Joe Burnett facts for kids

Joe Burnett (born November 28, 1986) is an American former professional football player. He was a talented cornerback and return specialist. Joe played college football for the UCF Knights and went to Eustis High School in Florida. He later played for several professional teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Stampeders, and Montreal Alouettes.

College Football Career

Joe Burnett was an amazing player for the University of Central Florida. He was a record-setting cornerback and returner. In 2008, he was even named a first-team All-American.

He helped UCF reach its first two bowl games. These were the 2005 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and the 2007 AutoZone Liberty Bowl. He also helped them win their first conference championship in 2007.

Joe earned eight All-Conference USA awards during his college years. He was named the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year in his senior year.

College Records and Achievements

Joe set many records at UCF. He is 19th in NCAA history for most career punt return yards with 1,304. This is also a record for UCF and Conference USA.

He set the UCF record for most career interceptions with 16. He also holds UCF records for most punt returns (96) and most interception return yards (262). He tied the record for most punt return touchdowns with three.

Joe played in 49 games and started 46 of them. He made 221 tackles and broke up 35 passes. He also returned 96 punts for 1,304 yards and three touchdowns. Plus, he returned 26 kickoffs for 745 yards and two touchdowns.

He earned his degree in Criminal Justice in December 2008.

Professional Football Journey

After college, Joe Burnett began his professional football career. He played for teams in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers picked Joe in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Many thought he would be a key player for returning punts and kicks. However, another player, Stefan Logan, took on that role.

Still, Joe earned a spot on the team because of his strong defensive play. In the preseason, he had 15 tackles, defended 4 passes, and made 1 interception. He even blocked a field goal! The Steelers released him in September 2010.

New York Giants and Jacksonville Sharks

On January 5, 2011, Joe signed a contract with the New York Giants. Later, he signed with the Jacksonville Sharks, hoping to play in their 2012 season.

Edmonton Eskimos (CFL)

Joe Burnett then joined the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League (CFL). In his first CFL season in 2012, he led all players with 6 interceptions.

On July 10, 2012, Joe set an Eskimos record. He intercepted a pass and returned it 108 yards for a touchdown! This was the longest interception return in team history. He also scored a touchdown by recovering a fumble and running it 44 yards.

In 2012, he made 47 tackles on defense and 3 tackles on special teams. He also returned 28 kickoffs for 573 yards and 52 punts for 440 yards.

In 2013, Joe had 57 defensive tackles and 1 interception. He continued to return kicks and punts. The Eskimos extended his contract through the 2015 season. In 2014, he played in only a few games due to leg injuries. He was released by the Eskimos in April 2015.

Calgary Stampeders

On April 13, 2015, Joe Burnett joined the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL.

Montreal Alouettes

Joe spent the 2018 season playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He was released by the team in January 2019.