Arnaz Battle
Encyclopedia
Arnaz Jerome Battle is an American football
wide receiver
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Notre Dame
.
Battle is the son of former NFL tight end
Ron Battle
.
selection and was rated 39th-best player nationally by The Sporting News
and 52nd-best player by Chicago Sun-Times
. A USA Today
honorable mention All-America and third-team All-South quarterback by Fox Sports South.
for Notre Dame in his first two seasons, and was named the starting quarterback in 2000. However, against #1 Nebraska in the second game of the year, Battle suffered a broken wrist on the first play from scrimmage and was forced to sit out the remainder of the season. The following year, he was converted to wide receiver
, because of his great speed and running ability. He tallied 53 receptions for 742 yards (14.0 avg.) and five touchdowns, adding 314 yards and one touchdown on 62 carries in career. He was an All-America honorable mention and All-Independent first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, following his senior season at the University of Notre Dame
. He saw time at quarterback and completed 30-of-69 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns. He added academic honors, while maintaining a 3.2 grade point average and majored in sociology
and computer applications.
with left toe injury.
In 2004, he saw action in 14 games and registered career-highs in punt returns (31), punt return yards (266), kickoff returns (13), kickoff return yards (257) and special teams tackles (16). He was Inactive for the final two contests of the season with a thigh
injury. He returned a career-long 71-yard punt return for a touchdown vs. the Arizona Cardinals
.
In 2005, he played in 10 games with eight starts and tallied 32 receptions for 363 yards with three touchdowns. He was inactive for six contests due to a knee injury. He led the team in receiving with five receptions for 59 yards and recorded his first career touchdown on a six-yard pass from QB Tim Rattay
vs. the St. Louis Rams
. He also completed his first career pass on a 24-yard connection to WR Brandon Lloyd
followed by his second career completion later in quarter with a three-yard shovel pass to RB Frank Gore
.
In 2006, he played in 16 games with 15 starts and ranked second on the team with career-highs of 59 receptions and 686 receiving yards. He was the only receiver in the NFL with 40 or more catches and no dropped passes. He caught four passes for 37 yards and two tough, short-yardage touchdowns vs. the Oakland Raiders
, marking his first career multi-touchdown receiving game. He also hauled in five receptions for 97 yards against the Seattle Seahawks
, and added one carry for a career-long 18 yards.
In 2007, he played in 16 games with 15 starts, posting 50 catches for a team-high 600 yards while setting career-highs in touchdown receptions (five) and total touchdowns (six). He was also named as the captain of all of the wide receivers. In the season opener on Monday Night Football
against Arizona, he caught a team-high five receptions for 60 yards, while also scoring the go-ahead score on his first career rushing touchdown, a one-yard end around with 22 seconds remaining to give the 49ers a 20-17 victory. He caught a 57-yard touchdown at Arizona, the 49ers’ longest play from scrimmage in 2007. It marked the second longest reception of his career behind a 65-yarder he had from Tim Rattay
vs. the Dallas Cowboys
. He played, but did not start due to an ankle injury vs. the Minnesota Vikings
and caught two passes for 13 yards with one touchdown. His touchdown catch came in the third quarter on QB Shaun Hill
’s first career touchdown pass.
Battle logged his first 100-yard game with a 120-yard performance during Week 4 of the 2008 season. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve
with a foot injury on December 13, 2008. He finished the 2008 season with 24 catches for 318 yards.
In 2009 finished with 5 catches for 40 yards and help in Special Teams.
worth $3.975 million with $975,000 to sign; He did not have a reception during his first season, but was a standout on special teams. The next year, he was named team captain for special teams.
, played football at North Texas
and then as a tight end
for two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams
.
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...
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 the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of 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...
. He was drafted by the 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...
in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. 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 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...
.
Battle is the son of former NFL tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Ron Battle
Ron Battle
Ronnie Jerome Battle , son of John L. Battle and Mary Battle, is a former American football tight end of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 1981 NFL Draft...
.
