Jason Tucker
Encyclopedia
Jason Tucker is a former American
and Canadian football
slotback
.
where he excelled in football
, and track and field, particularly long jumping where he was a state finalist his junior and senior years. He also competed in the 400m relay at the state finals his senior year.
Amusingly, he did not play football his first year of eligibility, instead acting as the equipment manager; his mother had forbidden him to play football, fearing he would be injured. By his second year (possibly due to an arm injury in a basketball game the previous year), she relented and he made an immediate impact. As a high school player, he was not considered a vocal leader, but he did not have to be: his on-field heroics more than once breathed life into his teammates (notably when he scored two touchdowns in the span of thirty seconds against the 1993 Troy Trojans). He played both ways his junior and senior years as a wide receiver and defensive back.
for Texas Christian University
. During his sophomore season, he caught 31 passes for 433 yards. The following year, he became the team's second leading receiver with 39 catches, for 692 yards, and four touchdowns. Even better numbers were expected for his senior year, however he did not play after being suspended for a rules violation. At TCU, Tucker amassed 1,197 yards on 78 pass receptions, for an average of 15.3 yards, and a total of five touchdowns.
After a nice junior season in 1996, he was suspended for his senior season because of unspecifed off-field violations. Despite missing the entire 1997 college season, it was apparent Tucker continued to train on his own, to improve his football skills, as evidenced by his clocking a 4.48 second, 40 yard dash, and finishing in the top five in agility drills at the NFL Combine
.
in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
by the Cincinnati Bengals
. His stay in Cincinnati was a short one. He played in the pre-season opener against the New York Giants
, catching one pass for six yards. After pulling a hamstring in training camp, and reaching an injury settlement with the Bengals, Tucker was placed on waivers on August 19, 1998
.
added Tucker to their practice squad on October 28 then waived him after six weeks without ever putting him on the active roster.
before the start of the 1999 season
and assigned to NFL Europe
's Rhein Fire
, where he had 26 receptions, for 454 yards, and three touchdowns.
After playing in Europe, he participated in the Cowboys training camp and was the last player to make the roster as the team's sixth wide receiver
(one more than usual).
His first catch was a 6-yarder, in week five against the Philadelphia Eagles
, after Michael Irvin
suffered his career ending injury. By November, he had moved up to No. 3. After Ernie Mills
pulled a muscle warming up for a December 5 game against the New England Patriots
, Tucker became a starter. Mills was supposed to return for the December 21 game against New Orleans Saints
, but instead, Tucker got his fourth straight start and had his best game, becoming part of Cowboys lore.
Playing at both wide receiver
and kickoff returner in Week 16 against the Saints, he produced one of the standout performances in team history with 331 combined net yards, the most in franchise history. His 203 kickoff return yards also set a franchise record - he also had an apparent 97-yard return touchdown
called back by penalty - and he added 128 receiving yards on seven catches, with a touchdown
.
The next week against the New York Giants
, the Cowboys clinched a playoff spot behind 122 receiving yards from Tucker, including a 90-yard touchdown
, and one 79-yard kickoff return. His production made him the NFC special teams player of the month for December 1999
.
He played in 30 games over the course of 2 seasons with the Cowboys, catching 38 passes for 580 yards and 2 touchdown
s. The Cowboys released Tucker before the start of the 2001 season
.
he had made the roster of the Canadian Football League
's Edmonton Eskimos
. In his first year as a Canadian Football League player, Tucker was the team's second-leading receiver with 51 catches for 911 yards. In 2003
, Tucker was named the most valuable player of the 91st Grey Cup
with a 132-yard performance in the championship game. In 2004
, Tucker broke the 1,000 yards receiving mark for the first time, racking up 1,632 yards for the fourth-highest total in franchise history.
Tucker has won two Grey Cups, in 2003 and 2005
, both with the Eskimos. He is a two-time CFL All-Star at wide receiver in 2004 and 2005
.
On July 26, 2008, Tucker was involved in a helmet-to-helmet hit with Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Ryan Glasper
that fractured his C6-C7 vertebra. Fortunately, his spinal cord was not damaged. However the injury would ultimately end his career.
On January 28, 2009, Tucker announced his retirement as a football player, but also announced that he would join the Eskimos coaching staff as their receivers coach.
.
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...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
slotback
Slotback
Slotback is a position in Gridiron football . The slotback is similar to the wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a running back, lines up closer to the offensive line and often farther back...
.
High school career
Tucker attended Robinson High School in Robinson, TexasRobinson, Texas
Robinson is a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,845 at the 2000 census, and it grew to 9,062 at the end of 2005...
where he excelled 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 and field, particularly long jumping where he was a state finalist his junior and senior years. He also competed in the 400m relay at the state finals his senior year.
