Darrius Heyward-Bey facts for kids
Heyward-Bey with the Steelers in 2016
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | February 26, 1987 Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Maryland) |
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| College: | Maryland (2005–2008) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Darrius Ramar Heyward-Bey (born February 26, 1987) is an American former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. He was picked by the Oakland Raiders in the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Early Life and Sports
Darrius Heyward-Bey went to McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland. There, he played football as a wide receiver and linebacker. In his final year, he was named an All-American. This means he was one of the best high school players in the country.
He was also a very fast track and field athlete. He finished fifth at a national competition as a junior. He was a champion in the 100 meters and 200 meters races in Maryland. He ran the 100 meters in 10.3 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.10 seconds.
College Football Career
Heyward-Bey chose to play college football at the University of Maryland, College Park. He joined the team in 2005.
In 2006, he set a school record for wide receivers. He ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.23 seconds. He was considered one of the best new players in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He led his team with 45 catches and set a freshman record with 694 receiving yards.
In 2007, Heyward-Bey continued to lead Maryland in catches and receiving yards. He had 51 catches for 786 yards. He scored a 63-yard touchdown in the 2007 Emerald Bowl. This was one of the longest touchdowns in Maryland's bowl game history. He was named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player.
In 2008, his junior year, he caught 42 passes for 609 yards and five touchdowns. After this season, he decided to enter the 2009 NFL draft early. He finished his college career with 2,089 receiving yards. This placed him second in Maryland's school history for career receiving yards.
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+5⁄8 in (1.87 m) |
210 lb (95 kg) |
33+5⁄8 in (0.85 m) |
9 in (0.23 m) |
4.30 s | 1.54 s | 2.54 s | 4.18 s | 6.80 s | 38.5 in (0.98 m) |
10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) |
16 reps | 14 |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Oakland Raiders
2009 Season
The Oakland Raiders picked Heyward-Bey as the seventh overall player in the 2009 NFL draft. He was the first wide receiver chosen that year. He signed a five-year contract with the Raiders. As a new player, he started 11 games. He caught nine passes for 124 yards and one touchdown.
2010 Season
In 2010, Heyward-Bey started 14 games. He had 26 catches for 366 yards and one touchdown. In one game against the Seattle Seahawks, he caught a 69-yard touchdown pass. This was his longest catch and helped him get 105 receiving yards in that game.
2011 Season
Heyward-Bey had a strong year in 2011. In a game against the New England Patriots, he had 115 receiving yards. He continued to have good games with many receiving yards. In December, he set new career highs with eight catches for 155 yards against the Detroit Lions. This was the most receiving yards for a Raiders player since 2003.
2012 Season
In 2012, Heyward-Bey was injured during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was taken to the hospital but was released the next day. For the season, he had 41 catches for 606 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The Raiders released him in March 2013.
Indianapolis Colts
On April 1, 2013, Heyward-Bey signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. He finished the 2013 season with 29 catches for 309 yards and one touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers
2014 Season
Heyward-Bey joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year contract in 2014. He played in all 16 games, mostly on special teams. He caught three passes for 33 yards. He also made his first postseason catch in a playoff game.
2015 Season
The Steelers re-signed Heyward-Bey in 2015. He became the team's third wide receiver. In the first game, he caught four passes for 58 yards. The next week, he had four catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. This was his best receiving yardage total since 2012. He finished the season with 21 catches for 314 yards and two touchdowns.
2016 Season
In 2016, Heyward-Bey signed a new three-year contract with the Steelers. He competed for a bigger role on the team. In a game against the Miami Dolphins, he ran for a 60-yard touchdown. This was his first rushing touchdown in his career. He later had a foot and ankle injury that kept him out for several games. He finished the season with six catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
2017 Season
Heyward-Bey faced strong competition for a wide receiver spot in 2017. He played mostly on special teams. In one game, he had a 44-yard catch on a fake punt play. He also scored a 29-yard rushing touchdown in the final game of the season. He finished 2017 with two catches for 47 yards.
2018 Season
In 2018, Heyward-Bey played in 14 games for the Steelers. He had one catch for 9 yards and continued to play a role on special teams. After the 2018 season, the Steelers did not re-sign him.
Personal Life
As of 2016, Darrius Heyward-Bey was not married and did not have children. His mother, Vivian, is an accountant. She helped him save a lot of the money he earned during his football career.
