Cortland Finnegan facts for kids
Finnegan playing for the Panthers in 2015
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | February 2, 1984 Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Milton (Milton, Florida) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Samford (2002–2005) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 215 | ||||||||||||
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Cortland Temujin Finnegan (born February 2, 1984) is a former American football player. He was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Samford Bulldogs. The Tennessee Titans picked him in the 2006 NFL draft. Finnegan also played for the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2008, which is a special game for the best players.
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Early Life and High School Football
Cortland Finnegan grew up in Milton, Florida. He went to Milton High School. There, he was a star player in football. He played as a safety (a defensive player) and a tailback (a running player). In his senior year, he was named second-team All-State. He caught 22 passes for 403 yards. He also scored three touchdowns by running with the ball. On defense, he made 65 tackles.
College Football Career
Cortland played college football at Samford. He was a very important player for their team, the Samford Bulldogs.
Sophomore Year Success
In his second year, Cortland was named first-team All-OVC. This means he was one of the best players in the Ohio Valley Conference. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year. He made a lot of tackles, 108 in total. He also caught three interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player. He also returned 21 kickoffs for 577 yards. He even scored a touchdown on one of these returns.
Junior and Senior Year Highlights
As a junior, Cortland continued to play well. He was again named first-team All-OVC. He led his team with 86 tackles. He also had three interceptions, just like his sophomore year.
In his senior year, Cortland was named first-team All-American. This is a huge honor for college players. He led his team in tackles for the third year in a row. He also returned punts and kickoffs very well. He was one of the best in his conference at returning kicks.
Professional Football Career
Cortland Finnegan joined the NFL in 2006. He played for several teams during his career.
Joining the Tennessee Titans
Cortland played for a smaller college team. Because of this, many teams didn't notice him much. But the Tennessee Titans saw his talent. They picked him in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft. He was the first player from Samford to be drafted in a long time.
In his first year (2006), Cortland played in all 16 games. He made 57 tackles. He also scored a touchdown by returning a fumble 92 yards. This was a big play for the Titans.
In 2008, Cortland had an amazing game. He intercepted two passes from the opposing quarterback. Because of this, he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Later that year, he was chosen to start in the 2009 Pro Bowl. This is a special game where the best players from each conference play against each other. It was his only Pro Bowl selection.
Cortland was also known for his charity work. He became the Titans' Community Man of the Year. He helped raise money for children with disabilities. He even started his own charity called ARK 31.
Playing for Other Teams
After the Titans, Cortland signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2012. He quickly made an impact. In his first game with the Rams, he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. He was known for his intense and aggressive play. Sometimes, this led to him getting penalties or fines.
In 2014, Cortland joined the Miami Dolphins. He played one season there. After that, he announced he was retiring from football.
Coming Out of Retirement
But Cortland didn't stay retired for long! In late 2015, he signed with the Carolina Panthers. He played in five games for them. The Panthers had a great season and made it to Super Bowl 50. This was Cortland's first time playing in the Super Bowl. He made four tackles in the game. However, the Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos.
In 2016, Cortland signed with the New Orleans Saints. But he was released by the team before the regular season started.
Personal Life
Cortland Finnegan is the youngest of three children. He has an older sister named Lela. His oldest sister, Felicia, passed away when she was eight years old. She had Down syndrome.
Cortland is married and has a daughter. His daughter is named after his sister Felicia. She is also named after a girl he met who was bravely fighting a serious illness.
Images for kids
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Finnegan at the 2009 Pro Bowl
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Finnegan (left) and Kurt Coleman playing for the Panthers in 2015.
