Vinny Sutherland
Encyclopedia
Vincent Joseph Sutherland (born April 22, 1978) is a former professional American football
player who played wide receiver
for two seasons in the National Football League
for the Atlanta Falcons
, San Francisco 49ers
and Chicago Bears
. He was a standout receiver and kick returner for Purdue University
from 1997-2000. He also played for the Arena Football League
's New York Dragons
.
At the time of his graduation in 2001, his 13 receiving touchdowns were a school record for one season. That record was tied in 2002 by John Standeford
, and broken in 2004 by Taylor Stubblefield
. He also still holds school records for punt return average in a season, punt returns for touchdowns in a season/career, and the longest reception in Purdue history.
in West Palm Beach, Florida. There he particiated in both football and track and field
. As a senior, he averaged better than 34 yards per touch of the ball and finished with 500 yards rushing on 53 carries and 600 yards on 29 receptions. He also played as a defensive back
. He scored a total of 14 touchdowns as the Rams finished 9-3, winning a district championship and advanced to quarterfinals of state playoffs. After the season, he was named to the Class 6A second team all-state, first team all-area and made Florida’s Super 11 Team. For Track & Field, Sutherland was all-state and all-county in both junior and senior years. He ran a high school career best 10.4 100m dash in senior season.
head coach, Joe Tiller
. He played in all 12 games and started three times as a true freshman. He finished the season ranked third on team with 34 receptions for 357 yards with two touchdowns. His two best cames came against Notre Dame
and Ball State
when he halled in eight catches. The Notre Dame game also was his best yardage game of the season, as he had career-high 100 receiving yards. Joe Tillers' passing attack, often called "basketball on grass," specialized in bubble screen pass. Which played well for a smaller receiver like Sutherland. He registered 13 rushing attempts (usually bubble screen that resulted in an official lateral) for 111 yards (fourth on team) with two touchdowns. He also served as the team's punt returner, finishing the season ranked sixth in Big Ten with 9.8-yard punt return average. He also had one kickoff return for 19 yards. He attempted two passes on reverse plays, completing one for 20 yards. He was named a 2nd Team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
, when he caught a career-high two touchdown passes and downed two punts inside Indiana’s 5-yard line. His efforts for the week earned him Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
honors, as well as Purdue’s Pop Doan Award for special teams.
Drew Brees
in a game against Northwestern
, which is still the longest pass in NCAA history. After the season he was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten by media.
against the Washington Huskies
. Purdue would go on to lose the game 34-24, but Sutherland had two touchdown receptions in the game, tying a Rose Bowl record. He went on to be named first team all-Big Ten as a wide receiver and second team all Big Ten as a returner. At the time of his graduation, his 13 receiving touchdowns were a school record for one season. That record was tied in 2002 by John Standeford
, and broken in 2004 by Taylor Stubblefield
. He also holds school records for punt return average in a season, punt returns for touchdowns in a season/career, and the longest reception in Purdue history.
, Sutherland was projected to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round by NFLDraftScout.com. He was rated as the eightenth-best wide receiver in the draft. He was invited to the 2001 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
, where he posted the following numbers during his workouts:
in the 5th round (136th overall). He was expected to replace Tim Dwight
, who had been the team's kickoff and punt returner, but failed to make the team out of the preseason and was cut in August.
. The 49ers were also looking for return help, and used Sutherland as the primary return man for both kickoffs and punts. For the season, he returned 50 kickoffs for 1,140 yards (a 49ers rookie record) and 21 punts for 147 yards with no touchdowns. He saw limited action playing as a wide receiver as he only had one catch for 5 yards, and added one carry for 16 yards. In the offseason, he was involved in a car accident, along with Kevin Curtis and Josh Shaw. Sutherland was arrested and charged with both driving under the influence
of alcohol
and a felony
hit-and-run
after an early-morning single-car accident in Saratoga, California
. None of the players were seriously injuried. Sutherland came back to camp the following fall, but was released on August 27th after suffering a hamstring injury.
Sutherland didn't play until his 4th week with the team, when he returned 3 kickoffs in a game against the Detriot Lions, for an average of 16.3 yards a return. He was released 4 days later.
of the Arena Football League
. Sutherland appeared in the team's first 3 games, grabbing 7 passes for 82 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had 2 carries for 2 yards. His arena football
days were short lived, as he was released on February 23rd.
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 who played 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...
for two seasons 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...
for 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...
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and 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 was a standout receiver and kick returner for Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
from 1997-2000. He also played for the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
's New York Dragons
New York Dragons
The New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
.
