John Holland (American football) facts for kids
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | February 28, 1952 Beckley, West Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Middletown (Middletown, Ohio) | ||||||
| College: | Tennessee State | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1974 / Round: 2 / Pick: 29 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
John Holland (born February 28, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Before turning professional, he played college football for the Tennessee State Tigers.
Early Life and School
John Holland was born in Beckley, West Virginia. He grew up in Middletown, Ohio. There, he attended Middletown High School.
College Football Career
Holland played college football for the Tennessee State Tigers. In his senior year, he had a fantastic season. He caught 53 passes for 739 yards. He also scored 11 touchdowns.
Because of his great play, he was named third-team Little All-America. This award came from the Associated Press. That same year, his team, the Tigers, won the 1973 Black College National Championship. John finished his college career with 109 catches. He gained 1,622 yards and scored 22 touchdowns.
Playing in the NFL
The Minnesota Vikings chose John Holland in the second round of the 1974 NFL draft. In his first year, he caught five passes for 84 yards.
In 1975, the Vikings released him. The Buffalo Bills then signed him. In 1976, he had a memorable game against the Miami Dolphins. This game was on Monday Night Football. He caught two long passes for touchdowns, one for 53 yards and another for 58 yards.
He started the 1977 season as a starter for the Bills. However, he broke his jaw after only three games. This injury ended his season. After the season, he became a free agent. He did not play in the NFL in 1978. John Holland finished his NFL career with 35 catches. He gained 634 yards and scored three touchdowns.
Playing in the CFL
After his time in the NFL, John Holland moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He played for them in 1979 and 1980.
He then played two more years in the CFL. In 1981, he was with the Calgary Stampeders. In 1982, he played for the Ottawa Rough Riders. Over four seasons in the CFL, Holland caught 149 passes. He gained 2,532 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.
