John Jefferson
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John Jefferson (born February 3, 1956) is a retired American football wide receiver.
Jefferson played at Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977. Jefferson's breakout year occurred in his sophomore season (1975) when he led the Sun Devils with 52 receptions and 921 yards receiving on the way to a perfect 12-0 season and an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl, where he was also named Most Valuable Player. ASU finished second in the national polls, its highest ranking in history.
A consensus All-American selection in 1977 and two-time All-Western Athletic Conference pick, Jefferson concluded his career with an NCAA record 42 consecutive games with a reception. He remains the ASU leader in career receptions with 188 and career receiving yardage with 2,993. Recognized as Arizona Amateur Athlete of the Year in 1977, he was twice selected as the Sun Devils Most Valuable Player and led the team in receiving all four years.
After his senior year at Arizona State, Jefferson was drafted fourteenth overall in the 1978 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. After three noteworthy seasons with the Chargers, he was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1981. He would complete his career with the Cleveland Browns in 1985. Jefferson would appear in four Pro Bowls during his career. He, along with Charlie Joiner, Kellen Winslow and Wes Chandler (who replaced him on the Chargers) represented one of the most potent receiving corps of the early 1980s, known as Air Coryell. Jefferson was known for routinely making spectacular catches.[citation needed]
After his retirement, Jefferson graduated from Arizona State in 1989 with a B.A. in History. He was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame in 1979 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
He has remained active in the football community; after retiring, Jefferson became an assistant coach at the University of Kansas before moving into his current position as director of player development for the Washington Redskins.
[edit] Statistics
Career Arizona State Statistics
- 1974: 30 receptions, 423 yards, 1 TD.
- 1975: 52 receptions, 921 yards, 6 TDs
- 1976: 48 receptions, 681 yards, 5 TDs
- 1977: 58 receptions, 968 yards, 8 TDs
- Totals: 188 receptions, 2,993 yards, 20 TDs
[edit] External links
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since March 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1956 births | Arizona State Sun Devils football players | Kansas Jayhawks football coaches | Living people | San Diego Chargers players | Green Bay Packers players | Cleveland Browns players | College Football Hall of Fame
