NoteCARDS:
- Signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals on 7/29/11 as a free agent after spending his first five seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
- Appeared in all 16 games (10 starts) for the Cardinals in 2011 and posted 27 receptions for 271 yards and three TDs. His 27 receptions and three TD receptions were team highs among TEs while his three TDs also tied his career high (2009).
- During his first game with the Cardinals, caught a career-long 48-yard TD pass in the Week 1 victory over the Panthers, his former team.
- With TD receptions of 48 yards and 21 yards in 2011, became the first Cardinals TE with multiple TD receptions of 20+ yards in a single season since Chris Gedney in 1997.
- Has appeared in all 16 games during each of the last five seasons and dating back to his rookie campaign in 2006, has appeared in 88 consecutive games.
- During the ’11 season with Arizona, helped lead the way for RB Beanie Wells to rush for a career-high 1,047 yards and become the first Cardinals player in history to rush for 1,000 yards and 10 TDs in a single season. Also a key component in Wells franchise record 228-yard performance against the Rams in Week 12 of the ’11 season.
- Served as a key blocker for a Panthers rushing attack that finished third in the NFL in total yards in both 2008 (2,437) and 2009 (2,498). Carolina’s 4,935 rushing yards between 2008-09 were the most in the NFL during that span.
- Has caught at least one pass in 76 of his 92 career games played and has hauled in multiple passes 42 different times.
- During his junior year at Virginia Tech, played in 16 games with the Hokies basketball team.
Pro Career:
Originally selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round (155th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech, played five seasons in Carolina. Signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals as an unrestricted free agent on 7/29/11.
2011: During his debut season with the Cardinals, played in all 16 games with 10 starts … led all Cardinal TEs with 27 catches for 271 yards and a career-high-tying three TDs … also had five special teams tackles … started at TE and had two receptions for 61 yards and a TD against former team vs. Car (9/11); 48-yard TD catch in the third quarter tied the game at 14 and was the longest reception of his career … caught two passes for 36 yards, including a 21-yard TD in the first quarter @ Was (9/18); marked his third straight game with a TD reception, the longest streak of his career … played at TE and on special teams and had one special teams tackle @ Sea (9/25); marked his 75th consecutive game played … posted a season-high five receptions for 35 yards @ Min (10/9); also had one special teams tackle … tied for the team lead with three catches for 29 yards @ Bal (10/30) … started at TE and had four receptions for 26 yards @ Phi (11/13) … started at TE for the third straight game @ SF (11/20) … started at TE and recorded a 24-yard reception vs. Cle (12/18) … caught a two-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter @ Cin (12/24); marked his third TD reception of the season, tying his career high (2009) … recorded two receptions for 12 yards in the season finale vs. Sea (1/1/12).
2010: Started all 16 games for the Panthers for the second time in his career, the fourth straight season he played in all 16 games ... posted 19 receptions for 121 yards and TD and served as key blocker for a Panthers offense that generated more than 100 yards rushing in eight of the last nine games, with a season-high 212 yards versus Atlanta … returned one kickoff for 11 yards and made one tackle on special teams ... capped the fifth-fastest TD drive in team history (0:07) with a 16-yard TD reception vs. Ari (12/19) ... scored the Panthers only TD on a two-yard reception @ Atl (1/2/11).
2009: For the third straight season, appeared in all 16 games with 15 starts ... posted 25 receptions for 200 yards and three TDs ... returned three kickoffs for 37 yards ... helped Panthers average 156.1 rushing yards per game and establish team records with 2,498 rushing yards, 525 rushing attempts and 123 rushing first downs ... caught two passes for a season-high 38 yards, including a career-long 32-yard reception @ Atl (9/20) … hauled in two catches for 30 yards, including a 17-yard TD reception vs. Was (10/11) ... the following week, caught two passes for eight yards, including a six-yard TD reception @ TB (10/18) ... pulled in a two-yard TD reception on his only catch of the day @ NYG (12/27).
2008: For the second consecutive season, appeared in all 16 games with 15 starts and also started the NFC Divisional matchup ... totaled 21 receptions for 195 yards and a TD ... served as a key blocker for a running game that piled up 2,437 yards, the second-highest total in franchise history and the third-best total in the NFL in ’08 … helped RB DeAngelo Williams rush for a franchise record 1,515 yards and NFL-leading 18 TDs ... hauled in a 23-yard reception to the Bears one-yard line with 4:43 remaining in game that set up game-winning TD run in 20-17 victory vs. Chi (9/14) ... caught three passes for a season-high 41 yards, including a 31-yarder in the third quarter that led to Carolina's first TD vs. Ari (10/26) ... hauled in a 15-yard TD catch vs. Det (11/16) and helped clear running lanes for team's 264-yard rushing effort that included two 100-yard rushers ... blocking contributed to Panthers record-setting 299-yard rushing performance vs. TB (12/8) ... part of offense that produced a season-high 478 yards, including 234 rushing yards @ NO (12/28) ... started at TE in first postseason appearance in the NFC Divisional game vs. Ari (1/10/09)
2007: Started all 16 games for Carolina during his second NFL season, posting career-highs with 46 receptions for 406 yards, two TDs ... became the first Panthers TE since Wesley Walls (43 rec., 452 yards in 2001) to exceed 40 catches and 400 receiving yards in a season ... ranked seventh among NFC TEs in receptions ... caught at least one pass in 15 games and multiple passes in 13 of 16 games … key member of an offense that produced 1,824 rushing yards, the second-highest single-season total in team history (2,091 yards in 2003) ... helped the Panthers rush for at least 114 yards in six of the team's seven wins and at least 100 yards in eight of 16 games ... in the season opener, caught five passes for 35 yards @ StL (9/9) … hauled in a five-yard TD from Jake Delhomme and finished the game with four receptions for 56 yards @ Atl (9/23) ... registered a career-high 10 catches for 82 yards vs. Ind (10/28), tying the team single-game record for most receptions by a TE, a mark previously established by Walls at San Francisco (10/07/01) ... hauled in a one-yard TD pass from Vinny Testaverde vs. SF (12/2).
2006: Played in 12 games and was inactive for four others during his rookie campaign ... his lone catch was a one-yard TD at Atlanta ... saw action as a reserve TE and on special teams ... one of three rookie draft choices to score a TD for the Panthers, joining DeAngelo Williams and Richard Marshall ... hauled in his first career reception, a one-yard toss from Chris Weinke @ Atl (12/24).
College:
Appeared in 53 games with 28 starts for Virginia Tech and totaled 58 receptions for 724 yards and 12 TDs ... established a school record for TD catches by a TE with 12, bettering the previous mark of eight ... blocked three kicks on special teams ... as a senior in ’05, earned second-team All-ACC honors after starting all 13 games and recording a career-high 26 catches for 292 yards and six TDs, a school single-season record for TEs ... became the first player in school history to catch a TD pass in four consecutive games ... blocked a FG against Georgia Tech that the Hokies returned for a TD ... earned second-team All-ACC honors as a junior in ’04 after starting all 13 games and posting 25 receptions for 304 yards and four TDs ... as a sophomore in ’03, played in 13 games with two starts and registered six catches for 109 yards and a TD ... blocked a FG against Rutgers ... appeared in all 14 games as a freshman in ’02 and had one reception, a 19-yard TD against Arkansas State ... redshirted as a freshman in ‘01.
Personal:
Attended Pulaski County (VA) High School where his jersey number (82) was retired on January 11, 2011 … played TE and DE for the Cougars, while also starring on the basketball court, compiling over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds … also performed in the shot put for one season, qualifying for the state meet … graduated with a bachelor's degree in Finance and master's degree in Education.
