Steve Breaston
Encyclopedia
Steven William Breaston (born August 20, 1983) is an American football
wide receiver
and punt returner
for the Kansas City Chiefs
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Michigan
.
in suburban Pittsburgh, PA
and was a letterman in football
and track and field
.
for four seasons (2003–2006). He is the most prolific return man in school history and his 156 career receptions are fifth most in Michigan history.
and Derrick Alexander for the school record, and one kickoff for a score. His combined total of five returns for touchdowns is a Michigan record. Breaston's punt returns and punt return yardage marks are also Big Ten Conference
records. Breaston ranks seventh in conference annals in kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage. On January 1, 2005, Breaston set a Rose Bowl
record with 315 all-purpose yards.
with the 142nd pick in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. In the fourth game of the 2007 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Breaston took a punt back 73 yards for a touchdown, which proved to be the key score, as the Cardinals went on to win the game. Through week 13 of the 2007 season, Breaston had 1,462 return yards for the Cardinals.
Breaston had a breakout year in 2008. Following a serious injury to perennial Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin
, Breaston was inserted into the Cardinals' starting line-up at wide receiver. Breaston notably refused to participate in pre-game introductions at home games due to his opinion that he was still a backup, keeping a seat warm for the usual starter Anquan Boldin. Breaston finished the year with 1,006 yards, and he, Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald
became the fifth 1,000 yard receiving trio in NFL history.
.
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...
and punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
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 was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. 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 Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
.
Early years
Breaston attended Woodland Hills High SchoolWoodland Hills High School
Woodland Hills High School is a secondary school teaching students in the grades for the Woodland Hills School District located in Churchill, Pennsylvania. It is the result of a 1981 court-ordered desegregation merger. Before the merger the building was the location of the Churchill Area High...
in suburban Pittsburgh, PA
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and was a letterman in football
High 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....
and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
.
College career
Breaston played for the Michigan WolverinesMichigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
for four seasons (2003–2006). He is the most prolific return man in school history and his 156 career receptions are fifth most in Michigan history.
Records
Breaston is Michigan's all-time leading punt returner (127 returns for 1,599 yards) and kickoff returner (81 returns for 1,993 yards). He returned four punts for touchdowns, which ties him with Gene DerricotteGene Derricotte
Eugene "Gene" Derricotte is a former American football player who played with the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1944 to 1948. He was one of the University's first African American athletes in the era when NCAA Division I college football was beginning to integrate...
and Derrick Alexander for the school record, and one kickoff for a score. His combined total of five returns for touchdowns is a Michigan record. Breaston's punt returns and punt return yardage marks are also Big Ten Conference
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...
records. Breaston ranks seventh in conference annals in kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage. On January 1, 2005, Breaston set a Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
record with 315 all-purpose yards.
National awards
- 2006 Maxwell AwardMaxwell AwardThe Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
watchlist - 2006 Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
watchlist - 2006 Biletnikoff Award watchlist
Conference honors
- 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year (coaches)
- 2006 Big Ten Conference Sportsmanship Award Honoree
- Four-time Big Ten Football Special Teams Player of the Week
200-yard games at Michigan
Breaston had ten games in his U-M career in which he had more than 200 all-purpose yards, as follows:| Rank | Opponent | Date | Rush Yds | Rec Yds | Kick Ret Yds | Punt Ret Yds | Total Yds | TDs | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | January 1, 2005 | 15 | 77 | 221 | 2 | 315 | 1 | 37–38 |
| 2 | Northwestern Northwestern Wildcats football The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876... |
November 13, 2004 | 32 | 49 | 79 | 112 | 272 | 2 | 42–20 |
| 3 | Penn State 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team The 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2005–2006 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno... |
October 15, 2005 | 3 | 110 | 128 | 28 | 269 | 0 | 27–25 |
