Byron Parker facts for kids

Byron Wesley Parker, born on March 7, 1981, is a former professional gridiron football player. He played as a cornerback, which is a defensive position in football. Byron started his journey in 2004 when he was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was an undrafted free agent, meaning he wasn't chosen in the main player draft.

Before playing professionally, Byron was a talented athlete at Tulane University. He played both college football and college basketball there. Throughout his career, he played for several teams, including the Montreal Alouettes, BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Eskimos, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Byron Parker's College Sports Journey

Byron Parker first went to Tulane on a college basketball scholarship. He played basketball for their team from 2001 to 2003. In 2003, Byron won the exciting NCAA slam dunk competition. This win caught the eye of Tulane's football coach, Chris Scelfo. It also got the attention of football scouts from the NFL.

Later that same year, during his senior year, Byron decided to join the school's football team. He accepted Coach Scelfo's offer. His amazing dunking skills even showed up in a 2005 CFL game. This was at Molson Stadium against the Montreal Alouettes. Playing as a wide receiver, Byron caught a 42-yard touchdown pass. To celebrate, he famously dunked the ball over the goalpost crossbar! He also has an incredible 43-inch vertical leap.

Byron Parker's Professional Football Career

Starting with the Jacksonville Jaguars

On April 26, 2004, Byron Parker began his professional football career. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent. However, he was released by the team on August 1 after their training camp.

First Time with the Toronto Argonauts

After leaving the Jaguars, Parker signed with the Toronto Argonauts on January 24, 2005. He played in only six games during this first period with the team.

A Short Time with the Dallas Cowboys

In 2006, Byron signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. But he was released by the team on July 31 of that year.

Back to the Toronto Argonauts (Second Time)

Just one week after being released by the Cowboys, Parker returned to the Toronto Argonauts. When he came back, he became their starting cornerback. On October 14, 2006, Byron broke a major CFL record. He set a new record for the most interception return yards in a single season. This happened with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in Edmonton.

He finished that season with an amazing 348 interception return yards. This broke the previous record of 300 yards set by Eric Carter in 2003. Because of his great performance, Parker was chosen as a CFL All-Star in both 2006 and 2007.

Joining the Philadelphia Eagles

On January 27, 2009, news came out that Parker had signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles officially confirmed this signing on February 3, 2009. However, he was released by the Eagles on August 14. This move made space on their team for the signing of quarterback Michael Vick.

Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Third Time)

After being released by the Eagles, Parker came back to Toronto. The Argonauts had kept his contract active when he signed with Philadelphia. The Eagles had put him on a special program to gain weight. He went from 193 pounds in 2008 to 227 pounds. He found he needed to get used to the Canadian game again. He reduced his weight to 210 pounds by August 20, 2009. Even then, he felt tired because of the longer and wider Canadian football field. Parker said the Eagles offered him another chance to return on August 20, but he chose to stay with the Argonauts. He felt more comfortable there.

Playing for the Edmonton Eskimos

On September 28, 2009, Parker was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos. This trade was for "future considerations," which means the Argonauts would get something in return later.

Another Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Fourth Time)

On February 16, 2010, Parker signed with the Argonauts again as a free agent. On October 28, 2011, Parker made history once more. He scored his 9th career interception return for a touchdown. This happened against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Canad Inns Stadium. This play set a new CFL record for most interception return touchdowns!

Time with the BC Lions

Parker became a free agent on February 15, 2012. The very next day, February 16, 2012, he signed with the BC Lions. Parker played one season with the BC Lions. On January 18, 2013, the BC Lions released him.

Final Stop with the Montreal Alouettes

Just two days after being released by the Lions, Parker signed with the Montreal Alouettes. He signed a contract for one year, with an option for another year. On January 30, 2014, Parker was released from the Alouettes.

On July 11, 2014, Byron Parker signed a special one-day contract. He did this to officially retire as a member of the Toronto Argonauts. This allowed him to end his career with the team where he had so many memorable moments.