Ronald Curry
Encyclopedia
Ronald Antonio Curry is an American football
wide receiver
, currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders
in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft
after playing college football
at North Carolina
.
Curry has also briefly been a member of the Detroit Lions
and St. Louis Rams
.
at Hampton High School
in Hampton, Virginia, where he was awarded the Dial Award
for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1997
. He won the McDonald's Slam Dunk contest and was MVP of the McDonald's All-American game
. By most reports, his high school football coach favored Curry attending the University of Virginia
and focusing on football
, while his high school basketball coach favored the University of North Carolina
to develop Curry into a prospect for the NBA. He verbally committed to play both basketball
and football to Virginia before signing instead with rival North Carolina. This made him a very unpopular figure among Virginia fans, who referred to him by such terms as "Benedict Curry", "Benedict Ronald", or "WHN" (an abbreviation of "What's his name?"), and voted to make him the "Sports Jerk of the Year" in the Tank McNamara
comic strip. Coincidentally, Curry's cousin Almondo "Muffin" Curry
, a cornerback
, later decided to attend Virginia.
Ronald Curry broke several Virginia high school football records while attending Hampton High School. He is considered one of the greatest Virginia high school athletes ever, leading his school to three consecutive state titles in football from 1995 to 1997 and one in basketball in 1998. The 1996 Hampton High School football team went 14-0, outscoring opponents 768-83 including a 51-0 victory over a previously unbeaten Patrick Henry team in the state championship, and is widely considered to be the best team in Virginia history; the 1997 team also went 14-0 and posted similar numbers. Curry also excelled at defensive back and kick returner in addition to his quarterbacking duties. Michael Vick
was in the same district as Curry in high school and was overshadowed by the accomplishments of Curry's team. While Vick was also a highly touted prospect, Curry was almost universally rated higher in recruiting rankings. In an interview, Vick said "I felt pressure to compete against Ronald Curry."
of post-season bowl games, being named the MVP of the 1998 Las Vegas Bowl
and the 2001 Peach Bowl. He also played basketball for two years along with Chicago Bears
' defensive end
Julius Peppers
. Curry went through multiple football coaching changes. He played under 3 different offensive coordinators. In his senior season, his position coach was Gary Tranquill
, who had joined the Tar Heels in 2001 after leaving the Virginia staff when Al Groh
became coach.
, he hauled in 50 receptions for 679 yards before injuring his Achilles tendon
. Before his injury Curry's highlights included 10 receptions in a game against the Colts, a Raiders' season high. He recorded his first 100-yard receiving game with 110 yards on six catches in Week 11 at Denver, then followed that up with a nine-catch, 141-yard performance the next week against Kansas City. He also won the Levitra NFL Play of the Week for his leaping, twisting, one-handed grab in the back of the end zone at Denver in a snowstorm.
After an extensive off-season rehabilitation program to repair his torn tendon, Curry unfortunately re-injured the same tendon in week 2 of the 2005 season against the Chiefs and was lost for the rest of the year. Curry returned in 2006 and proved to be one of the few bright spots on an abysmal 2-14 last-place Raiders team. He led the team in receiving yards and receptions and had one touchdown while only starting a few games.
During the 2006 offseason Curry signed a new 5-year $20 million dollar contract. In 2007 as a starter in Oakland, he opened the regular season with a 10 catch, 133-yard and one touchdown performance.
Curry again underwent surgery on his foot in May 2008 and missed the team's first mandatory minicamp on June 3–5.
In the season opener on Monday Night Football
(September 8, 2008), Curry would catch a 4-yard touchdown reception in the team's lopsided loss to the Denver Broncos
. After a loss to the New Orleans Saints
on October 12, Curry was benched in favor of rookie receiver Chaz Schilens
. However, after an injury to Schilens, Curry started against the Miami Dolphins
on November 16. Curry on that day caught 6 passes for 73 yards and the following week against the Denver Broncos
lined up in the Wildcat formation in the shotgun stance; however, no receiver was open and Curry ran it out of bounds for a gain of one yard.
