Patrick Laird facts for kids
Laird with Cal in 2017
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | August 17, 1995 San Luis Obispo, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo) | ||||||||||
| College: | California (2014–2018) | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2019 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Patrick Michael Laird, born on August 17, 1995, is an American professional football player. He plays as a running back, which means he's a player who runs with the ball. Before becoming a professional, he played college football for the California Golden Bears.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Patrick grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, and went to Mission College Preparatory High School. In his final year of high school, he was an amazing runner on the football team. He ran for over 3,000 yards and scored 32 touchdowns! That's a lot of points!
College Football Career
Patrick started his college football journey at the University of California, Berkeley in 2014. He joined the team as a "walk-on," which means he wasn't given a scholarship right away. In 2015, he "redshirted," meaning he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. This allowed him to gain more experience and keep an extra year of college eligibility.
College Highlights
In 2016, Patrick earned academic honors for his good grades while playing football. He really shined in 2017, his junior year. He ran for over 1,100 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. He was one of only a few players in his school's history to run for over 1,000 yards in a single season. In one game against Oregon State, he ran for 214 yards, which was one of the best rushing performances ever for his team!
Patrick also received special awards for being a great student-athlete. He was a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, an award for outstanding college players who started as walk-ons. In his senior year (2018), he continued to play well, rushing for over 800 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy again and also for the Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes athletes who are great leaders and good students.
Patrick's Reading Program
While at the University of California, Patrick started a special summer reading program. He encouraged over 1,000 elementary school students to read at least four books during their summer break. This shows he cares about helping kids learn and grow!
Professional Football Career
After college, Patrick was not chosen in the 2019 NFL draft, but he still got a chance to play professionally. He signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent.
Miami Dolphins (2019–2021)
When Patrick joined the Dolphins, he earned the nickname "The Intern." This happened because someone at training camp thought he was an intern instead of a player!
In 2019, Patrick scored his first professional touchdown in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. During that season, he ran for 168 yards and one touchdown, and also caught 23 passes for 204 yards. He continued with the Dolphins until 2021, when he was placed on injured reserve.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2022–2023)
In 2022, Patrick signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent time on their practice squad, which is a group of players who train with the team but aren't always on the main roster for games. He signed a new contract with the Buccaneers in January 2023 and again in January 2024, but was later released in May 2024.
Images for kids
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Patrick Laird with the California Golden Bears in 2017