At the time of his graduation in 2001, his 13 receiving touchdowns were a school record for one season. That record was tied in 2002 by John Standeford
John Standeford
John William Standeford is an American football wide receiver for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
, and broken in 2004 by Taylor Stubblefield
Taylor Stubblefield
Taylor Evans Stubblefield is a former American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He left Purdue owning the most receptions in NCAA history. Stubblefield is currently a wide receivers coach at Central Michigan University. A...
. He also still holds school records for punt return average in a season, punt returns for touchdowns in a season/career, and the longest reception in Purdue history.
Early life
Sutherland attended Palm Beach Lakes High SchoolPalm Beach Lakes Community High School
Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, also known as Lakes or PBL, is a coeducational Public High School located in the Palm Beach Lakes community of West Palm Beach, Florida. It is under the jurisdiction of the School District of Palm Beach County. It was founded in 1908 as Palm Beach High School...
in West Palm Beach, Florida. There he particiated in both football and track and field
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...
. As a senior, he averaged better than 34 yards per touch of the ball and finished with 500 yards rushing on 53 carries and 600 yards on 29 receptions. He also played as a defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. He scored a total of 14 touchdowns as the Rams finished 9-3, winning a district championship and advanced to quarterfinals of state playoffs. After the season, he was named to the Class 6A second team all-state, first team all-area and made Florida’s Super 11 Team. For Track & Field, Sutherland was all-state and all-county in both junior and senior years. He ran a high school career best 10.4 100m dash in senior season.
1997 season
Sutherland choose to play his continue both his football and track and field career by signing a letter of intent to play for new Purdue BoilermakersPurdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
head coach, Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wyoming from 1991 to 1996 and Purdue University from 1997 to 2008, compliling a career college football record of 126–92–1...
. He played in all 12 games and started three times as a true freshman. He finished the season ranked third on team with 34 receptions for 357 yards with two touchdowns. His two best cames came against Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
and Ball State
Ball State Cardinals football
The Ball State Cardinals football team represents Ball State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Mid-American Conference .-Recent history:...
when he halled in eight catches. The Notre Dame game also was his best yardage game of the season, as he had career-high 100 receiving yards. Joe Tillers' passing attack, often called "basketball on grass," specialized in bubble screen pass. Which played well for a smaller receiver like Sutherland. He registered 13 rushing attempts (usually bubble screen that resulted in an official lateral) for 111 yards (fourth on team) with two touchdowns. He also served as the team's punt returner, finishing the season ranked sixth in Big Ten with 9.8-yard punt return average. He also had one kickoff return for 19 yards. He attempted two passes on reverse plays, completing one for 20 yards. He was named a 2nd Team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
1998 season
Sutherland received Purdue’s Most Improved Offensive Player Award for 1999 spring practice. As a sophomore, he played in all 13 games, starting one. He had 31 receptions for 301 yards with three touchdowns as well as nine rushes for 58 yards. He once again served as the team's punter returner, returning 10 punts for 82 yards. He best game of the season came against IndianaIndiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
, when he caught a career-high two touchdown passes and downed two punts inside Indiana’s 5-yard line. His efforts for the week earned him Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
Player of the Week
The Player of the Week award is a Major League Baseball award named by each of the American and National Leagues each week of the regular season...
honors, as well as Purdue’s Pop Doan Award for special teams.
1999 season
As a junior, Sutherland started all 12 games, and ranked second on team with 698 receiving yards and fourth with 39 receptions, to Chris Daniels, who set a school record in both categories. He also tied for team lead with seven touchdown receptions (also Chris Daniels). He ranked seventh in Big Ten with 58.2 receiving yards per game, and led Big Ten with school-record average of 16.4 yards per punt return, which still stands as the Purdue record for punt return yardage average for one season. His two punt returns for touchdowns were also a Purdue record. His 17.4 yards per punt return during regular season to rank third nationally, and had school-record two punt returns for touchdowns. He also caught a 99 yard TD pass from quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
in a game against Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
, which is still the longest pass in NCAA history. After the season he was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten by media.
