Ken Lucas (football player)
Encyclopedia
Kenyatta Cornelius Lucas (born January 23, 1979 in Cleveland, Mississippi
) is an American football
cornerback
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Mississippi
.
Lucas has also played for the Carolina Panthers
.
and kick returner
and all-county recognition at wide receiver and cornerback playing alongside current Seattle Seahawks
offensive lineman Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack. He was selected the district rookie
of the year as a freshman and named the team's most outstanding player as a junior and most valuable player as a senior. Lucas also lettered
four times in baseball
, finishing with a .395 career batting average
. He graduated from East Side in 1997.
as a wide receiver before moving to defensive back
late in his sophomore season. He finished his college career
with 87 tackles
, seven interceptions
and 33 passes defensed
on defense; in addition, he totaled 23 catches
for 292 yards and one touchdown
and four carries for 73 yards on offense
. Lucas returned 20 kickoffs
for 383 yards and one punt
for 17 yards, had nine tackles and blocked two punts on special teams.
by the Seattle Seahawks
in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He started
in his first game as a rookie against the Cleveland Browns
, managing to deflect a crucial late game pass that allowed Seattle to preserve their lead and win the game. Lucas would go on to continue his defensive prowess by recording his first NFL interception against the esteemed San Diego Chargers
' quarterback
, Doug Flutie
.
During the 2002 NFL season
, Lucas earned nation-wide attention after recording two interceptions against Atlanta Falcons
quarterback Michael Vick
, earning him the NFL's "NFC
Defensive Player of the Week" award. After an impressive display of athletic ability, Lucas finished the season with a career high 82 tackles.
During the 2004 NFL season
, Lucas again earned the title of "NFC Defensive Player of the Week" after recording two interceptions against St. Louis Rams
' quarterback Marc Bulger
. He would finish the season with six interceptions, including one which was returned for his first NFL touchdown
.
as an unrestricted free agent. He started fifteen games in his first season with the Panthers, and once more closed the season with six interceptions. Lucas would continue his superb work in the playoffs, recording two interceptions in three games, although he ended that season with a loss in the NFC Championship against his old team, the eventual 2005 NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks
. During training camp for the 2008 season, Lucas was involved in an altercation with Panthers star receiver Steve Smith. Smith blackened Lucas' eye and broke his nose during the scuffle. Ken Lucas was praised by numerous people for forgiving Smith completely.
Lucas was released by the Panthers on March 11, 2009 to clear about $2.3 million in salary cap
space.
on April 27, 2009.
Cleveland, Mississippi
Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,334 as of the 2010 census.Cleveland has a fairly large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. Highway 61...
) is an American football
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...
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...
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 Seahawks in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He 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...
at Mississippi
Ole Miss Rebels football
The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
.
Lucas has also played for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.
Early years
Lucas attended East Side High School in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he garnered first-team all-district honors at wide receiverWide 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...
and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
and all-county recognition at wide receiver and cornerback playing alongside current Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
offensive lineman Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack. He was selected the district rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
of the year as a freshman and named the team's most outstanding player as a junior and most valuable player as a senior. Lucas also 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 :...
four times in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, finishing with a .395 career batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. He graduated from East Side in 1997.
College career
Lucas began playing at the University of MississippiUniversity 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...
as a wide receiver before moving to defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
late in his sophomore season. He finished his college career
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...
with 87 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, seven interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
and 33 passes defensed
Pass deflected
In American football a pass deflected, also known as a pass defended, a pass defensed, a pass knock down, or a pass break up, is an incomplete pass that is caused by a defensive player...
on defense; in addition, he totaled 23 catches
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 292 yards and one 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:...
and four carries for 73 yards on offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
. Lucas returned 20 kickoffs
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
for 383 yards and one punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
for 17 yards, had nine tackles and blocked two punts on special teams.
First stint with Seahawks
Lucas was draftedNFL 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...
by the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
in his first game as a rookie against 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...
, managing to deflect a crucial late game pass that allowed Seattle to preserve their lead and win the game. Lucas would go on to continue his defensive prowess by recording his first NFL interception against the esteemed 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...
' 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...
, Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
.
During the 2002 NFL season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
, Lucas earned nation-wide attention after recording two interceptions against Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
, earning him the NFL's "NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Defensive Player of the Week" award. After an impressive display of athletic ability, Lucas finished the season with a career high 82 tackles.
During the 2004 NFL season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, Lucas again earned the title of "NFC Defensive Player of the Week" after recording two interceptions against St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
' quarterback Marc Bulger
Marc Bulger
Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
. He would finish the season with six interceptions, including one which was returned for his first NFL 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:...
.
Carolina Panthers
Lucas was signed by the Panthers prior to the 2005 NFL season2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
as an unrestricted free agent. He started fifteen games in his first season with the Panthers, and once more closed the season with six interceptions. Lucas would continue his superb work in the playoffs, recording two interceptions in three games, although he ended that season with a loss in the NFC Championship against his old team, the eventual 2005 NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. During training camp for the 2008 season, Lucas was involved in an altercation with Panthers star receiver Steve Smith. Smith blackened Lucas' eye and broke his nose during the scuffle. Ken Lucas was praised by numerous people for forgiving Smith completely.
Lucas was released by the Panthers on March 11, 2009 to clear about $2.3 million in salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
space.
Second stint with Seahawks
After four seasons in Carolina, Lucas re-signed with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
on April 27, 2009.