Leon Washington

Leon Washington

Washington in 2008.
No. 29     New York Jets
Running back / Return specialist
Personal information
Date of birth: August 29, 1982 (1982-08-29) (age 27)
Place of birth: Jacksonville, Florida
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)	Weight: 202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
College: Florida State
NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 4 / Pick: 117
Debuted in 2006 for the New York Jets
Career history
As player: New York Jets (2006-present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Pro selection (2008) Pro Bowl selection (2008)
Career NFL statistics as of week 17, 2008
Rushing yards	1,451
Rushing average	4.9
Kick Return Yards	2,601
Rushing Touchdowns	13
Receiving Touchdowns	2
Receiving yards	838
Stats at NFL.com

Leon Washington (born August 29, 1982 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American football Running back who currently plays for the National Football League's New York Jets. He was drafted in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.

Amateur career

At Andrew Jackson Senior High School, he won the Florida "Mr. Football" Award in 2001 and later committed to Florida State. As a freshman at Florida State, he changed positions from Cornerback to Running back.

Professional career

Washington was selected in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. The pick used was obtained by the Jets from the Kansas City Chiefs, as compensation for the release of former Jets head coach Herman Edwards.^[1]

Leon is a pro-bowl bound player, however, it was hard for him to get to that status. His salary is a mere $451,000. He is now a Jet fan favorite.

Washington gained some attention in his second preseason game, returning a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown against the Washington Redskins. Nonetheless, he didn't immediately get many carries in the first few weeks of the regular season. However, as the Jets running game struggled in the first few weeks, his role in the offense increased. He first showcased his ability on a 47-yard reception Week 3 in Buffalo. Two weeks later in Jacksonville, he recorded his first 100-yard rushing game, running for 101 yards in a Jets 41–0 loss.

His breakout performance came on October 22 at home against Detroit in a game in which Leon ran for 129 yards for two touchdowns and led the Jets' to a 31–24 win. In a game in Miami on Christmas night, Washington had 108 receiving yards including a 64-yard reception to set up the game winning field goal in a 13–10 win. He helped the Jets clinch the fifth playoff spot in the AFC on New Years Eve, 2006 with a touchdown run that put that helped to seal a win against the Oakland Raiders in the final game of the 2006 regular season. He finished the regular season with 650 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 151 attempts. He averaged 4.3 yards-per-carry. In an AFC East game, he return a kick 92-yards for a touchdown against the New England Patriots in 2008. Washington gained 2,317 all purpose yards in 2008, more than any other running back in the NFL.

Washington was selected as AFC Special teams Player of the Week for Week 11 of the 2008 season, the first such award in his career. His 92-yard touchdown was the fourth kick return touchdown of his career, surpassing Justin Miller for the club record.^[2]

Washington is out for the 2009 season with a compound fracture to his fibula that he suffered in Week 7 in a 38-0 shutout win versus the Oakland Raiders. Prior to his season ending injury, Leon Washington had rushed for 331 yards on 72 carries, with a 4.6 yards per carry average. Washington had yet to score in 2009 prior to his injury.

Football card controversy

Washington's 2006 Bowman "Signs of the Future" card with the Jets caused a great deal of controversy during the third week of November, 2006, in which it appears that he is making an obscene gesture. The card sold on eBay during that time for more than four times its book value. Washington insists his gesture is a popular hand gesture among his friends in his hometown.^[3]

Measurables

• 40-yard dash: 4.42
• Vertical: 32 1/2"
• Bench press: 17 Reps of 225
• Three-Cone drill: 6.96
• 20-yard Shuttle: 4.37
• Broad jump: 8'9"

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Leon Washington

• New York Jets bio
• Florida State Seminoles bio