Kanavis McGhee
Encyclopedia
Kanavis McGhee is a former college football
linebacker
and National Football League
defensive end
. He is a former defensive linemen coach
with the Amsterdam Admirals
in NFL Europa. He is currently a defensive line coach at the University of Colorado-Boulder in Boulder, Colorado
.
McGhee was a business student while attending the University of Colorado
. He studied business with an emphasis in marketing.
Kanavis McGhee attended Phillis Wheatley High School
in Houston and played college football at Colorado
. During his career at Colorado, McGhee was one of the top defenders in college football, earning him first-team All-Big Eight honors, a finalist nomination for the prestigious Dick Butkus Award
and runner-up for the Rotary Lombardi Award
. Both awards are given annually to top linebackers in college football.
Kanavis was drafted
in the second round (55th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft
, at 22, as defensive end
by the New York Giants
, where he played for three seasons until he suffered a left knee injury in August 1993 and the Giants terminated the final year of his contract in May 1994. After this he joined the Cincinnati Bengals
as free agent before returning to his hometown to play with the Houston Oilers
for the season of 1995.
McGhee gained coaching experience while serving as head coach of Ross Shaw Sterling High School
in Houston, Texas
. In 2006 he spent the season with the Amsterdam Admirals
as defensive assistant, participating in the NFL Europa coaching program (a collaboration between the National Football League Players Association and NFL Player Development). In 2007 McGhee returned for a second season and tutored the Admirals' defensive linemen.
McGhee worked as a teacher at Challenge Early College High School
in Houston, Texas
. In 2010 Kanavis returned to Colorado as defensive line assistant under Jon Embree.
McGhee has a son, Davyon McGhee, who plays for Kansas State University
, also as linebacker.
In the October 18, 2010 issue of Sports Illustrated
, former NFL agent Josh Luchs alleges that he gave McGhee $2,500 while trying to persuade him to hire Luchs as his agent, while he still played for the University of Colorado. Luchs said McGhee told him his mother was about to be evicted from her rental home and needed the money. According to Luchs, McGhee never paid back the money and did not return his phone calls. If true, the payment would have been considered a major violation of NCAA rules regarding player eligibility. Kanavis McGhee has denied that he ever violated NCAA rules and Alfred Williams
, who was present at first meeting between McGhee and Luchs, has stated that the information in the article is not true.
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...
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 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...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. He is a former defensive linemen coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
with the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
in NFL Europa. He is currently a defensive line coach at the University of Colorado-Boulder in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
.
McGhee was a business student while attending the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
. He studied business with an emphasis in marketing.
Kanavis McGhee attended Phillis Wheatley High School
Wheatley High School (Houston)
Phillis Wheatley High School is a secondary school located at 4801 Providence Street in Houston, Texas, United States with a ZIP code of 77020....
in Houston and played college football at Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. During his career at Colorado, McGhee was one of the top defenders in college football, earning him first-team All-Big Eight honors, a finalist nomination for the prestigious Dick Butkus Award
Dick Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
and runner-up for the Rotary Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
. Both awards are given annually to top linebackers in college football.
Kanavis was drafted
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...
in the second round (55th 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...
, at 22, as defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
by 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...
, where he played for three seasons until he suffered a left knee injury in August 1993 and the Giants terminated the final year of his contract in May 1994. After this he joined the 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...
as free agent before returning to his hometown to play with the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
for the season of 1995.
McGhee gained coaching experience while serving as head coach of Ross Shaw Sterling High School
Sterling High School (Houston)
Ross Shaw Sterling High School is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas.Sterling, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District....
in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 2006 he spent the season with the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
as defensive assistant, participating in the NFL Europa coaching program (a collaboration between the National Football League Players Association and NFL Player Development). In 2007 McGhee returned for a second season and tutored the Admirals' defensive linemen.
McGhee worked as a teacher at Challenge Early College High School
Challenge Early College High School
Challenge Early College High School is a secondary school located at Houston Community College [West Loop Campus] . The school handles grades nine through thirteen and is a part of the Houston Independent School District.The school's principal, as of 2011, is Tonya R. Miller...
in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 2010 Kanavis returned to Colorado as defensive line assistant under Jon Embree.
McGhee has a son, Davyon McGhee, who plays for Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, also as linebacker.
In the October 18, 2010 issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, former NFL agent Josh Luchs alleges that he gave McGhee $2,500 while trying to persuade him to hire Luchs as his agent, while he still played for the University of Colorado. Luchs said McGhee told him his mother was about to be evicted from her rental home and needed the money. According to Luchs, McGhee never paid back the money and did not return his phone calls. If true, the payment would have been considered a major violation of NCAA rules regarding player eligibility. Kanavis McGhee has denied that he ever violated NCAA rules and Alfred Williams
Alfred Williams
Alfred Williams is a former American football player. He was a linebacker and defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. He finished his career with the New Orleans Saints.-College:...
, who was present at first meeting between McGhee and Luchs, has stated that the information in the article is not true.