Beanie Wells facts for kids
Wells (center) with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2008
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| No. 26 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | August 7, 1988 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 229 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Garfield (Akron) | ||||||||||
| College: | Ohio State (2006–2008) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 31 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Christopher Michael Wells (born August 7, 1988), known as Chris Wells or Beanie Wells, is a former American football player. He played as a running back for the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL). Before playing professionally, he played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Cardinals chose him in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft.
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Early Life and High School Football
Chris Wells was a highly praised football player in high school. He played at Akron Garfield High School in Ohio. He was also a talented track athlete. His high school coach said Beanie was one of the most exciting players he had seen. Many people thought he was the best new player from Ohio. He was named an All-American in 2006.
Wells had offers to play at big schools like Michigan and USC. But he always wanted to play for Ohio State. He once said he felt like he was born wanting to go there.
College Football Career
Beanie Wells wore the number 28 while playing for Ohio State.
Freshman Year (2006)
In his first year, Wells shared playing time with another running back, Antonio Pittman. He had a strong start to his college career. In his very first game, he ran for 50 yards and scored a touchdown. A big moment in his freshman year was against Michigan. He made a 52-yard touchdown run that helped Ohio State win the game.
Sophomore Year (2007)
After Antonio Pittman left for the NFL, Wells became the main starting running back for Ohio State. He started every game in his second year. On October 20, he ran for an amazing 221 yards and scored a touchdown against Michigan State. Later, on November 17, he ran for 222 yards against Michigan. This was the second-highest rushing yards by an Ohio State player against Michigan. He led the Big Ten Conference in rushing attempts that season.
Junior Year (2008)
Wells started his junior year strong, running for 111 yards and a touchdown in his first game. He then had a foot injury and missed three games. When he returned, he continued to play well. He ran for 106 yards against Minnesota and 168 yards against Wisconsin. In one game against Illinois, he famously leaped over a defender.
College Awards and Honors
- 2006 Parade All-American
- 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl MVP
- 2007 First-team All-Big Ten
- 2007 Rivals.com Second-team All-American
- 2008 Ohio State team MVP
Professional Football Career
The Arizona Cardinals picked Chris Wells in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He was the 31st player chosen overall. He competed to be the main running back for the team.
Wells signed a five-year contract with the Cardinals in August 2009. Soon after, he had an ankle injury during practice.
In his first NFL game in 2009, Wells ran for 29 yards. In Week 7, he scored his first NFL touchdown with a 13-yard run against the New York Giants. In Week 15, he had his first game where he ran for over 100 yards, gaining 110 yards against the Detroit Lions. He also scored a touchdown in the playoffs that year. He finished his first NFL season with 793 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
In the 2010 season, Wells played in 13 games. He ran for 397 yards and scored two touchdowns.
For the 2011 NFL season, the Cardinals decided to focus more on their running game, with Wells as the main running back. In Week 4, he had a big game against the New York Giants, running for 138 yards and scoring three touchdowns. On November 27, 2011, Wells set a new Cardinals team record. He ran for an amazing 228 yards against the St. Louis Rams. This was his best game ever. Wells finished the 2011 season with over 1,000 rushing yards, totaling 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In 2012, Wells had a foot injury and was placed on a special injured list. He returned to play in November 2012, scoring two touchdowns against the St. Louis Rams. His time with the team ended in March 2013 when the Cardinals released him.
In October 2013, Wells had another serious injury while working out with the Baltimore Ravens. After this injury, he did not sign with another NFL team.
Personal Life
Chris Wells is one of eleven children. His parents are James and Paulette Wells. His family gave him the nickname "Beanie" when he was young. He said his older brother called him "skinny like a bean pole," and the name stuck.
Images for kids
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Wells (center) with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2008
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Wells (left) and teammates during 2010 preseason camp.
