E. J. Junior: Difference between revisions

Sacks:	36.5
Interceptions:	12
Interception yards:	186
Fumble recoveries:	7
Defensive touchdowns:	1
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

E. J. Junior
No. 54, 53, 50, 93
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	December 8, 1959 (age 65); Salisbury, Maryland, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:	Maplewood Comprehensive ; (Nashville, Tennessee)
College:	Alabama (1977–1980)
NFL draft:	1981 / round: 1 / pick: 5
Career history
As a player:
	St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals (1981–1988); Miami Dolphins (1989–1991); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992); Seattle Seahawks (1992–1993);
As a coach:
	Seattle Seahawks (1994) ; Linebackers coach; Miami Dolphins (1996–1998) ; Director of player development; Minnesota Vikings (2003) ; Minority intern coach; Jacksonville Jaguars (2005) ; Minority intern coach; Rhein Fire (2005) ; Assistant coach; Southwest Baptist (2006–2008) ; Linebackers coach; Central State (OH) (2009–2013) ; Head coach; Delaware State (2015–2017) ; Defensive line coach;
Career highlights and awards
	As a player First-team All-Pro (1984); 2× Pro Bowl (1984, 1985); 2× National champion (1978, 1979); Unanimous All-American (1980); Second-team All-American (1979); SEC Lineman of the Year (1980); 3× First-team All-SEC (1978, 1979, 1980);
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:
Sacks:	36.5
Interceptions:	12
Interception yards:	186
Fumble recoveries:	7
Defensive touchdowns:	1
	Stats at Pro Football Reference
Head coaching record
Career:	9–45 (.167)
	College Football Hall of Fame

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Ester James Junior III (born December 8, 1959) is an American former football player and coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, from 1981 to 1993, with the St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Seattle Seahawks. Junior played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he played as a defensive end and earned consensus selection to the 1980 College Football All-America Team. He was selected by the Cardinals in the first round with the fifth overall pick of the 1981 NFL draft. Junior served as the head football coach at Central State University from 2009 to 2013. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2020.

Early years and family

Junior was born in Salisbury, Maryland and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Yolanda, have eight children: Shandon Hood, Torren Hood, Ashley James, Adam J. Junior, Aja J Junior, E.J. Junior IV, Kyle E. Junior, and Cameron M. Junior.^[1]

Playing career

College

Junior attended the University of Alabama, where he played for coach Bear Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 1977 to 1980, wearing jersey number 39. In the 1979 opener against Georgia Tech, he returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown. He finished the season with 5 sacks, 52 tackles, and a blocked punt. As a senior in 1980, he produced 71 tackles and blocked a field goal. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.

Junior was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Alabama.

Professional

The St. Louis Cardinals chose Junior in the first round (fifth pick overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft, and he played for Cardinals from 1981 to 1988. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection for the Cardinals in 1984 and 1985. He subsequently played for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.

Coaching career

Since leaving the NFL, Junior has been the executive director of youth programs in Miami under the NBA's Alonzo Mourning. He also spent time back in the NFL as a coach and in the front office. He was the Seattle Seahawks linebacker coach in 1994 and then was the director of player development programs for the Miami Dolphins from 1996 to 1998. He has been a minority intern coach for the Minnesota Vikings (2003) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2005) and coached in NFL Europe for the Rhein Fire in Düsseldorf, Germany. On the college setting, he coached the linebackers at the East–West Shrine Bowl in 2005 and 200 .

From 2006 to 2009, Junior was the linebackers coach at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in February 2009, but left a month later to become head coach at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.^[2] From 2015 to 2017, he was the defensive line coach at Delaware State University.^[3]

Honors

In May 2012, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and into the Tennessee Hall of Fame 2010. He made the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame in 2007. Junior was nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016 but fell short in votes. He was again nominated in June 2017. On March 11, 2020, the College Football Hall of Fame announced the Junior as a member of the 2020 class of inductees.

Head coaching record


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing
Central State Marauders (Great Lakes Football Conference) (2009)
2009	Central State	1–10	1–2	4th
Central State Marauders (NCAA Division II independent) (2010–2011)
2010	Central State	1–10
2011	Central State	1–10
Central State Marauders (Great Lakes Valley Conference) (2012)
2012	Central State	4–7	4–4	5th
Central State Marauders (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (2013)
2013	Central State	2–8	2–3	T–3rd (West)
Central State:		9–45	7–9
Total:		9–45

References

^ E. J. Junior EX-DOLPHIN FATHER OF BABY BOY
^ Junior Hired as Central State Coach Archived April 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine The Sporting News, March 14, 2009
^ [1] Archived December 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Delaware State Football

