Gary Brightwell
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Gary Brightwell Jr.
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Cincinnati Bengals
| number = 44
| position = Running back
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|2|28}}
| birth_place = Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 218
| high_school = Saint Frances Academy {{avoid wrap|(Baltimore, Maryland)}}
| college = Arizona (2017–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 196
| pastteams =
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2021}}–{{NFL Year|2023}})
- Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2024}})
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)*
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2023
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Rushing attempts
| statvalue1 = 41
| statlabel2 = Rushing yards
| statvalue2 = 164
| statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Receptions
| statvalue4 = 11
| statlabel5 = Receiving yards
| statvalue5 = 92
| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6 =
| statlabel7 = Return yards
| statvalue7 = 555
| pfr = BrigGa00
}}
Gary Brightwell Jr. (born February 28, 1999) is an American professional football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously played in the NFL for the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Arizona Wildcats.
Early life
Gary graduated in 2017 from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. His senior season he served as team captain and was First-team all-conference and first-team All-State MIAA. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry as a senior rushing for 519 yards and eight touchdowns on 78 carries.{{Cite web |title=Gary Brightwell – Football |url=https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/football/roster/gary-brightwell/10992 |access-date=November 26, 2022 |website=University of Arizona Athletics |language=en}}
College career
In his time at Arizona, Brightwell rushed for over 1,300 yards and had nine rushing touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Gary Brightwell College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/gary-brightwell-1.html |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 10 3/4
| weight = 218
| dash = 4.58
| ten split = 1.62
| twenty split = 2.62
| shuttle = 4.48
| cone drill = 7.51
| vertical = 34.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 10
| bench = 17
| arm span = 31
| hand span = 9 3/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=Gary Brightwell Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/gary-brightwell/32004252-4930-6021-4b99-ec388b94f0eb |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2021 Draft Scout Gary Brightwell, Arizona NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1023260&DraftYear=2021 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=Gary Brightwell 2021 NFL Draft Profile |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105350 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |website=insider.espn.com |archive-date=November 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103210845/https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105350 |url-status=bot: unknown }}
}}
=New York Giants=
Brightwell was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round, 196th overall, of the 2021 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=May 1, 2021 |title=Giants draft Arizona RB Gary Brightwell in Rd 6 |url=https://www.giants.com/news/gary-brightwell-nfl-draft-arizona-wildcats-running-back |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=Giants.com}} On May 13, 2021, Brightwell officially signed with the Giants.{{Cite web |last=Ortenberg |first=Andrew |date=May 13, 2021 |title=Giants Sign Second-Round DE Azeez Ojulari |url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2021/05/giants-sign-second-round-de-azeez-ojulari |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=Pro Football Rumors |language=en-US}} On December 30, 2021, Brightwell was placed on injured reserve after suffering a neck injury.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=December 30, 2021 |title=Notebook: Kenny Golladay looks to finish strong; Nate Solder activated |url=https://www.giants.com/news/kenny-golladay-nate-solder-covid-19-list-korey-cunningham-omari-cobb |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=Giants.com}}
Brightwell had his first career rushing touchdown in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers in the 27–22 victory.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=October 10, 2022 |title=Giants 'don't flinch' in 4–1 start to season |url=https://www.giants.com/news/green-bay-packers-brian-daboll-daniel-jones-saquon-barkley-london-week-5-recap |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=Giants.com}} In the 2022 season, Brightwell appeared in all 17 games. He totaled 31 carries for 141 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.{{Cite web |title=Gary Brightwell 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrigGa00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Brightwell entered the 2023 season third on the running back depth chart. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 7 and was placed on injured reserve on October 28, 2023.{{Cite web |date=October 28, 2023 |title=Giants sign WR Gunner Olszewski to active roster; RB Gary Brightwell to IR |url=https://www.giants.com/news/gunner-olszewski-gary-brightwell-tommy-devito-oshane-ximines-week-8 |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=Giants.com}} He was waived with injury designation on May 30, 2024.{{Cite web |title=Giants sign DB Elijah Riley; RB Gary Brightwell waived/injured |url=https://www.giants.com/news/giants-sign-db-elijah-riley-rb-gary-brightwell-waived-injured-army-west-point |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Giants.com |language=en-US}}
=Jacksonville Jaguars=
On August 3, 2024, Brightwell signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.{{Cite web |date=August 3, 2024 |title=Roster Moves: Jaguars Sign RB Gary Brightwell and TE Chris Myarick, and Waive 2 |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/roster-moves-jaguars-sign-rb-gary-brightwell-and-te-chris-myarick-and-waive-2 |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Jaguars.com}} He was waived on August 27.{{Cite web |date=August 27, 2024 |title=Roster Moves: Jacksonville Jaguars Make The Following Roster Moves Hours Before 2024 Roster Deadline |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/roster-moves-jacksonville-jaguars-make-the-following-roster-moves-hours-before-2024-roster-deadline |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Jaguars.com}}
=Cleveland Browns=
On August 29, 2024, Brightwell was signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad.{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2024 |title=Browns sign RB D'Onta Foreman, add five to practice squad |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-sign-rb-d-onta-foreman-add-five-to-practice-squad |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}} He was promoted to the active roster on September 21.{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2024 |title=Browns sign RB Gary Brightwell and TE Blake Whiteheart to active roster |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-sign-rb-gary-brightwell-and-te-blake-whiteheart-to-active-roster |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}} Brightwell was waived by the Browns on October 1, and re-signed to the practice squad.{{Cite web |date=October 1, 2024 |title=Browns waive RB Gary Brightwell |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-waive-rb-gary-brightwell |access-date=2 October 2024 |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}} He was released on October 29.{{cite web | title=Cleveland Browns 2024 Roster Transactions | website=ESPN | date=2024-12-30 | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/transactions/_/name/cle/cleveland-browns | access-date=2024-12-30}}
=Cincinnati Bengals=
On November 11, 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals signed Brightwell to their practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Mehta |first=Nikhil |date=2024-11-12 |title=NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/11/24 |url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/11/nfl-practice-squad-updates-11-11-24 |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Pro Football Rumors}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 7, 2025.{{cite web|title=Bengals Sign 11 Players to Reserve/Future Contracts|url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-11-players-to-reserve-future-contracts-bengals-roster-update|website=Bengals.com|date=January 7, 2025}}
Personal life
Brightwell's father was murdered at a gas station when Brightwell was five months old, his older sister was killed in a car crash when he was a senior in high school and his grandmother who taught him how to play football died just weeks before the NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Dunleavy |first=Ryan |date=May 13, 2021 |title=Giants rookie Gary Brightwell overcame family tragedies to achieve NFL dream |url=https://nypost.com/2021/05/13/giants-gary-brightwell-overcame-tragedies-to-achieve-nfl-dream/amp/ |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=New York Post}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|yahoo=33584|espn=4245645|nfl=gary-brightwell}}
- [https://www.bengals.com/team/players-roster/gary-brightwell/ Cincinnati Bengals bio]
- [https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/football/roster/gary-brightwell/10992 Arizona Wildcats bio]
{{Giants2021DraftPicks}}
{{Cincinnati Bengals roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brightwell, Gary}}
Category:Players of American football from Chester, Pennsylvania
Category:Saint Frances Academy (Baltimore) alumni
Category:American football running backs
Category:Arizona Wildcats football players
Category:New York Giants players