| 4 | Minnesota 2005 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team The 2005 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Glen Mason. Minnesota played its home games at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota... |
October 8, 2005 | 0 | 45 | 186 | 0 | 231 | 1 | 20–23 |
| 5 | Indiana 2006 Indiana Hoosiers football team The 2006 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Terry Hoeppner, who was in his final season as head coach before he died of brain cancer in mid-2007. The Hoosiers played their home games in... |
November 11, 2006 | 0 | 103 | 45 | 83 | 231 | 2 | 34–3 |
| 6 | Nebraska 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team The 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.... |
December 28, 2005 | |||||||
| 8 | 146 | 72 | 224 | 0 | 28–32 | ||||
| 7 | Ball State Ball State Cardinals football The Ball State Cardinals football team represents Ball State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Mid-American Conference .-Recent history:... |
November 4, 2006 | 11 | 50 | 133 | 22 | 216 | 0 | 43–26 |
| Career | 321 | 1696 | 1993 | 1559 | 5569 | 17 |
Statistics
| Receiving | Rushing | Punt Returns | Kickoff Returns | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PR | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | KR | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||||
| 2003 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate.... | Michigan 2003 Michigan Wolverines football team The 2003 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2003 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. The team won the first of its back to back Big Ten Championships... | 13 | 38 | 444 | 11.7 | 37 | 3 | 12 | 65 | 5.4 | 21 | 2 | 45 | 619 | 13.8 | 74 | 2 | 9 | 191 | 21.2 | 34 | 0 | ||||
| 2004 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss... | Michigan 2004 Michigan Wolverines football team The 2004 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2004 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium... | 11 | 34 | 291 | 8.6 | 50 | 3 | 10 | 76 | 7.6 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 292 | 12.2 | 67 | 1 | 28 | 689 | 24.6 | 53 | 0 | ||||
| 2005 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football... | Michigan 2005 Michigan Wolverines football team The 2005 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2005 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. That year Michigan Wolverines football competed in the Big Ten Conference in... | 11 | 26 | 291 | 11.2 | 52 | 2 | 10 | 101 | 10.1 | 30 | 0 | 29 | 356 | 12.3 | 72 | 0 | 23 | 646 | 28.1 | 95 | 1 | ||||
| 2006 | Michigan 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team The 2006 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2006 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines came into the season with lower expectations than many Michigan teams of the previous few seasons, ranked #14... | 13 | 58 | 670 | 11.6 | 62 | 2 | 10 | 79 | 7.9 | 26 | 0 | 29 | 332 | 11.4 | 83 | 1 | 21 | 467 | 22.2 | 64 | 0 | ||||
| Career totals | 48 | 156 | 1,696 | 10.9 | 62 | 10 | 42 | 321 | 7.6 | 30 | 2 | 127 | 1,599 | 12.6 | 83 | 4 | 81 | 1,993 | 24.6 | 95 | 1 | |||||
Pre-draft
Arizona Cardinals
Breaston was drafted by the Arizona CardinalsArizona 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...
with the 142nd pick in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. In the fourth game of the 2007 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Breaston took a punt back 73 yards for a touchdown, which proved to be the key score, as the Cardinals went on to win the game. Through week 13 of the 2007 season, Breaston had 1,462 return yards for the Cardinals.
Breaston had a breakout year in 2008. Following a serious injury to perennial Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin
Anquan Boldin
-Arizona Cardinals:As a rookie Boldin set an NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie in his first game , tied Billy Sims for most yards from scrimmage by a rookie in his first game , and holds the NFL record for most receptions in the first 26 games of an NFL career...
, Breaston was inserted into the Cardinals' starting line-up at wide receiver. Breaston notably refused to participate in pre-game introductions at home games due to his opinion that he was still a backup, keeping a seat warm for the usual starter Anquan Boldin. Breaston finished the year with 1,006 yards, and he, Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Darnell Fitzgerald, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League, and currently ranks fourth all-time in league history in receiving yards per game for a career , behind Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison...
became the fifth 1,000 yard receiving trio in NFL history.
Kansas City Chiefs
On July 29, 2011 Breaston signed a five-year deal with the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
Statistics
Accurate as of February 7, 2010| Year | Team | G | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 2007 | ARI | 16 | 0 | 8 | 92 | 11.5 | 22 | |
| 2009 | ARI | 15 | 15 | 55 | 712 | 12.9 | 45 | 3 |
| Tot. | ARI | 47 | 22 | 140 | 1,810 | 12.9 | 58 | 6 |