Amusingly, he did not play football his first year of eligibility, instead acting as the equipment manager; his mother had forbidden him to play football, fearing he would be injured. By his second year (possibly due to an arm injury in a basketball game the previous year), she relented and he made an immediate impact. As a high school player, he was not considered a vocal leader, but he did not have to be: his on-field heroics more than once breathed life into his teammates (notably when he scored two touchdowns in the span of thirty seconds against the 1993 Troy Trojans). He played both ways his junior and senior years as a wide receiver and defensive back.
College career
Tucker played college footballCollege 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 Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
. During his sophomore season, he caught 31 passes for 433 yards. The following year, he became the team's second leading receiver with 39 catches, for 692 yards, and four touchdowns. Even better numbers were expected for his senior year, however he did not play after being suspended for a rules violation. At TCU, Tucker amassed 1,197 yards on 78 pass receptions, for an average of 15.3 yards, and a total of five touchdowns.
After a nice junior season in 1996, he was suspended for his senior season because of unspecifed off-field violations. Despite missing the entire 1997 college season, it was apparent Tucker continued to train on his own, to improve his football skills, as evidenced by his clocking a 4.48 second, 40 yard dash, and finishing in the top five in agility drills at the NFL Combine
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
.
Cincinnati Bengals
Tucker was draftedNFL 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...
in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
by 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...
. His stay in Cincinnati was a short one. He played in the pre-season opener 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...
, catching one pass for six yards. After pulling a hamstring in training camp, and reaching an injury settlement with the Bengals, Tucker was placed on waivers on August 19, 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay PackersGreen 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...
added Tucker to their practice squad on October 28 then waived him after six weeks without ever putting him on the active roster.
Dallas Cowboys
He was signed by the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
before the start of the 1999 season
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
and assigned to NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
's Rhein Fire
Rhein Fire
The Rhein Fire was a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
, where he had 26 receptions, for 454 yards, and three touchdowns.
After playing in Europe, he participated in the Cowboys training camp and was the last player to make the roster as the team's sixth 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...
(one more than usual).
His first catch was a 6-yarder, in week five against 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...
, after Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
suffered his career ending injury. By November, he had moved up to No. 3. After Ernie Mills
Ernie Mills
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Mills, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for nine seasons during the 1990s...
pulled a muscle warming up for a December 5 game against 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...
, Tucker became a starter. Mills was supposed to return for the December 21 game against New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, but instead, Tucker got his fourth straight start and had his best game, becoming part of Cowboys lore.
Playing at both 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 kickoff returner in Week 16 against the Saints, he produced one of the standout performances in team history with 331 combined net yards, the most in franchise history. His 203 kickoff return yards also set a franchise record - he also had an apparent 97-yard return 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:...
called back by penalty - and he added 128 receiving yards on seven catches, with a 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:...
.
The next week 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...
, the Cowboys clinched a playoff spot behind 122 receiving yards from Tucker, including a 90-yard 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:...
, and one 79-yard kickoff return. His production made him the NFC special teams player of the month for December 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
.
He played in 30 games over the course of 2 seasons with the Cowboys, catching 38 passes for 580 yards and 2 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. The Cowboys released Tucker before the start of the 2001 season
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
.
Edmonton Eskimos
By 20022002 CFL season
The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:...
he had made the roster 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....
's Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
. In his first year as a Canadian Football League player, Tucker was the team's second-leading receiver with 51 catches for 911 yards. In 2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
, Tucker was named the most valuable player of the 91st Grey Cup
91st Grey Cup
The 91st Grey Cup was the 2003 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 16 at Taylor Field, in Regina, Saskatchewan before 50,909 fans...
with a 132-yard performance in the championship game. In 2004
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
, Tucker broke the 1,000 yards receiving mark for the first time, racking up 1,632 yards for the fourth-highest total in franchise history.
Tucker has won two Grey Cups, in 2003 and 2005
93rd Grey Cup
The 93rd Grey Cup game was held on November 27, 2005, at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes, to decide the winner of the 2005 season of the Canadian Football League. The Eskimos prevailed over the Alouettes in a 38-35 overtime...
, both with the Eskimos. He is a two-time CFL All-Star at wide receiver in 2004 and 2005
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...
.
On July 26, 2008, Tucker was involved in a helmet-to-helmet hit with Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
Ryan Glasper
Ryan Glasper
Ryan E. Glasper is a professional Canadian football and American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed as a street free agent by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2007...
that fractured his C6-C7 vertebra. Fortunately, his spinal cord was not damaged. However the injury would ultimately end his career.
On January 28, 2009, Tucker announced his retirement as a football player, but also announced that he would join the Eskimos coaching staff as their receivers coach.
Personal
Tucker is married, and has four daughters. His family lives on a 1300 acres (5 km²) ranch in Burleson, TexasBurleson, Texas
Burleson is a city in Johnson and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is considered a suburb of Fort Worth and is located in the rapidly growing suburban expanse just south of the city. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,690, having increased from the 20,976 residents counted...
.