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Dennis Dixon

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Dennis Dixon
refer to caption
Dennis Dixon at Autzen Stadium on October 31, 2009.
Philadelphia Eagles
Personal information
Born: (1985-01-11) January 11, 1985 (age 39)
Oakland, California
Career information
College:Oregon
NFL draft:2008 / Round: 5 / Pick: 156
Career history
Roster status:Practice Squad
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2011
TD-INT:1-2
Passing yards:402
QB Rating:71.4
Rushing Attempts:10
Rushing Yards:56
Rushing Touchdowns:1

Dennis Lee Dixon, Jr. (born January 11, 1985) is an American football quarterback on the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon. Dixon had a short pro baseball career, playing for the GCL Braves and the Danville Braves in 2007. He was a member of the Baltimore Ravens Practice Squad during the 2012 season. Dixon signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in February of 2013 in a move that will see him join former Oregon Ducks Coach Chip Kelly.

Early years

Dixon was the starting quarterback for San Leandro High School's football team beginning his sophomore year. In his senior season of 2002, Dixon threw for 2,426 yards and 30 touchdowns, leading his team to a 12-1 season.[1] Dixon completed his high school career with 5,951 yards and 79 touchdowns, guiding San Leandro to a 36-3 record, with his only losses coming in three straight California North Coast Section 4A championship games to perennial powerhouse De La Salle.[2]

Dixon was a consensus 4-star recruit, and was ranked among the top passing and rushing quarterbacks in the nation. He eventually decided to attend the University of Oregon, stating that "I am going to Oregon with only one purpose, and that is to win a national championship."[1]

Dixon was also a highly recruited baseball player, and was initially drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 20th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft.[3]

College career

Dixon opted to grayshirt (attend school part-time and retain eligibility) for the 2003 season and played his freshman season in 2004 behind Kellen Clemens.[4] He appeared in six games, passing for 73 and rushing for 40 yards. In his sophomore season of 2005, he was expected to play primarily in a backup role during Clemens's senior season. However, against Arizona, Clemens broke his ankle, and Dixon came into the game, though he later left with a concussion. With Clemens out for the season, Dixon split time with fellow sophomore QB Brady Leaf and guided the Ducks to four regular season wins and a second place finish in the Pac-10, before dropping a 17-14 loss in the Holiday Bowl against Oklahoma.[5]

Prior to his junior season in 2006, Dixon was named full-time starter by head coach Mike Bellotti. He led the Ducks to a 4-0 start, including a 34-33 comeback victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. After a win over Arizona State, the Ducks lost 48-24 to Cal before Dixon's hometown crowd. After being benched in favor of Brady Leaf, Oregon went on to lose three of their four final games and finished with a 7-6 record. Despite his shortened season, Dixon still finished the season fourth in the conference in total offense (219.3 yards per game). Dixon was named the league’s second-team academic all-conference quarterback. In June 2007, he graduated from Oregon with a degree in sociology and a 3.27 grade point average.[6]

In 2007, Bellotti again named Dixon, now a senior, the starter prior to the season. The season started off quickly for Dixon against Houston, in which Dixon accumulated 141 yards rushing, the most ever by an Oregon quarterback.[7] The following week against Michigan, Dixon threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for another, generating 368 yards of total offense. Dixon was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week and USA Today National Player of the Week.[8]

In the next two games, he led the Ducks to big wins over Fresno State (where he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another),[9] and Stanford (where he completed 27 of 36 passes for 367 yards and 4 touchdowns and ran for another).[10]

Against Cal, Dixon threw his first 2 interceptions of the season, but led the Ducks down the field in the final minute for a potential tying score before Cameron Colvin fumbled the ball through the end zone in the final seconds for Oregon's first loss of the season.[11]

Wins in the following weeks over Pac-10 powers USC and Arizona State pushed Oregon to a #2 ranking in the BCS poll[12] and first place in the Pac-10. During the Arizona State game, he left the game with a knee injury, but was cleared to play two weeks later against Arizona. In the first quarter of that game, he ran 39 yards for a touchdown, but a few plays later, his left knee buckled and he left the game because he suffered an injury, and the Ducks went on to lose 34-24. It was then revealed that Dixon had torn the ACL in his left knee against Arizona State and aggravated it against Arizona. In the last game of the season against arch rival Oregon State, they lost and the Beavers broke the streak of the last 10 years in which the home team had always won.[13] Without Dixon, and following an injury to backup Brady Leaf as well as a long list of injuries to the entire Duck team, the Ducks lost the last two games of the season, but went on to defeat South Florida 56-21 in the 2007 Sun Bowl as Dixon watched from the sideline and continued to cheer on his team.

After undergoing surgery to repair his torn ACL, Dixon walked with no apparent limp at the NFL Combine headquarters in Indianapolis in February. Dixon was unable to perform any Combine drills, but worked out at Oregon's Pro Day and held impressive individual workouts later.

