Shaun McDonald
Encyclopedia
Shaun Terrance McDonald (born June 30, 1981 in Phoenix, Arizona
) is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Arizona State
.
McDonald has also played for the Detroit Lions
and Pittsburgh Steelers
.
in Phoenix and was a 1999 Honorable Mention All-America by USA Today. He also earned All-state honors as a kick return specialist and all-conference as a wide receiver and kick specialist as a junior. He was a three-year starter and had five kickoff returns for touchdowns as a senior before missing one-third of his senior season with a broken fibula. As a senior, he had 800 yards receiving (30 yard average), 1,700 all-purpose yards, added seven kick returns for touchdown, and averaged 46 yards per kick return. As a junior, he returned four kickoffs of 90 yards or longer for touchdowns. He still holds the state record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with 14. He lettered three times in football and four times each in soccer and track and field. McDonald also scored a goal and assisted on another in winning the state championship in soccer.
with the Detroit Lions
. That season, McDonald led the Lions in catches with 79, yards with 943, and touchdowns with six.
In 2008, McDonald started seven of the 12 games in which he played and caught 35 passes for 332 yards and a touchdown.
on May 1, 2009. He was waived on November 28 to make room for quarterback
Tyler Palko
who was signed off the practice squad.
point guard
Mike Bibby
and Nottingham Forest
forward
Robbie Findley
. He is also related through marriage to Eddie House
.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
) 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...
wide receiver
Wide 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...
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 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,...
in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. 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 Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
.
McDonald has also played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
Early years
McDonald is a 1999 graduate of Shadow Mountain High SchoolShadow Mountain High School
Shadow Mountain High School is a public high school located in the north valley of Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The school is part of the Paradise Valley Unified School District. The school's athletic teams are known as the Matadors. Shadow Mountain's school colors are navy blue and gold. 1,749...
in Phoenix and was a 1999 Honorable Mention All-America by USA Today. He also earned All-state honors as a kick return specialist and all-conference as a wide receiver and kick specialist as a junior. He was a three-year starter and had five kickoff returns for touchdowns as a senior before missing one-third of his senior season with a broken fibula. As a senior, he had 800 yards receiving (30 yard average), 1,700 all-purpose yards, added seven kick returns for touchdown, and averaged 46 yards per kick return. As a junior, he returned four kickoffs of 90 yards or longer for touchdowns. He still holds the state record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with 14. He lettered three times in football and four times each in soccer and track and field. McDonald also scored a goal and assisted on another in winning the state championship in soccer.
Pre-draft
McDonald measured 5'8½" and 169 pounds and ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at his ASU pro day.St Louis Rams
The St Louis Rams made McDonald the 106th pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. At the end of the 2006 season, McDonald finished his career with the Rams with 106 catches for 1,215 yards and four touchdowns.Detroit Lions
In the 2007 offseason, McDonald left the Rams and joined former Rams offensive coordinator Mike MartzMike Martz
Michael Martz is a former NFL head coach and currently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's Chicago Bears....
with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. That season, McDonald led the Lions in catches with 79, yards with 943, and touchdowns with six.
In 2008, McDonald started seven of the 12 games in which he played and caught 35 passes for 332 yards and a touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers
McDonald was signed by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
on May 1, 2009. He was waived on November 28 to make room for 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...
Tyler Palko
Tyler Palko
Tyler Palko is an American football player and starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football for the University of Pittsburgh.Palko was the starting quarterback...
who was signed off the practice squad.
Personal
McDonald has two cousins in professional sports - Miami HeatMiami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Mike Bibby
Mike Bibby
Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...
and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
Robbie Findley
Robbie Findley
Robert "Robbie" Findley is an American international soccer player who plays professionally for English club Nottingham Forest...
. He is also related through marriage to Eddie House
Eddie House
Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:...
.