Jerry Porter (American football)

Jerry Porter

Oakland Raiders — No. 84
Wide receiver
Date of Birth: July 14 1978 (1978-07-14) (age 29)
Place of Birth: Washington, D.C.
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	Weight: 220 lb (100 kg)
National Football League Debut
2000 for the Oakland Raiders
Career Highlights and Awards
No notable achievements
Career History
College: West Virginia
NFL Draft: 2000 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47
Teams: Oakland Raiders (2000-present)
Stats at NFL.com

Jerry Porter (born July 14,1978 in Washington, D.C.) is an American professional American football player. He attended West Virginia University.

High school career

Porter attended Coolidge High School in Washington D.C., and was a star in football, basketball, baseball, and track. In football, he was a Blue Chip All-American selection and also won All-State honors. He was often called "Superman" by his West Virginia scouts, because he could play quarterback, wide receiver, fullback, halfback, defensive end, and defensive back during three varsity seasons. He was also reported to possess a 40-inch vertical jump, ability to throw a football 80 yards with one hand and 50 yards with his other while on his knees, and run a 4.4 40 yard dash. [1]

College career

Jerry Porter came into West Virginia as a freshman, and Nehlen was uncertain of his final position. Porter was an All-Big East selection as an all-purpose back. He saw action as a free-safety in the first five games and filled in as the emergency quarterback against Rutgers, then finished the second half of the season as a flanker. His freshman season he record 28 tackles and an interception that was returned 68-yards for a touchdown. Porter also blocked a kick. Porter totaled 311 yards and four touchdowns receiving as well. As a sophomore, he caught 13 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior, Porter earned an All-Big East conference team selection after starting every game at free-safety. That season he grabbed five interceptions as well.

Pro career

Porter was drafted in 2000 during the second round by the Oakland Raiders. For three years, from 2000 to 2003, Porter was looked to as a third receiver behind veterans Tim Brown and Jerry Rice. Brown was cut from the Raiders team in 2003 and was picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2004 season, while Rice was kept until 2004, when he was too cut and picked up by the Seattle Seahawks. In the three year tenure, Porter's best season came in 2002, when he recorded 688 yards and 9 touchdowns from quarterback Rich Gannon on the Raiders' way to Super Bowl XXXVII, where they lost to the Buccaneers 48-21. Porter had a 39-yard touchdown grab in the loss. During the 2004 season, Porter was basically the starting receiver infront of Rice. Porter recorded a career-high 998 yards off of 64 receptions and 9 touchdowns for the season, the best of his career. But on bad news, the Raiders finished the season 5-11, and veteran quarterback Rich Gannon retired after suffering a serious neck injury. With Jerry Rice's retirement after the 2004 season, it looked as if Porter would be new quarterback Kerry Collins' primary receiver. But just before the NFL Draft, the Raiders traded linebacker Napoleon Harris and draft picks for all-star receiver Randy Moss. With Moss now on team, Porter would have the role as the secondary receiver. Even though he was not the primary receiver, he still managed to record a 942 yard, 5 touchdown season (2nd best of his career). With Moss traded to the New England Patriots in the 2007 offseason and Art Shell fired, Porter finally has the chance to become the primary receiver on the Raiders.

2006 troubles

Entering the 2006 season, Porter publicly voiced his dissatisfaction with newly hired head coach Art Shell, and during training camp, demanded to be traded. Porter's conflict with Shell occurred very early in training camp, when Shell announced that champagne would no longer be allowed at the training facility. In addition to his public complaints, he reportedly parked in owner Al Davis's personal parking spot.^[1] As a result of his attitude, Coach Shell deactivated him "until further notice".^[2] During his suspension, Porter was reportedly seen "laughing and pumping his fist" on the sidelines when teammate Aaron Brooks was sacked for the 7th time by the San Diego Chargers. ^[3] He later denied these allegations, saying that he wasn't paying attention to the game and was interacting with fans in the seats. ^[4] Having still not played in a game in 2006, Porter was officially suspended/inactivated without pay for four games (the maximum allowable) by Coach Shell on October 15 for "conduct detrimental to the team" after he made disparaging and disrespectful remarks during a regular team practice.^[5] When the suspension was announced the NFL Players Association filed a grievance on Porter's behalf, and the Raiders reduced the suspension to two games on the 25th and he was allowed to return to practice.^[6]He dressed for and played in his first game of 2006 on October 29 - a Raiders home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers - during which he recorded one catch for 19 yards.^[7] Shortly after new coach Lane Kiffin was hired, Jerry Porter changed his number from 84 to 81, symbolizing a fresh start. Since then, though, Porter has decided to change his number back to 84, because changing his number would involve him owing the Raiders a great deal of money for un-sold jerseys of his number, 84.

2007 season

Jerry Porter was the recipient of Jamarcus Russell's first professional pass, a 16-yard completion which Porter caught on the sidelines while keeping only his toes in-bounds.^[8]

References