James Washington
Encyclopedia
James McArthur Washington (born January 10, 1965 in Los Angeles
, California
) is a former American football
safety for the UCLA Bruins
and in the National Football League
. Currently he is a co-host of FOX Sports Radio
's flagship morning show Out Of Bounds with Craig Shemon. Nicknamed "J-Dub" on the radio, his nickname was "Drive-by" in the NFL for "his fierce hits on defenseless receivers".
in Jordan High School, then played college football
at UCLA.
Washington was a redshirt freshmen starter at UCLA, where he was a standout defensive back. He played for five seasons. He played in the 1984 Rose Bowl
, 1985 Fiesta Bowl
, 1986 Rose Bowl
, 1986 Freedom Bowl
, and 1987 Aloha Bowl
. He was the co-most valuable player of the game in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl
. Washington has a BA degree in history from UCLA.
in the fifth round of the 1988 NFL Draft
by the Los Angeles Rams. He dropped in the NFL draft
because he tore a knee ligament as a junior, and he tore the same ligament as a senior.
Playing sparingly during his first two years in the league, the Rams left him unprotected—eligible to sign with any team that wanted him—under Plan B free agency
at the end of the 1989 season
.
, where he became one of the hardest hitting defensive backs in the league and even though his natural position was free safety, he was used most of the time as a strong safety for this reason. In Dallas, he was reunited with Troy Aikman
, a teammate at UCLA.
He started for the Cowboys four out of five years and led the team in interceptions
each of those starting years. He was the signal caller for the Cowboys when they were the top-ranked defense in the league (1992
and 1994
).
He lost his starting spot during training camp
for the 1993 season
because of the emergence of second year safety Darren Woodson
. Throughout that year, Washington was a reserve and nickel defensive back
. In Super Bowl XXVIII
the Buffalo Bills
ran a three receiver single back formation. The Cowboys base defense most of the day would be in nickel
(5 defensive backs) so Washington started the game at free safety. He made the best of this starting opportunity by recording a fumble returned for a touchdown
, causing a fumble
that was recovered by Leon Lett
and an interception.
Washington would regain a full time starting position the following season (1994
) at free safety with the departure of Thomas Everett
.
he signed a free agent
contract with the Washington Redskins
, but would play only 12 games and end his career after that single season. That season included an incident at the infamous green fence at RFK Stadium, in which Washington attempted to punch a Redskin fan who was giving him grief for his subpar play the prior week.
Washington played in the NFL for 8 seasons. He intercepted 17 passes.
when Thurman Thomas, after being tackled by Leon Lett
, fumbled the ball, Washington returned it for a 46 yard touchdown
to tie the game.
He also made a team-high 11 tackles, had an interception that eventually became an Emmit Smith touchdown
and knocked Andre Reed
to the sidelines for a brief recovery (delivering a message to the Bills receivers).
His performance was so dominating, that he received strong MVP consideration.
in Dallas. The player grabbed the camera and monopod
of Dallas Morning News
photographer David Leeson
in an attempt to defend teammate Alvin Harper
. Although Washington did not strike anyone with the equipment, he was fined for his actions, as were Michael Irvin
, Cowboys assistant coach Hubbard Alexander, and Giants players Tito Wooten
and Jarvis Williams. The event was so memorable to local sports journalists that they not only included it in a year-end roundup, but were still writing about it two years later. "There were a lot of Giants, and I didn't see any of my teammates," Washington said at the time. "I just felt me and Michael were being rushed, and I wanted to keep them off Michael. It was foolish. I didn't hit anybody with it, but there was really no reason for it."
's flagship morning show Out Of Bounds with Craig Shemon. He was also featured on foxsports net's interactive video college football breakdowns. Washington still serves as an analyst during UCLA football games for Fox Sports. Washington produces and host the UCLA coaches show that air FSN.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is a former 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...
safety for the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
and 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...
. Currently he is a co-host of FOX Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
's flagship morning show Out Of Bounds with Craig Shemon. Nicknamed "J-Dub" on the radio, his nickname was "Drive-by" in the NFL for "his fierce hits on defenseless receivers".
Early years
Washington played high school footballHigh 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....
in Jordan High School, then 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 UCLA.
Washington was a redshirt freshmen starter at UCLA, where he was a standout defensive back. He played for five seasons. He played in the 1984 Rose Bowl
1984 Rose Bowl
The 1984 Rose Bowl game, played on January 2, was the 70th Rose Bowl game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini by a score of 45-9. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA quarterback, was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. He completed 22 of 32 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns...
, 1985 Fiesta Bowl
1985 Fiesta Bowl
The 1985 Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 1985, was the 14th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game featured the UCLA Bruins, and the Miami Hurricanes. The game was the fourth highest scoring Fiesta Bowl of all time...
, 1986 Rose Bowl
1986 Rose Bowl
The 1986 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1986. It was the 72nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. UCLA tailback Eric Ball was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. He ran for a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns.-Iowa Hawkeyes:Iowa...
, 1986 Freedom Bowl
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
, and 1987 Aloha Bowl
Aloha Bowl
The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
. He was the co-most valuable player of the game in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
. Washington has a BA degree in history from UCLA.
Los Angeles Rams
Washington was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the fifth round of the 1988 NFL Draft
1988 NFL Draft
The 1988 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 24–25, 1988. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
by the Los Angeles Rams. He dropped in the NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
because he tore a knee ligament as a junior, and he tore the same ligament as a senior.
