Richard Medlin facts for kids

Richard Medlin, born on March 4, 1987, is an American former professional football player. He played as a running back. Medlin played college football for the Fayetteville State Broncos. He was also part of the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League (NFL).

Richard Medlin's Early Life and College Career

Richard Medlin was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He went to Garner High School. In 2007, he joined the NCAA Division II Fayetteville State Broncos college team. He started as a "walk-on," meaning he joined the team without a scholarship.

Medlin spent his first year as a "redshirt," which means he practiced but didn't play in games. This allowed him to train and get ready. By his second year, he became a starter. He led the Broncos in rushing yards for three seasons, from 2008 to 2010. He was also great at returning kicks.

In 2008, Medlin was named the conference's special teams player of the year. He scored three kickoff touchdowns in just two games. He averaged an amazing 41.7 yards every time he returned a kick that year.

As a junior, Medlin helped Fayetteville State win their conference championship. He ran for 667 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. In his senior year (2010), he ran for 772 yards. He also caught 26 passes. After his senior season, he was named Fayetteville State's male athlete of the year. He finished his college career with 2,721 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns.

Richard Medlin's Professional Football Journey

After college, Richard Medlin was not chosen in the 2011 NFL draft. However, the New England Patriots signed him as an undrafted free agent on August 3, 2011. He played a lot in their first preseason game. He even scored a touchdown on his very first carry! In that game, he ran for 54 yards and scored two touchdowns.

For the whole preseason, Medlin ran for 66 yards and caught passes for 39 yards. But on September 3, the Patriots released him.

Later, on September 21, the Miami Dolphins signed Medlin to their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but aren't on the main roster. For the Dolphins' last game of the season, Medlin was moved to the active roster. He made his official NFL debut in that game against the New York Jets. The Dolphins won 19–17.

The Dolphins released Medlin on May 7, 2012. He then signed with the Atlanta Falcons on August 5, 2012. However, he was released by the Falcons on August 25.