Rob Carpenter (football player)
Encyclopedia
Rob Carpenter is a retired American football
wide receiver
who played for the New England Patriots
, New York Jets
and Philadelphia Eagles
of the National Football League
. In college, he played for the University of Notre Dame
Fighting Irish
and Syracuse University
Orangemen and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft
. He was one of a relatively small class of underclassmen, headlined by Ragib "Rocket" Ismail, to be approved in the NFL's second class of players allowed to declare themselves eligible for the draft despite remaining amateur eligibility. In addition to Carpenter, other headliners among the underclassmen were Herman Moore
, Todd Marinovich
and Jon Vaughn
(who also played for the 1991 Patriots).
The 1995 Eagles, coached by Ray Rhodes
, were the only playoff team that he played for. They compiled a 10-6 record and won their 1995
wild card playoff game against the Detroit Lions
before losing to the eventual Super Bowl XXX
champion Dallas Cowboys
. Carpenter was third (Fred Barnett
& Calvin Williams
) in receptions and yardage among wide receivers for the Eagles. He and Williams were the only receivers to play all 16 regular season games for the Eagles that year. He and Kelvin Martin
shared the punt return duties for the 1995 Eagles. He had two receptions
in each playoff game (including a touchdown
in the first).
He ranks among the all-time leaders in Syracuse University receptions in most statistics despite only playing for them for two seasons. He ranks fifth in career yards (1656), ninth in touchdowns (10), ninth in recpetions (93), seventh in yards/catch (17.8) and second in yards/game (72.0). The only others in the top 10 on all five of these lists are Marvin Harrison
, Rob Moore and Mike Siano.
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...
who played for 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...
, 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...
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...
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...
. In college, he played for the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
and Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
Orangemen and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
. He was one of a relatively small class of underclassmen, headlined by Ragib "Rocket" Ismail, to be approved in the NFL's second class of players allowed to declare themselves eligible for the draft despite remaining amateur eligibility. In addition to Carpenter, other headliners among the underclassmen were Herman Moore
Herman Moore
Herman Joseph Moore is a former American National Football League wide receiver. At George Washington High School in Danville he played mostly as a kicker and also as a tight end. He went to the University of Virginia, where he was a 2-sport athlete...
, Todd Marinovich
Todd Marinovich
Todd Marvin Marinovich is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. He played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League, and also in the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League...
and Jon Vaughn
Jon Vaughn
Jonathan Stewart Vaughn is a former professional American football player who played running back and served as a kick returner in the National Football League for 4 seasons from 1991 to 1994 for the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs...
(who also played for the 1991 Patriots).
The 1995 Eagles, coached by Ray Rhodes
Ray Rhodes
Raymond Earl Rhodes is currently a defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns. He is also the former American football head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. He is the former assistant defensive backs coach of the Houston Texans...
, were the only playoff team that he played for. They compiled a 10-6 record and won their 1995
NFL playoffs, 1995-96
The NFL playoffs following the 1995 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXX.-Bracket:-AFC: Buffalo Bills 37, Miami Dolphins 22:Although Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino completed 33 out of 64 passes for 422 yards, the Bills jumped to a 27-0 lead going into the fourth quarter, and rushed for an NFL...
wild card playoff game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
before losing to the eventual Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
champion Dallas Cowboys
Dallas 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...
. Carpenter was third (Fred Barnett
Fred Barnett
Fred Lee Barnett is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins...
& Calvin Williams
Calvin Williams
Calvin John Williams is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 181-lb...
) in receptions and yardage among wide receivers for the Eagles. He and Williams were the only receivers to play all 16 regular season games for the Eagles that year. He and Kelvin Martin
Kelvin Martin (American football)
Kelvin Brian Martin is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL Draft. A 5'9",...
shared the punt return duties for the 1995 Eagles. He had two receptions
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...
in each playoff game (including 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:...
in the first).
He ranks among the all-time leaders in Syracuse University receptions in most statistics despite only playing for them for two seasons. He ranks fifth in career yards (1656), ninth in touchdowns (10), ninth in recpetions (93), seventh in yards/catch (17.8) and second in yards/game (72.0). The only others in the top 10 on all five of these lists are Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
, Rob Moore and Mike Siano.