Jimmy Spencer (American football)
Encyclopedia
James Arthur "Jimmy" Spencer, Jr. (born March 29, 1969) is a former American college and professional football
player who was a cornerback
during the National Football League
(NFL) for twelve seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s. Spencer played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New Orleans Saints
, Cincinnati Bengals
, San Diego Chargers
and Denver Broncos
of the NFL.
. He attended Glades Central High School
in Belle Glade, Florida
, and he played high school football
for the Glades Central Raiders.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Galen Hall
and coach Steve Spurrier
's Florida Gators football
teams from 1988 to 1990. Memorably, in 1990, he blocked a punt late in the fourth quarter, which Richard Fain
recovered and returned twenty-five yards for a touchdown and providing the margin of victory in the Gators' 17–13 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama
. Spencer decided to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility after his junior season in 1990, and made himself eligible for the NFL Draft
.
selected Spencer in the eighth round (215th pick overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft
. Spencer played for the New Orleans Saints from to , the Cincinnati Bengals in and , the San Diego Chargers in and , and the Denver Broncos from to . Statistically, his best seasons were , 1995 and 1996, when he was a regular starter for New Orleans and then Cincinnati.
In his twelve NFL seasons, Spencer played in 177 regular season games, and started eighty-one of them. He finished his NFL career with twenty-six interceptions, two touchdown returns, eight fumble recoveries and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
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...
player who was a 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...
during 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...
(NFL) for twelve seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s. Spencer 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...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for 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 ....
, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, 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 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...
of the NFL.
Early years
Spencer was born in Manning, South CarolinaManning, South Carolina
Manning is a city in South Carolina and the county seat of Clarendon County in the Southeastern United States, located in the center of the county, just to the east of Interstate 95 and at the intersection of U.S. 301 and U.S. 521. The population was estimated to be 3,943 as of 2008, down 2% from...
. He attended Glades Central High School
Glades Central High School
Glades Central High School is a high school located in Belle Glade, Florida. It is known for having one of the best high school football teams in the nation, with more football players in the NFL and in the NCAA than any other high school...
in Belle Glade, Florida
Belle Glade, Florida
Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee. The population was 14,906 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,739....
, and he played high school 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....
for the Glades Central Raiders.
College career
Spencer received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Galen Hall
Galen Hall
Galen Samuel Hall is an American college and professional football coach and former player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football...
and coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
teams from 1988 to 1990. Memorably, in 1990, he blocked a punt late in the fourth quarter, which Richard Fain
Richard Fain
Richard Alexander Fain is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League for two season in the early 1990s...
recovered and returned twenty-five yards for a touchdown and providing the margin of victory in the Gators' 17–13 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide
1992 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 1992 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1992 college football season. This was the team's third season under head coach Gene Stallings. They played their home games at both Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Legion Field in Birmingham,...
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
. Spencer decided to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility after his junior season in 1990, and made himself eligible for the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
.
Professional career
The Washington RedskinsWashington 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,...
selected Spencer in the eighth round (215th pick overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
. Spencer played for the New Orleans Saints from to , the Cincinnati Bengals in and , the San Diego Chargers in and , and the Denver Broncos from to . Statistically, his best seasons were , 1995 and 1996, when he was a regular starter for New Orleans and then Cincinnati.
In his twelve NFL seasons, Spencer played in 177 regular season games, and started eighty-one of them. He finished his NFL career with twenty-six interceptions, two touchdown returns, eight fumble recoveries and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1980–1989
- Florida Gators football, 1990–1999
- History of the Denver BroncosHistory of the Denver BroncosThe history of the Denver Broncos American football club began when the team was chartered a member of the American Football League in 1960. The Broncos have played in the city of Denver, Colorado throughout their nearly 50 year history. The Broncos did not win any championships as members of the...
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of New Orleans Saints players