Jim Jeffcoat facts for kids
Jeffcoat after the 2012 Military Bowl
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| No. 77 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | April 1, 1961 Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 274 lb (124 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Matawan Regional (Aberdeen Township, New Jersey) | ||||||||
| College: | Arizona State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23 | ||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||
James Wilson Jeffcoat Jr., born on April 1, 1961, is a former American football player. He was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills. Jim also played college football at Arizona State. He won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys. After playing, he became a coach.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jim Jeffcoat grew up in Matawan, New Jersey. He went to Matawan Regional High School. In high school, he was a defensive tackle. He was named a high school football All-American in his senior year. Jim also played wrestling in high school. His high school retired his jersey number, 79, to honor him.
College Football Career
Jim Jeffcoat received a football scholarship to Arizona State University. In 1980, as a sophomore, he became a starter at noseguard.
Becoming a Star Defensive End
In 1981, Jim became the starting left defensive end. He led his team with 10 sacks that year. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. His defense was the best in the Pac-10 conference at stopping running plays. He was recognized as an honorable-mention All-Pac-10 player.
In 1982, his senior year, Jim was a key player for the Sun Devils' top-ranked defense. He made 95 tackles, four sacks, and forced two fumbles. A fumble is when a player loses control of the ball. He was named All-Pac-10 and received honorable-mention All-American honors.
College Achievements and Hall of Fame
Jim had an amazing game in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl. He made 16 tackles and forced a fumble. He was named the outstanding defensive player in their 32–21 win. He finished his college career with 20 sacks. He also played in special games like the East–West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.
Jim Jeffcoat was honored by Arizona State University. In 1994, he was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame. In 2012, he joined the Arizona State Football Ring of Honor. He was also inducted into the Fiesta Bowl Hall of Fame in 1991. In 2015, he was named one of the top five defensive ends on the Pac-12 Conference's All-Century team.
Professional Football Career
Jim Jeffcoat was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft. He was the 23rd player picked overall. As a rookie, he was a backup defensive end.
Dallas Cowboys Star Player
In 1984, Jim became a starting right defensive end. He made 82 tackles and 11.5 sacks. This placed him among the top 15 sack leaders in the league.
In 1985, he had 12 sacks, which was second on his team. One of his most memorable games was against the Washington Redskins. He sacked their quarterback, Joe Theismann, five times. This tied a Cowboys team record. In another game, he intercepted a pass and ran it 65 yards for a touchdown. This play helped the Cowboys win the NFC East title. In 1986, he led the team with a career-high 14 sacks.
Jim continued to play at a high level even when the Cowboys had tough seasons in the late 1980s. His best season was in 1989. He made 100 tackles, 11.5 sacks, and recovered three fumbles.
Winning Super Bowls
In the 1992 season, Jim's role changed. He became a player who mostly rushed the passer in specific situations. Even with fewer chances, he led the team with 10.5 sacks. This helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVII. He continued to be an effective player through the 1994 season.
Jim Jeffcoat left the Cowboys in 1995. He had played 12 seasons and never missed a game. He finished his time with the Cowboys with 698 tackles and 94.5 sacks. He was the team's official career sack leader when he left.
Time with the Buffalo Bills
In 1995, Jim signed with the Buffalo Bills. He had played 224 games in a row without missing one. However, in 1997, he was sidelined due to an injury.
Jim Jeffcoat retired after playing 15 seasons in the NFL. He finished his career with 102.5 sacks, 745 tackles, and 2 touchdowns. At the time of his retirement, he was among the top 15 players in NFL history for career sacks. His 227 games played also placed him among the top 30 players in NFL history.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player in 1997, Jim Jeffcoat became a coach. He spent seven seasons (1998–2005) coaching the defensive ends for the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2008, Jim was hired as the defensive line coach for the University of Houston. He coached there until 2010. From 2011 to 2012, he coached the defensive line for the San Jose State team.
In 2013, he joined the University of Colorado Buffaloes as the defensive line coach. He coached there until 2017. In 2018, Jim coached the defensive line for the Orlando Apollos in a new league called the Alliance of American Football. The league stopped operations in 2019. In 2019, he became the defensive line coach for the Dallas Renegades in the new XFL. This league also stopped operations in 2020.
