Byron Parker
| No. 28 BC Lions | |
| Date of birth: | March 7, 1981 |
| Place of birth: | Madisonville, Kentucky |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Active |
| CFL status: | Import |
| Position(s): | CB |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | 193 lb (88 kg) |
| College: | Tulane |
| Organizations | |
| As player: | |
| 2004 2005 2006 2006–2008 2009 2009 2009 2010–2011 2012–present |
Jacksonville Jaguars* Toronto Argonauts Dallas Cowboys* Toronto Argonauts Philadelphia Eagles* Toronto Argonauts Edmonton Eskimos Toronto Argonauts BC Lions
|
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star: | 2006, 2007, 2011 |
| CFL East All-Star: | 2006, 2007, 2011 |
| Playing stats at CFL.ca | |
| Playing stats at NFL.com | |
Byron Wesley Parker (born March 3, 1981 in Madisonville, Kentucky) is a gridiron football cornerback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football and college basketball at Tulane.
Parker has also been a member of the Edmonton Eskimos, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Toronto Argonauts.
Contents |
[edit] College career
Parker initially enrolled in Tulane on a college basketball scholarship and played on their team from 2001 to 2003. It was also in 2003 that Parker won the NCAA slam dunk competition. Winning the slam dunk competition drew the attention of Tulane's football head coach Chris Scelfo, as well as football scouts in the NFL. Later that same year, his senior year, Parker accepted Scelfo's invitation to play on the school's football team.[1] His slam dunking abilities were showcased in a 2005 CFL game at Molson Stadium against the Montreal Alouettes. Lined up as a wide receiver, Parker caught a 42-yard touchdown reception and celebrated by dunking the ball over the cross bar uprights. He also has a 43" vertical leap.
[edit] Professional career
[edit] Jacksonville Jaguars
On April 26, 2004, Parker was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was waived by the team following training camp on August 1.
[edit] First stint with Argonauts
After being cut by the Jaguars during training camp, Parker signed with the Argonauts on January 24, 2005, but played in only six games.
[edit] Dallas Cowboys
In 2006, Parker signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL but was cut by the team on July 31.
[edit] Second stint with Argonauts
Parker re-joined the Argonauts a week after being released by Dallas. Upon his return, he became their starting cornerback. On October 14, 2006, Parker broke a CFL record for most interception return yardage in a single season with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in Edmonton. He ended the season with a CFL record 348 interception return yards, surpassing Eric Carter's 2003 record of 300 yards. Parker was selected as a CFL All-Star in 2006 and 2007.
[edit] Philadelphia Eagles
On January 27, 2009, Parker was reported to have signed a reserve/future contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.[2][3] The signing was officially confirmed by the Eagles on February 3, 2009.[4] He was waived on August 14, thereby creating a roster spot for the signing of quarterback Michael Vick.[5]
[edit] Third stint with Argonauts
After his release from the Eagles, Parker returned to Toronto as the Argonauts deferred his contract when he signed with Philadelphia. The Eagles had him on a weight gain program and he bulked from his 2008 CFL weight of 193 to 227 and he found he had to re-adjust to the Canadian game; reducing his weight to 210 by the time he reported to practice on August 20, 2009, but still finding himself tired out by the longer, wider field. Parker reported that the Eagles offered him another opportunity to return on August 20 but he refused, feeling more comfortable with the Argonauts.[6][7][8][9]
[edit] Edmonton Eskimos
Parker was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos on September 28, 2009 for future considerations.
[edit] Fourth stint with Argonauts
On February 16, 2010, Parker re-signed with the Argonauts as a free agent.
On October 28, 2011, Parker scored his 9th career interception return for a touchdown against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Canad Inns Stadium, setting a new CFL record.[10]
[edit] BC Lions
Parker entered free agency on February 15, 2012 and was signed by the BC Lions on February 16, 2012.[11]
[edit] References
- ^ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/186365-slam-dunk-champ-takes-another-shot-at-the-nfl
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Argos lose Parker, Sam to NFL". CBC News. January 27, 2009. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/story/2009/01/27/argos-moves.html.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Roster Move: S Parker Released - Philadelphia Eagles
- ^ Zicarelli, Frank (2009-08-21). "Talented Parker returns". Toronto Sun. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Toronto/2009/08/21/10547576-sun.html?cid=rsssportscfl. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
- ^ Fitz-Gerald, Sean (2009-08-21). "Parker back to Argos after Eagles release". National Post. http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=1914413. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
- ^ Parker, Byron (2009-08-20). "Byron Parker twitter status". http://twitter.com/BParker3781/status/3432458656. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
- ^ Fitz-Gerald, Sean (2009-08-20). "Sean Fitz-Gerald twitter status". http://twitter.com/SeanFitz_Gerald/status/3429555498. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
- ^ http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=379141
- ^ Lions add Stu Foord and Byron Parker to den
[edit] External links
- Byron Parker on Twitter
- BC Lions bio
- Tulane Green Wave basketball bio
- Tulane Green Wave football bio
- Byron Parker profile vignette on YouTube
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- 1981 births
- African American players of Canadian football
- American football cornerbacks
- American football safeties
- American players of Canadian football
- BC Lions players
- Canadian football defensive backs
- Dallas Cowboys players
- Edmonton Eskimos players
- Jacksonville Jaguars players
- Living people
- People from Madisonville, Kentucky
- Philadelphia Eagles players
- Players of American football from Kentucky
- Toronto Argonauts players
- Tulane Green Wave men's basketball players
- Tulane Green Wave football players
- Undrafted National Football League players
