David Kircus
Encyclopedia
David Kircus is a gridiron football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions
in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
after playing college football
at Grand Valley State University.
Kircus has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
, Denver Broncos
, Miami Dolphins
, Montreal Alouettes
, Las Vegas Locomotives
, and Omaha Nighthawks
.
. He received All-Macomb Area Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was the Detroit News All-State performer as a junior and senior and the three-time team captain. Kircus rushed for a combined 1,827 yards and scored 38 touchdowns as a junior and senior. He also caught 55 passes for 1,201 yards and 19 scores. He lettered
in four sports in high school.
, where he was a member of the 2002 NCAA Division II National Football Championship
team. During his senior season in 2002, Kircus set a college record with 35 touchdown receptions in a single season. Kircus finished his collegiate career with an NCAA record 80 career touchdown receptions. He was twice named all-conference in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
, and was twice named a Division II All-American.
Following his senior season, Kircus participated in the 2003 Hula Bowl
, where he earned Most Valuable Player of the game as well as Offensive MVP scoring 2 touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving.
in the sixth round by the Detroit Lions
. Kircus was a fan and hometown favorite. He played for the Lions during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and training camp
for the 2005 season. In 2004 Kircus caught a 50 yard touchdown pass from Lions quarterback Joey Harrington
. He spent the 2005 regular season out of the NFL.
Kircus spent the 2006 with the Denver Broncos
, where he recorded 9 receptions for 187 yards, and also returned 6 punts for 86 yards. He was active in all 16 games that season. He did not appear in a game during the 2007 NFL season after being released by the Broncos during training camp.
Kircus signed with the Miami Dolphins
for the 2008 NFL season
, but was released during training camp.
In 2009 Kircus signed with the Las Vegas Locomotives
of the United Football League, where he was the teams leading receiver. The Locomotives went on to win the 2009 UFL Championship Game
.
Kircus signed with the Omaha Nighthawks
for the 2010 UFL season. However on September 18, 2010, he was released by the team following an arrest on misdemeanor charges outside a gas station in Rockford, Michigan
.
Kircus' misdemeanor charge was reduced due to an investigation proving he acted out of instinct on his September arrest that resulted in his release from the Nighthawks.
, in The Thumb
of Michigan
.
After being cut by the Lions in 2005, Kircus was employed as a sandwich artist at a Subway
in Howell, Michigan
. The store, owned by a friend, allowed Kircus to remain in the Metro Detroit
area while still pursuing his football career.
In May 2007, Kircus was involved in an early morning altercation with a man in Centennial, Colorado
. Kircus, who claimed self-defense
, was allowed to remain with the Broncos after taking a polygraph test. Originally charged with felony assault, Kircus instead pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor
and was sentenced to 2 years probation
. His release from the Broncos was unrelated to the incident according to head coach Mike Shanahan
. Kircus filed for bankruptcy protection in 2010 as a result of continued compensation claims by the victim.
On September 15, 2010, Kircus was arrested at a gas station in Rockford, Michigan
. He was charged with obstructing a police officer and driving with a suspended license.
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...
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 Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio 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...
after playing 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 Grand Valley State University.
Kircus has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, 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...
, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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...
, Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
, and Omaha Nighthawks
Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
.
Early years
Kircus attended Imlay City High School in Imlay City, MichiganImlay City, Michigan
Imlay City is a city in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,869 at the 2000 census and 3,597 at the 2010 census.-Education:Imlay City has five public schools and one private school...
. He received All-Macomb Area Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was the Detroit News All-State performer as a junior and senior and the three-time team captain. Kircus rushed for a combined 1,827 yards and scored 38 touchdowns as a junior and senior. He also caught 55 passes for 1,201 yards and 19 scores. He lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in four sports in high school.
College career
Kircus attended Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
, where he was a member of the 2002 NCAA Division II National Football Championship
NCAA Division II national football championship
The NCAA Division II National Football Championship began in 1973. Prior to 1973, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action for what was then called the NCAA College Division and a poll determined the final champion....
team. During his senior season in 2002, Kircus set a college record with 35 touchdown receptions in a single season. Kircus finished his collegiate career with an NCAA record 80 career touchdown receptions. He was twice named all-conference in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate...
, and was twice named a Division II All-American.
Following his senior season, Kircus participated in the 2003 Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
, where he earned Most Valuable Player of the game as well as Offensive MVP scoring 2 touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving.
Professional career
Kircus was selected in the 2003 NFL Draft2003 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...
in the sixth round by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. Kircus was a fan and hometown favorite. He played for the Lions during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and training camp
Training camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
for the 2005 season. In 2004 Kircus caught a 50 yard touchdown pass from Lions quarterback Joey Harrington
Joey Harrington
John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...
. He spent the 2005 regular season out of the NFL.
Kircus spent the 2006 with the 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...
, where he recorded 9 receptions for 187 yards, and also returned 6 punts for 86 yards. He was active in all 16 games that season. He did not appear in a game during the 2007 NFL season after being released by the Broncos during training camp.
Kircus signed with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the 2008 NFL season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
, but was released during training camp.
In 2009 Kircus signed with the Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
of the United Football League, where he was the teams leading receiver. The Locomotives went on to win the 2009 UFL Championship Game
2009 UFL Championship Game
The 2009 UFL Championship Game was the concluding game of the United Football League's Premiere Season. The game was staged at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on Friday, November 27, 2009 , and was won by the Las Vegas Locomotives, who defeated the previously unbeaten Florida Tuskers 20–17 on a...
.
Kircus signed with the Omaha Nighthawks
Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
for the 2010 UFL season. However on September 18, 2010, he was released by the team following an arrest on misdemeanor charges outside a gas station in Rockford, Michigan
Rockford, Michigan
Rockford is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,719. It is on the Rogue River and is only a few miles north of Grand Rapids.- History :...
.
Kircus' misdemeanor charge was reduced due to an investigation proving he acted out of instinct on his September arrest that resulted in his release from the Nighthawks.
Personal
Nicknamed "Circus Kircus" by Grand Valley Lanthorn sports editor Michael Kohon for his acrobatic catches, he is the son of Anthony and Elaine Kircus. He grew up in Imlay CityImlay City, Michigan
Imlay City is a city in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,869 at the 2000 census and 3,597 at the 2010 census.-Education:Imlay City has five public schools and one private school...
, in The Thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
After being cut by the Lions in 2005, Kircus was employed as a sandwich artist at a Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
in Howell, Michigan
Howell, Michigan
Howell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township...
. The store, owned by a friend, allowed Kircus to remain in the Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
area while still pursuing his football career.
In May 2007, Kircus was involved in an early morning altercation with a man in Centennial, Colorado
Centennial, Colorado
The city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
. Kircus, who claimed self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
, was allowed to remain with the Broncos after taking a polygraph test. Originally charged with felony assault, Kircus instead pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
and was sentenced to 2 years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
. His release from the Broncos was unrelated to the incident according to head coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
. Kircus filed for bankruptcy protection in 2010 as a result of continued compensation claims by the victim.
On September 15, 2010, Kircus was arrested at a gas station in Rockford, Michigan
Rockford, Michigan
Rockford is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,719. It is on the Rogue River and is only a few miles north of Grand Rapids.- History :...
. He was charged with obstructing a police officer and driving with a suspended license.