Danny Amendola
Encyclopedia
Daniel Amendola is an American football
wide receiver
for the St. Louis Rams
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at Texas Tech
.
Amendola has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
.
in The Woodlands, Texas
, under coach Weldon Willig. He completed his high school career by leading his team to its first ever Texas State championship game. Although they lost to North Shore High School
, Amendola finished his senior
season with 1,045 receiving yards, 129 rushing yards, and 8 touchdown
s.
Amendola finished his college career at Texas Tech
with 204 receptions for 2,246 yards and 15 touchdown
s. He also returned 116 punts for 1,283 yards and one TD, an 11.06 yards per return average ranking Amendola third all-time in school history in punt returns and yardage, behind only Wes Welker
and Tyrone Thurman. Amendola's best year was his senior year
, in which he was overshadowed by teammate Michael Crabtree
, but still recorded 109 catches for 1,245 yards and 6 TDs.
During the 2005 season, Amendola made two memorable plays that led to Red Raider victories. The first was late in the 2005 game against Oklahoma. Tech was trailing. On fourth down, a Cody Hodges
pass attempt was tipped, and Amendola made a leaping catch in traffic. He was tackled immediately and appeared to have been stopped just short of a first down. However, the spot was reviewed by the replay officials and the final spot of the ball resulted in a first down. The drive was kept alive and resulted in yet another disputed call—Taurean Henderson
's stretch over the goal line on the final play of regulation, which gave the Red Raiders the victory over the Sooners.
Another game-changing play came when Amendola recovered the fumble from an intercepted pass during the final drive of the 2005 game against Nebraska
. Tech needed a touchdown to win. Tech quarterback Cody Hodges
' pass was tipped and intercepted. Instead of taking a knee to seal the victory, the Nebraska defender decided to run with the ball and had it stripped. Amendola dove for the loose ball and recovered it. Tech retained possession, resulting in a game-winning touchdown pass from Hodges to Joel Filani
on fourth down with under 30 seconds remaining.
Amendola graduated with a major in Communication Studies.
Amendola has drawn numerous comparisons, including from Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach, to former Tech receiver Wes Welker
, now with the New England Patriots
, as the two have similar builds (Welker is 5'9", 185 lb
, while Amendola is 5'11", 183 lb) and played the same positions at Tech (slot receiver and punt returner).
with the Dallas Cowboys
on April 27, 2008. His attempt to make it pro was featured on the HBO special Hard Knocks. Amendola was cut by the Cowboys on August 30 and re-signed to the team's practice squad after clearing waivers.
He spent the entire 2008 regular season
on the team's practice squad.
After his contract expired with the Dallas Cowboys
, Amendola was signed to the practice squad of the Philadelphia Eagles
on January 6, 2009. Following the season, Amendola was re-signed to a future contract on January 19, 2009. He was waived during final cuts on September 5, 2009. He was re-signed to their practice squad on September 6, 2009.
on September 22, 2009. In 2009
, he caught 43 passes for 326 yards and one touchdown as a slot receiver. He returned 66 kicks for 1,618 yards and 31 punts returns for 360 yards. He started in six games in 2010
, an increase from his two starts in 2009. With one week left to play, he has career-highs in receptions (83) which is 8th in the NFL, receiving yards (680) and receiving touchdowns (three). Amendola is currently 2nd in the NFL in third-down receptions with 29. He has seven carries for 81 yards for a 11.6 yards per carry average. In 2010 Amendola lead the NFL in all-purpose yards with 2,364.
On 6 October 2011, Amendola was placed on Injured Reserve after needing season-ending triceps surgery.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
Amendola has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Amendola attended The Woodlands High SchoolThe Woodlands High School
The Woodlands High School is a public high school in The Woodlands CDP, unincorporated Montgomery County, Texas, United States and is a part of the Conroe Independent School District...
in The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose...
, under coach Weldon Willig. He completed his high school career by leading his team to its first ever Texas State championship game. Although they lost to North Shore High School
North Shore High School
North Shore High School can refer to:*North Shore High School *North Shore High School in Makoti, North Dakota*North Shore High School *North Shore High School...
