Knowshon Moreno facts for kids
Moreno in 2023
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| No. 27, 28 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | July 16, 1987 Belford, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 218 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Middletown South (Middletown, New Jersey) |
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| College: | Georgia (2006–2008) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12 | ||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former professional football player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was recognized as a first-team All-American in 2008. The Denver Broncos chose him as the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for the Miami Dolphins.
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Early Life and High School Success
Knowshon Moreno grew up in Belford, New Jersey. He attended Middletown High School South. There, he led his team to win three Central Jersey Group III championships.
As a senior, he ran for 1,629 yards and scored 28 touchdowns in just 11 games. He finished his high school career with an amazing 6,268 rushing yards and 128 touchdowns. This made him the second all-time leading rusher in New Jersey high school history. He also became New Jersey's all-time leading scorer. In one game, he rushed for 420 yards and seven touchdowns!
Moreno was also a talented sprinter and jumper in track and field. He still holds school records, including the fastest 100-meter dash time at 11.01 seconds. He won three state titles in 2005: the 100 meters, long jump, and triple jump.
He was considered one of the best running back prospects in the country. Many top colleges wanted him, including Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, and Florida. He decided to play for the Georgia Bulldogs.
College Football Career
Knowshon Moreno joined the Georgia Bulldogs in 2006. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player, meaning he practiced but didn't play in games. This allowed him to develop his skills.
2007 Season: A Star is Born
In 2007, Moreno began playing as a redshirt freshman. He quickly showed his talent. In his first game, he gained 70 rushing yards. In the next game, he rushed for 104 yards. He scored his first college touchdown against Western Carolina.
When the starting running back got injured, Moreno stepped up. He rushed for 157 yards against Vanderbilt. He then had an incredible 188 rushing yards and three touchdowns against rival Florida. Against Troy, he rushed for 196 yards. This made him only the second player in Georgia history, after Herschel Walker, to rush for 1,000 yards as a freshman.
Moreno continued his success, rushing for over 100 yards in five straight games. This was a feat only achieved by Herschel Walker before him. For his amazing performance, he was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. He was also selected for the All-SEC first-team. He finished the season with 1,334 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
2008 Season: All-American Honors
Moreno started his sophomore season in 2008 as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. He continued to dominate, scoring three touchdowns in his first game. He rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns against Central Michigan. He also had strong performances against South Carolina and Arizona State.
He rushed for a season-high 172 yards against Vanderbilt. He followed that with 163 yards against LSU. Moreno finished the 2008 season with 1,400 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He also had 392 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. He was named the team's offensive MVP. He was also selected as a first-team All-SEC player for the second year in a row. After the season, Moreno decided to enter the NFL draft.
College Statistics
| Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YEAR | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | NO. | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
| 2006 | Redshirt | |||||||||
| 2007 | 248 | 1,334 | 5.4 | 80 | 14 | 20 | 253 | 12.7 | 35 | 0 |
| 2008 | 250 | 1,400 | 5.6 | 68 | 16 | 33 | 392 | 11.9 | 37 | 2 |
| Total | 498 | 2,734 | 5.5 | 80 | 30 | 53 | 645 | 12.2 | 37 | 2 |
Professional Football Career
Knowshon Moreno was considered the top running back available in the 2009 NFL draft.
Joining the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos drafted Moreno as the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He was the first running back chosen that year. Moreno chose to wear jersey number 27 to honor the late Darrent Williams, a former Broncos player.
On August 7, 2009, Moreno signed a five-year contract with the Broncos. On September 27, 2009, he scored his first NFL touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. In his rookie season (2009), he rushed for 947 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had 213 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
In the 2010 season, Moreno continued to be a key player. He rushed for 779 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns.
Overcoming Injuries and Strong Comeback
During the 2011 season, Moreno shared playing time with Willis McGahee. His season ended early in November 2011 when he tore his ACL (a knee ligament) against the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished that season with 179 rushing yards.
Moreno made a strong return in the 2012 season. He scored a touchdown in the first game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After being benched for several weeks, he became the starting running back again when Willis McGahee was injured. In his first game back, he rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown. Two games later, he rushed for a career-high 135 yards against the Oakland Raiders. He also rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. For his performance against the Ravens, he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He finished the 2012 season with 525 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Moreno continued his comeback in the 2013 season, winning the starting running back job. He had an amazing game against the New England Patriots, rushing for a career-high 224 yards on 37 carries. During the 2013 season, Moreno became the first Broncos player ever to rush for over 1,000 yards and receive for over 500 yards in the same season. He finished the season with 1,038 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns. He also had 60 receptions for 548 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Moreno and the Broncos reached Super Bowl XLVIII, but they lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
Time with the Miami Dolphins
On March 27, 2014, Moreno signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. In his first game with the Dolphins, he rushed for 134 yards. However, he suffered a dislocated left elbow in the next game. In his return in Week 6, he unfortunately tore his ACL again. This injury ended his 2014 season and, sadly, his NFL career. He finished his final season with 148 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
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| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2009 | DEN | 16 | 9 | 247 | 947 | 3.8 | 36 | 7 | 28 | 213 | 7.6 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 2010 | DEN | 13 | 13 | 182 | 779 | 4.3 | 35 | 5 | 37 | 372 | 10.1 | 45 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2011 | DEN | 7 | 2 | 37 | 179 | 4.8 | 24 | 0 | 11 | 101 | 9.2 | 28T | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2012 | DEN | 8 | 6 | 138 | 525 | 3.8 | 20 | 4 | 21 | 167 | 8.0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | DEN | 16 | 15 | 241 | 1,038 | 4.3 | 31 | 10 | 60 | 548 | 9.1 | 35T | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | MIA | 3 | 0 | 31 | 148 | 4.8 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 63 | 45 | 876 | 3,616 | 4.1 | 36 | 27 | 158 | 1,409 | 8.9 | 45 | 9 | 10 | 8 | |
Personal Life
Knowshon's first name is a mix of his father's nickname, Knowledge, and his mother's name, Varashon.
Moreno is a Christian. He has spoken about his faith, explaining why he sometimes cried during the national anthem before games. He said he used that quiet moment to pray and thank God for everything in his life.
