Marty Booker
Encyclopedia
Marty Montez Booker is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears
in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Louisiana-Monroe.
A Pro Bowl
selection with the Bears in 2002
, Booker has also played for the Miami Dolphins
, and the Atlanta Falcons
.
in Jonesboro
, Louisiana. He was a two-sport standout in both football
and track
. In football, he was a quarterback
and passed for 3418 yards (3,125.4 m) and 48 combined touchdowns as a senior, at an college meet, he was told that he was super athletic, and quarterback wasn't the right spot for him, he chose WR. Following his senior season, he finished as the runner-up for the national Gatorade High School Player of the Year award. In track, he was ranked second in the state high jump finals as a senior. Booker also was a stand out basketball player.
by the Chicago Bears
. He started four of the nine games in which he played during his rookie season, catching 19 passes for 219 yards (200.3 m) and three touchdowns. He did not play in each of the first six games of the season, with his first regular season action coming on an October 24 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. Booker's first career reception occurred on November 14 against the Minnesota Vikings
, when he grabbed seven passes for 134 yards (122.5 m) and two touchdowns in what was also the first start of his career. He became the first Bears rookie to register a 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving game since Willie Gault
in 1983. Booker also combined with Marcus Robinson to become the 15th tandem in Bears history to record 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving games in the same contest.
In 2000, Booker started seven of the 15 games in which he played, finishing third on the team with 47 receptions for 490 yards (448.1 m) and a pair of scores . He was inactive for a September 17 game against the New York Giants
with a shoulder injury. He had five catches for 56 yards (51.2 m) against the Detroit Lions
on September 24 - a game which began his streak of 82 straight games with a reception.
In 2001, Booker started all 16 games and set a Bears single-season reception record with 100, breaking the old mark of 93 set by Johnny Morris in 1964. That total also ranked second in the NFC
and sixth in the NFL. On the season, he totaled 1,071 receiving yards, good for ninth in the NFC. He became just the seventh receiver (8th time) in Bears history to post a 1000 yards (914.4 m) receiving season. He collected a season-high nine receptions on five different occasions, including each of the first two games. In a 31-3 win at the Atlanta Falcons
on October 7, he had a 63 yards (57.6 m) TD catch from Jim Miller
and a 34 yards (31.1 m) TD pass to Marcus Robinson. He hauled in seven passes for 165 yards (150.9 m) and a career-high three touchdowns in 27-24 win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 18, including a career-long 66 yards (60.4 m) TD catch (from Miller) in the game.
Booker earned the first Pro Bowl berth of his career in 2002 as he accumulated 97 receptions for 1189 yards (1,087.2 m) and six touchdowns. He became the first Bears wide receiver to earn Pro Bowl status since Dick Gordon
in 1972. Booker's reception total was second in team history, trailing only his 100 catches from 2001, while his yardage total was the fourth-best single-season figure. His reception total also was third in the NFC and tied for sixth in the NFL in 2002 while yardage figure was seventh in the NFC and ninth in the NFL. He became just the second Bear to account for multiple 1000 yards (914.4 m) receiving seasons in a career, joining Harlon Hill
(1954, 1956) Booker tied for fourth in the NFL with 20 receptions of 20 yards (18.3 m) or longer, while placing seventh in the NFC with 54 first-down catches and sixth in the conference with 24 third-down receptions. He amassed a career-high three 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving games on the season, including the opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8 when he produced 198 yards (181.1 m) - tied for the third highest single-game total in Bears history. His second 100 yards (91.4 m) game of the season occurred against the Green Bay Packers
on October 7, when he hauled in a career-high 12 passes - the fourth-highest single-game total in team history. Booker also threw a 44 yards (40.2 m) touchdown pass to Marcus Robinson against the New England Patriots
on November 10.
Booker all 13 games in which he played in 2003 and was the Bears’ leading receiver for the third straight year, catching 52 passes for 715 yards (653.8 m) and four touchdowns. He was inactive for three games in October and November with an ankle injury. He compiled the seventh 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving game of his career as he totaled 115 yards (105.2 m) on five receptions, including a 61 yards (55.8 m) TD catch, at Green Bay
on December 7, when he tied Neal Anderson
for fifth on Chicago’s all-time receiving list with 302. Booker caught six passes for 92 yards (84.1 m) in finale at the Kansas City Chiefs
on December 28, as he set a Bears record for consecutive games with a reception (58).
