Ladell Betts
Encyclopedia
Matthew Ladell Betts is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
He was drafted by the Washington Redskins
in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Iowa
.
, to the suburb of Blue Springs
when Betts was a child, but he remained very close to his father who has always been an active influence on Ladell over the years. He attended Blue Springs High School, where he would become a football star.
Betts, who was also a sprinter in high school, gained 1,813 yards and had 34 touchdowns as a high school junior. As a senior, he rushed for 2,183 yards and 32 touchdowns while playing most of the season with a broken right hand. Betts, who led his team to a 10-1 record, was named USA Today's Missouri Player of the Year after earning first team all-state and all-metro honors. He also earned the Thomas Simone Award, which goes to the best high school player in the Kansas City
area, and was named a Parade and SuperPrep All-American.
, Betts played in all 11 games as a freshman. He set school records for rushing yards in a game and a season by a freshman. Betts led the team in rushing for the season and was Iowa's offensive MVP in four games. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten
selection.
In 1999, Betts started all 11 games, led the team in rushing again, and was named Iowa's co-MVP. He was also a second team All-Big Ten
selection. As a junior in 2000, Betts started every game and accounted for Iowa's entire rushing offense. He had 1,090 yards rushing in 2000; the Iowa Hawkeye team had 1,090 yards rushing that year. Betts was an honorable mention All-Big Ten
selection.
Betts again led Iowa in rushing as a senior, starting every game. He was Iowa's co-captain and co-MVP for the 2001 season, and he was named second team All-Big Ten
. He helped lead the Hawkeyes to the Alamo Bowl
that season, but he had only two carries before being forced to leave due to an injury in Iowa's 19-16 win.
Betts started 43 games in his career and finished as Iowa's #2 all-time leading rusher with 3,686 career yards. He scored 25 touchdowns in his career and added 702 yards receiving. He is the only Hawkeye to ever lead the team in rushing in four different seasons.
Betts came to the University of Iowa
to play for Hall of Fame
coach Hayden Fry
. But Fry retired after Betts' freshman season, and Betts played his last three years for Kirk Ferentz
.
by the Washington Redskins
. He played his first game when the Redskins met the San Francisco 49ers
on September 22, 2002. On December 22, 2002, he set career highs, rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown. At the end of the season, Betts rushed 65 times for 307 yards his rookie season. He also had a touchdown of 27 yards. Betts caught 12 passes for 154 yards which included a 40-yard long. He led the team in kickoff returns, returning 28 for 690 yards (a 24.6 average).
Betts played nine games in 2003. He finished the season with 225 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 59 kick return yards. Betts also caught 15 passes for 167 yards. He missed seven games due to a fractured left forearm.
As a backup to Clinton Portis
, Betts rushed for 371 yards on 90 carries (4.1 average) and a touchdown in 2004. He had 15 catches for 108 yards. His longest run was a 27-yarder against the Minnesota Vikings
when Portis was injured.
Betts missed three games in 2005 due to injury but managed to play in 12. He finished the season with 338 yards on 89 carries and a touchdown. He caught ten passes for 78 yards and a touchdown pass. In Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, Betts made his first kickoff return for a touchdown of his career with 94-yarder.
In the 2006 season, Betts set career highs in several different areas as he filled in for the injured Clinton Portis, starting nine games as well as receiving significant carries spelling Portis. He totalled 1,154 rushing yard with a 4.7 yards per carry average and four rushing touchdowns. He also caught 53 passes for 445 yards and one touchdown as one of the leading receivers in a struggling offense.
On December 10, 2006 Betts set a career high with 171 yards rushing in a game.
Betts is the only running back in the history of the Redskins franchise to record consecutive 150 yard rushing games.
In a 2009 preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens
, his jersey misspelled his last name as it said Bettis, as most would consider thinking about former Steelers
halfback Jerome Bettis
.
He was released on March 4, 2010.
suffered a broken leg in the Saints' second game, the Saints again signed Betts on September 22, 2010. He sustained a neck injury and concussion in a Week 11 game against Seattle
, and ultimately was placed on the injured reserve list on December 8, 2010.
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...
who is currently 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....
He was drafted by 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,...
in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. 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 Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
Early years
Betts grew up as an only child with a single mother who worked two and three jobs to make ends meet. He and his mother moved from Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, to the suburb of Blue Springs
Blue Springs, Missouri
Blue Springs is a city in Jackson County, Missouri and is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2010 census the population at 52,575.- Geography :...
when Betts was a child, but he remained very close to his father who has always been an active influence on Ladell over the years. He attended Blue Springs High School, where he would become a football star.
