Chris Givens
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1989)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Chris Givens
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number = 13, 19
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|12|06|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 203
| high_school = Wylie (TX)
| college = Wake Forest (2008–2011)
| draftyear = 2012
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 96
| pastteams =
- St. Louis Rams ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2015}})
- Baltimore Ravens ({{NFL Year|2015}})
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers ({{CFL Year|2017}})
- Memphis Express ({{AAF Year|2019}})*
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 107
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 1,779
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 5
| pfr = GiveCh00
}}
Chris Givens (born December 6, 1989) is an American former professional football wide receiver. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He played college football at Wake Forest.
Early life
Givens attended Wylie High School in Wylie, Texas, where he was a two-sport star in football and track. He suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in September 2007 to bring an early close to his high school football career. Rushed for 247 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries against Hebron in the second game of the 2007 season, but injured his knee the following week in the first quarter against Richardson Berkner.
Givens was regarded as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com,{{Cite web |title=Rivals.com |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Chris-Givens-67889 |website=sports.yahoo.com}} and was a teammate of Patrick Witt.{{Cite web |title=Texas High School Football News, Scores, Rankings: Dallas Morning News |url=http://highschoolsportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/10/former-wylie-qb-patrick-witt-now-at-yale.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711151455/http://highschoolsportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/10/former-wylie-qb-patrick-witt-now-at-yale.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |website=SportsDayHS}}
Also an outstanding track & field athlete, Givens won the District 9-5A 100 meter title in 2007. He was third in the district meet in 2007 in the 200-meter dash with a 22.29 clocking and a member of the district champion 800 meter relay team (1:28.33). He ran a 10.44-second 100-meter dash (electronic) at the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays in 2007. In late January 2008, just 15 weeks after ACL surgery, he clocked a 10.70 in the 100 meters. Also ran a 10.03 100m during the 2008 Region 2-5A meet. He was ranked as high as the fourth fastest in the 100 meters in the Texas high school ranks.
College career
Givens played college football at Wake Forest University from 2009 to 2011.{{Cite news |last=Bob Sutton |date=October 7, 2011 |title=Catching on: Wake Forest receiver Givens gives foes fits |work=The Times-News (Burlington, NC) |url=http://www.thetimesnews.com/articles/forest-48380-winston-givens.html |access-date=October 17, 2011}}{{Cite news |last=Dan Collins |date=October 4, 2011 |title=Givens Back in Good Graces |work=Winston-Salem Journal |url=http://www.journalnow.net/index.php/mytakeonwake/entry/givens-back-in-good-graces/ |url-status=dead |access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425074514/http://www.journalnow.net/index.php/mytakeonwake/entry/givens-back-in-good-graces/ |archive-date=April 25, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Dan Collins |date=September 18, 2009 |title=Givens is giving Deacons offense: Slotback has recovered from serious injuries to his knees in high school |work=Winston-Salem Journal |url=http://www2.journalnow.com/sports/2009/sep/18/givens-is-giving-deacons-offense-ar-151892/ |url-status=dead |access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126223738/http://www2.journalnow.com/sports/2009/sep/18/givens-is-giving-deacons-offense-ar-151892/ |archive-date=January 26, 2013}} He totaled 629 receiving yards as a redshirt freshman in 2009 and 514 as a redshirt sophomore in 2010. In July 2011, he was placed on the watchlist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award.{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2011 |title=Givens on Biletnikoff Watch List: Wake receiver considered among best in nation |url=http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072111aaa.html |access-date=October 17, 2011 |publisher=Wake Forest University}} After catching six passes for 101 yards in Wake Forest's October 2011 win over Florida State, Givens was named the Offensive Receiver of the Week by the Atlantic Coast Conference for the second consecutive week.