Cedric Leonard Houston (born June 28, 1982) is a former American football running back of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football at Tennessee.

Cedric Houston
No. 34
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1982-06-28) June 28, 1982 (age 42)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:Clarendon (AR)
College:Tennessee
NFL draft:2005 / round: 6 / pick: 182
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:194
Rushing yards:676
Rushing touchdowns:7
Receptions:15
Receiving yards:109
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Houston played football, basketball, baseball and track and field while at Clarendon High School in Clarendon, Arkansas.[1] He played in the first ever U.S. Army All-American Bowl on December 30, 2000. He held the Arkansas Activities Association record for career touchdowns with 97 from 2000 to 2022 at Clarendon High.[citation needed]

College career

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Houston was a three-year starter at the University of Tennessee.[2] He and Gerald Riggs, Jr. became the first players in Volunteers history to both amass 1,000 yards in the same season in 2004.[3][4] In the 2004 season, he had three games over the 100-yard mark and two games with multiple touchdowns.[5]

Professional career

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New York Jets

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The New York Jets selected Houston using their sixth round pick in the 2005 NFL draft.[6][7] Houston struggled in training camp as a thyroid condition, discovered at the NFL Combine, caused frequent fatigue issues. He was given medication to treat the condition.[7] Heading into the season, Houston served as backup to Curtis Martin and Derrick Blaylock however, Blaylock suffered a broken right foot in October 2005 thus elevating Houston to second on the depth chart.[7] Martin suffered a knee injury that he played through for 10 weeks before Houston replaced him as the starter on December 11.[8] As a rookie, he finished with 81 carries for 302 yards and two touchdowns in the 2005 season.[9]

Houston was involved in a car crash in April 2006 sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. He was later released from the hospital.[10] In the 2006 season, he had 113 carries for 374 yards and five touchdowns in eight games and one start.[11]

A day before the start of training camp, on July 26, 2007, Houston left the Jets for what was cited as personal reasons.[12] It was later revealed Houston had decided to quit professional football to return to Tennessee to earn his degree.[13] Houston remained on the Jets' reserve list the entire season and was eventually released on March 11, 2008.

References

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  1. ^ Goodman, Jeff. "Not Ced in stone". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  2. ^ "Cedric Houston College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  3. ^ "2004 Tennessee Volunteers Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  4. ^ "Hurd, Kamara lead dynamic rushing attack for No. 9 Tennessee". Sports Illustrated. August 22, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "Cedric Houston 2004 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "2005 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Crouse, Karen (October 15, 2005). "Jets Turn to a Rookie to Back Up Martin". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Depleted Jets rise up, drop Raiders deeper in hole". CBS Sports. December 11, 2005. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  9. ^ "Cedric Houston 2005 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  10. ^ "Jets running back involved in car accident". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 23, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  11. ^ "Cedric Houston 2006 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  12. ^ "Houston leaves Jets for personal reasons; Davis signed". NFL.com. July 26, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  13. ^ Crouse, Karen (August 15, 2007). "With Jets' Jones Out, Houston Enters the Conversation". The New York Times. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
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