2000 season
As a senior, Sutherland started 11 games, missing one game with an injury. He was still able to lead Purdue in receptions (72), receiving yards (1,014), touchdowns (14), all-purpose yards (1,760) and scoring (84). His regular season numbers were enough to make him a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, the nations top receiver. His play also assisted the Boilermakers to win the Big Ten conference during the regular season, which allowed them to be invited to the 2001 Rose Bowl2001 Rose Bowl
The 2001 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2001. It was the 87th Rose Bowl game. The University of Washington Huskies football team defeated the Purdue University Boilermakers football team 34-24...
against the Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
. Purdue would go on to lose the game 34-24, but Sutherland had two touchdown receptions in the game, tying a Rose Bowl record. He went on to be named first team all-Big Ten as a wide receiver and second team all Big Ten as a returner. At the time of his graduation, his 13 receiving touchdowns were a school record for one season. That record was tied in 2002 by John Standeford
John Standeford
John William Standeford is an American football wide receiver for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
, and broken in 2004 by Taylor Stubblefield
Taylor Stubblefield
Taylor Evans Stubblefield is a former American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He left Purdue owning the most receptions in NCAA history. Stubblefield is currently a wide receivers coach at Central Michigan University. A...
. He also holds school records for punt return average in a season, punt returns for touchdowns in a season/career, and the longest reception in Purdue history.
Statistics
Source:| Receiving | Rushing | Passing | Kickoff Returns | Punt Returns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Avg | Long | Yds | TD | Yds | TD | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team The 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. They played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and were members of the Big Ten Conference.-Schedule:... | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 3 | 12 | 34 | 357 | 10.5 | 2 | 38 | 13 | 111 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 15 | 147 | 9.8 | 0 | 23 | |||||
| 1998 1998 Purdue Boilermakers football team The 1998 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. They played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and were members of the Big Ten Conference.-Schedule:... | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 1 | 13 | 31 | 301 | 9.7 | 3 | 30 | 9 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 10 | 82 | 8.2 | 0 | 21 | |||||
| 1999 1999 Purdue Boilermakers football team The 1999 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. They played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and were members of the Big Ten Conference.-Schedule:... | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 12 | 12 | 39 | 698 | 17.9 | 7 | 99 | 18 | 163 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 13 | 18 | 296 | 16.4 | 2 | 66 | |||||
| 2000 2000 Purdue Boilermakers football team The 2000 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season. Purdue finished as tri-champions of the Big Ten Conference and earned a berth in the Rose Bowl, the Boilermakers' first appearance in Pasadena since 1967.-Season:The season was... | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 11 | 11 | 72 | 1,014 | 14.1 | 13 | 68 | 10 | 52 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 535 | 24.3 | 0 | 51 | 16 | 159 | 9.9 | 0 | 39 | |||||
| Totals | 27 | 48 | 176 | 2,370 | 13.5 | 25 | 99 | 50 | 384 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 567 | 23.6 | 0 | 51 | 59 | 684 | 11.6 | 2 | 66 | ||||||
- Numbers in Bold are Purdue school records
Pre-draft
Prior to the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
, Sutherland was projected to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round by NFLDraftScout.com. He was rated as the eightenth-best wide receiver in the draft. He was invited to the 2001 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, where he posted the following numbers during his workouts:
Atlanta Falcons
Sutherland was drafted by 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...
in the 5th round (136th overall). He was expected to replace Tim Dwight
Tim Dwight
Timothy Deutch Dwight, Jr. is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
, who had been the team's kickoff and punt returner, but failed to make the team out of the preseason and was cut in August.
San Francisco 49ers
Sutherland was quickly signed in September 2001 by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. The 49ers were also looking for return help, and used Sutherland as the primary return man for both kickoffs and punts. For the season, he returned 50 kickoffs for 1,140 yards (a 49ers rookie record) and 21 punts for 147 yards with no touchdowns. He saw limited action playing as a wide receiver as he only had one catch for 5 yards, and added one carry for 16 yards. In the offseason, he was involved in a car accident, along with Kevin Curtis and Josh Shaw. Sutherland was arrested and charged with both driving under the influence
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and a felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
hit-and-run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
after an early-morning single-car accident in Saratoga, California
Saratoga, California
Saratoga is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is located on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley, directly west of San Jose, in the San Francisco Bay area. The population was 29,926 at the 2010 census....
. None of the players were seriously injuried. Sutherland came back to camp the following fall, but was released on August 27th after suffering a hamstring injury.
Chicago Bears
After he was let go by the 49ers, Sutherland quickly caught on with the Chicago BearsChicago 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...
Sutherland didn't play until his 4th week with the team, when he returned 3 kickoffs in a game against the Detriot Lions, for an average of 16.3 yards a return. He was released 4 days later.
Return to San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers re-sgned Sutherland on December 31st, 2002, but he did not appear in any games.New York Dragons
In 2004, Sutherland signed with the New York DragonsNew York Dragons
The New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
. Sutherland appeared in the team's first 3 games, grabbing 7 passes for 82 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had 2 carries for 2 yards. His arena football
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
days were short lived, as he was released on February 23rd.