Curtis Buckley facts for kids

Curtis LaDonn Buckley (born September 25, 1970) is a former American football player. He played as a cornerback and safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played for teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins.

Before joining the NFL, Curtis played college football. He spent two years at Kilgore College. Then, he played for East Texas State University, which is now called Texas A&M University–Commerce. During his college years, he was recognized as an All-American twice and was a First-team All-Conference player two times.

Early Life and High School Football

Curtis Buckley was born in Oakdale, Louisiana. Later, his family moved to Silsbee, a town in Southeast Texas. He went to Silsbee High School, where he was a star player in football. After finishing high school, Buckley received a scholarship to play football at Kilgore College.

College Football Career

Curtis Buckley played college football for two different teams, showing his skills and helping his teams succeed.

Playing for Kilgore College

From 1989 to 1990, Buckley played for the Kilgore College Rangers football team. In 1990, he was named All-Conference. He helped the Rangers achieve a great 9-2 record. They also won the Texas Junior College Conference championship. The team capped off the season with a victory in the 1990 Shrine Bowl.

Success at East Texas State

After Kilgore College, Buckley played for two years at East Texas State in Commerce. He played under coach Eddie Vowell. In the 1991 season, Buckley was a key part of the Lions' defense. This defense was ranked among the top five nationally. He earned First-team All-Conference honors and was an Honorable Mention All-American at the safety position.

The Lions finished second in their conference with an 8-4-1 record. They also made it to the NCAA Division II playoffs. They reached the national quarter-finals and ended the season ranked 19th in the country. In a big game against Pittsburg State in 1991, Buckley's powerful hit helped the Lions win 20-13. This victory boosted them to a #4 national ranking. In the 1992 season, Buckley was again First-team All-Conference. He was also named Second-team All-American. The Lions finished that season with an 8-3 record and were ranked 14th nationally.

Professional Football Career

Even though Curtis Buckley was not chosen in the 1993 NFL draft, he still got a chance to play professionally. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers' head coach, Sam Wyche, was thinking about cutting Buckley from the team. But Buckley impressed his coaches with an amazing flip on the field. This athletic move helped him stay on the team. He quickly became a favorite among fans. He was known for his strong hits when covering kicks. He also loved to do acrobatics, like backflips, in the end zone before kickoffs.

Buckley and another player, Kenneth Gant, were known for exciting the crowd after every score. Gant would do his "shark dance," and then Buckley would perform his flip just as the ball was kicked. This made the fans cheer even louder.

In 1994, during a game, Buckley made a strong hit on Brian Mitchell. Buckley was not penalized during the game, but he was later fined. Both Coach Wyche and Mitchell agreed that it was a clean and fair hit.

After four seasons with the Buccaneers, Buckley moved on. He played three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He then had short times with the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. Curtis Buckley was chosen as a Pro Bowl alternate three times for his excellent play on special teams. Special teams are the units that play during kickoffs, punts, and field goals.

Life After Football

Today, Curtis Buckley works as a behavioral health specialist in Dallas. He lives in Mesquite, Texas with his family.