External links

E. J. Junior at the College Football Hall of Fame

[1] E. J. Junior EX-DOLPHIN FATHER OF BABY BOY

[2] Junior Hired as Central State Coach Archived April 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine The Sporting News, March 14, 2009

[3] [1] Archived December 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Delaware State Football

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1959)}}
-{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
+{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
 {{Infobox NFL biography
-| name = E. J. Junior
+| name           = E. J. Junior
+| image          =
-| image = <!-- Only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people -- see [[WP:NONFREE]]. -->
-| image_size =
+| image_size     =
-| alt =
+| alt            =
-| caption =
+| caption        =
-| number = 54, 53, 50, 93
+| number         = 54, 53, 50, 93
-| position = [[Linebacker]]
+| position       = [[Linebacker]]
-| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|12|8|mf=y}}
+| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1959|12|8|mf=y}}
-| birth_place = [[Salisbury, North Carolina]]
+| birth_place    = [[Salisbury, Maryland]], U.S.
-| death_date =
+| death_date     =
-| death_place =
+| death_place    =
-| height_ft = 6
+| height_ft      = 6
-| height_in = 3
+| height_in      = 3
-| weight_lbs = 235
+| weight_lb      = 235
-| high_school = [[Maplewood High School (Tennessee)|Maplewood Comprehensive]]<br/>([[Nashville, Tennessee]])
+| high_school    = [[Maplewood High School (Tennessee)|Maplewood Comprehensive]] <br> ([[Nashville, Tennessee]])
-| college = [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]]
+| college        = [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] (1977–1980)
-| draftyear = 1981
+| draftyear      = 1981
-| draftround = 1
+| draftround     = 1
-| draftpick = 5
+| draftpick      = 5
-| pastteams =
+| pastteams      =
-* [[Arizona Cardinals|St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals]] (1981–1988)
+* [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis]] / [[Phoenix Cardinals]] ({{NFL Year|1981|1988}})
-* [[Miami Dolphins]] (1989–1991)
+* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1989|1991}})
 * [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] (1992)
-* [[Seattle Seahawks]] (1992–1993)
+* [[Seattle Seahawks]] ({{NFL Year|1992|1993}})
-| highlights =
+| pastcoaching   =
+* Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|1994}}) <br> Linebackers coach
+* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1996|1998}}) <br> Director of player development
+* [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|2003}}) <br> Minority intern coach
+* [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] ({{NFL Year|2005}}) <br> Minority intern coach
+* [[Rhein Fire (NFL Europe)|Rhein Fire]] ([[2005 NFL Europe season|2005]]) <br> Assistant coach
+* [[Southwest Baptist Bearcats football|Southwest Baptist]] (2006–2008) <br> Linebackers coach
+* [[Central State Marauders football|Central State (OH)]] (2009–2013) <br> Head coach
+* [[Delaware State Hornets football|Delaware State]] (2015–2017) <br> Defensive line coach
+| highlights     = ; As a player
 * First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1984 All-Pro Team|1984]])
 * 2× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1985 Pro Bowl|1984]], [[1986 Pro Bowl|1985]])
+* 2× [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1978]], [[1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1979]])
-| nflnew = e-j-junior
+* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1980 College Football All-America Team|1980]])
-| pfr = JuniE.00
+* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1979 College Football All-America Team|1979]])
-| CollegeHOF = 2456
+* SEC Lineman of the Year (1980)
+* 3× First-team [[List of All-SEC football teams|All-SEC]] ([[1978 All-SEC football team|1978]], [[1979 All-SEC football team|1979]], [[1980 All-SEC football team|1980]])
+| statlabel1     = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
+| statvalue1     = 36.5
+| statlabel2     = [[Interception]]s
+| statvalue2     = 12
+| statlabel3     = Interception yards
+| statvalue3     = 186
+| statlabel4     = [[Fumble]] recoveries
+| statvalue4     = 7
+| statlabel5     = Defensive [[touchdown]]s
+| statvalue5     = 1
+| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|9|45|record=y}}
+| pfr            = JuniE.00
+| CollegeHOF     = 2456
 }}
-'''Ester James Junior III''' (born December 8, 1959) is a former [[American football]] player and coach. He played professionally as a [[linebacker]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 13 seasons, from 1981 to 1993, [[Arizona Cardinals|St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals]], [[Miami Dolphins]], [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], and [[Seattle Seahawks]]. Junior played [[college football]] for the [[University of Alabama]], earning consensus selection to the [[1980 College Football All-America Team]]. He was selected in the first round with fifth overall pick of the [[1981 NFL Draft]] by the Cardinals. Junior served as the head football coach at [[Central State University]] in [[Wilberforce, Ohio]] from 2009 to 2013. He was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] as a player in 2020.
