96 games/53 starts
Burst onto Vikings scene in 2008 with career-best season, catching 7 TDs in the final 14 regular season games...Led NFC TEs and ranked 3rd among NFL TEs with 7 TDs, matching WR Bernard Berrian for the Vikings lead...Has blocked for a 1,200+ yard rusher in each of his 6 NFL seasons...Durable vet who has not missed a game in his 6 NFL seasons, playing in 96 regular season games and 3 playoff contests…Part of the Vikings 2008 NFC North title and Giants 2005 NFC East championship team…Giants advanced to the playoffs in 2005 and 2006…Helped RB Tiki Barber rush for over 1,200 yards in each of his 4 seasons in New York…Helped Barber rush for the top 3 single-season totals in team history and for 5 of the top 6 single-game rushing totals in the Giants record book…A 3rd-round pick (#91) by the Giants in 2002.
2008 Developed into a consistent playmaker and threat in his 2nd Vikings season...Had career-best season in all statistical categories...Led NFC and ranked 3rd among NFL TEs with 7 TD catches...Tied with WR Bernard Berrian for Vikings TD reception lead...Fell 1 TD shy of matching Vikings record for TD receptions in a season of 8 held by Joe Senser in 1981...Posted the 2nd-best receiving yards in a game by a Vikings TE with 136 vs. Atlanta (12/21), trailing only Steve Jordan’s 179 at Washington (11/2/86), and tied Vikings record for TDs by a TE ina game at 2...Entered 2008 with 576 career receiving yards, a total he passed in the 15th game of the season, ending with 596 yards...Helped RB Adrian Peterson set Vikings single-season rushing record with 1,760 yards and become the 1st Vikings RB to lead the NFL...Caught a pass in all 16 regular season games and the Wild Card playoff game.
2007 Helped Vikings lead NFL in rushing and set team rushing record...Enjoyed best season of his career catching the ball with 27 receptions and his 323 yards ranked 4th on the team...Hauled in the longest catch by a Viking on the season with 79-yarder against Oakland (11/18) on a reverse pass from WR Sidney Rice...Set Vikings record with the longest catch by a TE on 79-yard reception against Raiders...Had the longest catch by a TE in the NFL in 2007 and ranked tied for 7th-longest in the NFL for the season...Caught 1st TD as a Viking on a 9-yard pass from Kelly Holcomb vs. Philadelphia (10/28).2006 Had then-career-best 12 receptions while working primarily as a blocker...Hauled in season-long 16-yard pass vs. Washington (10/8)…Played in all 16 games and started 4 in the regular season…Helped Barber rush for 1,662 yards, the 2nd-best total in his career and Giants history…Paved the way for Barber to set the Giants singlegame record with 234 rushing yards in the regular-season finale at Washington (12/31)...Helped Giants advance to the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Philadelphia.2005 Played in all 16 and started 5 games for the NFC East champions…Had season-high 3 catches for 40 yards @ Washington (12/24)…Caught a pair of passes vs. Dallas (12/4) for 15 yards…Started games vs. Arizona (9/11), at San Francisco (11/6), vs. Philadelphia (11/20), at Philadelphia (12/11) and at Oakland (12/31)…Caught a pass vs. Carolina (1/8/06) in NFC Wild Card Playoff game, his 1st career post-season action…Started game at Oakland (12/31) when Shockey was inactive and had a 16-yard catch.2004 Started 7 games and played in all 16…Regular contributor on special teams and a regular in 2-TE formations… Caught 3rd TD of his career when he hauled in a 2- yard score from Eli Manning vs. Dallas (1/2/05)…Had a pair of catches for 14 yards vs. Detroit (10/24) and caught 2 passes in the regular-season finale vs. Dallas (1/2/05)…Caught a pass at Minnesota (10/31). 2003 Stepped into lineup as a rookie to start 7 games and play in all 16…Hauled in a pair of TDs on the season… Caught 1st career TD at New Orleans (12/14) and ended day with 3 receptions for 19 yards…Pulled down 2nd TD of his career on a 1-yard score from Jesse Palmer…Caught 3 passes for 20 yards at Dallas (12/21)…Caught 1st career pass on a 3-yard reception at New England (10/12)…Started 1st career game in the season opener vs. St. Louis (9/7)…Joined team as a 3rdround draft choice, the 91st overall selection.
Was a standout TE with 52 catches for 1,001 yards and 11 TDs during his career at Morgan State…Ranked 2nd on team with 25 catches as a senior with a 20.4 yard average and 5 TDs.
Majored in information technology at Morgan State…Served as a professor at the Giants’ Football 101 and Football 201 events for women...Will face his old Giants teammates in New York when the Vikings visit on 11/25.