Ryan Moats
Encyclopedia
Ryan Moats is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Louisiana Tech.
Moats has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals
, Houston Texans
and Minnesota Vikings
.
in Dallas. While there he was a two sport athlete in both football
and track and field. He ran a 10.9 in the 100 meter dash for track. In football, he won All-State (private school
) honors, the Dominic Norman Award, given to a player who demonstrates excellent leadership, and the Dave Campbell Texas Player of the Year. He rushed for a school record 4,782 yards, and 56 touchdown
s. Moats was also named Offensive MVP of the DFW All-Star game, following his senior season at Bishop Lynch.
In addition to being named the Offensive MVP of the DFW All-Star game, Moats was voted MVP of the 2006 Main Mein's squad and was widely regarded as the steal of the draft.
at Louisiana Tech University
, playing 32 games over three seasons. He was named Western Athletic Conference
Offensive Player of the Year in 2004.
in the third round (77th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
. Following injury to starter
Brian Westbrook
, Moats was given the opportunity play in the latter half of the 2005 season
. On December 11 he scored a 40-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game, his first NFL touchdown, and finished with 114 yards on 11 carries in a 26-23 loss to the New York Giants
.
Moats saw limited playing time during the 2006 season
and missed the entire 2007 season
after breaking his ankle
during the Eagles' first preseason game.
On August 29, 2008, Moats was waived by the Eagles during final cuts.
on September 16, 2008. He was released on October 1.
on October 8, 2008 when the team released practice squad Running back
D. D. Terry
. Moats was promoted to the active roster on October 25 after the team waived running back Darius Walker
. Moats got his first carry of the 2008 season in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings
. Moats was promoted to second on the depth chart because of an injury to Ahman Green
. In week 8 of the 2009 season Moats scored three touchdowns after replacing starting running back Steve Slaton
. Moats ended with 126 yards on 23 carries. He was named starting running back for the week's following game at Indianapolis. He was waived on June 10, 2010.
on June 15, 2010. He was waived on August 24.
. When they were informed that Collinsworth was close to death, Moats, his wife Tamishia (Collinsworth's daughter) and other family members rushed to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, Texas
. After driving through a red light
, Moats was stopped by Dallas Police Department
officer Robert Powell, who delayed him for 13 minutes outside the hospital's emergency room, even after Moats's explanation was corroborated by a hospital nurse. By the time Moats reached Collinsworth, she had died.
When asked if he felt that Powell should be fired, Moats said, "I really don't know. All I know is what he did was wrong. I mean, he stole a moment away from me that I can never get back. I'm really not the judge on what should happen to him. I think maybe his superiors and the Dallas police should handle what should happen to him."
The police chief and Powell issued an apology to the Moats' family and the traffic charge was later dismissed. Police officials investigated Powell's actions; he was placed on administrative leave but later resigned from the department.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
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 drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. 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 Tech.
Moats has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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...
and 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...
.
Early years
Moats attended Bishop Lynch High SchoolBishop Lynch High School
Bishop Lynch High School is a co-educational Catholic high school founded by the Dominican Order in east Dallas, Texas . It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas. It opened in 1963 with 365 students and now has over 1,000 students. In keeping with its Dominican tradition, the school...
in Dallas. While there he was a two sport athlete 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 and field. He ran a 10.9 in the 100 meter dash for track. In football, he won All-State (private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
) honors, the Dominic Norman Award, given to a player who demonstrates excellent leadership, and the Dave Campbell Texas Player of the Year. He rushed for a school record 4,782 yards, and 56 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:...
s. Moats was also named Offensive MVP of the DFW All-Star game, following his senior season at Bishop Lynch.
In addition to being named the Offensive MVP of the DFW All-Star game, Moats was voted MVP of the 2006 Main Mein's squad and was widely regarded as the steal of the draft.
College career
Moats then played college footballCollege 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 Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, playing 32 games over three seasons. He was named Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
Offensive Player of the Year in 2004.
