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Earnest Byner
refer to caption
Byner with the Cleveland Browns in 1988
No. 44, 21, 20
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1962-09-15) September 15, 1962 (age 62)
Milledgeville, Georgia, U.S.
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight: 215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: Baldwin (Milledgeville)
College: East Carolina
NFL Draft: 1984 / Round: 10 / Pick: 280
Career history
As player:
As coach:
As executive:
  • Baltimore Ravens (1998–2003)
    Director of player development
Career highlights and awards
As a player:

As an executive:
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 8,261
Average: 3.9
Touchdowns: 56
Player stats at PFR

Earnest Alexander Byner (born September 15, 1962) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Earnest Byner played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. After his playing career, he became a coach. He is currently the running backs coach for the Out-of-Door Academy.

Playing Football

College Career at East Carolina University

Earnest Byner played as a fullback for East Carolina University from 1980 to 1983. During his time there, he ran for over 2,000 yards. In 1998, he was honored by being added to the East Carolina Hall of Fame.

Playing in the NFL

Earnest Byner was chosen by the Cleveland Browns in the 1984 NFL draft. He played for the Browns from 1984 to 1988, and again from 1994 to 1995. He also played for the Washington Redskins from 1989 to 1993. Later, he joined the Baltimore Ravens from 1996 to 1997.

Byner played in the NFL for 14 years. He gained over 8,200 yards by running with the ball and scored 56 touchdowns. He also caught more than 500 passes for over 4,600 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was a very skilled player who could run, block, and catch the ball well.

In 1985, Byner and his teammate Kevin Mack both ran for over 1,000 yards for the Cleveland Browns. Byner helped the Browns reach the AFC Championship game in both 1986 and 1987. In both games, they played against the Denver Broncos.

The Fumble Play

In the 1987 AFC Championship game, the Browns were trying to make a comeback against the Broncos. With little time left, Byner was running towards the end zone to score a touchdown that would tie the game. However, a Broncos player, Jeremiah Castille, managed to knock the ball out of his hands. This play became known as "The Fumble." Even though this play was a tough moment, Byner had a great game overall. He ran for 67 yards and caught seven passes for 120 yards, scoring two touchdowns.

Super Bowl Champion

After playing another season with the Browns, Byner was traded to the Washington Redskins in 1989. In Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, he caught a touchdown pass. The Redskins won the game, making Earnest Byner an NFL champion.

Byner was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice, in 1990 and 1991. He was one of the top five rushers in the NFL during those years. His time with the Redskins earned him a spot as one of the "70 Greatest Redskins."

Coaching Career

Earnest Byner (48713464727)
Earnest Byner in 2019

After he stopped playing football, Earnest Byner worked in the front office for the Baltimore Ravens. He was the director of player development. In 2000, he was the first player to be added to the Ravens' Ring of Honor.

In January 2004, Byner became the running backs coach for the Washington Redskins under coach Joe Gibbs. He held this position for four seasons.

Later, he coached running backs for other NFL teams:

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