Marcus Thigpen
Encyclopedia
Marcus Arnette Thigpen is a professional gridiron football
running back
and slotback
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
of the Canadian Football League
. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Indiana
.
Thigpen has also been a member of the Denver Broncos
and Saskatchewan Roughriders
.
and was a letterman in football
and track. He was one of the top track and field sprinters in the state of Michigan
. He won the 100-meter crown for the state of Michigan
.
, Thigpen was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles
on April 27, 2009. He was waived on August 4.
on August 16, 2009. He was waived on August 26.
on October 2, 2009. He was removed from the practice roster and signed to the active roster on November 7. He was part of the final cuts following the 2010 training camp.
' active roster on June 26, 2010. He returned the team's first kickoff of the 2010 season for a touchdown against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and was named the CFL Special Teams Player of Week 1. In week 2, he returned a Burke Dales
punt for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass. On August 13, 2010, after rushing for a touchdown, Thigpen became the first player in CFL history to score a touchdown five different ways. In total, he had scored on a kickoff return, punt return, missed field goal return, a running play and a reception.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
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...
and slotback
Slotback
Slotback is a position in Gridiron football . The slotback is similar to the wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a running back, lines up closer to the offensive line and often farther back...
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. 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 Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
.
Thigpen has also been a member of the 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...
and Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
.
Early years
Thigpen attended Mumford High School in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and was a letterman in 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....
and track. He was one of the top track and field sprinters in the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He won the 100-meter crown for the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
College career
After Mumford, Thigpen played college football at the Indiana University from 2004–2008. He majored in social and behavioral science with a criminal justice major.Philadelphia Eagles
After going undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 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...
, Thigpen was signed as an undrafted free agent by 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...
on April 27, 2009. He was waived on August 4.
Denver Broncos
Thigpen signed with the Denver BroncosDenver 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...
on August 16, 2009. He was waived on August 26.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Thigpen signed a practice roster agreement with the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
on October 2, 2009. He was removed from the practice roster and signed to the active roster on November 7. He was part of the final cuts following the 2010 training camp.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Thigpen was signed to the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
' active roster on June 26, 2010. He returned the team's first kickoff of the 2010 season for a touchdown against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and was named the CFL Special Teams Player of Week 1. In week 2, he returned a Burke Dales
Burke Dales
Burke Dales is a professional Canadian football punter for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
punt for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass. On August 13, 2010, after rushing for a touchdown, Thigpen became the first player in CFL history to score a touchdown five different ways. In total, he had scored on a kickoff return, punt return, missed field goal return, a running play and a reception.