Baseball career

Following his junior year at Oregon, Dixon was picked by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Dixon hit only .176 in 74 at bats with two Atlanta Braves rookie league teams, and returned to Oregon for his senior football season in 2007."Dennis Dixon". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 17, 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)</ref>

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

In the 2008 NFL Draft, Dixon was taken in the 5th round (156th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was speculated that he could be used in the manner that the Steelers used Antwaan Randle-El (a college quarterback turned NFL receiver).

Dennis passed for a combined 12-for-24 in passing attempts in two 2008 preseason games, in addition, he ran for a 47-yard touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. On December 28, 2008, Dixon completed his first official NFL pass to Hines Ward—the reception was Ward's 800th.[14]

Dixon made his first career start on November 29, 2009 against the Baltimore Ravens after injuries suffered by Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch a week earlier moved him up the depth chart. In the game, the Steelers went on to lose 20-17 in overtime. Dixon finished with 12 completions out of 26 passes with one touchdown and one interception for 145 yards and also ran for 27 yards on three carries, including one run for a touchdown. However, his one interception was in the overtime period, allowing the Baltimore Ravens to kick a field goal for the winning score.[15][16]

Dixon wore the number 2 during his first two seasons with the Steelers, but after the trade of Santonio Holmes, Dixon took number 10, his college number.

With Roethlisberger being suspended for four games to start the 2010 season, Byron Leftwich was named the Steelers' starter. Even though Dixon threw two interceptions in his only preseason start, a serious knee injury to Leftwich during the preseason finale led to Dixon being named the opening day starter. After winning against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, Dixon tore his meniscus while playing against the Tennessee Titans the following week. He was put on Injured Reserve on October 13.

Baltimore Ravens

On September 2, 2012, the Baltimore Ravens signed Dixon to their practice squad. He was cut from the squad November 7, 2012. Dixon was re-signed to the practice squad on November 13, 2012.[17] He was on the practice squad QB when the Ravens won the Super Bowl and earned a ring.

Philadelphia Eagles

On February 14, 2013, Dixon signed a two-year contract with the Eagles.[18] The move reunites Dixon with Chip Kelly, who was the offensive coordinator at Oregon during Dixon's senior year.[19]

Career Stats

Passing Rushing
Season Team Gms Att Comp Pct Yds YPA Lg TD Int Rating Att Yds Lg TD
2008 Pittsburgh 1 1 1 100 3 3 3 0 0 79.2 2 -3 -1 0
2009 Pittsburgh 1 26 12 46.2 145 5.6 33 1 1 60.6 3 27 9 1
2010 Pittsburgh 2 32 22 68.8 254 7.9 52 0 1 79.4 5 32 21 0
2011 Pittsburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b "Dennis Dixon". Scout.com. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Jones, Clayton (September 17, 2004). "New age quarterback". Oregon Daily Emerald. Retrieved November 5, 2007. [dead link]
  3. ^ "2003 First-Year Player Draft Tracker". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Stevens, Mitch (February 6, 2003). "San Leandro's Dixon opts for Oregon, will wait to play". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 5, 2007. [dead link]
  5. ^ "#10 Dennis Dixon". Go Ducks. Retrieved November 5, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Lee Jenkins (April 11, 2008). "Dennis, Anyone?". Sports Illustrated. CNN. Retrieved April 30, 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ Peterson, Anne M. (September 1, 2007). "Oregon Opens the 2007 Season with a Victory over Houston". Go Ducks. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "Oregon Downs Michigan 39-7". Go Ducks. September 8, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ "Bellotti Earns Win Number 100 With Victory Over Fresno State". Go Ducks. September 15, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ "No. 13 Ducks Down Stanford, 55-31". Go Ducks. September 22, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "Turnovers Cost 11th-ranked Ducks vs. No. 6 Cal". Go Ducks. September 29, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "Bowl Championship Series Standings: November 11, 2007" (PDF). FoxSports.com. November 11, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2007. [dead link]
  13. ^ "Oregon's Dixon tore ACL two weeks ago" (Document). Mercury News. November 17, 2007. {{cite document}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |accessdate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)
  14. ^ Bouchette, Ed (December 29, 2008). "Steelers Notebook: Pass-happy Hines Ward makes his 800th catch". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 29, 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ "Source: Roethlisberger out vs. Ravens". ESPN. November 28, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ "Dixon will start at QB vs. Ravens". Steelers.com. November 28, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) [dead link]
  17. ^ Aaron Wilson (November 13, 2012). "Ravens re-sign former Steelers backup Dennis Dixon to practice squad". Ravens Insider. Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 17, 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ Eliot Shorr-Parks (February 14, 2013). "Dennis Dixon agrees to two-year deal with Eagles". N.J. News. Retrieved February 17, 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ Bo Wulf (February 14, 2013). "Eagles Add QB Dennis Dixon". Philadelphia Eagles. Retrieved February 17, 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ a b Pac-10 Football Awards and All-Conference Team Announced, Pacific-10 Conference, December 3, 2007.
  21. ^ "Expanded Heisman Trophy voting results". MSNBC. Retrieved December 10, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

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