Ellis Hobbs
Encyclopedia
Ellis Hobbs III is a former American football
cornerback
who played for six seasons in the National Football League
. He played college football
for Iowa State
. He was drafted
by the New England Patriots
in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft
and played for them from 2005–2008. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
in April 2009 and played for them from 2009–2010 before a neck injury ended his career. Hobbs shares the NFL record for the longest kickoff return (108 yards) with Randall Cobb, a feat he accomplished on September 9, 2007 in a game against the New York Jets
.
in DeSoto, Texas
, where he was a standout in football
and track
. In track, he participated on the 4x100
and 4x400 relay
teams and the long jump
. In football, he starred at cornerback as well as running back
; he ran for 1,701 yards on 233 carries with 29 touchdowns and caught 18 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns.
with a bachelor's degree
in art and design. A three-year starter
at right cornerback, he compiled 209 tackles
, two sacks
, three fumble
recoveries, two forced fumbles, and 29 pass deflections during his tenure. He also found success as a kick returner
, gaining 490 yards on 24 career kick returns. He earned All-Big 12 Conference
first-team honors as a senior. Hobbs also received the Academic Athlete of the Year Award and was a finalist for Christian Athlete of the Year at ISU.
s and earned 371 yards on 15 kickoff returns (including a crucial 35-yard return in the Patriots' game-winning drive against the Pittsburgh Steelers
).
Although Hobbs initially won the starting cornerback job in 2006
opposite Asante Samuel
, Hobbs struggled somewhat during his second year in the NFL, in part because of a broken wrist suffered early in the season. Hobbs, who wore a black cast for much of the season, missed a couple of games and lost his job as starter during the second half of the season. Nevertheless, he had two interceptions for the season (one in garbage time
against the Vikings
, which he returned 70 yards). In addition, filling in for an injured Laurence Maroney
at kick returner, he returned a kick against the Miami Dolphins
for 51 yards, and returned a kick against the Houston Texans
for 93 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career, and the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Patriot since Bethel Johnson
in 2004. For the season, he recorded 47 total tackles, 2 interceptions, and 4 passes defensed. He also recorded 14 total tackles in the Patriots' three playoff games.
Hobbs performed well in the 2006 playoffs, breaking up several potential touchdown passes, including two in the Divisional round against the San Diego Chargers
, and one in the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts
. That play against the Colts was flagged as pass interference
, a call that proved controversial. Greg Aiello, NFL vice president of communications, stated it was correctly flagged as pass interference. However there were also reports that the NFL admitted the call was incorrect, and apologized to Hobbs. Hobbs also returned a kickoff 80 yards in the AFC Championship Game.
kickoff back 108 yards for a touchdown against the New York Jets
at Giants Stadium
. At the time, it also tied the record for the longest play in NFL history.
In Week 3, against the Bills
, Hobbs recorded his first NFL sack
when he brought down J. P. Losman on a blitz
; he also forced a fumble, which was recovered by Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green
. In Week 10, in the rematch at Buffalo, Hobbs recovered a fumble by Bills running back Dwayne Wright
(forced by Patriots safety James Sanders), and returned it for his second return touchdown of the season.
In Week 17 against the New York Giants
, Hobbs intercepted a pass by Giants
quarterback Eli Manning
in the fourth quarter, which ultimately led to the Patriots' go-ahead touchdown in the game that completed New England's perfect 16-0 season. He also intercepted a pass by Chargers
quarterback Philip Rivers
in the AFC Championship Game.
In Super Bowl XLII
, Hobbs again intercepted a Manning pass that deflected off the hands of New York Giants
rookie wide receiver, Steve Smith
. Near the conclusion of the game, wide receiver Plaxico Burress
beat Hobbs on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left to give the Giants the winning score.
Hobbs played in the Super Bowl with a torn labrum in his shoulder
in addition to the chronic groin
pain previously reported. Hobbs had Dr. James Andrews repair the shoulder, which was originally injured in Week 9, on February 12.
In 2008
, Hobbs intercepted three passes and set the Patriots single game record for yards on kick returns, with 237 yards in a loss to Miami in Week 3. He also returned his third career touchdown against the Oakland Raiders
in Week 15 which once again earned him Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He ended the season leading the AFC, and second in the NFL, in kick return average.
, the Patriots traded Hobbs to the Philadelphia Eagles
for two fifth-round selections, which the Patriots traded for fourth- and sixth-round selections; the Patriots ultimately drafted guard Rich Ohrnberger
and long snapper Jake Ingram
with the picks they received for Hobbs. Hobbs won the starting kick returner job over rookie wide receiver
Jeremy Maclin
for the 2009 season
. On November 11, Hobbs was placed on injured reserve
with a neck injury.
