Joseph Addai
Encyclopedia
Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football
running back
for the Indianapolis Colts
of the National Football League
. He was selected in the first round (30th overall pick) of the 2006 NFL Draft
out of Louisiana State University
.
in West Africa
. In high school, Addai was a left-handed option
-style quarterback
for the Sharpstown Apollos
. In his senior year, he rushed for 1,429 yards on 159 carries and completed 37 passes for 425 yards. He was chosen as a member of the 5A All-State first team in Texas. He was named an All-America
n by ESPN
and Fox Sports
, and was rated as a top 100 recruit.
early in his career. He wore two numbers while at LSU, 41 in his early years and then number 10 in his final years.
Addai started his stint at LSU in 2001, but after only two games was granted a medical redshirt
. The following season, he carried the football 80 times, gaining 438 yards, and scoring four touchdown
s. His first big game came against the University of South Carolina
, during which he gained 98 yards on eleven carries and scored two touchdowns. On November 9, 2002, he amassed 91 yards, including a 63 yard run for a score, against the Kentucky Wildcats
at Commonwealth Stadium
. His performance helped to set the stage for The Bluegrass Miracle
, a "miraculous" 74-yard game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Marcus Randall
to wide receiver Devery Henderson
as time expired on the last play of the game.
Addai's sophomore season proved to be a banner year for LSU. Led by coach Nick Saban
, the Tigers won the BCS National Championship
, the first national championship for LSU since 1958. Addai ranked second to freshman Justin Vincent
in rushing, gaining 520 yards on 114 attempts. He led LSU's early season 59-13 rout of the Arizona Wildcats
with an 86 yard, two touchdown performance.
In 2004, he rushed for 680 yards on 101 carries and caught 24 passes for 294 yards, scoring a total of seven touchdowns. He stood out against the Alabama Crimson Tide
in a 26-10 Tiger Stadium victory on the 13th of November. He led the team in rushing with 99 yards and added another 46 yards receiving, as well as scoring two of the three Tiger touchdowns. for the day. The following week he teamed with Alley Broussard (250 yards on 26 carries) to lead the Tigers to a 27-24 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels
. Addai's 107 yards was part of an impressive 360 yard ground attack by the Tigers.
During his senior season, Addai led the team with 911 rushing yards on 187 carries, scoring nine touchdowns. The highlight of the regular season was a 21-17 victory over the Florida Gators
in front of a record-setting 92,402 crowd. Addai sealed the victory for LSU with a three yard touchdown run with 6:27 remaining on the clock. His career-best effort combined 156 yards rushing on 32 carries with 37 yards receiving on 3 catches. Joe Addai completed his tenure at LSU with an impressive game in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
. In the Tigers' 40-3 victory over the Miami Hurricanes
, he gained a total of 135 yards and scored twice.
Joseph Addai graduated from LSU in December 2005 with a degree in General Studies.
by the Colts. Addai was the third running back selected by the Colts in the first round since 1994, when they selected Marshall Faulk
with the second overall pick in 1994
and Edgerrin James
fourth overall in 1999
.
(* represents NFL Combine
)
, Lydell Mitchell
and Eric Dickerson
, as well as the NFL rookie record by rushing for 4 touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles
. He was named the NFLs "Offensive Rookie of the Month" for November on December 7, 2006.
During the 2006 season
, Addai led all rookie running backs in rushing yards with 1,081. He also became the first NFL running back to exceed 1,000 rushing yards without starting a regular-season game. His first career start came on January 6, 2007, for the Colts/Chiefs wildcard playoff game. During the game he ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries and caught seven passes for 26 yards. For the next week, leading up to the divisional round of the playoffs, Addai became the target of Baltimore Ravens
' linebacker
s Ray Lewis' and Bart Scott
's trash talking, but did not respond to either of their comments, as the Colts upset the favored Ravens 15-6. On January 21, 2007, in the AFC Championship Game
against the New England Patriots
, Addai scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:00 remaining, giving the Colts a victory and a trip to Super Bowl XLI
. The Colts went on to win the game with their rush attack, dominating the Chicago defense. Addai had 77 rushing yards and 10 receptions for 66 yards, for 143 total yards. His 10 receptions were the most ever by a running back in a Super Bowl, which left him one catch short of the overall record.
On November 4, 2007, in a Week 9 game against the New England Patriots
, Addai became the first Indianapolis Colt ever to gain 100 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in one game. Joseph was rewarded for his play in the '07 season by being invited to his first and only Pro Bowl in January of 2008.
On November 1, 2009, in a game against the San Francisco 49ers
, Addai completed his first professional pass, a touchdown to Reggie Wayne
.
Addai became a unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season and was resigned by the Indianapolis Colts
on July 31, 2011.
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...
for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
of 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...
. He was selected in the first round (30th overall pick) of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
out of Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
Early years
Addai's family hails from GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
in West Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. In high school, Addai was a left-handed option
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
-style 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...
for the Sharpstown Apollos
Sharpstown High School
Sharpstown High School is a secondary school located at 7504 Bissonnet Street in Greater Sharpstown, Houston, Texas, United States with a zip code of 77074. It serves grades 9 through 12 and is a part of the Houston Independent School District...
. In his senior year, he rushed for 1,429 yards on 159 carries and completed 37 passes for 425 yards. He was chosen as a member of the 5A All-State first team in Texas. He was named an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
, and was rated as a top 100 recruit.
College career
During his tenure with the Louisiana State University Tigers, he ranked fifth all-time in rushing, with 2,577 yards, despite being primarily used as a blocking fullbackFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
early in his career. He wore two numbers while at LSU, 41 in his early years and then number 10 in his final years.