Booker concluded his Chicago career with 315 receptions for 3684 yards (3,368.6 m) and 23 touchdowns. He ranks fifth on the team’s all-time chart for receptions and sixth for receiving yards. His reception total was the most by any Bear in his first five years with the club while his yardage figure was third during this same time span.
On August 23, 2004 the Bears traded Booker and their third-round draft pick in 2005 to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for defensive end
Adewale Ogunleye
, who was coming off a career-high 15 sacks with the Dolphins in 2003. The following April, the Dolphins used the third-round draft choice acquired from the Bears on Florida
linebacker
Channing Crowder
, who has since developed into a productive starter for the team.
and tight end
Randy McMichael
. He had a reception in every game that he played for the fourth year in a row. Booker turned in his most productive receiving day of the season at the New England Patriots on October 10, when he hauled in seven passes for 123 yards. His entire receiving total from the game came in the second half as he became the first Dolphin to account for 100 yards receiving in a half since December 15, 2002 when Chris Chambers had 117 yards in the first half against the Oakland Raiders
. Booker tossed a 48 yard completion to Chambers against the St. Louis Rams
on October 24 for the third and longest completion of his career. That led to a Sammy Morris
eight-yard touchdown run on the next play from scrimmage for the Dolphins’ first score of a game they went on to win, 31-14, as they earned their initial victory of the season. He was inactive for finale at the Baltimore Ravens
on January 2, 2005 with an ankle injury.
In 2005, Booker started 12 of the 15 games in which he played, and was inactive for one contest. The three games he did not start occurred when Dolphins opened with two tight ends. He caught 39 passes for 686 yards and three touchdowns on the season. His reception total ranked third on the team, behind Chris Chambers
and Randy McMichael
while his yardage figure was second (behind only Chambers). Booker's average per catch of 17.6 was the best on the team among players with more than five receptions, and also marked a personal best. It also was the best figure by a Dolphin since 2002 when James McKnight
put together an 18.2 mark. Booker accounted for a pair of 100 yard receiving games on the year, including the season opener against the Denver Broncos
when he hauled in five passes for 104 yards. Included in that total was a 60 yard TD reception from quarterback Gus Frerotte
- the second-longest pass play by the Dolphins in 2005. It was also Booker's fourth career catch of 60 yards or longer and his longest since he had a 61 yard TD catch on December 7, 2003 at Green Bay as a member of the Chicago Bears. He had five catches for 102 yards against the New England Patriots on November 13, marking the first time since 2002 that he had two or more 100 yard receiving games in the same season. He was held without a catch at Cleveland on November 20, snapping his streak of 82 straight games with a reception. Prior to that, the last time he did not have a catch was on September 10, 2000 at Tampa Bay
as a member of the Chicago Bears
. Booker had two receptions for 56 yards on December 18 against the New York Jets
, including a 50 yard touchdown catch from Sage Rosenfels
4:05 into the fourth quarter, which broke a 17-17 tie as the Dolphins held on for a 24-20 victory. Booker hauled in a 15 yard touchdown pass from Gus Frerotte in fourth quarter of a January 1 contest against the New England Patriots, giving the Dolphins a 25-13 lead in their 28-26 victory.
In 2006, Booker finished first on the team in reception yardage and in touchdown receptions with 55 catches for 747 yards and six touchdowns. He had two other receptions for two-point conversions and also has three rushes for 19 yards. His receiving totals were his highest in all three categories since his 2002 season as a member of the Chicago Bears
. In addition, his six touchdown receptions is tied for the second highest single season total of his career (along with his six TD catches in 2002 as a member of the Bears), surpassed only by his eight touchdown catches in 2001 with the Bears. Booker because a favorite target of quarterback Joey Harrington
later in the season, with four touchdown catches in three games from Weeks 11 to 13. Booker started 14 games during the season and was inactive twice - on December 25 against the New York Jets due to an ankle injury and on October 15 at the New York Jets due to a chest injury.
A projected starter in 2007, it was reported on April 26 that Booker was on the trading block.http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-booker042607,0,5862884.story?coll=sfla-dolphins-front
However, Booker remained with the Dolphins as their No. 2 receiver behind Chris Chambers, with the team trying to work rookie first round pick Ted Ginn Jr and Derek Hagan
more into the offense.
