Byron Parker facts for kids
| Born: | March 7, 1981 Madisonville, Kentucky, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | CB |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 193 lb (88 kg) |
| College | Tulane |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2004 | Jacksonville Jaguars* |
| 2005 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2006 | Dallas Cowboys* |
| 2006–2008 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2009 | Philadelphia Eagles* |
| 2009 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2009 | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 2010–2011 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2012 | BC Lions |
| 2013 | Montreal Alouettes |
| *Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 2006, 2007, 2011 |
| CFL East All-Star | 2006, 2007, 2011 |
| Career stats | |
|
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Byron Wesley Parker was born on March 7, 1981. He is a former gridiron football player who played as a cornerback. He was first signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2004. Byron also played both college football and college basketball at Tulane University.
Parker played for several teams during his career. These included the Montreal Alouettes, BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Eskimos, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Contents
- Byron Parker's College Journey
- Byron Parker's Professional Career
- Playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars
- First Time with the Toronto Argonauts
- Time with the Dallas Cowboys
- Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Part 2)
- With the Philadelphia Eagles
- Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Part 3)
- Playing for the Edmonton Eskimos
- Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Part 4)
- Time with the BC Lions
- Joining the Montreal Alouettes
Byron Parker's College Journey
From Basketball Star to Football Player
Byron Parker first went to Tulane University on a college basketball scholarship. He played on their basketball team from 2001 to 2003. In 2003, Parker won the exciting NCAA slam dunk competition.
Winning the slam dunk contest 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, Parker decided to join the school's football team.
A Memorable Touchdown Celebration
Parker's amazing slam dunking skills were even shown off in a 2005 CFL game. This game was played at Molson Stadium against the Montreal Alouettes. Parker was playing as a wide receiver. He caught a 42-yard touchdown pass. To celebrate, he famously dunked the football over the crossbar uprights! He also had an impressive 43-inch vertical leap.
Byron Parker's Professional Career
Playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars
On April 26, 2004, Byron Parker was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He joined them as an undrafted free agent. This means he was not chosen in the main draft but was still signed by a team. 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 six games for the team that season.
Time with the Dallas Cowboys
In 2006, Parker signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. He was released by the team on July 31 of that year.
Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Part 2)
Parker rejoined the Argonauts just one week after being released by the Dallas Cowboys. When he returned, he became their starting cornerback. On October 14, 2006, Parker set a new CFL record. He had a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in Edmonton. This play helped him break the record for the most interception return yardage in a single season.
He finished the 2006 season with a CFL record of 348 interception return yards. This beat the previous record of 300 yards set by Eric Carter in 2003. Parker was chosen as a CFL All-Star in both 2006 and 2007 for his excellent play.
With 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. He was released by the team on August 14, which made space for quarterback Michael Vick to join the team.
Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Part 3)
After being released by the Eagles, Parker went back to Toronto. The Argonauts had kept his contract active when he signed with Philadelphia. While with the Eagles, he had gained some weight as part of their program. He went from 193 pounds in 2008 to 227 pounds. When he returned to the CFL, he had to get used to the Canadian game again. He reduced his weight to 210 pounds by August 20, 2009. He found the longer and wider CFL field made him tired. Parker said the Eagles offered him another chance to return, but he felt more comfortable with the Argonauts.
Playing for the Edmonton Eskimos
Parker was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos on September 28, 2009. This trade was made for future considerations between the teams.
Return to the Toronto Argonauts (Part 4)
On February 16, 2010, Parker signed with the Argonauts again as a free agent. On October 28, 2011, Parker made history. 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 career interception return touchdowns.
Time with the BC Lions
Parker became a free agent on February 15, 2012. He then signed with the BC Lions on February 16, 2012. Parker played one season with the BC Lions. On January 18, 2013, the BC Lions released him.
Joining the Montreal Alouettes
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 more time. 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.
