Jerry Hughes facts for kids
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Hughes with the Houston Texans in 2022
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| No. 52 – Houston Texans | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | August 13, 1988 Sugar Land, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 254 lb (115 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Stephen F. Austin (Sugar Land) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | TCU (2006–2009) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 31 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Jerry Ray Hughes Jr. was born on August 13, 1988. He is an American professional football player. He plays as a defensive end for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the TCU Horned Frogs. He was named an All-American twice while in college. The Indianapolis Colts picked him in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Hughes also played for the Buffalo Bills for most of his professional career.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jerry Hughes grew up in Fort Bend County, Texas. He went to Austin High School. In high school, he played football and earned three varsity letters. He was a running back on the team.
In his senior year (2006), Jerry had a great season. He ran for 1,412 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. This earned him First-team All-District honors. He was also a First-team All-District kick returner. Besides football, Jerry also played baseball as a third baseman and pitcher.
After high school, Jerry was not a top-ranked recruit. But he chose to play college football at Texas Christian University (TCU). He picked TCU over other schools like Iowa State and Arizona State.
College Football Career
Jerry Hughes received a scholarship to play for the TCU Horned Frogs football team. He played under coach Gary Patterson from 2006 to 2009. Coach Patterson saw Jerry's athletic talent. He decided to have Jerry play as a defensive end. This is a position usually for bigger players.
As a freshman in 2006, Jerry was one of only four new players to play for TCU. He got his first sack in a game against Army. In 2007, he played in all 13 games. He made at least one tackle in every game.
In 2008, Jerry became a full-time starter. He had an amazing year with 15 sacks. He also made 18.5 tackles for a loss and forced 6 fumbles. He even caught 2 interceptions and ran one back for a touchdown! He led the whole country in sacks that year. He was named the Mountain West Conference (MWC) Defensive Player of the Year. He was also recognized as a first-team All-American.
In 2009, Jerry had 54 tackles and 11.5 sacks. The TCU team had the best defense in the country. They allowed only 233 yards per game. Jerry was again a first-team All-Mountain West selection. He was also named a unanimous first-team All-American. For the second year in a row, he was the MWC Defensive Player of the Year.
By the end of his college career, Jerry had 28.5 sacks and 139 tackles. He earned his college degree in communications in 2010.
College Awards and Honors
Jerry received many awards for his great play in college:
- Consensus first-team All-American (2008)
- Unanimous first-team All-American (2009)
- Ted Hendricks Award (2009) - Given to the best defensive end in college football.
- Lott Trophy (2009) - Given to a defensive player who shows great character and athletic ability.
Professional Football Career
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts picked Jerry Hughes in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the 31st player chosen overall. He was the first TCU player picked in the first round since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2001.
In his first year (2010), Jerry played in 12 games. He made 6 tackles. In 2011, he played in 12 games and had 1 sack. In 2012, he played in all 16 games. He recorded 32 tackles and 4 sacks.
Buffalo Bills
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In 2013, the Colts traded Jerry to the Buffalo Bills. In his first season with the Bills, he had 46 tackles and 10 sacks. He also forced two fumbles.
In 2015, Jerry signed a five-year contract with the Bills. He played through the 2015 season with a chipped bone in his left wrist. In 2016, he changed his position from defensive end to outside linebacker.
In 2019, Jerry signed a new contract extension with the Bills. In a playoff game against the Houston Texans, he sacked their quarterback 3 times.
During the 2020 season, Jerry had a fantastic game against the New York Jets. He made 6 tackles, 2 sacks, and forced a fumble. He also caught an interception that helped the Bills win the game. Later that season, he recovered a fumble and ran it back for a 21-yard touchdown against the Denver Broncos. In the playoffs, he had 2 sacks against the Baltimore Ravens.
By the 2021 season, Jerry was the player who had been with the Bills the longest. He played 9 years for Buffalo. He recorded 53 sacks during his time there, which ranks him 4th in the team's history.
Houston Texans
On May 11, 2022, Jerry Hughes signed with the Houston Texans. He started 16 games and led the team with 9 sacks. In 2023, he played in 17 games and had 3 sacks.
In July 2024, Jerry re-signed with the Texans. This means he will continue to play for them.
Personal Life
Jerry Hughes is married to Meghan Hughes. They got married in April 2015. They have three children named JR, Hayden, and Jack.
