Nick Goings
Encyclopedia
Nick Aaron Goings is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers
as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football
at Pittsburgh
.
) and finished his career with 5,785 rushing yards and 82 touchdowns. Goings led Dublin Scioto to a Division 2 State Championship. After that year the new Dublin Scioto High School was moved up to Division 1.
at the Ohio State University
and the University of Pittsburgh
. His freshman year, he had 56 yards on 12 carries before suffering a neck stinger
that ended his season. His second year, he carried the ball 9 times for 24 yards. Following that year, he transferred to the University of Pittsburgh
, and he was forced to sit out due to NCAA
rules. His productivity increased with the Panthers, and over the two years he played in Pittsburgh he compiled 765 yards on 185 carries, with 6 touchdowns.
as a free agent
. He was used sparingly, mostly on third down carries to give the starting backs a break. He was also placed on special teams. However, his role began to expand with the change in offense once Jake Delhomme
took over as quarterback
. He scored his first NFL touchdown against the Tennessee Titans
on an eight-yard reception from Delhomme. During the 2004 NFL season
, Goings went from fourth on the depth chart to starter, once Stephen Davis
, DeShaun Foster
, and Rod Smart
all went down with injuries. Goings led the team in rushing, and played in all sixteen games. His 121-yard, 3 touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals
earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
He also led the NFL with five 100-yard rushing games, and tied Davis' team record with four consecutive 100 yard games. The next season, he moved up to the third slot on the depth chart, and thanks to his impressive 2004 season, he was used much more often in game situations. With another injury to Davis, he was the backup to Foster towards the end of the season. As Foster went down in the NFC Divisional Game, Goings was once again the starter. He started in his first playoff game in the NFC Championship Game
on January 22 against the Seattle Seahawks
, but was knocked out of the game on the first drive with a concussion sustained after he suffered a helmet-to-helmet collision with Lofa Tatupu
.
During the 2006 season, Goings was third on the Carolina Panthers
depth chart behind DeShaun Foster
and DeAngelo Williams
, limiting his statistical contribution.
On December 30, 2006, Goings signed a three year contract extension through 2009.
In 2007, Goings was placed on injured reserve
by the Carolina Panthers
on October 24, 2007 after sustaining the third concussion of his career earlier in the season and suffering from the effects of post-concussion syndrome
. Prior to being placed on injured reserve
, Goings had played in 4 games. Goings was released by the Panthers on February 25, 2009.
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...
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 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2001. 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 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
.
Early years
Goings attended Dublin Coffman High School for the first three years of high school and graduated from Dublin Scioto High School (Dublin, OhioDublin, Ohio
Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 41,751 at the 2010 census. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Approximately 57,000 people live within the Dublin school district....
) and finished his career with 5,785 rushing yards and 82 touchdowns. Goings led Dublin Scioto to a Division 2 State Championship. After that year the new Dublin Scioto High School was moved up to Division 1.
College career
Goings played college footballCollege 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 the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
and the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. His freshman year, he had 56 yards on 12 carries before suffering a neck stinger
Stinger (medicine)
In medicine, a stinger, also called a burner or nerve pinch injury, is a neurological injury suffered by athletes, mostly in high-contact sports such as ice hockey, basketball, rugby league football, rugby union, american football, wrestling, and roller derby...
that ended his season. His second year, he carried the ball 9 times for 24 yards. Following that year, he transferred to the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, and he was forced to sit out due to NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
rules. His productivity increased with the Panthers, and over the two years he played in Pittsburgh he compiled 765 yards on 185 carries, with 6 touchdowns.
Carolina Panthers
Goings went undrafted, but signed with the Carolina PanthersCarolina 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...
as 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 used sparingly, mostly on third down carries to give the starting backs a break. He was also placed on special teams. However, his role began to expand with the change in offense once Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
took over as 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...
. He scored his first NFL touchdown against the Tennessee Titans
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...
on an eight-yard reception from Delhomme. 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...
, Goings went from fourth on the depth chart to starter, once Stephen Davis
Stephen Davis (American football)
Stephen Lamont Davis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. Davis will be the Carolina Panthers' minority coaching intern for the 2010-11 season.-College career:...
, DeShaun Foster
DeShaun Foster
DeShaun Xavier Foster is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:...
, and Rod Smart
Rod Smart
Rod Smart is a former professional American football player. He played college football for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, and began his professional career in the short-lived XFL league, where he played running back for the Las Vegas Outlaws and was known by the nickname "He Hate Me"...
all went down with injuries. Goings led the team in rushing, and played in all sixteen games. His 121-yard, 3 touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
He also led the NFL with five 100-yard rushing games, and tied Davis' team record with four consecutive 100 yard games. The next season, he moved up to the third slot on the depth chart, and thanks to his impressive 2004 season, he was used much more often in game situations. With another injury to Davis, he was the backup to Foster towards the end of the season. As Foster went down in the NFC Divisional Game, Goings was once again the starter. He started in his first playoff game in the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-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...
on January 22 against 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...
, but was knocked out of the game on the first drive with a concussion sustained after he suffered a helmet-to-helmet collision with Lofa Tatupu
Lofa Tatupu
-Seattle Seahawks:Tatupu quickly established himself as one of the top defensive players in the league as a rookie in 2005, in which he was named to the Pro Bowl, while leading the NFC Champion Seahawks in tackles, with 104, en route to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history...
.
During the 2006 season, Goings was third on 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...
depth chart behind DeShaun Foster
DeShaun Foster
DeShaun Xavier Foster is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:...
and DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
, limiting his statistical contribution.
On December 30, 2006, Goings signed a three year contract extension through 2009.
In 2007, Goings was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
by 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...
on October 24, 2007 after sustaining the third concussion of his career earlier in the season and suffering from the effects of post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, and historically called shell shock, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or occasionally up to a year or more after a concussion – a mild form of traumatic brain injury . PCS may also...
. Prior to being placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
, Goings had played in 4 games. Goings was released by the Panthers on February 25, 2009.