Brandon Stokley
Encyclopedia
Brandon Stokley is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Louisiana-Lafayette
.
Stokley also played for the Indianapolis Colts
, Denver Broncos
, Seattle Seahawks
, and New York Giants
.
) and was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, Stokley played only as a senior, but won All-District 3-A honors, All-Parish honors, All-Acadiana honors, and All-State Class 5-A honors. In basketball, Stokley averaged 14 points a game and won All-District honors. In baseball, he won All-District honors. Brandon Stokley graduated from Ovey Comeaux High School
in 1994.
out of the University of Southwestern Louisiana in the fourth round (105th pick overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
. Stokley won a championship ring
in Super Bowl XXXV
as a member of the Ravens
. In the game, he caught 3 passes for 52 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
. On December 26, 2004, Stokley received the record-breaking 21-yard touchdown pass for Peyton Manning
in the hunt to break Dan Marino
's record of 48 touchdown passes in a season. That year, he had a breakthrough season with 68 passes caught for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns and an average of 15.8 yards per catch. Furthermore, the TD catch made the 2004 Colts the first NFL team to have three WRs with 1000 receiving yards and 10 TDs or more in a season, the other two being Reggie Wayne
and Marvin Harrison
. The next two seasons of Stokley's career were marred by various injuries. After he participated in only four games of the 2006 season
, the Indianapolis Colts terminated his contract on March 1, 2007. Brandon Stokley won a Super Bowl with both the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts.
on March 14, 2007. On December 7, 2007, he signed a 3-year extension with the team.
In a memorable play from the Broncos' 2009 season opener, Stokley caught a pass intended for Brandon Marshall
but tipped by Leon Hall
, and took it 87 yards into the end zone for the winning score. As he approached the end zone he abruptly changed direction and ran parallel to the goal line, keenly running an additional six seconds off the clock, only crossing into the end zone once he reached the opposite side of the field. This savvy maneuver helped ensure a win for the Denver Broncos, who up until that point were trailing the Cincinnati Bengals 7-6 with 28 seconds remaining in the game. The back-end of this play can be seen in the introduction of Madden NFL 2011. With Stokley's touchdown, the final score was 12-7 and the Denver Broncos got their first 2009 regular season win. During a December 27 game at Philadelphia, Brandon Stokley was ejected for inadvertently slapping a referee on the hand while expressing his anger that a pass interference penalty was not called.
On September 4, 2010, Stokley was released by the Broncos. because of a groin injury, he was chosen to be released, by the team.
on September 28, 2010. To date, his most notable contribution in Seattle came in the 2010 NFL Playoffs against the New Orleans Saints
and the Chicago Bears
. In those games, Stokley was the leading receiver for Seattle, catching four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans and 8 catches for 86 yards and a touchdown against Chicago. His clutch performance was key to the 7-9 Seahawks' surprise upset of the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. He was later cut by the Seahawks after the 2011 lockout was ended. During free agency he expressed interest in Washington but never signed.
. After suffering an injury, he was released with an injury settlement on October 4.
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...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
. 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 Louisiana-Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
.
Stokley also played for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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 New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Stokley attended Comeaux High School (Lafayette, LouisianaLafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
) and was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, Stokley played only as a senior, but won All-District 3-A honors, All-Parish honors, All-Acadiana honors, and All-State Class 5-A honors. In basketball, Stokley averaged 14 points a game and won All-District honors. In baseball, he won All-District honors. Brandon Stokley graduated from Ovey Comeaux High School
Ovey Comeaux High School
Ovey Comeaux High School is a public school located in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA.-Student activities:The school offers a show choir called "The Magic Moods", an Award-winning Speech Squad, NJROTC, Science Club, French Club, Spanish Club, Art Club, Step Team, Cheerleading, Dance Team, Beta Club,...
in 1994.
Baltimore Ravens
Stokley was drafted by the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
out of the University of Southwestern Louisiana in the fourth round (105th pick overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
. Stokley won a championship ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
in Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
as a member of the Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. In the game, he caught 3 passes for 52 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
Indianapolis Colts
In 2003 Stokley signed with the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. On December 26, 2004, Stokley received the record-breaking 21-yard touchdown pass for Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
in the hunt to break Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
's record of 48 touchdown passes in a season. That year, he had a breakthrough season with 68 passes caught for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns and an average of 15.8 yards per catch. Furthermore, the TD catch made the 2004 Colts the first NFL team to have three WRs with 1000 receiving yards and 10 TDs or more in a season, the other two being Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
and Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
. The next two seasons of Stokley's career were marred by various injuries. After he participated in only four games of the 2006 season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, the Indianapolis Colts terminated his contract on March 1, 2007. Brandon Stokley won a Super Bowl with both the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts.
Denver Broncos
Stokley signed with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 14, 2007. On December 7, 2007, he signed a 3-year extension with the team.
In a memorable play from the Broncos' 2009 season opener, Stokley caught a pass intended for Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
but tipped by Leon Hall
Leon Hall
Leon Lastarza Hall is an American football defensive back who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Michigan. Hall was drafted by the Bengals with the 18th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft...
, and took it 87 yards into the end zone for the winning score. As he approached the end zone he abruptly changed direction and ran parallel to the goal line, keenly running an additional six seconds off the clock, only crossing into the end zone once he reached the opposite side of the field. This savvy maneuver helped ensure a win for the Denver Broncos, who up until that point were trailing the Cincinnati Bengals 7-6 with 28 seconds remaining in the game. The back-end of this play can be seen in the introduction of Madden NFL 2011. With Stokley's touchdown, the final score was 12-7 and the Denver Broncos got their first 2009 regular season win. During a December 27 game at Philadelphia, Brandon Stokley was ejected for inadvertently slapping a referee on the hand while expressing his anger that a pass interference penalty was not called.
On September 4, 2010, Stokley was released by the Broncos. because of a groin injury, he was chosen to be released, by the team.
Seattle Seahawks
Stokley signed with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle 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...
on September 28, 2010. To date, his most notable contribution in Seattle came in the 2010 NFL Playoffs against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and the 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...
. In those games, Stokley was the leading receiver for Seattle, catching four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans and 8 catches for 86 yards and a touchdown against Chicago. His clutch performance was key to the 7-9 Seahawks' surprise upset of the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. He was later cut by the Seahawks after the 2011 lockout was ended. During free agency he expressed interest in Washington but never signed.
New York Giants
On September 15, 2011, Stokley signed with the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After suffering an injury, he was released with an injury settlement on October 4.