Following a disastrous start to the season for the Dolphins, Chris Chambers
was traded on October 16 to the Chargers for their second round draft pick in 2008. Booker then became the only experienced receiver for rookie QB John Beck and career back-up Cleo Lemon
to throw to for the rest of the season.
During the following offseason on February 11, 2008, Booker was one of nine players released by the Dolphins.
on August 6, 2009 after the team waived undrafted rookie wide receiver Bradon Godfrey
. Booker became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2009 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...
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...
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....
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...
. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 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...
. 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 Louisiana-Monroe.
A Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection with the Bears in 2002
2003 Pro Bowl
The 2003 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 2003 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
, Booker has also played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Booker attended Jonesboro-Hodge High SchoolJonesboro-Hodge High School
Jonesboro-Hodge High School is a high school located in North Central Louisiana. It is located in Jonesboro in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. The school mascot is the Tiger, named after LSU. The colors are scarlet and royal blue...
in Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Louisiana. He was a two-sport standout in both 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
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. In football, he was a 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...
and passed for 3418 yards (3,125.4 m) and 48 combined touchdowns as a senior, at an college meet, he was told that he was super athletic, and quarterback wasn't the right spot for him, he chose WR. Following his senior season, he finished as the runner-up for the national Gatorade High School Player of the Year award. In track, he was ranked second in the state high jump finals as a senior. Booker also was a stand out basketball player.
College career
Marty Booker attended the Louisiana-Monroe where he was a three-year starter. He finished his college career with 178 receptions for 2,784 yards (15.6 avg.) and 23 touchdowns. He was an All-Independent first-team selection as a senior with 75 catches for 1168 yards (1,068 m) and 11 touchdowns, averaging 106.2 yards (97.1 m) per game. He ranks second in school history for career receptions.First stint with Bears
Booker was drafted in the third round (78th overall) 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...
by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He started four of the nine games in which he played during his rookie season, catching 19 passes for 219 yards (200.3 m) and three touchdowns. He did not play in each of the first six games of the season, with his first regular season action coming on an October 24 contest against 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...
. Booker's first career reception occurred on November 14 against the 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...
, when he grabbed seven passes for 134 yards (122.5 m) and two touchdowns in what was also the first start of his career. He became the first Bears rookie to register a 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving game since Willie Gault
Willie Gault
Willie James Gault is a former American football wide receiver and Olympic athlete. Gault played in the National Football League for 11 seasons for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX, and was also a member of the U.S. Olympic team...
in 1983. Booker also combined with Marcus Robinson to become the 15th tandem in Bears history to record 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving games in the same contest.
In 2000, Booker started seven of the 15 games in which he played, finishing third on the team with 47 receptions for 490 yards (448.1 m) and a pair of scores . He was inactive for a September 17 game 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...
with a shoulder injury. He had five catches for 56 yards (51.2 m) against 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...
on September 24 - a game which began his streak of 82 straight games with a reception.
In 2001, Booker started all 16 games and set a Bears single-season reception record with 100, breaking the old mark of 93 set by Johnny Morris in 1964. That total also ranked second in the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
and sixth in the NFL. On the season, he totaled 1,071 receiving yards, good for ninth in the NFC. He became just the seventh receiver (8th time) in Bears history to post a 1000 yards (914.4 m) receiving season. He collected a season-high nine receptions on five different occasions, including each of the first two games. In a 31-3 win at the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 7, he had a 63 yards (57.6 m) TD catch from Jim Miller
Jim Miller (quarterback)
James Donald Miller is a former NFL quarterback, last under contract with the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 178th overall. Miller attended Waterford Kettering High School and graduated in 1989...
and a 34 yards (31.1 m) TD pass to Marcus Robinson. He hauled in seven passes for 165 yards (150.9 m) and a career-high three touchdowns in 27-24 win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 18, including a career-long 66 yards (60.4 m) TD catch (from Miller) in the game.
