T. J. Rushing facts for kids
| Auburn Tigers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Safeties Coach | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | June 8, 1983 Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 186 lb (84 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Pauls Valley (OK) | ||||||
| College: | Stanford | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 7 / Pick: 238 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| As coach: | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Terrall Brent "T. J." Rushing, born on June 8, 1983, is an American football coach and a former player. He used to play as a cornerback and a return specialist. He was picked by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2006 NFL draft. T. J. played for the Colts for four seasons. He even won a Super Bowl with them! They beat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Before playing professionally, he played college football at Stanford University. Currently, he is a special assistant to the head coach at Auburn University.
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Early Life and High School Sports
T. J. Rushing grew up in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He went to Pauls Valley High School. While there, he was a talented athlete. He earned a "letterman" title in three different sports:
- Football
- Basketball
- Track and field
College Football Career
T. J. Rushing played college football at Stanford University. He became one of the best kick returners in the school's history. He gained 1,409 yards from kick returns during his time there.
During his junior year, he was named First Team All-Pac-10 for his amazing work on special teams. Rushing scored three touchdowns from kickoff returns in his college career. He even scored one at the very start of his senior season and another at the very end!
Professional Football Career
Before joining a professional team, T. J. Rushing showed off his skills at a "Pro Day." Here are some of his measurements:
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 10+3⁄8 in (1.79 m) |
180 lb (82 kg) |
4.41 s | 4.34 s | 7.12 s | 40.0 in (1.02 m) |
10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) |
20 reps | |||||
| All values from Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Playing for the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts drafted T. J. Rushing in 2006. He mainly played on special teams for the Colts. This means he was often involved in kick and punt returns. In 2007, he even scored a touchdown from a punt return against the Oakland Raiders.
In 2008, T. J. Rushing spent the whole season on the injured reserve list. This means he was unable to play due to an injury. After the 2009 NFL season, he became a free agent.
Time with Other Teams
After leaving the Colts, T. J. Rushing played for a couple of other teams:
- Detroit Lions: He signed with the Detroit Lions on August 18, 2010. However, he was released by the team a few weeks later, on September 4, 2010.
- Saskatchewan Roughriders: In 2012, he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a team in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was released during their training camp on June 17, 2012.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, T. J. Rushing became a football coach. He has coached at several universities:
Arizona State University
In 2016, T. J. Rushing was hired as a defensive backs coach for Arizona State University. He helped players who play in the defensive back position.
University of Memphis
In January 2018, Rushing moved to the University of Memphis. He continued his role as the defensive backs coach there.
Texas A&M University
T. J. Rushing joined Texas A&M University in January 2020. He again served as their defensive backs coach.
Auburn University
Most recently, T. J. Rushing was hired by Auburn University. On June 20, 2024, he became a special assistant to the head coach.