{{Cite web |date=October 10, 2011 |title=Givens Earns ACC Player of the Week Honor: Wide receiver named POTW for the second consecutive week |url=http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101011aab.html |access-date=October 17, 2011 |publisher=Wake Forest University}}{{Cite news |date=October 10, 2011 |title=Wake's Chris Givens Earns ACC Honors |publisher=WFMY News |url=http://www.digtriad.com/sports/article/194700/13/Wakes-Chris-Givens-Earns-ACC-Honors |url-status=dead |access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117145613/http://www.digtriad.com/sports/article/194700/13/Wakes-Chris-Givens-Earns-ACC-Honors |archive-date=November 17, 2011}} In the first seven games of the 2011 season, Givens had 46 receptions for 866 yards and eight touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Chris Givens |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15078/chris-givens |access-date=October 23, 2011 |website=ESPN.com}} As of October 23, 2011, Givens's 886 receiving yards during the 2011 season ranked fifth among NCAA Division I FBS players.{{Cite web |title=NCAA Division I-A Player Receiving Statistics - 2011 (Receiving Yards Leaders - All Players) |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/stats/player |access-date=October 23, 2011 |website=ESPN.com}}
=College statistics=
| class="wikitable" | ||||||||||||
| colspan="2" |
! colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"| Receiving ! colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Rec | Yds | Avg | LNG | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | LNG | TD |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2009 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons
| 12 | 45 | 629 | 14.0 | 54 | 8 | 15 | 98 | 6.5 | 17 | 0 | |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2010 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons
| 12 | 35 | 514 | 14.7 | 81 | 4 | 16 | 63 | 3.9 | 22 | 2 | |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2011 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons
| 13 | 83 | 1330 | 16.0 | 79 | 9 | 14 | 77 | 5.5 | 13 | 0 | |
| !Total
|37 |163 |2,473 | |214 |21 |45 |238 | |52 |2 |
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11
| weight = 198
| dash = 4.41
| ten split = 1.52
| twenty split = 2.51
| shuttle = 4.23
| cone drill = 6.97
| vertical = 33½
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 10
| bench = 19
| wonderlic = x
| arm span = 31 1/4
| hand span = 8 1/4
| note = Values from NFL Combine {{Cite web |title=NFL Combine Tracker - Chris Givens |url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/chris-givens?id=2533532 |access-date=December 12, 2014 |website=NFL.com}} }}
=St. Louis Rams=
==2012 season==
Givens was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round (96th overall) in the 2012 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2012 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/draft.htm |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} On June 1, 2012, he signed a four-year contract with the Rams worth $2.6 million.{{Cite web |title=- NFL Team Contracts - Rotoworld.com |url=http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/contracts/nfl/stl/rams |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601151014/http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/contracts/nfl/stl/rams |archive-date=June 1, 2013 |access-date=March 19, 2013 |website=www.rotoworld.com}} Through the first two games of the regular season, he was held without a reception or a target from the quarterback. Givens would not catch a pass until Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, when he beat Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman for a 52-yard reception.
In a Week 5 win against the Arizona Cardinals, Givens caught a 51-yard pass, resulting in the first touchdown of his NFL career. He would go on to catch a pass of 50-plus yards in five consecutive games from September 30 to October 21, 2012, an NFL rookie record for most consecutive games with a 50-plus yard reception. The receptions came against the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots.{{Cite web |title=Chris Givens |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/15078/chris-givens |website=ESPN.com}} During Week 10 of the regular season, Givens was suspended along with fellow rookie Janoris Jenkins for reportedly violating teams rules.{{Cite web |title=Rams scratch Jenkins, Givens for rules violation |date=November 11, 2012 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/8620457/janoris-jenkins-chris-givens-st-louis-rams-inactive-san-francisco-49ers-rules-violation}} Both players were sidelined and the specifics about their suspensions were never revealed. In Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals, Givens logged his first 100-plus yard receiving game of his career.
Givens ended his rookie campaign with 42 catches for 698 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading all Rams receivers in receiving yards.{{Cite web |title=Chris Givens 2012 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GiveCh00/gamelog/2012/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2012 St. Louis Rams Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2012.htm |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
==2013 season==
Despite high expectations heading into the 2013 season, inconsistency at quarterback and poor play by Givens himself resulted in him having a down season. He finished the year with 34 receptions for 569 yards and no touchdowns.
