Cory Fleming
{{Short description|American football player (born 1971)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Cory Fleming
| number = 82, 12
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|3|19}}
| birth_place = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 216
| high_school = Nashville (TN) Stratford
| college = Tennessee
| draftyear = 1994
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 87
| pastteams =
- San Francisco 49ers (1994)*
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1994|1995}})
- Nashville Kats ({{AFL Year|1997|2001}})
- Carolina Cobras ({{AFL Year|2002}})
- Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|2003|2005}})
- Nashville Kats ({{AFL Year|2006}})
| highlights =
- Super Bowl champion (XXX)
- AFL Ironman of the Year ({{AFL Year|2004}})
- AFL Rookie of the Year ({{AFL Year|1997}})
- 4× All-Arena (1997, 1998, 2004, 2005)
- Second-team All-Arena (2002)
- 3× All-Ironman ({{AFL Year|1999}}, {{AFL Year|2002}}, {{AFL Year|2004}})
- AFL's 20 Greatest Players #14 ({{AFL Year|2006}})
- Arena Football Hall of Fame (2013)
- First-team All-SEC (1993)
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 6
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 83
| aflstatlabel1 = Receptions
| aflstatvalue1 = 846
| aflstatlabel2 = Receiving yards
| aflstatvalue2 = 10,221
| aflstatlabel3 = Touchdowns
| aflstatvalue3 = 239
| aflstatlabel4 = Tackles
| aflstatvalue4 = 145
| aflstatlabel5 = Interceptions
| aflstatvalue5 = 20
| pfr = FlemCo20
| afl = 511
}}
Cory Lamont Fleming (born March 19, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Nashville Kats, Carolina Cobras and Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football for the University of Tennessee.
Early life
Fleming attended Stratford High School, where he was the starting quarterback. As a senior, he passed for 860 yards and 6 touchdowns, while rushing for 400 yards and 11 touchdowns. He received All-state honors at the end of the season.
He was the starting power forward in basketball, earning honorable-mention All-state honors as a junior, when he led the state in rebounding with better than 15 boards per contest. He also practiced the high jump (6–10 1/2) in track.{{Cite web |title=Former Vol Receiver Cory Fleming Named AFL Ironman of the Week |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/040505aab.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204151126/http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/040505aab.html |archive-date=February 4, 2016 |access-date=January 29, 2018}}
College career
Fleming accepted a football scholarship from the University of Tennessee and was converted to wide receiver. As a sophomore, he scored five touchdowns out of just 14 receptions, contributing to the team winning the SEC championship. After being the backup to Carl Pickens, he became a starter as a junior, registering 40 receptions for 490 yards (leading the team) and two touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Fleming, Faulkner give Volunteers flair, stability |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19931110&id=c08eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WMcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1256,1323301&hl=es |access-date=January 29, 2018}} In his last year, he posted 39 receptions for 596 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Fleming finished his college career with 94 receptions for 1,266 yards, and at the time school records, with 18 touchdown receptions, 11 single-season touchdown receptions, and six consecutive games with a touchdown reception.
Professional career
=San Francisco 49ers=
Fleming was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round (87th overall) of the 1994 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1994 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1994/draft.htm |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} On July 21, the team rescinded his rights because of salary cap reasons, making him a free agent without ever signing a contract or attending a practice.{{Cite web |title=Rookies Find Times Tough In Preseason Camps |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19940722&id=AQUuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9TIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5263,4758252&hl=es |access-date=January 29, 2018}}
=Dallas Cowboys=
On August 3, 1994, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys.{{Cite web |title=Transactions |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19940804&id=X5tiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8HcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1160,744239&hl=es |access-date=January 29, 2018}} He was declared inactive in 11 games.
The next year, he competed to replace Alvin Harper in the starting lineup, but lost out to Kevin Williams and was named the team's third wide receiver, making him a part of the Super Bowl XXX winning team.{{Cite web |title=Dallas tries to replace Harper |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1290&dat=19950726&id=tvhTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UI0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6484,5104654&hl=es |access-date=January 29, 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Cowboys lack balance in air attack |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19950920&id=li9SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AzYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3818,1888099&hl=es |access-date=January 29, 2018}}
On February 6, 1996, he was suspended for a year by the NFL after failing a third drug test and was also waived by the Cowboys.{{Cite web |title=Aikman undergoes successful surgery |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2026&dat=19960207&id=GYokAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jNAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2944,565264&hl=es |access-date=January 29, 2018}}{{Cite web |title=NFL Training Camp Report |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/10/sports/nfl-training-camp-report.html |access-date=January 29, 2018}}
=Arena Football League=
In 1997, he was signed by the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League, after being contacted by then offensive coordinator Jay Gruden. In 10 seasons, he was a five-time All-Arena, a four-time All–Ironman and an Ironman of the Year selection.
In 2013, Fleming was inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |last=Mike Organ |date=April 26, 2014 |title=Kats' Cory Fleming goes to Arena Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-organ/2014/04/26/cory-fleming-inducted-arena-football-hall-fame/8229649/ |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=www.tennessean.com |publisher=The Tennessean}}{{Cite news |last=Inabinett |first=Mark |date=August 11, 2013 |title=Lawrence Samuels going into Arena Football League Hall of Fame |url=https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/08/lawrence_samuels_going_into_ar.html |access-date=July 12, 2018 |work=Press-Register |publisher=Advance Publications |location=Mobile, AL}}
Personal life
Fleming owns an insurance agency and also organizes football camps for kids in the offseason. In August 2013, he was arrested in Davidson County, Tennessee, for driving under the influence of alcohol.{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Ryan |date=August 1, 2013 |title=Former Dallas Cowboy arrested Thursday for DUI |publisher=WFAA-TV |location=Dallas, TX}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{49ers1994DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl XXX}}
{{Nashville Kats}}
{{AFL ROYs}}
{{Carolina Cobras}}
{{Arena Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleming, Cory}}
Category:Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players
Category:Dallas Cowboys players
Category:Nashville Kats players