Fred Bohannon
Encyclopedia
Frederick Jerome Bohannon (born May 31, 1958) is a former American football
defensive back
who played one season in the NFL
with the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
and attended Woodlawn High School. He matriculated at Mississippi Valley State University
.
of the Canadian Football League
prior to the 1982 NFL Draft
. He quickly became disenchanted with his situation in Toronto and asked the team for his release. His request was granted after the team's second exhibition game.
Shortly after leaving Toronto, Bohannon contacted the Pittsburgh Steelers who signed him. He was on the Steelers roster for seven games in the strike-shortened 1982 season
. He was used primarily on special teams as a kickoff returner and in kick coverage. Bohannon was placed on the Steelers injured reserve list prior to the 1983 season
due to a thigh injury and he never again played for the team.
Bohannon later caught on with his hometown Birmingham Stallions
of the United States Football League
in 1984. He was cut by the Stallions in January 1985.
He attended training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in 1985, but was cut prior to the start of the season.
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...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
who played one season 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...
with 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...
.
Early life
Bohannon was born in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, 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...
and attended Woodlawn High School. He matriculated at Mississippi Valley State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Mississippi Valley State University is a historically black university located in Itta Bena, Mississippi, in the United States. MVSU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund....
.
Pro football career
Bohannon signed with the Toronto ArgonautsToronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
prior to the 1982 NFL Draft
1982 NFL Draft
The 1982 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 27–28, 1982...
. He quickly became disenchanted with his situation in Toronto and asked the team for his release. His request was granted after the team's second exhibition game.
Shortly after leaving Toronto, Bohannon contacted the Pittsburgh Steelers who signed him. He was on the Steelers roster for seven games in the strike-shortened 1982 season
1982 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers saw the team return to the playoffs after a two-year hiatus. This was also the Steelers 50th Anniversary season. Although the season was shortened as a result of the 1982 strike, the Steelers finished a strong 6–3 record, good enough for fourth in the AFC as a whole...
. He was used primarily on special teams as a kickoff returner and in kick coverage. Bohannon was placed on the Steelers injured reserve list prior to the 1983 season
1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season
- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. Denver Broncos :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 58,233* Referee: Jerry Seeman...
due to a thigh injury and he never again played for the team.
Bohannon later caught on with his hometown Birmingham Stallions
Birmingham Stallions
The Birmingham Stallions were a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second professional league of American football in the United States in competition with the National Football League. They played their home games at Birmingham, Alabama's Legion Field...
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
in 1984. He was cut by the Stallions in January 1985.
He attended training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in 1985, but was cut prior to the start of the season.