Cortland Finnegan facts for kids
Finnegan with the Carolina 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) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Milton (Milton, Florida) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Samford (2002–2005) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 215 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Cortland Temujin Finnegan (born February 2, 1984) is a former professional football player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). Cortland played college football for the Samford Bulldogs. The Tennessee Titans picked him in the 2006 NFL Draft. He also played for the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints. In 2008, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl, 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, playing both safety (on defense) and tailback (on offense). In his senior year (2002), he was named second-team All-State. He caught 22 passes for 403 yards. He also ran for three touchdowns. On defense, he made 65 tackles.
College Football Career
Cortland played college football at Samford. He was a standout player there.
Sophomore Year Highlights
In his second year, Cortland was named first-team All-OVC. He was also named third-team All-American. He earned the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. He led his team with 108 tackles. He also had three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He was great at returning kickoffs, averaging 27.5 yards per return.
Junior Year Achievements
As a junior, Cortland was again named first-team All-OVC. He started every game as a free safety. He led his team with 86 tackles. He also had three interceptions and forced one fumble. He continued to be a strong kickoff returner.
Senior Year Success
In his final year at Samford, Cortland was named first-team All-American by several groups. He was also first-team All-OVC for the third year in a row. He led his team in tackles for the third straight season with 98. He also had one interception. Cortland was excellent at returning punts and kickoffs. He led the OVC in punt return average.
Professional Football Journey
Cortland Finnegan was not widely known before the 2006 NFL draft. This was because he played for a smaller college team. Even so, the Tennessee Titans saw his talent. They picked him in the seventh round of the draft. He was only the third player ever drafted from Samford.
Tennessee Titans (2006–2011)
Cortland signed with the Titans in July 2006. He quickly made an impact.
Rookie Season (2006)
In his very first game, Cortland made six tackles. He also got his first career sack. He even recovered a fumble and ran it 92 yards for a touchdown! This was his first career touchdown. He finished his rookie year with 70 tackles and one touchdown.
Becoming a Starter (2007)
In 2007, Cortland became a full-time starting cornerback. He played in all 16 games. He made 95 tackles and got his first career interception. The Titans made it to the playoffs that year. Cortland played in his first playoff game. He had eight tackles and another interception.
Pro Bowl Season (2008)
The 2008 season was a big one for Cortland. He signed a new contract with the Titans. In Week 1, he had two interceptions and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He also had his first "pick-six" (intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown). He finished the season with 69 tackles and a career-high five interceptions. Because of his great play, he was chosen for the 2009 Pro Bowl, his only Pro Bowl appearance.
Continued Strong Play (2009)
Cortland continued as the top cornerback for the Titans. He started the season with an interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed a few games due to a hamstring injury. But he still had a strong year. He tied his career-high with five interceptions. He also had another pick-six.
Challenging Season (2010)
The 2010 season was tough for Cortland. He was involved in several physical plays on the field. These led to fines from the NFL. In one famous incident, he had a disagreement with Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson. Both players were ejected from the game and fined. Despite these issues, Cortland still played well. He had 100 tackles and two interceptions, including another pick-six.
Final Year with Titans (2011)
In 2011, Cortland had one year left on his contract. He briefly left training camp because he wanted a new deal. He soon returned and apologized. He continued to be a key player for the Titans. He finished the season with 75 tackles and one interception.
St. Louis Rams (2012–2013)
In 2012, Cortland signed a big contract with the St. Louis Rams. He joined his former coach, Jeff Fisher, there.
First Season with Rams (2012)
Cortland made an immediate impact with the Rams. In his first game, he had a pick-six against the Detroit Lions. He had interceptions in his first three games with the team. He set a career-high with 101 tackles that season. He started all 16 games.
Injury-Shortened Season (2013)
In 2013, Cortland's season was cut short by injuries. He suffered a thigh injury early in the season. Later, he had a fractured orbital bone (a bone near his eye). He tried to play through it but eventually had surgery. He missed the last six games of the season.
Miami Dolphins (2014)
The Rams released Cortland in 2014. He then signed a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.
One Season in Miami (2014)
Cortland became a starting cornerback for the Dolphins. He scored another touchdown when he recovered a fumbled snap and ran it 50 yards. He also forced a fumble. He missed four games due to an ankle injury. He finished the season with 44 tackles. In March 2015, the Dolphins released him. Shortly after, Cortland announced he was retiring from the NFL.
Carolina Panthers (2015)
Cortland's retirement didn't last long! In November 2015, the Carolina Panthers signed him. They were undefeated at the time and needed help at cornerback due to injuries.
Cortland played in the last five games of the season. The Panthers had an amazing 15-1 record. They made it all the way to the Super Bowl. In the playoffs, Cortland had an interception against the Seattle Seahawks. He played in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos. The Panthers lost the game, but it was a great experience for Cortland.
New Orleans Saints (2016)
In August 2016, the New Orleans Saints signed Cortland. However, they released him before the regular season began. This was his last stop in the NFL.
Personal Life
Cortland Finnegan is the youngest of three children. His older sister, Felicia, passed away when she was eight years old from Down syndrome. Cortland is married and has a daughter. His daughter is named after his sister and another girl he met who was battling a serious illness.
In 2010, Cortland became involved with "School of the Legends," an online community for NFL players. He was also named the Titans' Community Man of the Year. This was for his charity work and for starting ARK 31. ARK 31 is a non-profit organization that helps children with disabilities and special needs.
Images for kids
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Finnegan with the Carolina Panthers in 2015
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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.
