Luke Lawton
Encyclopedia
Richard Luke Lawton is an American football
fullback
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
at McNeese State.
Lawton has also been a member of the New York Giants
, Atlanta Falcons
, New York Jets
, Indianapolis Colts
, Philadelphia Eagles
and Oakland Raiders
.
, and lettered in football and baseball. He earned All-District and All-Parish honors in both sports.
. Mel Kiper, Jr.
also listed Lawton as the top fullback prospect in the country in 2004 in all divisions. He finished his career at McNeese State with 1,114 rushing yards, 775 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns.
in early 2005. He suffered a broken nose during training camp on August 22, 2005 and underwent surgery on August 24. He was waived on August 29.
' practice squad on September 5, 2005. He was promoted to the active roster on November 18. He played in his first NFL game on November 20. He was waived on December 13, and re-signed to the practice squad on December 15. He was signed to a one-year contract worth $310,000 on January 4, 2006. He was released on July 27.
' practice squad on November 29, 2006. He remained on the practice squad for the rest of the 2006 season, and was re-signed on February 14, 2007. Lawton debuted for the Colts in the season-opener in 2007, but was released on October 29 and re-signed again on October 31. He was released again later in the season and was re-signed again on November 28. He caught his first touchdown pass from Peyton Manning
in the fourth quarter of the second meeting between the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars
in week thirteen. The touchdown was the game winner, and clinched the AFC South division for Indianapolis.
on June 6, 2008 in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft
. He was released on August 23, and the Eagles did not have to give up a draft pick to the Colts due to his release from the team.
on August 26, 2008. He was waived on August 30, and re-signed on September 3. Lawton was suspended for four games by the NFL on December 24, 2009, for violation of the league's ban on performance-enhancing substances. He was suspended for the last two games of the 2009 season
and the first two games of the 2010 season
. On September 21, 2010, however, as soon as the suspension was lifted, the Raiders released him.
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...
fullback
Fullback (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...
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 signed by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. 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 McNeese State.
Lawton has also been a member of 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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 ....
, 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...
and Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Lawton attended Saint Thomas More High School in Lafayette, LouisianaLafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, and lettered in football and baseball. He earned All-District and All-Parish honors in both sports.
College years
Lawton earned three-time All-Conference and two-time All-America honors at fullback from The Sporting NewsThe Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
also listed Lawton as the top fullback prospect in the country in 2004 in all divisions. He finished his career at McNeese State with 1,114 rushing yards, 775 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns.
Second stint with Giants
Lawton re-signed with the New York GiantsNew 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...
in early 2005. He suffered a broken nose during training camp on August 22, 2005 and underwent surgery on August 24. He was waived on August 29.
New York Jets
Lawton was signed to the New York JetsNew 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...
' practice squad on September 5, 2005. He was promoted to the active roster on November 18. He played in his first NFL game on November 20. He was waived on December 13, and re-signed to the practice squad on December 15. He was signed to a one-year contract worth $310,000 on January 4, 2006. He was released on July 27.
Indianapolis Colts
Lawton was signed to the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis 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 ....
' practice squad on November 29, 2006. He remained on the practice squad for the rest of the 2006 season, and was re-signed on February 14, 2007. Lawton debuted for the Colts in the season-opener in 2007, but was released on October 29 and re-signed again on October 31. He was released again later in the season and was re-signed again on November 28. He caught his first touchdown pass from Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
in the fourth quarter of the second meeting between the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week thirteen. The touchdown was the game winner, and clinched the AFC South division for Indianapolis.
Philadelphia Eagles
Lawton was traded to the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia 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...
on June 6, 2008 in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He was released on August 23, and the Eagles did not have to give up a draft pick to the Colts due to his release from the team.
Oakland Raiders
Lawton was claimed off waivers from the Eagles by the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 26, 2008. He was waived on August 30, and re-signed on September 3. Lawton was suspended for four games by the NFL on December 24, 2009, for violation of the league's ban on performance-enhancing substances. He was suspended for the last two games of the 2009 season
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
and the first two games of the 2010 season
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
. On September 21, 2010, however, as soon as the suspension was lifted, the Raiders released him.