John Minardi
Encyclopedia
John Minardi is a former American football
player. He played high school football at Santa Margarita Catholic High School
in Orange County
, California
, from 1995 to 1997. In 1996, he caught 42 passes for 1,040 yards and 14 touchdowns; he also led the team with 117 tackles, the fourth best in school history. He holds the school's records for most receiving yards in a game (242), a season (1,469), and a career (2,546), and for the most receiving touchdowns in a game (3), season (19), and career (33). In high school, he played with quarterback
Carson Palmer
, and the two were called "the California high school equivalent of the San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana
and Jerry Rice
." He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes
from 1998 to 2001. He was signed by the Houston Texans
as an undrafted free agent in April 2002 but released in August 2002. On August 16, 2002, the Houston Chronicle reported that Minardi was "battling long odds to make the roster," but noted that "all eyes were on him Thursday when he made a great catch of a pass from David Carr
and dragged both feet inbounds in the back of the end zone for a touchdown." However, he was waived by the Texans in the first week of September 2002. In January 2003, the Texans allocated Minardi to the NFL Europe
. He played for the Scottish Claymores
in the 2003 NFL Europe seasons.
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...
player. He played high school football at Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School is a coeducational college preparatory Roman Catholic high school located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, United States. SMCHS was opened in the fall of 1987 under the direction of the Bishop of Orange...
in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, from 1995 to 1997. In 1996, he caught 42 passes for 1,040 yards and 14 touchdowns; he also led the team with 117 tackles, the fourth best in school history. He holds the school's records for most receiving yards in a game (242), a season (1,469), and a career (2,546), and for the most receiving touchdowns in a game (3), season (19), and career (33). In high school, he played with 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...
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
, and the two were called "the California high school equivalent of the San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
and Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
." He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
from 1998 to 2001. He was signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent in April 2002 but released in August 2002. On August 16, 2002, the Houston Chronicle reported that Minardi was "battling long odds to make the roster," but noted that "all eyes were on him Thursday when he made a great catch of a pass from David Carr
David Carr
David Duke Carr is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans first overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
and dragged both feet inbounds in the back of the end zone for a touchdown." However, he was waived by the Texans in the first week of September 2002. In January 2003, the Texans allocated Minardi to the 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...
. He played for the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
in the 2003 NFL Europe seasons.