Playing sparingly during his first two years in the league, the Rams left him unprotected—eligible to sign with any team that wanted him—under Plan B free agency
Plan B free agency
The Plan B free agency was a type of free agency that became active in the National Football League in February 1989. Plan B free agency permitted all teams in the NFL to preserve limited rights of no more than 37 total players a season...
at the end of the 1989 season
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
.
Dallas Cowboys
He signed on with the Dallas CowboysDallas 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...
, where he became one of the hardest hitting defensive backs in the league and even though his natural position was free safety, he was used most of the time as a strong safety for this reason. In Dallas, he was reunited with Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
, a teammate at UCLA.
He started for the Cowboys four out of five years and led the team in interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
each of those starting years. He was the signal caller for the Cowboys when they were the top-ranked defense in the league (1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
and 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
).
He lost his starting spot during training camp
Training camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
for the 1993 season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
because of the emergence of second year safety Darren Woodson
Darren Woodson
Darren Ray Woodson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004...
. Throughout that year, Washington was a reserve and nickel defensive back
Nickel defense
In American football, a nickel defense is a defensive alignment that uses five defensive backs, of whom the fifth is known as a nickelback. Although the modern definition of the term encompasses all formations featuring five defensive backs, the original and still most common form of the nickel...
. In Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
ran a three receiver single back formation. The Cowboys base defense most of the day would be in nickel
Nickel defense
In American football, a nickel defense is a defensive alignment that uses five defensive backs, of whom the fifth is known as a nickelback. Although the modern definition of the term encompasses all formations featuring five defensive backs, the original and still most common form of the nickel...
(5 defensive backs) so Washington started the game at free safety. He made the best of this starting opportunity by recording a fumble returned for a 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:...
, causing a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
that was recovered by Leon Lett
Leon Lett
Leon Lett, Jr. , nicknamed The Big Cat, is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos , after playing college football at Emporia State University. Lett was a two-time Pro Bowler, with selections in 1994 and...
and an interception.
Washington would regain a full time starting position the following season (1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
) at free safety with the departure of Thomas Everett
Thomas Everett
Thomas Gregory Everett is a former American football safety in the National Football League.He played nine seasons for three teams . He attended Baylor University where he won the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college football...
.
Washington Redskins
In 19951995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
he signed a 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....
contract with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, but would play only 12 games and end his career after that single season. That season included an incident at the infamous green fence at RFK Stadium, in which Washington attempted to punch a Redskin fan who was giving him grief for his subpar play the prior week.
Washington played in the NFL for 8 seasons. He intercepted 17 passes.
Super Bowl XXVIII
One of his most notable performances was in Super Bowl XXVIIISuper Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
when Thurman Thomas, after being tackled by Leon Lett
Leon Lett
Leon Lett, Jr. , nicknamed The Big Cat, is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos , after playing college football at Emporia State University. Lett was a two-time Pro Bowler, with selections in 1994 and...
, fumbled the ball, Washington returned it for a 46 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:...
to tie the game.
He also made a team-high 11 tackles, had an interception that eventually became an Emmit Smith 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:...
and knocked Andre Reed
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver in the National Football League for 16 seasons, 15 with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins .Reed ranks tenth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951.-Football career:Reed...
to the sidelines for a brief recovery (delivering a message to the Bills receivers).
His performance was so dominating, that he received strong MVP consideration.
Halftime fight incident
While playing for the Cowboys, Washington was briefly the subject of notoriety for his part in an on-field fight during halftime at a November 7, 1994, game against the New York GiantsNew 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...
in Dallas. The player grabbed the camera and monopod
Monopod
A monopod, also called a unipod, is a single staff or pole used to help support cameras, video cameras, binoculars, rifles or other precision instruments in the field.-Camera and imaging use:...
of Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
photographer David Leeson
David Leeson
David Leeson is a staff photographer for The Dallas Morning News. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography in 2004, together with Cheryl Diaz Meyer, for coverage of the Iraq War. He also received the RTNDA Edward R...
in an attempt to defend teammate Alvin Harper
Alvin Harper
Alvin Craig Harper is a former American football player in the National Football League. After going 1-15 in 1989 and 7-9 in 1990, the Dallas Cowboys were poised to capitalize on some key draft opportunities...
. Although Washington did not strike anyone with the equipment, he was fined for his actions, as were Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
, Cowboys assistant coach Hubbard Alexander, and Giants players Tito Wooten
Tito Wooten
Tito J. Wooten is a retired American football defensive back in the National Football League for the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts from 1994 to 1999. In the middle of the 1999 season, Wooten was suspended along with teammate Shawn King for missing bed check and showing up late to a team...
and Jarvis Williams. The event was so memorable to local sports journalists that they not only included it in a year-end roundup, but were still writing about it two years later. "There were a lot of Giants, and I didn't see any of my teammates," Washington said at the time. "I just felt me and Michael were being rushed, and I wanted to keep them off Michael. It was foolish. I didn't hit anybody with it, but there was really no reason for it."
Fox Sports on-air
He was the co-host of FOX Sports RadioFox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
's flagship morning show Out Of Bounds with Craig Shemon. He was also featured on foxsports net's interactive video college football breakdowns. Washington still serves as an analyst during UCLA football games for Fox Sports. Washington produces and host the UCLA coaches show that air FSN.
Shelter 37
SHELTER 37, Inc. was founded by Washington in 1993 as a not-for-profit public benefit corporation that provides quality after-school enrichment and life skills programs in southern California.Return to UCLA
On April 26, 2011, Washington was named Director of Scholarship in UCLA Athletics. He is responsible for raising scholarship funds for the campus and increasing the visibility of the Bruin Scholars Initiative.External links
- Craig and James - Craig Shemon and James Washington on Fox Sports Radio
- Shelter 37