Eric Metcalf
Eric Quinn Metcalf is a former American football player who was primarily known as a return specialist, but played running back and wide receiver in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at the University of Texas.
High school career
Metcalf attended Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in Arlington County, Virginia. In high school Metcalf competed in both football and track and field.College career
Metcalf attended and played college football at the University of Texas at Austin where he was an All-Southwest Conference selection three times. He was the 1987 Southwest Conference player of the year and a second team All-American. He is the only player in Texas history to lead the team in all-purpose yards all four years. He holds every school receiving record for a running back.Metcalf also had a distinguished career in track and field. In high school, he was a standout long jumper and sprinter, and still has the seventh longest distance ever posted indoors by an American high schooler with a jump of 7.75 meters. He also recorded personal-bests of 10.54 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.34 in the 200 meters.
He set the University of Texas at Austin's long jump record at 8.44 meters. He won the NCAA National Long Jump Championship in 1986 and 1988 and the SWC Long Jump titles in 1986 and 1987. He was also the Us Jr. National Long Jump Champion in 1986 and 1987. He earned the distinction of being a five-time All-American and in 1988 competed in the USA Olympic Trials, finishing 8th overall.
Professional career
A multi-talented player, Metcalf excelled at offense and as a returner on special teams. In his second NFL season, he led the league in kickoff return yards and return touchdowns. He also led the NFL in punt return touchdowns in four different seasons. Overall, Metcalf finished his career with 2,392 rushing yards, 541 receptions for 5,572 yards, 3,453 punt return yards, and 5,813 yards returning kickoffs. This gave him a total of 17,230 all-purpose yards, ranking him among the NFL's top 10 in that category at the time of his retirement. He also scored 55 touchdowns. His 12 returns for touchdowns are the third most in NFL history behind Devin Hester and Brian Mitchell. Metcalf's 10 punt return touchdowns were an NFL record, until October 2, 2011 when Devin Hester broke it against the Carolina Panthers. He is the only player ever to have 7,000+ yards on offense and 7,000+ yards on kickoff/punt returns.Metcalf was traded along with two first round and one second round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers to the Arizona Cardinals for moving one spot in the 1998 NFL Draft to pick quarterback Ryan Leaf.
NFL statistics
Receiving statistics| Year | Team | Games | Receptions | Yards | Yards per Reception | Longest Reception | Touchdowns | First Downs | Fumbles | Fumbles Lost |
| 1989 | CLE | 16 | 54 | 397 | 7.4 | 68 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | CLE | 16 | 57 | 452 | 7.9 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | CLE | 8 | 29 | 294 | 10.1 | 45 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | CLE | 16 | 47 | 614 | 13.1 | 69 | 5 | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 1993 | CLE | 16 | 63 | 539 | 8.6 | 49 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 1 |
| 1994 | CLE | 16 | 47 | 436 | 9.3 | 57 | 3 | 21 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 | ATL | 16 | 104 | 1,189 | 11.4 | 62 | 8 | 53 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | ATL | 16 | 54 | 599 | 11.1 | 67 | 6 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | SD | 16 | 40 | 576 | 14.4 | 62 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 | ARI | 16 | 31 | 324 | 10.5 | 29 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | CAR | 16 | 11 | 133 | 12.1 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | WSH | 10 | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 179 | 541 | 5,572 | 10.3 | 69 | 31 | 214 | 6 | 5 |
Returning statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Punt Return Attempts | Punt Return Yards | Punts Returned for Touchdown | Punts Fair Caught | Longest Punt Return | Kickoff Return Attempts | Kickoff Return Yards | Kickoffs Returned for Touchdown | Kickoffs Fair Caught | Longest Kickoff Return |
| 1989 | CLE | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 718 | 0 | 0 | 49 |
| 1990 | CLE | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 1,052 | 2 | 0 | 101 |
| 1991 | CLE | 8 | 12 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 23 | 351 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 1992 | CLE | 16 | 44 | 429 | 1 | 10 | 75 | 9 | 157 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 1993 | CLE | 16 | 36 | 464 | 2 | 11 | 91 | 15 | 318 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| 1994 | CLE | 16 | 35 | 348 | 2 | 6 | 92 | 9 | 210 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| 1995 | ATL | 16 | 39 | 383 | 1 | 14 | 66 | 12 | 278 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| 1996 | ATL | 16 | 27 | 296 | 0 | 9 | 39 | 49 | 1,034 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 1997 | SD | 16 | 45 | 489 | 3 | 8 | 85 | 16 | 355 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| 1998 | ARI | 16 | 43 | 295 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 57 | 1,218 | 0 | 0 | 59 |
| 1999 | CAR | 16 | 34 | 238 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 4 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| 2001 | WSH | 10 | 33 | 412 | 1 | 5 | 89 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 2002 | GB | 1 | 3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Career | 179 | 351 | 3,453 | 10 | 89 | 92 | 280 | 5,813 | 2 | 0 | 101 |
Rushing statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Carries | Yards | Yards per Carry | Longest Carry | Touchdowns | First Downs | Fumbles | Fumbles Lost |
| 1989 | CLE | 16 | 187 | 633 | 3.4 | 43 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | CLE | 16 | 80 | 248 | 3.1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | CLE | 8 | 30 | 107 | 3.6 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | CLE | 16 | 73 | 301 | 4.1 | 31 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 1993 | CLE | 16 | 129 | 611 | 4.7 | 55 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 2 |
| 1994 | CLE | 16 | 93 | 329 | 3.5 | 37 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 | ATL | 16 | 28 | 133 | 4.8 | 23 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | ATL | 16 | 3 | 8 | 2.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | SD | 16 | 3 | -5 | -1.7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | CAR | 16 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | GB | 1 | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 179 | 630 | 2,392 | 3.8 | 55 | 12 | 62 | 4 | 3 |
Personal life
Metcalf coached football at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Washington; in the 2005-2006 season he helped lead the team to the state semi-finals. He also started an elite high school track and field club called Seatown Express. Metcalf has also assisted with coaching the University of Washington track and field team.Eric is the son of former NFL player Terry Metcalf.