, Amendola finished his senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
season with 1,045 receiving yards, 129 rushing yards, and 8 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
College career
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
with 204 receptions for 2,246 yards and 15 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. He also returned 116 punts for 1,283 yards and one TD, an 11.06 yards per return average ranking Amendola third all-time in school history in punt returns and yardage, behind only Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
and Tyrone Thurman. Amendola's best year was his senior year
2007 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The 2007 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the college football season of 2007–2008. The team was coached by Mike Leach...
, in which he was overshadowed by teammate Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
, but still recorded 109 catches for 1,245 yards and 6 TDs.
During the 2005 season, Amendola made two memorable plays that led to Red Raider victories. The first was late in the 2005 game against Oklahoma. Tech was trailing. On fourth down, a Cody Hodges
Cody Hodges
Cody Hodges is a philanthropist, motivational speaker, and former professional American football player, playing in the National Football League, Arena Football League. Hodges is best known for his one season as the starting quarterback for the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2005 season. He led...
pass attempt was tipped, and Amendola made a leaping catch in traffic. He was tackled immediately and appeared to have been stopped just short of a first down. However, the spot was reviewed by the replay officials and the final spot of the ball resulted in a first down. The drive was kept alive and resulted in yet another disputed call—Taurean Henderson
Taurean Henderson
Taurean Lamar Henderson is a multi-purpose running back, who is currently a free agent.-Early life:...
's stretch over the goal line on the final play of regulation, which gave the Red Raiders the victory over the Sooners.
Another game-changing play came when Amendola recovered the fumble from an intercepted pass during the final drive of the 2005 game against Nebraska
2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska....
. Tech needed a touchdown to win. Tech quarterback Cody Hodges
Cody Hodges
Cody Hodges is a philanthropist, motivational speaker, and former professional American football player, playing in the National Football League, Arena Football League. Hodges is best known for his one season as the starting quarterback for the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2005 season. He led...
' pass was tipped and intercepted. Instead of taking a knee to seal the victory, the Nebraska defender decided to run with the ball and had it stripped. Amendola dove for the loose ball and recovered it. Tech retained possession, resulting in a game-winning touchdown pass from Hodges to Joel Filani
Joel Filani
Joel O. Filani is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Tech....
on fourth down with under 30 seconds remaining.
Amendola graduated with a major in Communication Studies.
Pre-draft
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-10 * | 185 * | 4.58 ** | 1.51 * | 2.65 * | 4.25 ** | 6.81 ** | 31½" * | 8'07" * | 13 * | 27 * | |||||||||
| *At NFL Combine NFL Combine The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general... **At Texas Tech Pro Day |
|||||||||||||||||||
Amendola has drawn numerous comparisons, including from Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach, to former Tech receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
, now with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, as the two have similar builds (Welker is 5'9", 185 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
, while Amendola is 5'11", 183 lb) and played the same positions at Tech (slot receiver and punt returner).
Dallas Cowboys
Amendola signed as an undrafted free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on April 27, 2008. His attempt to make it pro was featured on the HBO special Hard Knocks. Amendola was cut by the Cowboys on August 30 and re-signed to the team's practice squad after clearing waivers.
He spent the entire 2008 regular season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
on the team's practice squad.
Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, Amendola was signed to the practice squad of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on January 6, 2009. Following the season, Amendola was re-signed to a future contract on January 19, 2009. He was waived during final cuts on September 5, 2009. He was re-signed to their practice squad on September 6, 2009.
St. Louis Rams
Amendola was signed off the Eagles' practice squad by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on September 22, 2009. In 2009
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
, he caught 43 passes for 326 yards and one touchdown as a slot receiver. He returned 66 kicks for 1,618 yards and 31 punts returns for 360 yards. He started in six games in 2010
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
, an increase from his two starts in 2009. With one week left to play, he has career-highs in receptions (83) which is 8th in the NFL, receiving yards (680) and receiving touchdowns (three). Amendola is currently 2nd in the NFL in third-down receptions with 29. He has seven carries for 81 yards for a 11.6 yards per carry average. In 2010 Amendola lead the NFL in all-purpose yards with 2,364.
On 6 October 2011, Amendola was placed on Injured Reserve after needing season-ending triceps surgery.