=Baltimore Ravens=
On October 3, 2015, Givens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2017 seventh round draft pick.{{Cite web |last=Patra |first=Kevin |date=October 3, 2015 |title=Ravens trade for Rams wide receiver Chris Givens |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/ravens-trade-for-rams-wide-receiver-chris-givens-0ap3000000547938 |access-date=October 3, 2015 |website=NFL.com}} In a Week 10 game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, Givens caught a 14-yard touchdown pass for his only score of the season, finishing the game with four catches and 37 receiving yards, but the Ravens lost the game 22–20. Givens would finish the season with 20 receptions for 353 yards and was cut by Baltimore during the offseason.
=Philadelphia Eagles=
Givens signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles on March 16, 2016.{{Cite web |title=Chris Givens Added To Eagles WR Corps |url=http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Chris-Givens-Added-To-Eagles-WR-Corps/2282b620-421a-431e-acfa-2d39520186d0}} Before the start of the 2016 season, he was released by the team on August 28.{{Cite web |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |date=August 28, 2016 |title=Eagles release Rueben Randle, Chris Givens |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000691816/article/eagles-release-rueben-randle-chris-givens?campaign=fb-nf-sf34544266-sf34544266 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831083128/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000691816/article/eagles-release-rueben-randle-chris-givens?campaign=fb-nf-sf34544266-sf34544266 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 31, 2016 |access-date=August 28, 2016 |website=NFL.com}}
=Winnipeg Blue Bombers=
=Memphis Express=
In 2018, Givens signed with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football for the 2019 season.{{cite web | last=Benjamin | first=Cody | title=What is the AAF? Notable players, coaches, teams, schedule for new Alliance of American Football league | website=CBSSports.com | date=2018-11-27 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/aaf/news/what-is-the-aaf-notable-players-coaches-teams-schedule-for-new-alliance-of-american-football-league/ | access-date=2025-01-04}} He did not make the final roster.{{Cite news |last=Munz |first=Jason |date=January 30, 2019 |title=AAF: The Memphis Express set their initial 52-man roster. Who made the cut? |work=The Commercial Appeal |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/2019/01/30/aaf-memphis-express-sets-roster-alliance-football-training-camp-mettenberger-singletary-hackenberg/2699085002/ |access-date=February 6, 2019}}
=NFL statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Year | rowspan="2"|Team | rowspan="2"|GP | rowspan="2"|GS | colspan="5" |Receiving | colspan="5" |Rushing | colspan="2" |Fumbles | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | |||
| 2012 | STL
| 15 || 12 || 42 || 698 || 16.6 || 65 || 3 || 3 || 12 || 4.0 || 14 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | STL
| 16 || 13 || 34 || 569 || 16.7 || 47 || 0 || 3 || 8 || 2.7 || 16 || 0 || 1 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| 2014 | STL
| 14 || 0 || 11 || 159 || 14.5 || 47 || 1 || 1 || 4 || 4.0 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| 2015 | STL/BAL
| 15 || 6 || 20 || 353 || 17.7 || 48 || 1 || 4 || 18 || 4.5 || 24 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total | 60 | 31 | 107 | 1,779 | 16.6 | 65 | 5 | 11 | 42 | 3.8 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Football stats |nfl=2535634 |espn=15078 |pfr=G/GiveCh00}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120407031443/http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/givens_chris00.html Wake Forest Demon Deacons bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130524072540/http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/roster/chris-givens/4a3ffa9f-7c0c-4762-af3d-15cba28b9d4e/ St. Louis Rams bio]
{{St. Louis Rams 2012 NFL Draft selections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Givens, Chris}}
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Baltimore Ravens players
Category:Memphis Express (American football) players
Category:People from Wylie, Texas
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Players of American football from Collin County, Texas
Category:Players of American football from Dallas County, Texas
Category:St. Louis Rams players
Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons football players
Category:Winnipeg Blue Bombers players
Category:Canadian football wide receivers
Category:Players of Canadian football from Texas
Category:Players of American football from Jackson, Mississippi