Shafer Suggs
Encyclopedia
Shafer Suggs is a former American football
safety in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the New York Jets
in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ball State
.
Suggs also played for the Cincinnati Bengals
, Montreal Alouettes
, and New Jersey Generals
.
at Elkhart High School
. While there he was an All-State defensive back. Aside from football, Suggs lettered in basketball
and track
.
at Ball State University
. While there he set the school record for interceptions in a season with 8 in 1975 and career interceptions with 14. As a senior he was the Mid-American Conference
defensive player of the year and was an AP
second team All-American. Suggs was also a three-year starter on the basketball team
.
in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft
. As a rookie in 1976 Suggs started 10 games at cornerback
, recording one interception. During his second year he moved to strong safety, where he started eight of nine games. He missed seven games due to a shoulder separation he suffered in car accident
on his way to training camp
. In 1978 Suggs returned from injuries to start all 16 games at strong safety for the Jets, leading the team in tackles
. In 1979 Suggs started 15 of 16 games at strong safety, recording three interceptions. During the season he scored his first and only NFL touchdown, returning an interception 32 yards, in a Monday Night Football
game against the Minnesota Vikings
. In 1980 Suggs started four games for the Jets before suffering an injury.
during the 1980 season. Suggs played the final four games for the Bengals with no starts.
of the Canadian Football League
in 1981 and the New Jersey Generals
of the United States Football League
in 1983.
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...
safety in the 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...
. He was drafted by the 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...
in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft
1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
. 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 Ball State
Ball State Cardinals football
The Ball State Cardinals football team represents Ball State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Mid-American Conference .-Recent history:...
.
Suggs also played for 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...
, Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, and New Jersey Generals
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983-85, winning 31 regular-season games and losing 25 while going 0-2 in postseason competition...
.
Early years
Suggs played high school footballHigh 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....
at Elkhart High School
Elkhart Central High School
-Vision:Elkhart Central High School is a place where all feel safe, welcome and aspire to learn, find their niche and pursue their dreams.-Mission:...
. While there he was an All-State defensive back. Aside from football, Suggs lettered in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
.
College career
Suggs 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 Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
. While there he set the school record for interceptions in a season with 8 in 1975 and career interceptions with 14. As a senior he was the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
defensive player of the year and was an AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
second team All-American. Suggs was also a three-year starter on the basketball team
Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
The Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team is the basketball team that represent Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The Cardinals first basketball season was 1920-1921. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's...
.
New York Jets
Suggs was drafted by 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...
in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft
1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
. As a rookie in 1976 Suggs started 10 games at 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...
, recording one interception. During his second year he moved to strong safety, where he started eight of nine games. He missed seven games due to a shoulder separation he suffered in car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
on his way to training camp
Training camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
. In 1978 Suggs returned from injuries to start all 16 games at strong safety for the Jets, leading the team in 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....
. In 1979 Suggs started 15 of 16 games at strong safety, recording three interceptions. During the season he scored his first and only NFL touchdown, returning an interception 32 yards, in a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. In 1980 Suggs started four games for the Jets before suffering an injury.
Cincinnati Bengals
Suggs was traded to the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati 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...
during the 1980 season. Suggs played the final four games for the Bengals with no starts.
Montreal Alouettes and New Jersey Generals
After not being able to get a job in the NFL, Suggs played for the Montreal AlouettesMontreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
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....
in 1981 and the New Jersey Generals
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983-85, winning 31 regular-season games and losing 25 while going 0-2 in postseason competition...
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
in 1983.