J.J. Arrington
Encyclopedia
Johnathan Jerone "J. J." Arrington (born January 23, 1983 in Nashville, North Carolina
) is an American football
running back
for the Las Vegas Locomotives
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals
in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at College of the Canyons
and California
.
Arrington has also been a member of the Denver Broncos
and Philadelphia Eagles
.
in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
, and was a letterman in football as a tailback
. In football, he was a three-year varsity starter and a two-time All-Conference selection. He was also named his team's Most Valuable Player, and the Area Offensive Player of the Year as a senior.
Arrington transferred to University of California at Berkeley as a junior. Arrington would receive few carries for most of the 2003 season aside from his 114 yard performance against Southern Mississippi. A knee injury to then starting running back Adimchinobi Echemandu would thrust Arrington into the starting role against the Washington Huskies. This proved to be his breakout game as he mauled the Huskies defense for 185 yards and a touchdown. It took him only 14 carries to achieve this feat. In the first half managed to tally 157 yards on ten carries. He also caught a 30 yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers
giving him a total of 215 yards on the day.
Despite his performance, he would receive limited carries the rest of the 2003 season. He did play a pivotal role in the Insight Bowl
by catching five passes for 38 yards, including a 13 yard touchdown pass that would reduce Virginia Tech's lead to only 28-21 at halftime. Cal would ultimately prevail 52-49 on a game-winning field goal.
The 2004 season would see Arrington earn the starting tailback spot after the departure of Echemandu for the NFL. Arrington played a major role in the Cal Bears' first 10-win season since 1949. He would rush for at least 100 yards in every single game that season. Arrington rushed for 169 yards or more in eight of his team's 12 games as well.
Ultimately Arrington would have one of the greatest seasons of any running back in NCAA and Pac-10 history, gaining 2,018 rushing yards that season. He became only the second Pac-10 Tailback to gain over 2000 yards, joining USC tailback Marcus Allen
. His mark is also the tenth best total in NCAA history. He would receive the honor of the Pop Warner Award, deeming him the best College Football player on the west coast. He would also earn All-American
and All-Pacific Ten conference honors.
Ultimately, the season would end in disappointment. Despite a stellar 10-1 record, they Bears were bypassed for a BCS Bowl bid by The University of Texas. As a result, they played in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl against a 7-4 Texas Tech squad, where Cal was upset by a score of 45-31, a disappointing end to Arrington's college career.
In addition, Arrington was not even invited to the Heisman Trophy
ceremony (a distinction afforded the top three to five likely winners) despite having a better statistical year (15 TDs, 2018 yards rushing, 6.98 yards per carry) than the number 2 vote-getter, Adrian Peterson (15 TDs, 1925 yards rushing, 5.68 yards per carry).
. He started the first game against the New York Giants
gaining 5 yards on 8 carries (0.625 average). After this poor showing in his first game, he didn't play a snap the second game of the season against the St. Louis Rams
. By the end of the season he had played 15 games with 5 starts, gaining 370 yards on 112 carries (3.3 average) and 2 touchdowns. That following offseason the Cardinals signed Edgerrin James
.
The Cardinals' drafting of Tim Hightower
in 2008 resulted in Arrington being shifted to third place on the depth chart at running back. He became the team's principal kick returner and in Super Bowl XLIII
caught 2 passes for 35 yards.
on March 4, 2009. He was released on May 27, 2009 after failing his physical. It was determined that Arrington would need season-ending microfracture surgery on his right knee, following surgery to the same knee in February. He was re-signed on March 4, 2010.
in exchange for linebacker Joe Mays
on July 30, 2010. He was waived on September 3. Due to Arrington being released prior to the start of the season, the Eagles received a 2012 sixth-round draft pick from the Broncos.
of the United Football League.
Nashville, North Carolina
Nashville is a town in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. The town was founded in 1780 and features a rare collection of Victorian and Queen Anne style homes. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,538 in 2008. It is the county...
) is an American football
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. 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 College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons is a public two-year community college that operates within the Santa Clarita Community College District. The college is located on of rolling, tree-dotted hills in the incorporated city of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County, California. The college’s address is:...
and California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Arrington has also been a member of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and 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
Arrington attended Northern Nash High SchoolNorthern Nash High School
Northern Nash High School is a high school located in Nash County just a few miles outside of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina city limits. It is located approximately from Nash Community College, just off Highway 64 bypass.-History:...
in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Rocky Mount is an All-America City Award-winning city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plains of the state of North Carolina. Although it was not formally incorporated until February 28, 1867, the North Carolina community that became the city of Rocky Mount dates from the beginning of...
