training camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
playing at offensive tackle, however he was later switched to tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
. He appeared in 15 regular-season games with 14 starts and recorded 22 receptions for 198 yards (9.0 avg.) and one touchdown. In certain formations, he was also used as an H-back
H-back
An H-Back is an offensive position in American football, and is also known as power back. The position is a hybrid of a fullback and a tight end. The position was made notable in the NFL by the Washington Redskins under head coach Joe Gibbs who ran a two tight end system...
. He missed the Broncos game at Cincinnati on October 18 because he was suspended by the commissioner. The suspension was lifted on October 26.
In 2005
2005 Denver Broncos season
In 2005 the Denver Broncos ended the 2005 regular season with a 13–3 record, the franchise's second-best number of wins of all time and their third best win percentage ever. They won their first playoff game since winning Super Bowl XXXIII in the 1998 season...
, Carswell was switched to offensive guard during training camp, however he received playing time as an eligible receiver in goal line situations in all seven games he played. He recorded two touchdown receptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 2. Becoming the first offensive lineman in the Super Bowl era, since 1966, to record two touchdown receptions in the same game. When he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, he was tied for second on the team with two touchdown receptions. On September 1, 2006, Carswell was released by the Broncos. On January 24, 2007
2007 Orlando Predators season
The 2007 Orlando Predators season was the 17th season for the franchise. They finished the season with an 8–8 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Philadelphia Soul, 41–26.-Schedule:- Playoff Schedule :-Coaching:...
, Carswell signed with the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
of the Arena Football League. However, he was waived on February 18.
Car accident
On October 27, 2005, Carswell was involved in a five-car crash in Aurora, ColoradoAurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
. The vehicle he was riding in was traveling in the southbound direction when a collision in the northbound lanes, at the intersection of Parker Road and Hampden Avenue, of the road spilled into the southbound lanes. As a result of the accident, Carswell sustained broken ribs and other internal injuries. He was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list on October 31. He was later discharged from the Medical Center of Aurora on November 4. As a result of his recovery from his injuries, Carswell earned the Broncos' Ed Block Courage Award for his recovery from the accident.