Hobbs was re-signed to a one-year contract on March 30, 2010. On April 2, the Eagles traded starting cornerback Sheldon Brown to the Cleveland Browns
, with Hobbs now favored to start alongside former Patriots teammate Asante Samuel
.
In the early third quarter of the Eagles' November 21, 2010 game against the Giants, Hobbs took a blow to the head from the Giants' Dave Tollefson
while returning a kick, and had to be carted off the field. He suffered a disc
injury and was placed on injured reserve. He announced his retirement on July 28, 2011.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who played for six seasons 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 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 Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
. He was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
and played for them from 2005–2008. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in April 2009 and played for them from 2009–2010 before a neck injury ended his career. Hobbs shares the NFL record for the longest kickoff return (108 yards) with Randall Cobb, a feat he accomplished on September 9, 2007 in a game against 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...
.
Early years
Hobbs attended DeSoto High SchoolDeSoto High School (DeSoto, Texas)
DeSoto High School is a public school in DeSoto, Texas, United States. It is part of the DeSoto Independent School District. It is located at 600 Eagle Drive - History :...
in DeSoto, Texas
DeSoto, Texas
DeSoto is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Over the past eleven years since the 2000 U.S. Census Report, the City of DeSoto has grown in population from 37,646 to 49,047....
, where he was a standout in 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 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...
. In track, he participated on the 4x100
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
and 4x400 relay
4 x 400 metres relay
The 4 x 400 meters relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 400 meters or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 meters is run in lanes...
teams and the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
. In football, he starred at cornerback as well as 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...
; he ran for 1,701 yards on 233 carries with 29 touchdowns and caught 18 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns.
College career
Hobbs was just seven credits short of graduating when he entered the NFL, and in 2009 (four years after leaving college) he completed his degree and graduated from Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in art and design. A three-year starter
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...
at right cornerback, he compiled 209 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, two sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, three fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries, two forced fumbles, and 29 pass deflections during his tenure. He also found success as a kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
, gaining 490 yards on 24 career kick returns. He earned All-Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
first-team honors as a senior. Hobbs also received the Academic Athlete of the Year Award and was a finalist for Christian Athlete of the Year at ISU.
2005–06 seasons
Despite limited playing time early in the season, Hobbs made a number of contributions to the Patriots in his rookie season. A string of injuries in the Patriots secondary resulted in Hobbs starting at cornerback the final eight games of the season. Hobbs caught three interceptionInterception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
s and earned 371 yards on 15 kickoff returns (including a crucial 35-yard return in the Patriots' game-winning drive against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
).
Although Hobbs initially won the starting cornerback job in 2006
2006 New England Patriots season
The 2006 New England Patriots season was the 37th season for the team in the National Football League and 47th season overall. They finished with a 12–4 record and a division title before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs....
opposite Asante Samuel
Asante Samuel
Asante T. Samuel is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, Hobbs struggled somewhat during his second year in the NFL, in part because of a broken wrist suffered early in the season. Hobbs, who wore a black cast for much of the season, missed a couple of games and lost his job as starter during the second half of the season. Nevertheless, he had two interceptions for the season (one in garbage time
Garbage time
Garbage time, also known as "junk time", is a term used to refer to the period at the end of a timed sporting event that has become a blowout when the outcome of the game has already been decided, and the coaches of one or both teams will decide to replace their best players with substitutes...
against the 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...
, which he returned 70 yards). In addition, filling in for an injured Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 21st overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.-Early years:Maroney attended Normandy Senior High School in St...
at kick returner, he returned a kick 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...
for 51 yards, and returned a kick against the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for 93 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career, and the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Patriot since Bethel Johnson
Bethel Johnson
Bethel Johnson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M....
in 2004. For the season, he recorded 47 total tackles, 2 interceptions, and 4 passes defensed. He also recorded 14 total tackles in the Patriots' three playoff games.
Hobbs performed well in the 2006 playoffs, breaking up several potential touchdown passes, including two in the Divisional round against 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...
, and one in the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. That play against the Colts was flagged as pass interference
Pass interference
In American and Canadian gridiron football, pass interference is a penalty that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receiver's ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling, or cutting in front of the receiver or...
, a call that proved controversial. Greg Aiello, NFL vice president of communications, stated it was correctly flagged as pass interference. However there were also reports that the NFL admitted the call was incorrect, and apologized to Hobbs. Hobbs also returned a kickoff 80 yards in the AFC Championship Game.
