Leonard Thompson (American football)
Encyclopedia
Leonard Irwin Thompson (born July 28, 1952 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
) is a former American football
wide receiver
in the National Football League
who spent his entire NFL career with the Detroit Lions
(1975–1986).
Thompson was an eighth-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft
out of Oklahoma State
. He spent his first five seasons as a backup at halfback
and wideout for the Lions. On December 11, 1977, Thompson blocked a David Lee
punt
on the Baltimore Colts
21 yard line, returning it 2 yards for a touchdown
with 14 seconds left in the game. The clutch play gave the Lions an improbable 13-10 victory.
In 1980, Thompson earned a starting
role as wide receiver opposite Freddie Scott
. Thompson caught 19 passes for 511 yards and 3 touchdowns. He caught another 214 passes over the next six seasons, including 26 touchdowns. He would led the Lions in receiving in 1985 with 51 catches, for 736 yards and 5 scores.
Thompson’s career ended when the Lions released him before the start of the 1987 season
. He played all 12 seasons of his career with the Lions, scoring 39 total touchdowns.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
) is a former American football
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...
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...
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...
who spent his entire NFL career with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1975–1986).
Thompson was an eighth-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft
1975 NFL Draft
The 1975 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1975.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
out of Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
. He spent his first five seasons as a backup at halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
and wideout for the Lions. On December 11, 1977, Thompson blocked a David Lee
David Lee (Baltimore Colts)
David Allen Lee is a former American football punter for the former Baltimore Colts in the National Football League and subsequently retired from a career as a General Motors executive in Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish, in northwestern Louisiana...
punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
on the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
21 yard line, returning it 2 yards for 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:...
with 14 seconds left in the game. The clutch play gave the Lions an improbable 13-10 victory.
In 1980, Thompson earned a starting
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...
role as wide receiver opposite Freddie Scott
Freddie Scott (American football)
Freddie Lee Scott is a former American football wide receiver who played from 1974 through 1983 in the National Football League...
. Thompson caught 19 passes for 511 yards and 3 touchdowns. He caught another 214 passes over the next six seasons, including 26 touchdowns. He would led the Lions in receiving in 1985 with 51 catches, for 736 yards and 5 scores.
Thompson’s career ended when the Lions released him before the start of the 1987 season
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
. He played all 12 seasons of his career with the Lions, scoring 39 total touchdowns.