Bashir Levingston facts for kids
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| Position: | Cornerback / Kick returner |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | October 2, 1976 Inglewood, California |
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Seaside (CA) |
| College: | Eastern Washington |
| Undrafted: | 1999 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Bashir A. Levingston (born October 2, 1976) is a former professional Canadian football player. He was known for playing as a cornerback (a defensive player) and a kick returner (a player who catches kicks and runs them back). He played in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
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College Football Star
After attending Monterey Peninsula College, Bashir Levingston played college football at Eastern Washington University. In his final year, he became a huge star. He earned seven "All-American" honors as a return specialist. This means he was recognized as one of the very best college players in the country for returning kicks.
He was also named first-team All-Big Sky Conference as a kick returner. During his senior year, he scored 12 touchdowns. He also gained an amazing 1,597 total yards from different plays.
Levingston holds a record for Division I-AA (a level of college football) in punt returns. He averaged 20.8 yards per return. This places him fifth on the all-time NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) list. He broke or tied seven I-AA records. These included returning three kickoffs for touchdowns in one game and one season. He also set records for kickoff return yards in a game (326 yards).
Professional Football Journey
NFL and NFL Europa Teams
Levingston first signed with the New York Giants in 1999. He spent two years with the team. Later, he was sent to NFL Europa to play for the Amsterdam Admirals in 2000. NFL Europa was a professional American football league in Europe. There, he earned "All-NFL Europa" honors for his great play on special teams. Special teams are the units that play during kicks, punts, and returns.
CFL Career Highlights
After leaving the NFL, Levingston joined the Toronto Argonauts in the 2002 season. He quickly became one of the CFL's best kick returners. He earned the "CFL Special Teams Player of the Week" award ten times during his career. He was also named an "East Division All-Star" in 2003 and 2004.
In 2003, Levingston was named the CFL's Outstanding Special Teams Player. He also won the "East Division Special Teams Player of the Year" award. In 2004, Levingston helped the Toronto Argonauts win the Grey Cup championship. The Grey Cup is the championship game of the CFL.
On June 28, 2007, Levingston broke a CFL record. He returned a missed field goal for an incredible 129-yard touchdown. This record has since been tied by his teammate Dominique Dorsey. Levingston was later released by the Argonauts on August 30, 2007. On November 4, 2007, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes.