Booker earned the first Pro Bowl berth of his career in 2002 as he accumulated 97 receptions for 1189 yards (1,087.2 m) and six touchdowns. He became the first Bears wide receiver to earn Pro Bowl status since Dick Gordon
Dick Gordon (American football)
Richard Frederick Gordon is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played ten seasons for the Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Rams, the Green Bay Packers, and the San Diego Chargers.-External links:*...
in 1972. Booker's reception total was second in team history, trailing only his 100 catches from 2001, while his yardage total was the fourth-best single-season figure. His reception total also was third in the NFC and tied for sixth in the NFL in 2002 while yardage figure was seventh in the NFC and ninth in the NFL. He became just the second Bear to account for multiple 1000 yards (914.4 m) receiving seasons in a career, joining Harlon Hill
Harlon Hill
Harlon Junius Hill was a standout player at Lauderdale County High School and later as an offensive end at Florence State Teachers College, now known as the University of North Alabama, being named an NAIA All-American in his senior year...
(1954, 1956) Booker tied for fourth in the NFL with 20 receptions of 20 yards (18.3 m) or longer, while placing seventh in the NFC with 54 first-down catches and sixth in the conference with 24 third-down receptions. He amassed a career-high three 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving games on the season, including the opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8 when he produced 198 yards (181.1 m) - tied for the third highest single-game total in Bears history. His second 100 yards (91.4 m) game of the season occurred against the 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...
on October 7, when he hauled in a career-high 12 passes - the fourth-highest single-game total in team history. Booker also threw a 44 yards (40.2 m) touchdown pass to Marcus Robinson 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...
on November 10.
Booker all 13 games in which he played in 2003 and was the Bears’ leading receiver for the third straight year, catching 52 passes for 715 yards (653.8 m) and four touchdowns. He was inactive for three games in October and November with an ankle injury. He compiled the seventh 100 yards (91.4 m) receiving game of his career as he totaled 115 yards (105.2 m) on five receptions, including a 61 yards (55.8 m) TD catch, at Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
on December 7, when he tied Neal Anderson
Neal Anderson
Charles Neal Anderson is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s and 1990s...
for fifth on Chicago’s all-time receiving list with 302. Booker caught six passes for 92 yards (84.1 m) in finale at the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on December 28, as he set a Bears record for consecutive games with a reception (58).
Booker concluded his Chicago career with 315 receptions for 3684 yards (3,368.6 m) and 23 touchdowns. He ranks fifth on the team’s all-time chart for receptions and sixth for receiving yards. His reception total was the most by any Bear in his first five years with the club while his yardage figure was third during this same time span.
On August 23, 2004 the Bears traded Booker and their third-round draft pick in 2005 to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Adewale Ogunleye
Adewale Ogunleye
Adewale Ogunleye is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Indiana.-Early years:...
, who was coming off a career-high 15 sacks with the Dolphins in 2003. The following April, the Dolphins used the third-round draft choice acquired from the Bears on Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Channing Crowder
Channing Crowder
Randolph Channing Crowder, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American...
, who has since developed into a productive starter for the team.
Miami Dolphins
Booker started 15 games during his first season with the Dolphins in 2004. He finished third on the team with 50 receptions for 638 yards and a touchdown, behind fellow wide receiver Chris ChambersChris Chambers
Christopher J. "Chris" Chambers is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
and 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...
Randy McMichael
Randy McMichael
-Miami Dolphins:McMichael was selected in the fourth round in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. The pick used by Dolphins to select him was originally acquired from the New Orleans Saints in the deal that sent running back Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins.McMichael made his NFL debut...
. He had a reception in every game that he played for the fourth year in a row. Booker turned in his most productive receiving day of the season at the New England Patriots on October 10, when he hauled in seven passes for 123 yards. His entire receiving total from the game came in the second half as he became the first Dolphin to account for 100 yards receiving in a half since December 15, 2002 when Chris Chambers had 117 yards in the first half against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Booker tossed a 48 yard completion to Chambers against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on October 24 for the third and longest completion of his career. That led to a Sammy Morris
Sammy Morris
Samuel "Sammy" Morris III is an American football running back who is a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
eight-yard touchdown run on the next play from scrimmage for the Dolphins’ first score of a game they went on to win, 31-14, as they earned their initial victory of the season. He was inactive for finale at the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on January 2, 2005 with an ankle injury.
