E. J. Junior facts for kids
| No. 54, 53, 50, 93 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | December 8, 1959 Salisbury, Maryland, U.S. |
||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Maplewood Comprehensive (Nashville, Tennessee) |
||||||||||
| College: | Alabama (1977–1980) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||
| Career: | 9–45 (.167) | ||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
|
College Football Hall of Fame
|
|||||||||||
E. J. Junior (born December 8, 1959) is a former American football player and coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). His career lasted 13 seasons, from 1981 to 1993. He played for teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Dolphins.
Junior also played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He was chosen as an All-American player in 1980. The Cardinals picked him early in the 1981 NFL Draft. After playing, Junior became a football coach. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Family
E. J. Junior was born in Salisbury, Maryland. He grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He is married to Yolanda. They have eight children together. Their names are Shandon, Torren, Ashley, Adam, Aja, E.J. IV, Kyle, and Cameron.
Playing Football
College Football Career
Junior went to the University of Alabama. He played for the famous coach Bear Bryant. He was part of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 1977 to 1980. He wore jersey number 39.
In 1979, he made a big play against Georgia Tech. He caught an opponent's pass and ran 59 yards for a touchdown. That season, he also made 5 sacks and 52 tackles. He even blocked a punt. In his last year, 1980, he had 71 tackles. He also blocked a field goal. He was recognized as a top college player, an All-American.
Professional Football Career
The St. Louis Cardinals picked Junior in the 1981 NFL Draft. He was the fifth player chosen overall. He played for the Cardinals from 1981 to 1988. During this time, he was picked for the Pro Bowl twice. The Pro Bowl is an all-star game for the best players.
After playing for the Cardinals, he joined other NFL teams. He played for the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Seattle Seahawks.
Coaching Football
After his playing days, Junior stayed involved in football. He also worked with youth programs in Miami. He was the executive director for these programs.
He returned to the NFL as a coach. In 1994, he coached linebackers for the Seattle Seahawks. From 1996 to 1998, he helped players develop for the Miami Dolphins. He also worked as an intern coach for the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars. He even coached in Europe for the Rhein Fire in Germany.
Junior also coached college football. He coached linebackers at Southwest Baptist University. Later, he became the head coach at Central State University. From 2015 to 2017, he coached the defensive line at Delaware State University.
Awards and Honors
E. J. Junior has received many honors for his football career. In May 2012, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. He also joined the Tennessee Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2007, he was added to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame.
He was nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame several times. On March 11, 2020, it was announced that Junior would be a part of the 2020 class. This is a very high honor for college football players.
