Alonzo Highsmith
Encyclopedia
Alonzo Walter Highsmith (born February 26, 1965 in Bartow
, Florida
) is a former professional American football
running back
in the National Football League
for the Houston Oilers
, Dallas Cowboys
, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. He played college football
at the University of Miami
and was drafted
in the first round (third overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft
.
seasons from 1987 to 1992 for the Oilers, Cowboys, and Buccaneers. Due to a series of knee injuries, Highsmith retired from professional football after the 1992 football season.
Alonzo was interviewed about his time at the University of Miami for the documentary The U
, which premiered December 12th, 2009 on ESPN
.
.
with his wife, Denise Highsmith, and he is the father of 5 children. He currently is a scout
for the Green Bay Packers
.
, was also a successful football player and coach. He, like Alonzo, played for the Oilers in 1972. He also played for the Montreal Alouettes and Alonzo played football and basketball in Montreal as a teenager. Walter was also the former head coach of Texas Southern University
and has enjoyed several coaching stints in college football and the CFL
. One of Highsmith's sons, Brandon Thermilus, is a running back at the University at Buffalo. Another of his sons, A.J. is a quarterback for the University of Miami. Another of his sons, also named Alonzo Highsmith, currently plays linebacker for the University of Arkansas. Highsmith's cousin, Ali Highsmith
, currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals
.
Bartow, Florida
Bartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) is a former professional American football
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...
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 Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. 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 the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round (third overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft
1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 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 28–29, 1987...
.
Football career
Alonzo Highsmith was an All-American defensive end for Christopher Columbus High School in Miami-Dade County. Alonzo was one of the most highly-recruited players for the class of 1982 and eventually chose Miami over offers from Notre Dame and Michigan. Highsmith was a four-time letterman in college, and a member of the 1983 Hurricanes squad that won the national championship with a 31-30 victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. He played in six NFLNational 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...
seasons from 1987 to 1992 for the Oilers, Cowboys, and Buccaneers. Due to a series of knee injuries, Highsmith retired from professional football after the 1992 football season.
Alonzo was interviewed about his time at the University of Miami for the documentary The U
The U (documentary)
The U is a 2009 documentary film produced by Miami based media studio rakontur and directed by Billy Corben. The U covers the rise and dominance of the Miami Hurricanes football team during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
, which premiered December 12th, 2009 on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
Boxing career
Following his football career, Highsmith became a professional boxer. Over a four-year career, Highsmith amassed a 27-1-2 record in the heavyweight division, with 23 of those victories coming by way of knockoutKnockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
.
Post-athletic career
Currently, Highsmith resides in Missouri City, TexasMissouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
with his wife, Denise Highsmith, and he is the father of 5 children. He currently is a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
Personal
Highsmith's father, Walter HighsmithWalter Highsmith
Walter "Buzz" Highsmith is a former American football player and coach. Highsmith played on the offensive line for three seasons in the American Football League for the Denver Broncos and Houston Oilers. He attended Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University...
, was also a successful football player and coach. He, like Alonzo, played for the Oilers in 1972. He also played for the Montreal Alouettes and Alonzo played football and basketball in Montreal as a teenager. Walter was also the former head coach of Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
and has enjoyed several coaching stints in college football and the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. One of Highsmith's sons, Brandon Thermilus, is a running back at the University at Buffalo. Another of his sons, A.J. is a quarterback for the University of Miami. Another of his sons, also named Alonzo Highsmith, currently plays linebacker for the University of Arkansas. Highsmith's cousin, Ali Highsmith
Ali Highsmith
Arlington Louis "Ali" Highsmith is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
, currently plays for 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...
.