Santana Moss facts for kids
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Moss in 2018
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| Position: | Wide receiver Punt returner |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | June 1, 1979 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 193 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Miami Carol City (Miami Gardens, Florida) | ||||||||||
| College: | Miami (FL) (1997–2000) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. Santana played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he was recognized as an All-American. The New York Jets picked him in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played four seasons with the Jets before joining the Washington Redskins for 10 seasons. In 2005, Moss was chosen as an All-Pro, which means he was one of the best players in his position that year.
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Early Life and High School Football
Santana Moss was born in Miami, Florida. He went to Miami Carol City Senior High and played high school football for the Carol City Chiefs. In his senior year, he caught 25 passes for 600 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He also returned 12 kickoffs for 450 yards, scoring one touchdown. After his senior season, Moss earned third-team all-state honors for his football skills.
College Career at Miami
Moss attended the University of Miami and joined the Miami Hurricanes football team in 1997. He started as a walk-on, meaning he wasn't on scholarship at first. But after just three games, he earned a full scholarship because of his talent.
He became a star player, breaking the Hurricanes' record for most receiving yards, which was previously held by famous player Michael Irvin. Santana finished his senior year in 2000 with 1,604 total yards from different plays. He was named first-team All-Big East Conference and a top All-American. Moss was also the first player ever to win both the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year awards in the same season.
Santana Moss is seen as one of the best wide receivers in the University of Miami's history. He holds school records for receiving yards (2,546), punt return yards (1,196), and total yards (4,394). In 2011, he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
Track and Field Achievements
Besides football, Moss was also a great track athlete in high school and college. For the Miami Carol City Senior High track team, he won two state championships in the triple jump. He also won a state title in the long jump during his junior year. He set a school record in the triple jump, jumping 14.81 meters.
At the University of Miami, he continued his track career. In 2000, he was named the "Most Outstanding Field Performer" at the Big East Outdoor Track and Field championships. He won the triple jump at this event with a personal best jump of 15.50 meters. He also had a personal best in the Long Jump of 7.98 meters.
Professional Football Career
Santana Moss was chosen by the New York Jets as the 16th overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft.
New York Jets (2001–2004)
Moss made his NFL debut in 2001 and got his first career catch later that season. In 2002, he made his first start. During his time with the Jets, he played in 51 games. He gained 2,416 receiving yards, scored 19 touchdowns, and had 1,799 return yards.
Washington Redskins (2005–2014)
After the 2004 season, Moss was traded to the Washington Redskins. He signed a six-year contract with them in May 2005.
2005 Season: A Standout Year
His 2005 season with the Redskins was his best in the NFL. In Week 2, he helped the Redskins win against the Dallas Cowboys by catching two long touchdown passes in the final minutes. He finished the season with 84 catches for 1,483 yards, which was the second-highest in the NFL that year. This also set a new record for the most receiving yards in a single season for the Redskins. In 2005, Moss was also selected for his first and only NFL Pro Bowl, an honor given to the best players in the league.
Later Seasons with Washington
Moss continued to be a key player for the Redskins. In 2006, he had a great game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, scoring two touchdowns and a game-winning touchdown in overtime. Despite some injuries, he finished that season with 790 yards and 6 touchdowns.
He had over 1,000 receiving yards in 2008 and again in 2010. In 2010, he also set a new career high with 93 catches. In 2011, he signed a new contract and was named an offensive co-captain. He played mostly as a slot receiver, catching 46 passes for 584 yards and four touchdowns.
In 2012, his role changed a bit, but he still made big plays. He caught a 77-yard touchdown pass and later scored two touchdowns in another game. He also caught a 61-yard touchdown pass while being covered by two defenders. By this time, many considered Moss to be one of the best receivers in Washington Redskins history.
In 2013, he reached a big milestone, surpassing 10,000 career receiving yards. He was one of only a few active players to achieve this at the time. He re-signed with the Redskins for one more year in 2014.
Retirement
Santana Moss retired from professional football after the 2014 season. On September 1, 2022, he was honored by being added to Washington's Greatest Players list, celebrating the franchise's 90th anniversary.
Throughout his entire NFL career, Santana Moss had a total of 10,283 receiving yards on 732 catches and scored 66 touchdowns.
Personal Life
Santana Moss comes from a family of football players. His younger brother, Sinorice Moss, also played wide receiver in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. He is also the older cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson and Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss.
Santana married Latosha Moss in 2008, and they have four children together.
After his football career, Santana continued his education. In 2016, he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Miami Business School.
In March 2017, it was announced that Moss would become a color commentator for the Washington Valor, a team in the Arena Football League. In 2022, he also announced a draft pick for the Commanders in the NFL Draft.