Betts, who was also a sprinter in high school, gained 1,813 yards and had 34 touchdowns as a high school junior. As a senior, he rushed for 2,183 yards and 32 touchdowns while playing most of the season with a broken right hand. Betts, who led his team to a 10-1 record, was named USA Today's Missouri Player of the Year after earning first team all-state and all-metro honors. He also earned the Thomas Simone Award, which goes to the best high school player in the Kansas City
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
area, and was named a Parade and SuperPrep All-American.
College career
After redshirting in 1997 at the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, Betts played in all 11 games as a freshman. He set school records for rushing yards in a game and a season by a freshman. Betts led the team in rushing for the season and was Iowa's offensive MVP in four games. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
selection.
In 1999, Betts started all 11 games, led the team in rushing again, and was named Iowa's co-MVP. He was also a second team All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
selection. As a junior in 2000, Betts started every game and accounted for Iowa's entire rushing offense. He had 1,090 yards rushing in 2000; the Iowa Hawkeye team had 1,090 yards rushing that year. Betts was an honorable mention All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
selection.
Betts again led Iowa in rushing as a senior, starting every game. He was Iowa's co-captain and co-MVP for the 2001 season, and he was named second team All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. He helped lead the Hawkeyes to the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
that season, but he had only two carries before being forced to leave due to an injury in Iowa's 19-16 win.
Betts started 43 games in his career and finished as Iowa's #2 all-time leading rusher with 3,686 career yards. He scored 25 touchdowns in his career and added 702 yards receiving. He is the only Hawkeye to ever lead the team in rushing in four different seasons.
Betts came to the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
to play for Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
coach Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
. But Fry retired after Betts' freshman season, and Betts played his last three years for Kirk Ferentz
Kirk Ferentz
Kirk James Ferentz is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since 1999. From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was the head football coach at the University of Maine. He has also served as an assistant coach...
.
Washington Redskins
Betts was drafted in the second round (56th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
by 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,...
. He played his first game when the Redskins met the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
on September 22, 2002. On December 22, 2002, he set career highs, rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown. At the end of the season, Betts rushed 65 times for 307 yards his rookie season. He also had a touchdown of 27 yards. Betts caught 12 passes for 154 yards which included a 40-yard long. He led the team in kickoff returns, returning 28 for 690 yards (a 24.6 average).
Betts played nine games in 2003. He finished the season with 225 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 59 kick return yards. Betts also caught 15 passes for 167 yards. He missed seven games due to a fractured left forearm.
As a backup to Clinton Portis
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, Betts rushed for 371 yards on 90 carries (4.1 average) and a touchdown in 2004. He had 15 catches for 108 yards. His longest run was a 27-yarder against 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...
when Portis was injured.
Betts missed three games in 2005 due to injury but managed to play in 12. He finished the season with 338 yards on 89 carries and a touchdown. He caught ten passes for 78 yards and a touchdown pass. In Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, Betts made his first kickoff return for a touchdown of his career with 94-yarder.
In the 2006 season, Betts set career highs in several different areas as he filled in for the injured Clinton Portis, starting nine games as well as receiving significant carries spelling Portis. He totalled 1,154 rushing yard with a 4.7 yards per carry average and four rushing touchdowns. He also caught 53 passes for 445 yards and one touchdown as one of the leading receivers in a struggling offense.
On December 10, 2006 Betts set a career high with 171 yards rushing in a game.
Betts is the only running back in the history of the Redskins franchise to record consecutive 150 yard rushing games.
In a 2009 preseason game 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...
, his jersey misspelled his last name as it said Bettis, as most would consider thinking about former Steelers
Steelers
Steelers usually refers to the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team which plays in the National Football League. It may also refer to the following sports teams:Association football...
halfback Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
.
He was released on March 4, 2010.
New Orleans Saints
Betts signed a one-year contract for the New Orleans Saints on August 16, 2010. He was cut on September 3, 2010. However, after Reggie BushReggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
suffered a broken leg in the Saints' second game, the Saints again signed Betts on September 22, 2010. He sustained a neck injury and concussion in a Week 11 game against Seattle
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, and ultimately was placed on the injured reserve list on December 8, 2010.