James Dearth
Encyclopedia
James Dearth is an American football
long snapper
/ tight end
who is currently a free agent
. Dearth, who attended Tarleton State University
, was selected by the Cleveland Browns
in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
.
He has also been a member of the New York Jets
, Washington Redskins
, San Diego Chargers
and New England Patriots
.
in Scurry, Texas
and was a student and a letterman in football
. In football, he was a starter at both, quarterback
and middle linebacker
, and was an All-State honoree at both positions.
in the sixth round (191st overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
.
following the 2009 season.
. Despite Sundberg's inconsistencies he slowly progressed throughout training camp and eventually Dearth was waived on August 31, 2010 in favor of the improved Sundberg.
placed on injured reserve. Two days later on September 17, 2010, Dearth suffered a foot injury during practice and would subsequently be placed on injured reserve before playing a game for the Chargers.
on August 29, 2011. He was released on September 4.
Dearth co-owns an Athletic Republic franchise in the Houston area with friend and former Jet running back Derrick Blaylock
. The facility opened in December 2009 aiming to help young athletes prepare for professional careers.
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...
long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
/ 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...
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....
. Dearth, who attended Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University is a public, coeducational, state university located in Stephenville, Texas. It is the largest non-land-grant university primarily devoted to agriculture in the United States....
, was selected by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth 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 has also been a member of 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...
, Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and 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...
.
Early years
Dearth attended Scurry-Rosser High SchoolScurry-Rosser Independent School District
Scurry-Rosser Independent School District is a school district based in Scurry, Texas .In addition to Scurry, the district serves the towns of Rosser, Cottonwood, and Grays Prairie in southwestern Kaufman County....
in Scurry, Texas
Scurry, Texas
Scurry is a town in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. It was incorporated in 2003. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 719....
and was a student and a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. In football, he was a starter at both, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and middle linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, and was an All-State honoree at both positions.
Cleveland Browns
Dearth was selected by the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round (191st 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...
.
New York Jets
In 2001 the Jets would sign the free agent Dearth as a tight end/long snapper. In that same year he recorded a career high three receptions and a touchdown. Following the season, Dearth was relegated to long snapping duties and was a consistent part of the Jets' special teams unit until he became a free agent and was replaced by Tanner PurdumTanner Purdum
Tanner Gregory Purdum is an American football long snapper for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as a street free agent in 2009...
following the 2009 season.
Washington Redskins
On August 14, 2010, Dearth would sign with the Washington Redskins. Dearth was expected to compete with the "inconsistent" Nick SundbergNick Sundberg
Nick Sundberg is an American football long snapper in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of California, Berkeley.-Early life:...
. Despite Sundberg's inconsistencies he slowly progressed throughout training camp and eventually Dearth was waived on August 31, 2010 in favor of the improved Sundberg.
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers would sign Dearth on September 15, 2010 after a hamstring injury saw long snapper David BinnDavid Binn
David Aaron Binn is an American football long snapper who is currently a free agent.He played college football for the University of California, Berkeley. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 1994....
placed on injured reserve. Two days later on September 17, 2010, Dearth suffered a foot injury during practice and would subsequently be placed on injured reserve before playing a game for the Chargers.
New England Patriots
Dearth signed with the New England PatriotsNew 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...
on August 29, 2011. He was released on September 4.
Personal
Dearth is married to his wife, Laurie, with whom he has three children, Kaitlyn, Kendall, and Kolton. Dearth, a devout Christian, is known to be a "low-key and cordial" person.Dearth co-owns an Athletic Republic franchise in the Houston area with friend and former Jet running back Derrick Blaylock
Derrick Blaylock
Derrick Blaylock is an American football running back in the National Football League who is currently a free agent.-High school career:...
. The facility opened in December 2009 aiming to help young athletes prepare for professional careers.