Curry was released by the Oakland Raiders on February 18, 2009.
on April 16, 2009.
On July 22, 2009, Curry was acquired by the St. Louis Rams
from the Lions in a trade for defensive tackle Orien Harris
. Harris had been acquired from Cincinnati two months earlier in a trade for running back Brian Leonard. The Rams released Curry on September 5, 2009. He reportedly worked out for the Baltimore Ravens on October 13, 2009 but was not signed.
Curry then met a fellow UNC student, junior Stacie Jones, and in March 2001 they became engaged. They married not long after he moved to Oakland after being drafted by the Raiders. In July 2004, they had their first child, a daughter, Raley Camille Curry. Their second daughter, Emery Mattie, followed 3 years later. On February 23, 2010 they had their third child (and first son), Carter Wallace Curry. Carter was born in Mooresville (near Charlotte
area).
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...
, 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 drafted by 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...
in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
after playing 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 North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
.
Curry has also briefly been a member of 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...
and 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,...
.
Early years
Ronald Curry was among the most celebrated athletes ever in the state of Virginia. Nationally, he was among the most sought after recruits in the country. Curry was an All-American in basketball and footballHigh 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....
at Hampton High School
Hampton High School (Hampton, Virginia)
Hampton High School is a public secondary school located in Hampton, Virginia. It is the oldest standing high school in Hampton Public Schools. It contains an International Baccalaureate World School with the Diploma Programme.Hampton high is the first high school in the Hampton city high school...
in Hampton, Virginia, where he was awarded the Dial Award
Dial Award
For the literary award presented by The Dial magazine in the 1920s, see The Dial.The Dial Award was presented annually by the Dial Corporation to the male and female American high-school athlete/scholar of the year.-Awardees:...
for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1997
1997 in sports
1997 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France** Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden-American football:...
. He won the McDonald's Slam Dunk contest and was MVP of the McDonald's All-American game
McDonald's All-American Team
The McDonald's All-American Game refers to each of the all-star basketball games played each year for boys' and girls' high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top American and Canadian players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball...
. By most reports, his high school football coach favored Curry attending the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and focusing on 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...
, while his high school basketball coach favored the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
to develop Curry into a prospect for the NBA. He verbally committed to play both basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
and football to Virginia before signing instead with rival North Carolina. This made him a very unpopular figure among Virginia fans, who referred to him by such terms as "Benedict Curry", "Benedict Ronald", or "WHN" (an abbreviation of "What's his name?"), and voted to make him the "Sports Jerk of the Year" in the Tank McNamara
Tank McNamara
Tank McNamara is a daily syndicated comic strip written by Jeff Millar and illustrated by Bill Hinds. The strip debuted in 1974.The title character is a local sports television reporter who used to be a defensive lineman in the National Football League, hence his name...
comic strip. Coincidentally, Curry's cousin Almondo "Muffin" Curry
Almondo Curry
Almondo Alfonzo Curry is a cornerback in the Canadian Football League. As of 2006, he is a free agent....
, a cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, later decided to attend Virginia.
Ronald Curry broke several Virginia high school football records while attending Hampton High School. He is considered one of the greatest Virginia high school athletes ever, leading his school to three consecutive state titles in football from 1995 to 1997 and one in basketball in 1998. The 1996 Hampton High School football team went 14-0, outscoring opponents 768-83 including a 51-0 victory over a previously unbeaten Patrick Henry team in the state championship, and is widely considered to be the best team in Virginia history; the 1997 team also went 14-0 and posted similar numbers. Curry also excelled at defensive back and kick returner in addition to his quarterbacking duties. Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
was in the same district as Curry in high school and was overshadowed by the accomplishments of Curry's team. While Vick was also a highly touted prospect, Curry was almost universally rated higher in recruiting rankings. In an interview, Vick said "I felt pressure to compete against Ronald Curry."
