Terrence Murphy
Encyclopedia
Terrence Cardene Murphy (born December 15, 1982 in Tyler, Texas
) is a retired American football
wide receiver
and return specialist.
and in his two years at quarterback he passed for more than 2,500 yards, rushed for over 1,100 yards and totaled over 25 touchdowns in combined seasons at Chapel Hill. He was the Offensive 16-4A District MVP in 2000 and signed with Texas A&M. He was the first and only Tyler Chapel Hill player to be drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.
, where he became one of the best receivers in school history. He was 2-Time 1st Team All-Big 12 (wide receiver and kick returner) and was 3-Time Academic All- Big 12 in his 4 seasons at A&M. He switched to wide receiver and returned kickoffs after never playing either position before in his career. He was a team captain twice and finished his career
with a school record 172 receptions for 2,600 yards (15.1 yards per rec. avg.) and ten touchdowns, 17 rushing attempts for 209 yards (12.3 yards per rush avg.), and 31 kickoff returns for 761 yards (24.55 yards per kickoff ret. avg). He finished his career with 3,615 total all-purpose yards in four seasons, most ever by an Aggie Receiver. He was named to Sporting News All-American Team twice in his career, once in 2001 & 2003. He is the Texas A&M record holder in the vertical jump
(for all varsity sports including basketball
) with a jump of 42 inches.
by the Green Bay Packers
. He played in three games in the regular season, catching five passes for 36 yards. He was injured in October of his rookie
year on a helmet-to-helmet hit from the Carolina Panthers
' Thomas Davis
during a kickoff return and subsequently placed on injured reserve
. Murphy's teammate Najeh Davenport
fumbled on the return, and when Murphy tried to retrieve the ball, he was hit hard by Davis. Tests later showed Murphy has spinal stenosis
, a narrowing of the spine near the neck. As a result, the Packers released Murphy on April 20, 2006. On April 19, 2007, Murphy officially announced his retirement from the NFL.
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
) is a retired 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...
and return specialist.
High school
Murphy attended Chapel Hill High School in Tyler, Texas where he had a core GPA of 3.6. He also played quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and in his two years at quarterback he passed for more than 2,500 yards, rushed for over 1,100 yards and totaled over 25 touchdowns in combined seasons at Chapel Hill. He was the Offensive 16-4A District MVP in 2000 and signed with Texas A&M. He was the first and only Tyler Chapel Hill player to be drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.
College
Murphy attended Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, where he became one of the best receivers in school history. He was 2-Time 1st Team All-Big 12 (wide receiver and kick returner) and was 3-Time Academic All- Big 12 in his 4 seasons at A&M. He switched to wide receiver and returned kickoffs after never playing either position before in his career. He was a team captain twice and finished his career
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...
with a school record 172 receptions for 2,600 yards (15.1 yards per rec. avg.) and ten touchdowns, 17 rushing attempts for 209 yards (12.3 yards per rush avg.), and 31 kickoff returns for 761 yards (24.55 yards per kickoff ret. avg). He finished his career with 3,615 total all-purpose yards in four seasons, most ever by an Aggie Receiver. He was named to Sporting News All-American Team twice in his career, once in 2001 & 2003. He is the Texas A&M record holder in the vertical jump
Vertical jump
A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is...
(for all varsity sports including 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...
) with a jump of 42 inches.
NFL
Murphy was selected in the 2nd round (pick 58) of the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. He played in three games in the regular season, catching five passes for 36 yards. He was injured in October of his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
year on a helmet-to-helmet hit from 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...
' Thomas Davis
Thomas Davis (football player)
Thomas Davis is an American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Carolina Panthers.-College football:...
during a kickoff return and subsequently 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...
. Murphy's teammate Najeh Davenport
Najeh Davenport
Najeh Trenadious Monté Davenport is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
fumbled on the return, and when Murphy tried to retrieve the ball, he was hit hard by Davis. Tests later showed Murphy has spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves at the level of the lumbar vertebra. This is usually due to the common occurrence of spinal degeneration that occurs with aging. It can also sometimes be caused by spinal disc...
, a narrowing of the spine near the neck. As a result, the Packers released Murphy on April 20, 2006. On April 19, 2007, Murphy officially announced his retirement from the NFL.