Byron Parker
Encyclopedia
Byron Wesley Parker is a gridiron football
cornerback
for the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
and college basketball
at Tulane
.
Parker has also been a member of the Edmonton Eskimos
, Dallas Cowboys
and Philadelphia Eagles
.
scholarship
and played on their team from 2001 to 2003. It was also in 2003 that Parker won the NCAA slam dunk
competition. Winning the slam dunk competition drew the attention of Tulane's football head coach Chris Scelfo
, as well as football scouts in the NFL. Later that same year, his senior year, Parker accepted Scelfo's invitation to play on the school's football team. His slam dunking abilities were showcased in a 2005
CFL game at Molson Stadium
against the Montreal Alouettes
. Lined up as a wide receiver
, Parker caught a 42-yard touchdown reception and celebrated by dunking the ball over the cross bar uprights. He also has a 43" vertical leap.
. He was waived by the team following training camp on August 1.
of the NFL but was cut by the team on July 31.
cornerback. On October 14, 2006, Parker broke a CFL record for most interception return yardage in a single season with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown
in Edmonton
. He ended the season with a CFL record 348 interception return yards, surpassing Eric Carter
's 2003 record of 300 yards. Parker was selected as a CFL All-Star in 2006
and 2007.
. The signing was officially confirmed by the Eagles on February 3, 2009. He was waived on August 14, thereby creating a roster spot for the signing of quarterback Michael Vick
.
on September 28, 2009 for future considerations.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
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....
. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. 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...
and college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Tulane
Tulane Green Wave football
The Tulane Green Wave football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents Tulane University in New Orleans. The team is a member of Conference USA and is led by interim head coach Mark Hutson, who took over on October 18, 2011, when fifth-year head coach Bob Toledo resigned...
.
Parker has also been a member of the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
, 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 Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
College career
Parker initially enrolled in Tulane on a college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
and played on their team from 2001 to 2003. It was also in 2003 that Parker won the NCAA slam dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
competition. Winning the slam dunk competition drew the attention of Tulane's football head coach Chris Scelfo
Chris Scelfo
Chris Scelfo is an American football coach, currently serving as the tight ends coach for the Atlanta Falcons. He served as head coach at Tulane from 1998 to 2006, including in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and amassed a 37–57 record. Scelfo is the only Tulane head coach to have won two...
, as well as football scouts in the NFL. Later that same year, his senior year, Parker accepted Scelfo's invitation to play on the school's football team. His slam dunking abilities were showcased in a 2005
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...
CFL game at Molson Stadium
Molson Stadium
Percival Molson Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football stadium located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
against the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. Lined up as a 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...
, Parker caught a 42-yard touchdown reception and celebrated by dunking the ball over the cross bar uprights. He also has a 43" vertical leap.
Jacksonville Jaguars
On April 26, 2004, Parker was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was waived by the team following training camp on August 1.
First stint with Argonauts
After being cut by the Jaguars during training camp, Parker signed with the Argonauts on January 24, 2005, but played in only six games.Dallas Cowboys
In 2006, Parker signed a one-year contract with the Dallas CowboysDallas 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...
of the NFL but was cut by the team on July 31.
Second stint with Argonauts
Parker re-joined the Argonauts a week after being released by Dallas. Upon his return, he became their startingStarting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
cornerback. On October 14, 2006, Parker broke a CFL record for most interception return yardage in a single season with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. He ended the season with a CFL record 348 interception return yards, surpassing Eric Carter
Eric Carter (football player)
Eric Carter was a football player in the Canadian Football League for eleven seasons. Carter played as a cornerback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1994-1998, the BC Lions from 1999-2003 and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2004. He was a CFL All-Star four times and won a Grey Cup for the Lions in 2000...
's 2003 record of 300 yards. Parker was selected as a CFL All-Star in 2006
and 2007.
Philadelphia Eagles
On January 27, 2009, Parker was reported to have signed a reserve/future contract with the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The signing was officially confirmed by the Eagles on February 3, 2009. He was waived on August 14, thereby creating a roster spot for the signing of quarterback Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
.
Third stint with Argonauts
After his release from the Eagles, Parker returned to Toronto as the Argonauts deferred his contract when he signed with Philadelphia. The Eagles had him on a weight gain program and he bulked from his 2008 CFL weight of 193 to 227 and he found he had to re-adjust to the Canadian game; reducing his weight to 210 by the time he reported to practice on August 20, 2009, but still finding himself tired out by the longer, wider field. Parker reported that the Eagles offered him another opportunity to return on August 20 but he refused, feeling more comfortable with the Argonauts.Edmonton Eskimos
Parker was traded to the Edmonton EskimosEdmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
on September 28, 2009 for future considerations.