Greg Camarillo
Encyclopedia
Greg Camarillo is an American football
wide receiver
for the Minnesota Vikings
of the National Football League
.
He played college football
at Stanford
. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers
as an undrafted free agent in 2005.
Camarillo has also played for the Miami Dolphins
. He is most notable for his game winning 64-yard touchdown reception against the Baltimore Ravens
on December 16, 2007. The play won the Dolphins the game 22–16 in overtime and was the team's first win after thirteen consecutive losses to begin the year. It was also the only game the Dolphins won the entire season and allowed them to narrowly avoid becoming the first 0–16 team in NFL history (which was later achieved by the Detroit Lions in the 2008 season).
Camarillo attended Menlo-Atherton High School
in Atherton, California
, where he was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he was a four-year letterman and as a senior, he was a first team All-Peninsula Athletic League honoree and an All-San Mateo County selection. In basketball, he was a second team All-Peninsula Athletic League selection.
, Florida State, University of Florida and chose Stanford, where he walked on as a punter, red-shirted his first year in 2000 and later played wide receiver for four seasons, totalling 46 receptions for 614 yards, and played on special teams for the Cardinal. He earned Academic All-Pac 10 honors for three years, graduating with a degree in product design engineering.
As a junior, Camarillo caught 18 passes for 225 yards (a 12.5 per-catch average), and posted similar but slightly better statistics as a senior (19 catches for 294 yards and a 15.5 per-catch average).
by the San Diego Chargers
in 2005.
claimed Camarillo off waivers. On December 16, 2007, Camarillo caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Cleo Lemon
in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens
, clinching the Miami Dolphins
' first and only win of the 2007 NFL season, It was the longest offensive play for the Dolphins in 2007. Camarillo had a career-high 109 receiving yards and one touchdown. This was Camarillo's first touchdown since high school, since he failed to score during his four seasons at Stanford. In the following week, a 28–7 loss to the New England Patriots
, Camarillo recorded his second professional touchdown when he scored on a 21-yard pass reception.
Camarillo's third pro touchdown came on October 5, 2008, on a 17-yard second-quarter pass from Chad Pennington
, in a 17–10 victory over the San Diego Chargers
.
On November 20, 2008, Camarillo signed a three-year, $6 million contract extension. Three days later, he caught what would be his fourth and final touchdown of the season as later on he suffered a torn ACL against the New England Patriots
and was subsequently placed on season-ending injured reserve
.
In the 2009 NFL season, Camarillo did not drop a single pass thrown to him, earning him a reputation as a safe pair of hands in a pinch.
traded Camarillo to the Minnesota Vikings
for cornerback Benny Sapp
due to the Vikings injury problems at wide receiver.
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 Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
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 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 Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2005.
Camarillo has also played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He is most notable for his game winning 64-yard touchdown reception against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on December 16, 2007. The play won the Dolphins the game 22–16 in overtime and was the team's first win after thirteen consecutive losses to begin the year. It was also the only game the Dolphins won the entire season and allowed them to narrowly avoid becoming the first 0–16 team in NFL history (which was later achieved by the Detroit Lions in the 2008 season).
Early years
Camarillo is Jewish. His mother is also Jewish, and her family immigrated to the U.S. from Hungary. His father was born in California, and is a professor of Mexican-American history and culture at Stanford. His Catholic paternal grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico.Camarillo attended Menlo-Atherton High School
Menlo-Atherton High School
Menlo-Atherton High School is a four-year comprehensive secondary school located in Atherton, California which was established in 1951. Menlo-Atherton is part of the Sequoia Union High School District....
in Atherton, California
Atherton, California
Atherton is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. Its population was 6,914 at the 2010 census. In September 2010, Forbes magazine placed Atherton's zip code of 94027 at #2 on its annual list of America's most expensive zip codes, with a median home price of $4,010,200...
, where he was a letterman in football and basketball. In football, he was a four-year letterman and as a senior, he was a first team All-Peninsula Athletic League honoree and an All-San Mateo County selection. In basketball, he was a second team All-Peninsula Athletic League selection.
College career
He turned down HarvardHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Florida State, University of Florida and chose Stanford, where he walked on as a punter, red-shirted his first year in 2000 and later played wide receiver for four seasons, totalling 46 receptions for 614 yards, and played on special teams for the Cardinal. He earned Academic All-Pac 10 honors for three years, graduating with a degree in product design engineering.
As a junior, Camarillo caught 18 passes for 225 yards (a 12.5 per-catch average), and posted similar but slightly better statistics as a senior (19 catches for 294 yards and a 15.5 per-catch average).
San Diego Chargers
Camarillo was 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....
by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2005.
Miami Dolphins
On September 2, 2007, the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
claimed Camarillo off waivers. On December 16, 2007, Camarillo caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Cleo Lemon
Cleo Lemon
Cleo "Cleonardo" Lemon, Jr. is a Canadian football quarterback in the Canadian Football League who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, clinching the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' first and only win of the 2007 NFL season, It was the longest offensive play for the Dolphins in 2007. Camarillo had a career-high 109 receiving yards and one touchdown. This was Camarillo's first touchdown since high school, since he failed to score during his four seasons at Stanford. In the following week, a 28–7 loss to 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...
, Camarillo recorded his second professional touchdown when he scored on a 21-yard pass reception.
Camarillo's third pro touchdown came on October 5, 2008, on a 17-yard second-quarter pass from Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
, in a 17–10 victory over the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
On November 20, 2008, Camarillo signed a three-year, $6 million contract extension. Three days later, he caught what would be his fourth and final touchdown of the season as later on he suffered a torn ACL against 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...
and was subsequently placed on season-ending injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
.
In the 2009 NFL season, Camarillo did not drop a single pass thrown to him, earning him a reputation as a safe pair of hands in a pinch.
Minnesota Vikings
On August 25, 2010 the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
traded Camarillo to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
for cornerback Benny Sapp
Benny Sapp
Benjamin Lee Sapp, II is an American football cornerback who is currently a member of the Minnesota Vikings. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
due to the Vikings injury problems at wide receiver.