Jermaine Wiggins
Encyclopedia
Jermaine Wiggins is an American football
tight end
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the New York Jets
as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football
at Georgia
.
Wiggins has also been a member of the New England Patriots
, Indianapolis Colts
, Carolina Panthers
, Minnesota Vikings
, Jacksonville Jaguars
and Florida Tuskers. He earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI
.
in East Boston, Massachusetts
and was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he was an All-City and an All-League honoree. In basketball, he helped lead his team to the state championship as a junior. Wiggins graduated from East Boston in 1993. After high school, he attended Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine for a year of post-graduate study.
for two years before transferring to the University of Georgia
.
and signed with the New York Jets
as an undrafted free agent. He played for the Jets for part of 2000
. He was then released and signed with the New England Patriots
.
- 2002
). While in New England he won Super Bowl XXXVI
in 2001
. He also became famous for wearing red cleats.
in 2002.
during the 2002 season and played with the team through the 2003 season, winning an NFC Championship in 2003.
, spending three seasons with the team (2004
- 2006
), before being released on March 1, 2007.
in March 2007. He was released on August 27 after suffering a concussion from a helmet-to-helmet hit by Green Bay Packers
safety Aaron Rouse
in a preseason game.
in 2009. He signed with the team on August 17.
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...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 1999. 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 Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
.
Wiggins has also been a member of 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...
, 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 ....
, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, 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...
, 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...
and Florida Tuskers. He earned a 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...
with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
.
Early years
Wiggins attended East Boston High SchoolEast Boston High School
East Boston High School is a public high school located in the East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. The school is part of the Boston Public Schools system.-Academics:...
in East Boston, Massachusetts
East Boston, Massachusetts
East Boston is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, with approximately 40,000 residents. The community was created by connecting several islands using landfill and was annexed by Boston in 1836. East Boston is separated from the rest of the city by Boston Harbor and bordered by Winthrop,...
and was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he was an All-City and an All-League honoree. In basketball, he helped lead his team to the state championship as a junior. Wiggins graduated from East Boston in 1993. After high school, he attended Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine for a year of post-graduate study.
College career
Wiggins attended Marshall UniversityMarshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
for two years before transferring to the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
.
New York Jets
Wiggins went undrafted in the 1999 NFL Draft1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
and signed with 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...
as an undrafted free agent. He played for the Jets for part of 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
. He was then released and signed with 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...
.
New England Patriots
Wiggins played in New England for three seasons (20002000 New England Patriots season
The 2000 New England Patriots season was the 31st season for the team in the National Football League and 41st season overall. They finished with a 5–11 record and in last place in the division....
- 2002
2002 New England Patriots season
The 2002 New England Patriots season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League and 43rd season overall. They finished with a 9–7 record, good enough for second in the division but not a playoff berth....
). While in New England he won Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
in 2001
2001 New England Patriots season
The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
. He also became famous for wearing red cleats.
Indianapolis Colts
Wiggins then played part of one season for the Indianapolis Colts2002 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2002 Indianapolis Colts season was the 50th season for the team in the National Football League and 19th in Indianapolis.The 2002 season marked the first for the Colts in the new AFC South after competing for 32 seasons in the AFC East....
in 2002.
Carolina Panthers
Wiggins signed with the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
during the 2002 season and played with the team through the 2003 season, winning an NFC Championship in 2003.
Minnesota Vikings
Wiggins signed with the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota 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...
, spending three seasons with the team (2004
2004 Minnesota Vikings season
2004 was the 44th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 85th regular season of the National Football League.The Vikings finished the 2004 season going 3-7 over the final 10 weeks just like they did in 2003. However, they made the playoffs with an 8-8 record...
- 2006
2006 Minnesota Vikings season
2006 was the 46th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 46th regular season of the National Football League.The 2006 Minnesota Vikings season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005 which was the last under embattled head coach Mike Tice...
), before being released on March 1, 2007.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Wiggins was signed by the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville 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...
in March 2007. He was released on August 27 after suffering a concussion from a helmet-to-helmet hit by 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...
safety Aaron Rouse
Aaron Rouse
Aaron Roosevelt Rouse is an American football safety for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
in a preseason game.
Florida Tuskers
After spending two seasons out of football, Wiggins was drafted by the Florida Tuskers in the UFL Premiere Season DraftUFL Premiere Season Draft
The UFL "Premiere" Season Draft was the inaugural draft of the United Football League. The results of the draft were announced via press release on June 19, 2009....
in 2009. He signed with the team on August 17.