In 2005, Booker started 12 of the 15 games in which he played, and was inactive for one contest. The three games he did not start occurred when Dolphins opened with two tight ends. He caught 39 passes for 686 yards and three touchdowns on the season. His reception total ranked third on the team, behind Chris Chambers
Chris Chambers
Christopher J. "Chris" Chambers is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
and Randy McMichael
Randy McMichael
-Miami Dolphins:McMichael was selected in the fourth round in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. The pick used by Dolphins to select him was originally acquired from the New Orleans Saints in the deal that sent running back Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins.McMichael made his NFL debut...
while his yardage figure was second (behind only Chambers). Booker's average per catch of 17.6 was the best on the team among players with more than five receptions, and also marked a personal best. It also was the best figure by a Dolphin since 2002 when James McKnight
James McKnight
James Edward McKnight is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played for the Seattle Seahawks , the Dallas Cowboys , Miami Dolphins , and the New York Giants . He spent the 1999 season on injured reserve. McKnight played college football at Liberty...
put together an 18.2 mark. Booker accounted for a pair of 100 yard receiving games on the year, including the season opener against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
when he hauled in five passes for 104 yards. Included in that total was a 60 yard TD reception from quarterback Gus Frerotte
Gus Frerotte
Gustave Joseph "Gus" Frerotte is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa....
- the second-longest pass play by the Dolphins in 2005. It was also Booker's fourth career catch of 60 yards or longer and his longest since he had a 61 yard TD catch on December 7, 2003 at Green Bay as a member of the Chicago Bears. He had five catches for 102 yards against the New England Patriots on November 13, marking the first time since 2002 that he had two or more 100 yard receiving games in the same season. He was held without a catch at Cleveland on November 20, snapping his streak of 82 straight games with a reception. Prior to that, the last time he did not have a catch was on September 10, 2000 at Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
as a member of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Booker had two receptions for 56 yards on December 18 against 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...
, including a 50 yard touchdown catch from Sage Rosenfels
Sage Rosenfels
Sage Rosenfels is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Iowa State before he was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played with the Miami Dolphins from 2002–2005, the Houston Texans from...
4:05 into the fourth quarter, which broke a 17-17 tie as the Dolphins held on for a 24-20 victory. Booker hauled in a 15 yard touchdown pass from Gus Frerotte in fourth quarter of a January 1 contest against the New England Patriots, giving the Dolphins a 25-13 lead in their 28-26 victory.
In 2006, Booker finished first on the team in reception yardage and in touchdown receptions with 55 catches for 747 yards and six touchdowns. He had two other receptions for two-point conversions and also has three rushes for 19 yards. His receiving totals were his highest in all three categories since his 2002 season as a member of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In addition, his six touchdown receptions is tied for the second highest single season total of his career (along with his six TD catches in 2002 as a member of the Bears), surpassed only by his eight touchdown catches in 2001 with the Bears. Booker because a favorite target of quarterback Joey Harrington
Joey Harrington
John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...
later in the season, with four touchdown catches in three games from Weeks 11 to 13. Booker started 14 games during the season and was inactive twice - on December 25 against the New York Jets due to an ankle injury and on October 15 at the New York Jets due to a chest injury.
A projected starter in 2007, it was reported on April 26 that Booker was on the trading block.http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-booker042607,0,5862884.story?coll=sfla-dolphins-front
However, Booker remained with the Dolphins as their No. 2 receiver behind Chris Chambers, with the team trying to work rookie first round pick Ted Ginn Jr and Derek Hagan
Derek Hagan
Derek Steven Hagan, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. Hagan most recently played for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2006...
more into the offense.
Following a disastrous start to the season for the Dolphins, Chris Chambers
Chris Chambers
Christopher J. "Chris" Chambers is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
was traded on October 16 to the Chargers for their second round draft pick in 2008. Booker then became the only experienced receiver for rookie QB John Beck and career back-up Cleo Lemon
Cleo Lemon
Cleo "Cleonardo" Lemon, Jr. is a Canadian football quarterback in the Canadian Football League who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
to throw to for the rest of the season.
During the following offseason on February 11, 2008, Booker was one of nine players released by the Dolphins.
Second stint with Bears
On March 4, 2008, Booker agreed to a two-year contract with the Chicago Bears worth $3.5 million. Booker only caught 14 passes for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 51-yard touchdown reception. Booker was released by the Bears on February 13, 2009.Atlanta Falcons
Booker signed with the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 6, 2009 after the team waived undrafted rookie wide receiver Bradon Godfrey
Bradon Godfrey
Bradon Cache Godfrey is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
. Booker became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2009 season.