+'''Ester James Junior III''' (born December 8, 1959) is an American former [[American football|football]] player and coach. He played as a [[linebacker]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 13 seasons, from 1981 to 1993, with the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis]] / [[Phoenix Cardinals]], the [[Miami Dolphins]], the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], and the [[Seattle Seahawks]]. Junior played [[college football]] for the [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama Crimson Tide]], where he played as a [[defensive end]] and earned consensus selection to the [[1980 College Football All-America Team]]. He was selected by the Cardinals in the first round with the fifth overall pick of the [[1981 NFL draft]]. Junior served as the head football coach at [[Central State University]] from 2009 to 2013. He was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] as a player in 2020.
 ==Early years and family==
-Junior was born in [[Salisbury, North Carolina]] and grew up in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. He and his wife, Yolanda, have eight children: Shandon Hood, Torren Hood, Ashley James, Adam J. Junior, Aja J Junior, E.J. Junior IV, Kyle E. Junior, and Cameron M. Junior.<ref>E. J. Junior [https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1997-04-16-9704110323-story.html EX-DOLPHIN FATHER OF BABY BOY]</ref>
+Junior was born in [[Salisbury, Maryland]] and grew up in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. He and his wife, Yolanda, have eight children: Shandon Hood, Torren Hood, Ashley James, Adam J. Junior, Aja J Junior, E.J. Junior IV, Kyle E. Junior, and Cameron M. Junior.<ref>E. J. Junior [https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1997-04-16-9704110323-story.html EX-DOLPHIN FATHER OF BABY BOY]</ref>
 ==Playing career==
@@ Line 49: / Line 74: @@
 ==Coaching career==
-Since leaving the NFL, Junior has been the executive director of youth programs in Miami under the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Alonzo Mourning]]. He also spent time back in the NFL as a coach and in the front office. He was the Seattle Seahawks linebacker coach in 1994 and then was the director of player development programs for the Miami Dolphins from 1996-1998. He has been a minority intern coach for the [[Minnesota Vikings]] (2003) and [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] (2005) and coached in [[NFL Europe]] for the [[Rhein Fire (NFL Europe)|Rhein Fire]] in [[Düsseldorf]], Germany. On the college setting, he coached the linebackers at the [[East–West Shrine Bowl]] in 2005 and 200 .
+Since leaving the NFL, Junior has been the executive director of youth programs in Miami under the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Alonzo Mourning]]. He also spent time back in the NFL as a coach and in the front office. He was the Seattle Seahawks linebacker coach in 1994 and then was the director of player development programs for the Miami Dolphins from 1996 to 1998. He has been a minority intern coach for the [[Minnesota Vikings]] (2003) and [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] (2005) and coached in [[NFL Europe]] for the [[Rhein Fire (NFL Europe)|Rhein Fire]] in [[Düsseldorf]], Germany. On the college setting, he coached the linebackers at the [[East–West Shrine Bowl]] in 2005 and 200 .
 From 2006 to 2009, Junior was the linebackers coach at [[Southwest Baptist University]] in [[Bolivar, Missouri]]. He was promoted to [[defensive coordinator]] in February 2009, but left a month later to become head coach at [[Central State University]] in [[Wilberforce, Ohio]].<ref>[http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=527067 Junior Hired as Central State Coach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406014532/http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=527067 |date=April 6, 2009 }} The Sporting News, March 14, 2009</ref> From 2015 to 2017, he was the defensive line coach at [[Delaware State University]].<ref>[http://www.dsuhornets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12900&ATCLID=209973925] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226220126/http://www.dsuhornets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12900&ATCLID=209973925 |date=December 26, 2017 }} Delaware State Football</ref>
@@ Line 193: / Line 218: @@
 [[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
 [[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
-[[Category:People from Salisbury, North Carolina]]
 [[Category:Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee]]
 [[Category:Coaches of American football from Tennessee]]
 [[Category:African-American coaches of American football]]
-[[Category:African-American players of American football]]
+[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
-[[Category:20th-century African-American sportspeople]]
+[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
-[[Category:21st-century African-American sportspeople]]

v t e 1980 College Football All-America Team consensus selections
Offense	QB Mark Herrmann RB George Rogers RB Herschel Walker RB Jarvis Redwine WR Ken Margerum TE Dave Young OL Mark May OL Keith Van Horne OL Nick Eyre OL Louis Oubre OL Randy Schleusener C John Scully
Defense	DL Hugh Green DL E. J. Junior DL Kenneth Sims DL Leonard Mitchell DL Ron Simmons LB Mike Singletary LB Lawrence Taylor LB David Little LB Bob Crable DB Kenny Easley DB Ronnie Lott DB John Simmons
Special teams	P Rohn Stark PK Rex Robinson