Terry Glenn facts for kids

Terry Tyree Glenn (born July 23, 1974 – died November 20, 2017) was an American professional football player. He was a talented wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Terry played for three different teams: the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and Dallas Cowboys. He was chosen by the Patriots as the seventh overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Early Life and High School Football

Terry Glenn grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He never knew his father, and his family received public help. When he was 13 years old, his mother passed away. After this, Terry lived with different relatives. At age 15, Charles and Mary Henley, who were parents of one of his friends, became his legal guardians. Their son, June Henley, also played in the NFL.

Terry went to Brookhaven High School. There, he played many sports, including football, basketball, track, and tennis. He did not play organized football until his second year of high school. He became a player who could play both offense and defense. He was a wide receiver and a cornerback, and he also returned kicks. Terry was a state champion in track, winning the 110 Hurdles and 330 Hurdles in 1989-90.

In his senior year (1991), he was a co-captain for his football team. He caught 14 passes for 416 yards, averaging almost 30 yards per catch. He also scored 4 touchdowns. He earned second-team All-district honors for his great play.

College Career at Ohio State

Terry Glenn joined Ohio State University's football team as a "walk-on" player. This means he joined the team without a scholarship at first. He had always admired the Ohio State football program. He even sold drinks at their games when he was younger. At that time, the team mostly focused on running the ball with star running backs like Eddie George.

After his first year, he earned a scholarship during spring practices. He played a little in 10 games as a backup wide receiver. He caught 8 passes for 156 yards. In his second year, he played in 10 games again as a backup. He had 7 catches for 110 yards.

Terry had a fantastic season in his third year. He became a starter in 12 out of 13 games. He missed one game because of a shoulder injury. That year, he set new school records. He caught 64 passes for 1,411 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged an amazing 22 yards per catch. His best game was against the University of Pittsburgh. He caught 9 passes for a school record of 253 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also had 17 rushing yards and returned kicks and punts. At the end of the year, he was named a first-team All-American. He also won the Fred Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the best wide receiver in the country.

After his junior season, Terry decided to enter the NFL draft. He played in 32 college games, starting 12 of them. He finished his college career with 79 catches for 1,677 yards, which was fifth in school history. He also scored 17 touchdowns.

Professional Career

New England Patriots

1996 Season: A Strong Start

The New England Patriots picked Terry Glenn as the seventh player overall in the 1996 NFL Draft. He signed a big contract for six years. In his first year, he caught 90 passes for 1,132 yards and 6 touchdowns. He helped the team reach Super Bowl XXXI.

The Patriots' coach, Bill Parcells, had wanted to draft a defensive player. But the team management chose Terry. Coach Parcells later admitted he was wrong and that Terry was a great player. Terry's 90 catches were the most ever by a rookie in NFL history at that time. He was also chosen as a possible player for the 1997 Pro Bowl.

1997-2001 Seasons: Challenges and Changes

After Coach Parcells left, Terry faced some challenges that sometimes affected his playing time. In 1997, he missed 7 games due to ankle and hamstring injuries. He still had a great game against the Green Bay Packers, catching 7 passes for 163 yards. He finished the season with 27 catches for 431 yards and 2 touchdowns. He broke his collarbone in a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In 1998, Terry set a Patriots record with 193 receiving yards in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed 4 games with a hamstring injury and later broke his ankle. He ended the season with 50 catches for 792 yards and 3 touchdowns.

In 1999, Terry led the team with 69 catches for 1,147 yards and 4 touchdowns in 14 games. He set a franchise record with 13 catches for 214 yards against the Cleveland Browns. He missed some games due to illness and team suspension.

In 2000, Terry signed a new, large contract. He played all 16 games for the first time in his career. He caught 79 passes for 963 yards and 6 touchdowns, remaining the team's top wide receiver.

In 2001, Terry continued to face some personal challenges that led to disagreements with the team. He was suspended for missing a team requirement. He also had contract disputes and missed practices. He ended up playing in only four games that season. In one of those games, he caught the first career touchdown pass thrown by Tom Brady. Because of his issues, he was suspended from the team's postseason run. He did not play in the Super Bowl XXXVI victory and did not receive a Super Bowl ring. He had 14 catches for 204 yards and one touchdown in those 4 games.

Green Bay Packers

In 2002, Terry Glenn was traded to the Green Bay Packers. This trade also helped him resolve some past disagreements with the Patriots. During training camp, he had two knee injuries that affected his practice time.

Despite the injuries, Terry played in 15 games for the Packers, starting 14 of them. He played alongside Donald Driver. He caught 56 passes for 817 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Dallas Cowboys

On February 28, 2003, Terry was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. This meant he would play again for his former coach, Bill Parcells. He played alongside Joey Galloway and led the team with 52 catches for 754 yards and 5 touchdowns. He helped the Cowboys make the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

In 2004, Terry played in only 6 games. He sprained his right foot and was placed on the injured list. He had 24 catches for 400 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In 2005, Terry played with quarterback Drew Bledsoe again. He had a great season, catching 63 passes for 1,136 yards, which was his best since 1999. He also scored 7 touchdowns. He was first in the NFC for yards per catch (18.3). In one game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he caught a touchdown pass on a trick play and also rushed for a touchdown.

In 2006, Terry signed a new contract with the Cowboys. This was Tony Romo's first season as a starting quarterback. Terry played opposite wide receiver Terrell Owens. He had another season with over 1,000 receiving yards (1,047). He also caught 70 passes and scored 6 touchdowns.

In 2007, Terry missed most of the season due to knee surgery before the season started. He returned to practice late in the year but only played in one game, the last game of the season against the Washington Redskins. He did not record any statistics that year.

On July 25, 2008, the Cowboys released Terry Glenn. This was because of ongoing health concerns with his right knee.

NFL Career Statistics

Personal Life

Terry Glenn had seven children. After his NFL career, he became the offensive coordinator for the Texas Revolution, an indoor football team, on April 3, 2015.

Death

Terry Glenn passed away at the age of 43 on November 20, 2017. He was in a car accident in Irving, Texas, near Dallas. His fiancée was also in the accident but was only slightly hurt.