Jesse Chatman facts for kids

Jesse James Chatman Jr. (born September 22, 1979) is an American former professional football player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Jesse played college football for the Eastern Washington Eagles. The San Diego Chargers signed him in 2002 after he finished college.

Jesse Chatman also played for the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and Virginia Destroyers.

Jesse's Early Life and High School

Jesse Chatman was a very talented running back at Franklin High School. This school is located in Seattle, Washington. His head coach, Joseph Slye, also coached other NFL stars. These included Corey Dillon and James Hasty.

Jesse's high school position coach was Terry Metcalf, who was also a former NFL running back. To celebrate Jesse's many achievements, Franklin High School honored him. They raised his high school jersey in a special ceremony. It is still displayed there today.

College Football Career

Jesse Chatman played college football for the Eastern Washington University Eagles. He was part of the Big Sky Conference from 1999 to 2001. During his time there, Jesse earned many awards.

He was chosen as an AP I-AA All-America player. He was also named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Jesse was a first-team all-conference player too.

In one amazing season, he ran for 2,096 yards. This was the fourth-highest single-season rushing total in I-AA history. Jesse finished his college career with 4,173 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns.

Playing in the NFL

San Diego Chargers

In April 2002, the San Diego Chargers signed Jesse Chatman. He was one of 19 players who were not chosen in the main NFL draft. These players are called undrafted free agents. Jesse led the NFL in rushing during the preseason games. He gained 234 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Because of this, he made the team after training camp.

In his first year, Jesse played in 10 games. He rushed for 19 yards and caught three passes for 44 yards. He also made four tackles on special teams. In 2003, Jesse played in all 16 regular season games for the Chargers. He didn't play much on offense, but he was a key player on special teams. He led the team with 16 tackles and recovered a fumble.

In 2004, Jesse played in 15 games, even with a toe injury. He had a fantastic game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 10. He rushed for 103 yards and scored a touchdown. For the season, Jesse rushed for 392 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also returned four kickoffs for 89 yards. His toe injury kept him out of the playoffs that year.

First Time with the Dolphins

After his time with the Chargers, many teams were interested in Jesse. These included the Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers. The Miami Dolphins signed Jesse on September 3, 2005. He was meant to help the team while Ricky Williams was suspended. Jesse was traded to the New Orleans Saints on October 11.

New Orleans Saints

Jesse spent three games with the New Orleans Saints. He was not active for any of these games. He was released by the Saints on November 2.

Second Time with the Dolphins

Jesse did not play in the NFL during 2006. He worked hard to get back into shape. The Dolphins re-signed Jesse in February 2007. He joined their team in NFL Europa, which was a league in Europe. This reunited him with coach Cam Cameron, who was his offensive coordinator with the Chargers.

Jesse started the 2007 season as a backup player. But in Week 7, the starting running back, Ronnie Brown, got injured. Jesse stepped up and ran for an impressive 73 yards. He even scored his first touchdown since 2004.

With Ronnie Brown out for the season, Jesse Chatman became the Dolphins' new starting running back. His best game was against the Buffalo Bills. He rushed for 124 yards on 27 carries. Jesse finished the year with a career-high 515 rushing yards and one touchdown.

New York Jets

Jesse signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets in 2008.

Jesse has a son named Sahvere and a daughter named Jaylynn Chatman.