Peerless Price facts for kids

Peerless LeCross Price (born October 27, 1976) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Price played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. The Buffalo Bills picked him in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys.

Peerless Price's Early Life and High School Football

Peerless Price was born in Dayton, Ohio. His unique first name came from a local moving company. His mother liked the name and hoped it would help him avoid trouble while growing up.

Price was a very talented athlete in high school. He went to Meadowdale High School in Dayton. He was a high school All-American. He played three different sports, showing he was a major talent. In 1995, he joined the University of Tennessee to play college football. He played under head coach Phillip Fulmer.

Peerless Price's College Football Career

Peerless Price played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. He became a key player for the team.

Freshman and Sophomore Seasons (1995-1996)

In his first year (1995), Price was a backup player. He had six catches for 71 yards. The Volunteers had a great season, winning 11 games and losing only one.

In 1996, his second year, Price became more important. He caught 32 passes for 609 yards and three touchdowns. He had an amazing game against the Florida Gators. He caught seven passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. Price was also good in school. He was named to the Academic All-SEC team.

Junior Season and SEC Championship (1997)

In 1997, Price became a full-time starter. He was a reliable target for quarterback Peyton Manning. Price was known for catching long passes. He finished the season with 48 catches for 698 yards and six touchdowns. He helped the Volunteers win the SEC Championship. For the second year, he was named Academic All-SEC.

Senior Season and National Championship (1998)

In 1998, Price became the top receiver for the Volunteers. In a tough game against Alabama, he made a huge play. He ran back a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. This play helped Tennessee win the game.

Tennessee finished the regular season with no losses (11–0). They played Mississippi State in the SEC Championship Game. Tennessee was losing in the fourth quarter. Price caught a 41-yard touchdown pass to help them win 24–14. This win sent them to the Fiesta Bowl. They would play Florida State for the national championship.

In his last college game, Price played incredibly well. He had four catches for 199 yards. He scored a 79-yard touchdown that helped Tennessee win 23–16. This was the school's first national championship in 47 years. Price was named the co-MVP of the game.

Peerless Price's Professional Football Career

Even after a great college career, Price was picked in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. The Buffalo Bills drafted him as the 53rd overall pick. He was the fifth wide receiver chosen that year.

Buffalo Bills (1999-2002)

Price had his most successful years with the Buffalo Bills. He played his first NFL game in 1999. In his rookie year, he had 31 catches for 393 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2000, he played in all 16 games and started all of them. He caught 52 passes for 762 yards and three touchdowns. In 2001, he continued to improve. He had 55 catches for 895 yards and seven touchdowns.

His best season was in 2002. He played and started all 16 games. He caught 94 passes for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns. He had five games where he gained over 100 yards. In one game, he caught 13 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. This included a 48-yard touchdown in overtime to win the game. After this great season, the Bills used the Franchise Tag to keep him. This meant he would stay with the team for another year. However, Price was allowed to look for a trade. The Atlanta Falcons traded a first-round draft pick to get him.

Atlanta Falcons (2003-2004)

In 2003, Price played in all 16 games for the Atlanta Falcons. He had 64 catches for 838 yards and three touchdowns. He had a great game against the Minnesota Vikings, with 12 catches for 168 yards.

In 2004, he had 45 catches for 575 yards and three touchdowns. He scored a touchdown in a playoff game against the St. Louis Rams. He was released by the Falcons in 2005.

Dallas Cowboys (2005)

In 2005, Price signed with the Dallas Cowboys. He was meant to be the third receiver and return punts. He played with quarterback Drew Bledsoe again, who he had played with in Buffalo. Price was released in December after catching only six passes.

Buffalo Bills (Second Time: 2006-2007)

Price returned to the Bills in 2006. He became a secondary wide receiver again. He caught a game-winning touchdown against the Houston Texans. He also scored a key touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. He finished 2006 with 49 catches for 402 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2007, Price was placed on the injured list. He had neck surgery, which ended his season. He played in four games and had seven catches for 68 yards.

Retirement and Life After Football

On February 14, 2008, the Bills released Price. He then retired from football. After retiring, Price started coaching his daughter's fourth-grade basketball team. He continued coaching several teams. In 2016, he decided to go back to college.

In May 2020, Price earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in an online ceremony. On February 3, 2021, Tennessee State University announced that Price had joined their football team as a volunteer coach.

Peerless Price's NFL Career Statistics