Dave Meggett
Encyclopedia
David Lee Meggett is a former professional American football
running back
in the National Football League
for the New York Giants
(1989–1994), New England Patriots
(1995–1997), and the New York Jets
(1998). He played college football
at Morgan State University
and Towson University
. Meggett is currently serving a 30 year prison sentence for the rape and robbery of a Charleston, SC woman. http://www.scsolicitor9.org/Meggett.htm
and punts
on special teams. He led the league in punt return yards (582) in his rookie season, while gaining 577 kickoff return yards, 531 receiving yards, and 117 rushing yards, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl
. Meggett led the NFL in punt return yards again in his second season (467), helping the Giants record a 13-3 regular season record and a 20-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills
in Super Bowl XXV
. He had a solid performance in the Super Bowl, recording 129 all-purpose yards (48 rushing, 18 receiving, 37 punt return, 26 kickoff return).
After four more seasons with New York, Meggett signed with the Patriots in 1995. In 1996, he had the best season of his career, recording 1,966 all-purpose yards, earning his second trip to the Pro Bowl, and helped New England gain a berth in Super Bowl XXXI
. Although his team lost the game 35-21 to the Green Bay Packers
, his performance was solid, recording 155 total yards (117 kick return, 30 punt return, eight receiving). Meggett spent one more year with the Patriots before joining the New York Jets
in 1998, and then retiring at season's end.
In his ten NFL seasons, Meggett amassed 1,648 rushing yards, 336 receptions for 3,083 yards, 3,708 punt return yards, and 5,566 yards returning kickoffs. In total, Meggett gained 14,005 all-purpose yards and scored 29 touchdowns (eight rushing, 11 receiving, seven punt returns, one kickoff return). He also completed four of eight passes for 114 yards and four touchdowns.
His 3,708 punt return yards are currently the second most in NFL history.
Subsequent to his NFL career, Meggett was an Assistant Coach at American International College
for over two years, and then moved to North Carolina.
, who grew up in Clinton, Maryland. He played football at Surrattsville High School
and accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Maryland
.
Meggett was one of the favorite players of coach Bill Parcells
, playing for him on three different NFL franchises. When Parcells coached the Dallas Cowboys
, Meggett consulted with the team's punt returners during training camp.
In 1998, Meggett was arrested in Toronto, Canada, after authorities said he allegedly assaulted an escort worker after a three-way sexual encounter. A trial on the assault charge ended with a hung jury in April 2000.
Meggett was the parks and recreation director in Robersonville, N.C. but resigned in 2006, after he was accused of sexually assaulting his former girlfriend. In 2007, he was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery in the case, receiving two years probation. Authorities said he was allowed to move back to South Carolina to serve his probation.
On November 10, 2010, Meggett was sentenced to 30 years in prison for burglary and criminal sexual conduct. Meggett's current release date is slated for July 2034.
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 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...
(1989–1994), New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
(1995–1997), and the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1998). 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 Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
and Towson University
Towson University
Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
. Meggett is currently serving a 30 year prison sentence for the rape and robbery of a Charleston, SC woman. http://www.scsolicitor9.org/Meggett.htm
Professional career
Meggett was used frequently as both a rusher and a receiver in his NFL career, but was primarily used to return kickoffsKickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
and punts
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
on special teams. He led the league in punt return yards (582) in his rookie season, while gaining 577 kickoff return yards, 531 receiving yards, and 117 rushing yards, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
. Meggett led the NFL in punt return yards again in his second season (467), helping the Giants record a 13-3 regular season record and a 20-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
. He had a solid performance in the Super Bowl, recording 129 all-purpose yards (48 rushing, 18 receiving, 37 punt return, 26 kickoff return).
After four more seasons with New York, Meggett signed with the Patriots in 1995. In 1996, he had the best season of his career, recording 1,966 all-purpose yards, earning his second trip to the Pro Bowl, and helped New England gain a berth in Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
. Although his team lost the game 35-21 to 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...
, his performance was solid, recording 155 total yards (117 kick return, 30 punt return, eight receiving). Meggett spent one more year with the Patriots before joining the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1998, and then retiring at season's end.
In his ten NFL seasons, Meggett amassed 1,648 rushing yards, 336 receptions for 3,083 yards, 3,708 punt return yards, and 5,566 yards returning kickoffs. In total, Meggett gained 14,005 all-purpose yards and scored 29 touchdowns (eight rushing, 11 receiving, seven punt returns, one kickoff return). He also completed four of eight passes for 114 yards and four touchdowns.
His 3,708 punt return yards are currently the second most in NFL history.
Subsequent to his NFL career, Meggett was an Assistant Coach at American International College
American International College
American International College is a private, co-educational liberal-arts college located in the Mason Square neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts.-History:...
for over two years, and then moved to North Carolina.
Personal life
Meggett has a son, Davin MeggettDavin Meggett
Davin Meggett is an American college football running back for the Maryland Terrapins. He currently is the starting running back for the Terrapins. He is the son of former NFL player Dave Meggett.-Early life:...
, who grew up in Clinton, Maryland. He played football at Surrattsville High School
Surrattsville High School
Surrattsville High School or SHS is a public high school located in Clinton, Maryland and is a part of the Prince George's County Public School System in Prince George's County, Maryland. The school educates about 1,100 children and teenagers in grades 9 through 12...
and accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
.
Meggett was one of the favorite players of coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, playing for him on three different NFL franchises. When Parcells coached 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...
, Meggett consulted with the team's punt returners during training camp.
In 1998, Meggett was arrested in Toronto, Canada, after authorities said he allegedly assaulted an escort worker after a three-way sexual encounter. A trial on the assault charge ended with a hung jury in April 2000.
Meggett was the parks and recreation director in Robersonville, N.C. but resigned in 2006, after he was accused of sexually assaulting his former girlfriend. In 2007, he was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery in the case, receiving two years probation. Authorities said he was allowed to move back to South Carolina to serve his probation.
On November 10, 2010, Meggett was sentenced to 30 years in prison for burglary and criminal sexual conduct. Meggett's current release date is slated for July 2034.