Rufus French facts for kids
| No. 9 | |
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| Position: | Tight end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 15, 1978 |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 256 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Amory (Amory, Mississippi) |
| College: | Ole Miss |
| Undrafted: | 1999 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Rufus French (born March 15, 1978) is a former American college football player. He played as a tight end for the Ole Miss Rebels. Rufus was known for being a fantastic player in college.
He was named an All-American twice. In 1998, everyone agreed he was one of the best, earning him "unanimous" honors. After college, he played for the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL).
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Growing Up and Sports
Rufus French grew up in Amory, Mississippi. He went to Amory High School where he was a talented athlete. He played both football and baseball for his school teams.
In 1996, a professional baseball team, the San Diego Padres, even picked him in their draft. This showed how good he was at sports!
College Football Star
After high school, Rufus decided to focus on football. He chose to play for the Ole Miss Rebels college team. He quickly became a standout player.
In 1997 and 1998, he was named a first-team All-SEC player. This means he was one of the very best players in the Southeastern Conference, a tough group of college teams. In 1998, he was recognized as a unanimous All-American. This honor means that all the major groups that pick the best college players agreed he was one of the top players in the entire country.
He was also a finalist for the Conerly Trophy in 1998. This award goes to the best college football player in Mississippi. Rufus finished his college career with 84 catches for 814 yards. He also scored four touchdowns. After his junior year, he decided to leave college early to try for the NFL.
Playing in the NFL
Seattle Seahawks Journey
Even though Rufus French wasn't chosen in the main 1999 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks still signed him. This means they saw his talent and wanted him on their team.
Unfortunately, he had a knee injury that kept him from playing during the 2000 season. He worked hard to recover, but the Seahawks released him in August 2001.
Green Bay Packers Opportunity
Rufus got another chance to play in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers signed him in March 2002. He joined their team for a short time. However, he was released by the Packers in July 2002.