Philadelphia Eagles
Moats was drafted by the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the third round (77th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. Following injury to starter
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...
Brian Westbrook
Brian Westbrook
Brian Collins Westbrook is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at Villanova...
, Moats was given the opportunity play in the latter half of the 2005 season
2005 Philadelphia Eagles season
-Schedule:-Week 1: at Atlanta Falcons:at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Eagles' 2005 season-opener on Monday Night Football was more famous for what happened before the game, when Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was ejected for a scuffle near mid-field during pre-game warmups...
. On December 11 he scored a 40-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game, his first NFL touchdown, and finished with 114 yards on 11 carries in a 26-23 loss to 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...
.
Moats saw limited playing time during the 2006 season
2006 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2006 Philadelphia Eagles season ended in the Eagles finishing 10–6, reclaiming the NFC East, and winning a playoff game at home. The season ended in a Divisional Round playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints, but was seen as a success in the face of the adversity of losing starting quarterback...
and missed the entire 2007 season
2007 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2007 Philadelphia Eagles season marked the 75th anniversary of the Eagles franchise. The team compiled an 8–8 record and a last-place finish in the NFC East....
after breaking his ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
during the Eagles' first preseason game.
On August 29, 2008, Moats was waived by the Eagles during final cuts.
Arizona Cardinals
Moats was signed to the practice squad of the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 16, 2008. He was released on October 1.
Houston Texans
Moats was signed to the practice squad of the Houston TexansHouston 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...
on October 8, 2008 when the team released practice squad Running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
D. D. Terry
D. D. Terry
D. D. Terry is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
. Moats was promoted to the active roster on October 25 after the team waived running back Darius Walker
Darius Walker
Darius A'Dunte Walker is an American football running back who is a free agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Notre Dame.Walker has also been a member of the St...
. Moats got his first carry of the 2008 season in Week 8 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...
. Moats was promoted to second on the depth chart because of an injury to Ahman Green
Ahman Green
Ahman Rashad Green is a retired American football running back. He is the all-time leading rusher for the Green Bay Packers. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
. In week 8 of the 2009 season Moats scored three touchdowns after replacing starting running back Steve Slaton
Steve Slaton
Steve Slaton is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
. Moats ended with 126 yards on 23 carries. He was named starting running back for the week's following game at Indianapolis. He was waived on June 10, 2010.
Minnesota Vikings
Moats was claimed off waivers by 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...
on June 15, 2010. He was waived on August 24.
March 2009 police stop
In early March, 2009, Moats's mother-in-law, Jonetta Collinsworth, died from breast cancerBreast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. When they were informed that Collinsworth was close to death, Moats, his wife Tamishia (Collinsworth's daughter) and other family members rushed to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, Texas
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
. After driving through a red light
Red light
Red light may refer to:Films:* Red Light, a 1949 crime film starring George Raft* Redlight, a 2009 documentary of the Redlight Children Campaign* Red Lights , a 2004 French film, also known as Feux rouges...
, Moats was stopped by Dallas Police Department
Dallas Police Department
The Dallas Police Department, established in 1881, is the principal law enforcement agency serving the city of Dallas, Texas.-Organization:The department is headed by a chief of police who is appointed by the city manager who, in turn, is hired by the Dallas City Council...
officer Robert Powell, who delayed him for 13 minutes outside the hospital's emergency room, even after Moats's explanation was corroborated by a hospital nurse. By the time Moats reached Collinsworth, she had died.
When asked if he felt that Powell should be fired, Moats said, "I really don't know. All I know is what he did was wrong. I mean, he stole a moment away from me that I can never get back. I'm really not the judge on what should happen to him. I think maybe his superiors and the Dallas police should handle what should happen to him."
The police chief and Powell issued an apology to the Moats' family and the traffic charge was later dismissed. Police officials investigated Powell's actions; he was placed on administrative leave but later resigned from the department.