Early years
When Arnaz was nine years old, Brandon, his younger brother died in a tragic drowning accident. On his upper left arm appears a tattoo of his late brother's face. He prepped at C.E. Byrd High School, where he finished with 5,137 total yards and rushed for 49 career touchdowns while throwing for 28 more and scored one touchdown on a kickoff return. He was a Parade All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection and was rated 39th-best player nationally by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
and 52nd-best player by Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
. A USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
honorable mention All-America and third-team All-South quarterback by Fox Sports South.
College career
Battle played 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...
for Notre Dame in his first two seasons, and was named the starting quarterback in 2000. However, against #1 Nebraska in the second game of the year, Battle suffered a broken wrist on the first play from scrimmage and was forced to sit out the remainder of the season. The following year, he was converted to 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...
, because of his great speed and running ability. He tallied 53 receptions for 742 yards (14.0 avg.) and five touchdowns, adding 314 yards and one touchdown on 62 carries in career. He was an All-America honorable mention and All-Independent first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, following his senior season at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. He saw time at quarterback and completed 30-of-69 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns. He added academic honors, while maintaining a 3.2 grade point average and majored in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and computer applications.
San Francisco 49ers
In 2003, he saw action in eight games and recorded two carries for 14 yards to go along with eight tackles and two fumble recoveries on special teams before finishing season on injured reserveInjured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with left toe injury.
In 2004, he saw action in 14 games and registered career-highs in punt returns (31), punt return yards (266), kickoff returns (13), kickoff return yards (257) and special teams tackles (16). He was Inactive for the final two contests of the season with a thigh
Thigh
In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.The single bone in the thigh is called the femur...
injury. He returned a career-long 71-yard punt return for a touchdown vs. 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...
.
In 2005, he played in 10 games with eight starts and tallied 32 receptions for 363 yards with three touchdowns. He was inactive for six contests due to a knee injury. He led the team in receiving with five receptions for 59 yards and recorded his first career touchdown on a six-yard pass from QB Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
vs. the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. He also completed his first career pass on a 24-yard connection to WR Brandon Lloyd
Brandon Lloyd
Brandon Matthew Lloyd is an American football wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
followed by his second career completion later in quarter with a three-yard shovel pass to RB Frank Gore
Frank Gore
Franklin Gore is an American football running back who plays for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami. NFL Network analysts have nicknamed Gore "The Inconvenient Truth".-High school career:Gore attended Coral Gables High...
.
In 2006, he played in 16 games with 15 starts and ranked second on the team with career-highs of 59 receptions and 686 receiving yards. He was the only receiver in the NFL with 40 or more catches and no dropped passes. He caught four passes for 37 yards and two tough, short-yardage touchdowns vs. the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, marking his first career multi-touchdown receiving game. He also hauled in five receptions for 97 yards against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, and added one carry for a career-long 18 yards.
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
against Arizona, he caught a team-high five receptions for 60 yards, while also scoring the go-ahead score on his first career rushing touchdown, a one-yard end around with 22 seconds remaining to give the 49ers a 20-17 victory. He caught a 57-yard touchdown at Arizona, the 49ers’ longest play from scrimmage in 2007. It marked the second longest reception of his career behind a 65-yarder he had from Tim Rattay
Tim Rattay
Timothy F. Rattay [] is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
vs. the 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...
. He played, but did not start due to an ankle injury vs. 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...
and caught two passes for 13 yards with one touchdown. His touchdown catch came in the third quarter on QB Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
’s first career touchdown pass.
Battle logged his first 100-yard game with a 120-yard performance during Week 4 of the 2008 season. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a foot injury on December 13, 2008. He finished the 2008 season with 24 catches for 318 yards.
In 2009 finished with 5 catches for 40 yards and help in Special Teams.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On March 8, 2010, Battle signed a 3 year contract with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
worth $3.975 million with $975,000 to sign; He did not have a reception during his first season, but was a standout on special teams. The next year, he was named team captain for special teams.
Personal
His father, Ron BattleRon Battle
Ronnie Jerome Battle , son of John L. Battle and Mary Battle, is a former American football tight end of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 1981 NFL Draft...
, played football at North Texas
North Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
and then as a tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.