College career
At North Carolina, during the "Ronald Curry Era," Curry set many records including most career passing yards and most career total yards. He was twice named the most valuable playerMost Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of post-season bowl games, being named the MVP of the 1998 Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
and the 2001 Peach Bowl. He also played basketball for two years along with 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...
' 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...
Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Nicknamed The Freak of Nature, he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
. Curry went through multiple football coaching changes. He played under 3 different offensive coordinators. In his senior season, his position coach was Gary Tranquill
Gary Tranquill
-External links:*...
, who had joined the Tar Heels in 2001 after leaving the Virginia staff when Al Groh
Al Groh
Al Groh is the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. He is also a former head coach of the University of Virginia football team, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and the former head coach of the New York Jets of the NFL...
became coach.
Oakland Raiders
In 2004, as the number 3 receiver behind Jerry PorterJerry Porter (football player)
Jerry Porter is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft, after playing college football at West Virginia...
, he hauled in 50 receptions for 679 yards before injuring his Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. Before his injury Curry's highlights included 10 receptions in a game against the Colts, a Raiders' season high. He recorded his first 100-yard receiving game with 110 yards on six catches in Week 11 at Denver, then followed that up with a nine-catch, 141-yard performance the next week against Kansas City. He also won the Levitra NFL Play of the Week for his leaping, twisting, one-handed grab in the back of the end zone at Denver in a snowstorm.
After an extensive off-season rehabilitation program to repair his torn tendon, Curry unfortunately re-injured the same tendon in week 2 of the 2005 season against the Chiefs and was lost for the rest of the year. Curry returned in 2006 and proved to be one of the few bright spots on an abysmal 2-14 last-place Raiders team. He led the team in receiving yards and receptions and had one touchdown while only starting a few games.
During the 2006 offseason Curry signed a new 5-year $20 million dollar contract. In 2007 as a starter in Oakland, he opened the regular season with a 10 catch, 133-yard and one touchdown performance.
Curry again underwent surgery on his foot in May 2008 and missed the team's first mandatory minicamp on June 3–5.
In the season opener on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
(September 8, 2008), Curry would catch a 4-yard touchdown reception in the team's lopsided loss to 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...
. After a loss to the 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 ....
on October 12, Curry was benched in favor of rookie receiver Chaz Schilens
Chaz Schilens
Chazeray "Chaz" Schilens is an American football wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Raiders in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
. However, after an injury to Schilens, Curry started against 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...
on November 16. Curry on that day caught 6 passes for 73 yards and the following week 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...
lined up in the Wildcat formation in the shotgun stance; however, no receiver was open and Curry ran it out of bounds for a gain of one yard.
Curry was released by the Oakland Raiders on February 18, 2009.
Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Baltimore Ravens
Curry was signed by the Detroit LionsDetroit 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 April 16, 2009.
On July 22, 2009, Curry was acquired by 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,...
from the Lions in a trade for defensive tackle Orien Harris
Orien Harris
Orien J. Harris is an American football defensive tackle for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.Harris has also been a member of the...
. Harris had been acquired from Cincinnati two months earlier in a trade for running back Brian Leonard. The Rams released Curry on September 5, 2009. He reportedly worked out for the Baltimore Ravens on October 13, 2009 but was not signed.
Personal
Curry was raised by his grandparents until Mattie Curry, his grandmother, became too ill to parent him full time. Ron and Almondo Curry were then taken in by Lillian Crawford, the great-grandmother of their very good friend Kenneth Crawford. The Curries remained very close to their grandmother until her death in October 2000, days before a UNC football game against Virginia - the school that Curry declined to attend in favor of UNC after initially committing.Curry then met a fellow UNC student, junior Stacie Jones, and in March 2001 they became engaged. They married not long after he moved to Oakland after being drafted by the Raiders. In July 2004, they had their first child, a daughter, Raley Camille Curry. Their second daughter, Emery Mattie, followed 3 years later. On February 23, 2010 they had their third child (and first son), Carter Wallace Curry. Carter was born in Mooresville (near Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
area).