Derrick Gaffney
Encyclopedia
Derrick Tyrone Gaffney is a former American college and professional football
player who was a wide receiver
in the National Football League
(NFL) for eight seasons in the 1970s and 1980s. Gaffney played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New York Jets
of the NFL.
in 1955. He attended William M. Raines High School
in Jacksonville, and he played high school football
for the Raines Vikings.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Doug Dickey
's Florida Gators football
team from 1974 to 1977. Memorably, Gaffney caught a ninety-nine-yard touchdown
reception
from Cris Collinsworth
in the Gators' 48–3 victory over the Rice Owls
in 1977, which tied the then-current NCAA record and remains the longest touchdown pass in Southeastern Conference
(SEC) history. While he was a Florida undergraduate, Gaffney was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity
.
, and he played for the Jets from to and again in . His single best season was his rookie
year in , when he caught thirty-eight passes for 691 yards. Gaffney started
sixty-eight of 100 games in which he played for the Jets, and finished his NFL career with 156 reception
s for 2,613 yards and seven touchdowns.
for the Florida Gators from the middle of the 1973 season through the end of 1975, and was the first African-American to become the starter
at the quarterback position for the Gators. Gaffney is also the father of current NFL wide receiver Jabar Gaffney
and the uncle of current free agent
cornerback
Lito Sheppard
. Both played for the Gators: Jabar Gaffney in 2000
and 2001
, and Lito Sheppard from 1999 to 2001.
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...
player who was a 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...
in 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...
(NFL) for eight seasons in the 1970s and 1980s. Gaffney 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...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL.
Early years
Gaffney was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
in 1955. He attended William M. Raines High School
William M. Raines High School
William Marion Raines Senior High School is a historically black high school in Jacksonville, Florida. The school is located off Moncrief Road in Jacksonville, Florida's northside. Located at the corner Raines Avenue in northwest Jacksonville, Raines serves approximately 1000 students. The school...
in Jacksonville, and he played high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
for the Raines Vikings.
College career
Gaffney received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Doug Dickey
Doug Dickey
Douglas Adair "Doug" Dickey is a former American college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where he played college football...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1974 to 1977. Memorably, Gaffney caught a ninety-nine-yard 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:...
reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
from Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
in the Gators' 48–3 victory over the Rice Owls
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
in 1977, which tied the then-current NCAA record and remains the longest touchdown pass in Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) history. While he was a Florida undergraduate, Gaffney was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
Fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
.
Professional career
The New York Jets chose Gaffney in the eighth round (197th pick overall) in the 1978 NFL Draft1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978...
, and he played for the Jets from to and again in . His single best season was his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
year in , when he caught thirty-eight passes for 691 yards. Gaffney started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
sixty-eight of 100 games in which he played for the Jets, and finished his NFL career with 156 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 2,613 yards and seven touchdowns.
Gaffney football family
Derrick Gaffney's older brother, Don Gaffney, was the starting quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Florida Gators from the middle of the 1973 season through the end of 1975, and was the first African-American to become the starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
at the quarterback position for the Gators. Gaffney is also the father of current NFL wide receiver Jabar Gaffney
Jabar Gaffney
Derrick Jabar Gaffney is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
and the uncle of current free agent
Free 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....
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Lito Sheppard
Lito Sheppard
Lito Decorian Sheppard is an American football cornerback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Florida.Sheppard has also played for the New York...
. Both played for the Gators: Jabar Gaffney in 2000
2000 Florida Gators football team
September 30, 2000The Florida Gators came into Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi ranked third in the nation. The unranked Mississippi State Bulldogs ran for 351 yards, 172 yards and a touchdown for Dicenzo Miller, and 156 yards and a touchdown for Dontae Walker. Bulldogs quarterback...
and 2001
2001 Florida Gators football team
The 2001 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2001 college football season...
, and Lito Sheppard from 1999 to 2001.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1970–1979
- List of Alpha Phi Alpha brothers
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of New York Jets players