Peerless Price facts for kids

Peerless LeCross Price (born October 27, 1976) is a former professional football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons.

Price played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. The Buffalo Bills chose 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 Name

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

Price was a very talented athlete in high school. He went to Meadowdale High School in Dayton. He was a high school All-American. This means he was one of the best high school players in the country. He was a star in three different sports! In 1995, he joined the University of Tennessee to play college football. His coach there was Phillip Fulmer.

College Football Career Highlights

Starting Strong: 1995 and 1996 Seasons

In his first year, 1995, Price was a backup player. He caught six passes for 71 yards. His team, the Volunteers, had a great season, winning 11 games and losing only one.

In 1996, his second year, Price became a key player. 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 at his studies. He was named to the Academic All-SEC team.

Becoming a Star: 1997 and 1998 Seasons

After a teammate left, Price became a full-time starter in 1997. He was a reliable target for quarterback Peyton Manning. Price caught 48 passes for 698 yards and six touchdowns. He helped the Volunteers win the SEC Championship. For the second year in a row, he was named Academic All-SEC.

In 1998, Price became the top receiver for the Volunteers. In a close game against Alabama, he made a huge play. He returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown! This helped his team win. Tennessee finished the regular season without any losses. They then played Mississippi State in the SEC Championship Game. Price caught a 41-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. This helped Tennessee win 24–14.

This win sent them to the Fiesta Bowl. They played against Florida State to decide the national champion. In this big game, Price had an incredible performance. He caught four passes for 199 yards. One of his catches was 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 NFL Journey

Even after his amazing college career, Price was chosen in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. The Buffalo Bills picked him as the 53rd player overall. He was the fifth wide receiver chosen in that draft.

Playing for the Buffalo Bills (First Time)

Price had a lot of success with the Bills. He played his first NFL game in 1999. In his rookie year, he caught 31 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2000, he played in all 16 games and started them all. He caught 52 passes for 762 yards and three touchdowns. His best game that year was against the Seattle Seahawks. He caught eight passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.

The 2001 season was also strong for Price. He caught 55 passes for 895 yards and seven touchdowns. He had several games with over 100 receiving yards.

His best season with the Bills was in 2002. He played and started all 16 games. He caught 94 passes for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns! In one game against Minnesota, he caught 13 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. One of those was a 48-yard score in overtime that won the game. After this great season, the Bills wanted to keep him. They used a special rule called the Franchise Tag. This meant Price would stay with the team for another year. However, the Bills allowed him to look for a trade. The Atlanta Falcons offered a first-round draft pick for Price, and the Bills accepted.

Time with the Atlanta Falcons

In 2003, Price played in all 16 games for the Falcons. He caught 64 passes for 838 yards and three touchdowns. He had a big game against the Minnesota Vikings, catching 12 passes for 168 yards.

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

Short Time with the Dallas Cowboys

In 2005, Price signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. He was meant to be a third receiver and return punts. He was reunited with his former quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, from his time in Buffalo. Price only caught six passes for 96 yards before being released in December 2005.

Back with the Buffalo Bills (Second Time)

Price returned to the Bills in 2006. He quickly regained his role as a key receiver. He caught a game-winning touchdown against the Houston Texans. He also scored a crucial touchdown in a low-scoring game against the Minnesota Vikings. He finished the 2006 season with 49 catches for 402 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2007, Price had neck surgery and was placed on the injured reserve list. This ended his season early. He had played in four games, catching seven passes for 68 yards.

Life After Football

On February 14, 2008, the Bills released Price, and he retired from football. After retiring, Price started coaching his daughter's fourth-grade basketball team. He enjoyed coaching and continued to coach several teams.

In 2016, Price decided to go back to college. He wanted to get his degree. In May 2020, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee. The graduation ceremony was held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, Tennessee State University announced that Price had joined their football team as a volunteer coach.