Jason Tucker

Edmonton Eskimos
Date of birth:	June 24, 1976 (1976-06-24) (age 33)
Place of birth:	San Francisco, CA, USA
Career information
Status:	Retired
CFL status:	Import
Position(s):	SB
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	180 lb (82 kg)
College:	Texas Christian
NFL Draft:	1998 / Round: 6 / Pick: 167
Drafted by:	Cincinnati Bengals
Organizations
As coach:
2009-Present	Edmonton Eskimos (Receivers coach)
As player:
1998 1998 1999 1999-2000 2002-2008	Cincinnati Bengals (NFL) Green Bay Packers (NFL) Rhein Fire (NFLE) Dallas Cowboys (NFL) Edmonton Eskimos (CFL)
Career highlights and awards
Grey Cup champion (2003, 2005)
CFL All-Star:	2004, 2005
Awards:	2003 Grey Cup MVP
Playing stats at CFL.ca
Playing stats at NFL.com

Jason Tucker (born June 24, 1976 in San Francisco, California) is a former American and Canadian football slotback. Currently he is the Receivers Coach for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

[edit] High school career

Tucker attended Robinson High School in Robinson, Texas where he excelled in football, and track and field, particularly long jumping.

[edit] College career

Tucker played college football for Texas Christian University. During his sophomore season, he caught 31 passes for 433 yards. The following year, he became the team's second leading receiver with 39 catches, for 692 yards, and four touchdowns. Even better numbers were expected for his senior year, however he did not play after being suspended for a rules violation. At TCU, Tucker amassed 1,197 yards on 78 pass receptions, for an average of 15.3 yards, and a total of five touchdowns.

Despite missing the entire 1997 season, it was apparent Tucker continued to train on his own, to improve his football skills, as evidenced by his clocking a 4.48 second, 40 yard dash, and finishing in the top five in agility drills at the NFL Combine in February.

[edit] Professional career

Tucker was drafted in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. His stay in Cincinnati was a short one. He played in the pre-season opener against the New York Giants, catching one pass for six yards. After pulling a hamstring in training camp, and reaching an injury settlement with the Bengals, Tucker was placed on waivers August 19, 1998.

The Green Bay Packers added Tucker to their practice squad on October 28, 1998.

Next, he made his way to the Rhein Fire of the now-defunct NFL Europa for the 1999 season. In Düsseldorf he had 26 receptions, for 454 yards, and three touchdowns.

He was invited to training camp for the Dallas Cowboys and played the 1999 NFL season with Dallas, being named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December 1999.

Tucker was released by the Cowboys before the 2001 NFL season, and by 2002 he had made the roster of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. In his first year as a Canadian Football League player, Tucker was the team's second-leading receiver with 51 catches for 911 yards. In 2003, Tucker was named the most valuable player of the 91st Grey Cup with a 132-yard performance in the championship game. In 2004, Tucker broke the 1,000 yards receiving mark for the first time, racking up 1,632 yards for the fourth-highest total in franchise history.

Tucker has won two Grey Cups, in 2003 and 2005, both with the Eskimos. He is a two-time CFL All-Star at wide receiver in 2004 and 2005.

On July 26, 2008, Tucker was involved in a helmet-to-helmet hit with Hamilton Tiger Cats Jykine Bradley that fractured his C6-C7 vertebra. Fortunately, his spinal cord was not damaged. However the injury would ultimately be career ending.^[1]

On January 28, 2009, Tucker announced his retirement as a football player, but also announced that he would join the Eskimos coaching staff as their receivers coach.^[2]

[edit] Personal

Tucker is married, and has four daughters. His family lives on a 1,300-acre (5 km²) ranch in Burleson, Texas.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Profile at esks.com