Darrius Heyward-Bey facts for kids
Heyward-Bey with the Pittsburgh 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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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Darrius Ramar Heyward-Bey (born February 26, 1987) is a 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. The Oakland Raiders chose him as the seventh overall pick 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 grew up in Owings Mills, Maryland. He went to McDonogh School, where he was a star in both football and track and field. In football, he played as a wide receiver and linebacker. During his last year, he was named an All-American, which means he was one of the best high school players in the country.
Darrius was also a very fast runner in track and field. He was the champion in the 100 meters and 200 meters races for his school league. He even had one of the fastest 60-meter indoor times in the nation during his junior and senior years.
College Football Career
Darrius chose to play college football at the University of Maryland, College Park. He spent his first year, 2005, as a redshirt. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. It allowed him to develop his skills.
In 2006, Darrius showed how fast he was by running a 40-yard dash in 4.23 seconds. This was a school record for a wide receiver. He quickly became one of the top new players in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He led the Maryland Terrapins with 45 catches and set a new school record for a freshman with 694 receiving yards.
In 2007, Darrius continued to be a key player. He led Maryland again with 51 catches and 786 receiving yards. He even had a 63-yard touchdown catch in a bowl game, which was one of the longest in Maryland's bowl history. He was named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player that year.
By 2008, his junior year, he had 42 catches for 609 yards and five touchdowns. After this season, Darrius decided to leave college early to enter the 2009 NFL draft. He finished his college career as one of Maryland's all-time best receivers. He was second in school history for career receiving yards and third in total catches.
College Statistics
Here are Darrius Heyward-Bey's college football statistics:
| Season | Team | Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||
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| GP | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2006 | Maryland | 13 | 45 | 694 | 15.4 | 96 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 2.8 | 9 | 0 |
| 2007 | Maryland | 13 | 51 | 786 | 15.4 | 63 | 3 | 5 | 110 | 21.4 | 54 | 1 |
| 2008 | Maryland | 12 | 42 | 609 | 14.5 | 80 | 5 | 15 | 202 | 13.5 | 76 | 1 |
| Career | 37 | 138 | 1,958 | 15.1 | 96 | 13 | 25 | 326 | 13.0 | 76 | 2 | |
Professional Football Career
Oakland Raiders
Joining the Raiders (2009)
In the 2009 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders picked Darrius Heyward-Bey as the seventh player overall. He was the first wide receiver chosen in that draft. Many experts were surprised he was picked so early, especially before other highly-rated receivers. He had shown his amazing speed at the NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in just 4.30 seconds.
As a rookie in 2009, Darrius started 11 games. He caught nine passes for 124 yards and scored one touchdown. He also ran the ball twice for 19 yards.
Developing as a Player (2010–2011)
In 2010, Darrius played in 15 games and started 14 of them. He had 26 catches for 366 yards and one touchdown. He showed improvement, including a career-long 69-yard touchdown catch.
The 2011 season was a strong one for Darrius. He had several games with over 80 receiving yards. In one game against the Detroit Lions, he set new career highs with eight catches for 155 yards. This was the most receiving yards for a Raiders player in a single game since 2003. He also made a crucial 53-yard catch in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs to help the Raiders win. He finished the season with 64 catches for 975 yards and four touchdowns.
Final Season with Raiders (2012)
In 2012, Darrius continued to be an important part of the Raiders' offense. He had 41 catches for 606 yards and five touchdowns. During a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was injured after a hit in the endzone. He was taken to the hospital but was released the next day. The Raiders released him from the team in March 2013.
Indianapolis Colts (2013)
Darrius Heyward-Bey signed a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts in April 2013. He played one season with the Colts, finishing with 29 catches for 309 yards and one touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2014–2018)
Starting with the Steelers (2014)
In April 2014, Darrius signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in all 16 games but mostly on special teams, which are plays like kickoffs and punts. He caught only three passes for 33 yards that season. He did make his first career playoff catch in a game against the Baltimore Ravens.
More Opportunities (2015)
The Steelers re-signed Darrius for another year in 2015. With some other players unavailable, he became the team's third wide receiver. In the first game of the season, he caught four passes for 58 yards. The next week, he had four catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, which was his best receiving yardage total in almost three years. He ended the 2015 season with 21 catches for 314 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two catches for 64 yards in a playoff game.
Later Seasons (2016–2018)
In March 2016, the Steelers signed Darrius to a three-year contract. In Week 6, he scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 60-yard run. However, he later suffered a foot and ankle injury that kept him out for six games. He finished the 2016 season with six catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2017, Darrius continued to contribute, especially on special teams. He had two catches for 47 yards. In Week 17, he scored another rushing touchdown on a 29-yard run.
His final season in the NFL was 2018. He played in 14 games for the Steelers, mostly on special teams, and had one catch for 9 yards. The Steelers did not re-sign him after the 2018 season, marking the end of his professional playing career.
Personal Life
Darrius Heyward-Bey's mother, Vivian, is an accountant. She helped him manage his earnings throughout his football career.
Images for kids
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Heyward-Bey with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016
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Heyward-Bey greets Maryland fans in 2008.
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Heyward-Bey runs an end-around during a game in 2008.
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Heyward-Bey playing for the Oakland Raiders in 2010.