Addai started his stint at LSU in 2001, but after only two games was granted a medical redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
. The following season, he carried the football 80 times, gaining 438 yards, and scoring four 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:...
s. His first big game came against the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
, during which he gained 98 yards on eleven carries and scored two touchdowns. On November 9, 2002, he amassed 91 yards, including a 63 yard run for a score, against the Kentucky Wildcats
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
at Commonwealth Stadium
Commonwealth Stadium (Kentucky)
Commonwealth Stadium is the name of a stadium in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. This stadium, named for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is located on the campus of the University of Kentucky and is the home field for the school's football team, replacing the smaller Stoll Field/McLean Stadium. The field...
. His performance helped to set the stage for The Bluegrass Miracle
Bluegrass Miracle
The "Bluegrass Miracle" refers to one of the most improbable finishes in NCAA college football history. It was a 74-yard game-winning touchdown pass by the #14 LSU Tigers with no time left on the clock against the Kentucky Wildcats on November 9, 2002 at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington,...
, a "miraculous" 74-yard game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Marcus Randall
Marcus Randall
Marcus Randall is an American football player who plays for Team Arkansas of the All American Football League. Randall played quarterback for LSU, Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League.-College career:...
to wide receiver Devery Henderson
Devery Henderson
-New Orleans Saints:On November 5, 2006, Devery had his best day as a professional in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught 3 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. Henderson had 158 receiving yards on 5 catches, including a 76 yard touchdown, against the Atlanta Falcons on November...
as time expired on the last play of the game.
Addai's sophomore season proved to be a banner year for LSU. Led by coach Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
, the Tigers won the BCS National Championship
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
, the first national championship for LSU since 1958. Addai ranked second to freshman Justin Vincent
Justin Vincent
Justin Vincent is a former American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
in rushing, gaining 520 yards on 114 attempts. He led LSU's early season 59-13 rout of the Arizona Wildcats
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
with an 86 yard, two touchdown performance.
In 2004, he rushed for 680 yards on 101 carries and caught 24 passes for 294 yards, scoring a total of seven touchdowns. He stood out against the Alabama Crimson Tide
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
in a 26-10 Tiger Stadium victory on the 13th of November. He led the team in rushing with 99 yards and added another 46 yards receiving, as well as scoring two of the three Tiger touchdowns. for the day. The following week he teamed with Alley Broussard (250 yards on 26 carries) to lead the Tigers to a 27-24 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. Addai's 107 yards was part of an impressive 360 yard ground attack by the Tigers.
During his senior season, Addai led the team with 911 rushing yards on 187 carries, scoring nine touchdowns. The highlight of the regular season was a 21-17 victory over the Florida Gators
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...
in front of a record-setting 92,402 crowd. Addai sealed the victory for LSU with a three yard touchdown run with 6:27 remaining on the clock. His career-best effort combined 156 yards rushing on 32 carries with 37 yards receiving on 3 catches. Joe Addai completed his tenure at LSU with an impressive game in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
. In the Tigers' 40-3 victory over the Miami Hurricanes
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, he gained a total of 135 yards and scored twice.
Joseph Addai graduated from LSU in December 2005 with a degree in General Studies.
2006 NFL Draft
Addai was selected in the first round (30th Overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
by the Colts. Addai was the third running back selected by the Colts in the first round since 1994, when they selected Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
with the second overall pick in 1994
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 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 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
and Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
fourth overall in 1999
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...
.
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||
| Wt | 40yd 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
20ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 214 lb* | 4.37s* | 4.50s* | 7.09s* | 38½"* | 18* | X |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
)
Indianapolis Colts
On November 26, 2006, Addai tied a Colts franchise record for most rushing touchdowns in a game held by Lenny MooreLenny Moore
Leonard Edward Moore is a former American football halfback who played for Penn State in college and the Baltimore Colts. He came to the Colts in 1956, and had a productive first pro season and was named the NFL Rookie of The Year...
, Lydell Mitchell
Lydell Mitchell
Lydell Douglas Mitchell , is a former professional American football player. He played running back in the National Football League for the Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams spanning 1972-1980....
and Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
, as well as the NFL rookie record by rushing for 4 touchdowns against the 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...
. He was named the NFLs "Offensive Rookie of the Month" for November on December 7, 2006.
During the 2006 season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, Addai led all rookie running backs in rushing yards with 1,081. He also became the first NFL running back to exceed 1,000 rushing yards without starting a regular-season game. His first career start came on January 6, 2007, for the Colts/Chiefs wildcard playoff game. During the game he ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries and caught seven passes for 26 yards. For the next week, leading up to the divisional round of the playoffs, Addai became the target of Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
' 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...
s Ray Lewis' and Bart Scott
Bart Scott
Bartholomew Edward Scott is an American football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
's trash talking, but did not respond to either of their comments, as the Colts upset the favored Ravens 15-6. On January 21, 2007, in the AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
against the 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...
, Addai scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:00 remaining, giving the Colts a victory and a trip to Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
. The Colts went on to win the game with their rush attack, dominating the Chicago defense. Addai had 77 rushing yards and 10 receptions for 66 yards, for 143 total yards. His 10 receptions were the most ever by a running back in a Super Bowl, which left him one catch short of the overall record.
On November 4, 2007, in a Week 9 game against the 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...
, Addai became the first Indianapolis Colt ever to gain 100 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in one game. Joseph was rewarded for his play in the '07 season by being invited to his first and only Pro Bowl in January of 2008.
On November 1, 2009, in a game against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Addai completed his first professional pass, a touchdown to Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
.
Addai became a unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season and was resigned by the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on July 31, 2011.