, and was a letterman in football as a tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
. In football, he was a three-year varsity starter and a two-time All-Conference selection. He was also named his team's Most Valuable Player, and the Area Offensive Player of the Year as a senior.
College career
Arrington was sent to College of the Canyons by East Carolina University with the intent to play for the Pirates in two years. As a sophomore at College of the Canyons, he won All Region III honors (which is selected by the California Community College Football Coaches Association and the J.C. Athletic Bureau) and had 135 rushing attempts for 769 yards (5.7 yards per rushing attempt average), and caught 30 passes for 320 yards (10.67 yards per reception average). His 19 touchdowns that season, and 29 career touchdowns, were both school records.Arrington transferred to University of California at Berkeley as a junior. Arrington would receive few carries for most of the 2003 season aside from his 114 yard performance against Southern Mississippi. A knee injury to then starting running back Adimchinobi Echemandu would thrust Arrington into the starting role against the Washington Huskies. This proved to be his breakout game as he mauled the Huskies defense for 185 yards and a touchdown. It took him only 14 carries to achieve this feat. In the first half managed to tally 157 yards on ten carries. He also caught a 30 yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers...
giving him a total of 215 yards on the day.
Despite his performance, he would receive limited carries the rest of the 2003 season. He did play a pivotal role in the Insight Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
by catching five passes for 38 yards, including a 13 yard touchdown pass that would reduce Virginia Tech's lead to only 28-21 at halftime. Cal would ultimately prevail 52-49 on a game-winning field goal.
The 2004 season would see Arrington earn the starting tailback spot after the departure of Echemandu for the NFL. Arrington played a major role in the Cal Bears' first 10-win season since 1949. He would rush for at least 100 yards in every single game that season. Arrington rushed for 169 yards or more in eight of his team's 12 games as well.
Ultimately Arrington would have one of the greatest seasons of any running back in NCAA and Pac-10 history, gaining 2,018 rushing yards that season. He became only the second Pac-10 Tailback to gain over 2000 yards, joining USC tailback Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
. His mark is also the tenth best total in NCAA history. He would receive the honor of the Pop Warner Award, deeming him the best College Football player on the west coast. He would also earn All-American
2004 College Football All-America Team
The 2004 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
and All-Pacific Ten conference honors.
Ultimately, the season would end in disappointment. Despite a stellar 10-1 record, they Bears were bypassed for a BCS Bowl bid by The University of Texas. As a result, they played in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl against a 7-4 Texas Tech squad, where Cal was upset by a score of 45-31, a disappointing end to Arrington's college career.
In addition, Arrington was not even invited to the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
ceremony (a distinction afforded the top three to five likely winners) despite having a better statistical year (15 TDs, 2018 yards rushing, 6.98 yards per carry) than the number 2 vote-getter, Adrian Peterson (15 TDs, 1925 yards rushing, 5.68 yards per carry).
Arizona Cardinals
After drafting him in the second round, the Cardinals placed him as the starting running back on the depth chart, with the intention of having him share carries with Marcel ShippMarcel Shipp
Marcel Cornelius Shipp is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He played in the NFL from 2001-2008 for the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2001, and played with them...
. He started the first game against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
gaining 5 yards on 8 carries (0.625 average). After this poor showing in his first game, he didn't play a snap the second game of the season against 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,...
. By the end of the season he had played 15 games with 5 starts, gaining 370 yards on 112 carries (3.3 average) and 2 touchdowns. That following offseason the Cardinals signed Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
.
The Cardinals' drafting of Tim Hightower
Tim Hightower
-Arizona Cardinals:Hightower scored 10 touchdowns during his rookie season, and another 3 in the post season while averaging a meager 2.8 yards per carry. He would rush for a total amount of 399 yards in 2008. Hightower would then become the only Cardinal rookie running back ever to have scored a...
in 2008 resulted in Arrington being shifted to third place on the depth chart at running back. He became the team's principal kick returner and in Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
caught 2 passes for 35 yards.
Denver Broncos
Arrington signed with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 4, 2009. He was released on May 27, 2009 after failing his physical. It was determined that Arrington would need season-ending microfracture surgery on his right knee, following surgery to the same knee in February. He was re-signed on March 4, 2010.
Philadelphia Eagles
Arrington was traded to the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia 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...
in exchange for linebacker Joe Mays
Joe Mays (American football)
Joseph Lamont "Joe" Mays is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Dakota State.-Early years:Joe attended Hyde Park High School...
on July 30, 2010. He was waived on September 3. Due to Arrington being released prior to the start of the season, the Eagles received a 2012 sixth-round draft pick from the Broncos.
Las Vegas Locomotives
Before the 2011 season, Arrington signed with the Las Vegas LocomotivesLas Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
of the United Football League.