2007–08 seasons
On September 9, 2007, Hobbs broke the record for the longest kickoff return in NFL history when he ran a Mike NugentMike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
kickoff back 108 yards for a touchdown against 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...
at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
. At the time, it also tied the record for the longest play in NFL history.
In Week 3, against the 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...
, Hobbs recorded his first NFL sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
when he brought down J. P. Losman on a blitz
Blitz (American football)
In American football or Canadian football, a blitz or red dog is when players on or behind the line of scrimmage during a play, are sent across the scrimmage line to the offensive side to try to tackle the quarterback or disrupt his pass attempt...
; he also forced a fumble, which was recovered by Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green
Jarvis Green
Jarvis Green is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
. In Week 10, in the rematch at Buffalo, Hobbs recovered a fumble by Bills running back Dwayne Wright
Dwayne Wright
-Buffalo Bills:Wright was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He was signed to a contract on July 25. He was waived on August 30, 2008.He worked out for the Detroit Lions on September 17, but was not signed.-New York Giants:...
(forced by Patriots safety James Sanders), and returned it for his second return touchdown of the season.
In Week 17 against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Hobbs intercepted a pass by Giants
2007 New York Giants season
The 2007 New York Giants season was the 83rd season for the New York Giants in the National Football League. The Giants finished the regular season 10–6 and in second place in the NFC East, improving upon their 8–8 record in 2006 in which they finished third in their division...
quarterback Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
in the fourth quarter, which ultimately led to the Patriots' go-ahead touchdown in the game that completed New England's perfect 16-0 season. He also intercepted a pass by Chargers
2007 San Diego Chargers season
The 2007 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to equal their 2006 regular season success and avoid another early departure in the playoffs. After a disappointing start under new head coach Norv Turner , they finished the regular season strong, with six straight wins, an overall...
quarterback Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...
in the AFC Championship Game.
In Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
, Hobbs again intercepted a Manning pass that deflected off the hands of New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
rookie wide receiver, Steve Smith
Steve Smith (New York Giants)
Steve Smith is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. Near the conclusion of the game, wide receiver Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
beat Hobbs on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left to give the Giants the winning score.
Hobbs played in the Super Bowl with a torn labrum in his shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
in addition to the chronic groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
pain previously reported. Hobbs had Dr. James Andrews repair the shoulder, which was originally injured in Week 9, on February 12.
In 2008
2008 New England Patriots season
The 2008 New England Patriots season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and 49th season overall. Despite finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record, the Patriots did not qualify for the playoffs—becoming the first 11-win team since the expansion to a 12-team...
, Hobbs intercepted three passes and set the Patriots single game record for yards on kick returns, with 237 yards in a loss to Miami in Week 3. He also returned his third career touchdown against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Week 15 which once again earned him Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He ended the season leading the AFC, and second in the NFL, in kick return average.
Philadelphia Eagles
On the second day of the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, the Patriots traded Hobbs to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for two fifth-round selections, which the Patriots traded for fourth- and sixth-round selections; the Patriots ultimately drafted guard Rich Ohrnberger
Rich Ohrnberger
Richard Paul Ohrnberger is an American football offensive guard for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
and long snapper Jake Ingram
Jake Ingram
Jacob Ingram is an American football long snapper for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the only long snapper drafted in 2009...
with the picks they received for Hobbs. Hobbs won the starting kick returner job over rookie 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...
Jeremy Maclin
Jeremy Maclin
-2009 NFL Draft:Maclin was considered a top National Football League prospect following his second season, and roommate Sean Weatherspoon hoped to convince Maclin to return for his junior year instead of leaving Missouri for the 2009 NFL Draft. Weatherspoon’s efforts were unsuccessful, and on...
for the 2009 season
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
. On November 11, Hobbs was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a neck injury.
Hobbs was re-signed to a one-year contract on March 30, 2010. On April 2, the Eagles traded starting cornerback Sheldon Brown to the 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...
, with Hobbs now favored to start alongside former Patriots teammate Asante Samuel
Asante Samuel
Asante T. Samuel is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
.
In the early third quarter of the Eagles' November 21, 2010 game against the Giants, Hobbs took a blow to the head from the Giants' Dave Tollefson
Dave Tollefson
Dave Tollefson is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round, with the 253rd pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
while returning a kick, and had to be carted off the field. He suffered a disc
Intervertebral disc
Intervertebral discs lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. Each disc forms a cartilaginous joint to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together.-Structure:...
injury and was placed on injured reserve. He announced his retirement on July 28, 2011.