Jerry Crafts

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1968)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Jerry Crafts

| number =

| position = Offensive line coach

| current_team = Jacksonville Jaguars

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|1|6|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 343

| high_school = Metro Christian (Tulsa)

| college = Louisville

| draftyear = 1991

| draftround = 11

| draftpick = 292

| pastteams =

Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|1991}})*
Orlando Thunder (1992)
Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1992|1994}})
Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1995}})*
Amsterdam Admirals (1996–1997)
Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1997|1998}})
New Jersey Red Dogs ({{AFL Year|2000}})
Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|2000}})
Los Angeles Xtreme (2001)
Buffalo Destroyers ({{AFL Year|2001}})
Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|2001}})
Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2001}})
Buffalo Destroyers ({{AFL Year|2002}})
Montreal Alouettes ({{CFL Year|2002}})
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2002)
Las Vegas Gladiators ({{AFL Year|2003}})
Hamilton Tiger-Cats ({{CFL Year|2003}})
Detroit Fury ({{AFL Year|2004}})

| pastcoaching =

Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2018}}–present)
Offensive line coach

| highlights =

2× ArenaBowl
XFL champion (2001)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 54

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 13

| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue3 = 2

| pfr = CrafJe20

| aflstatlabel1 = Tackles

| aflstatvalue1 = 12

| aflstatlabel2 = Passes defended

| aflstatvalue2 = 9

| aflstatlabel3 = Fumble recoveries

| aflstatvalue3 = 1

| afl = 2510

}}

Jerry Wayne Crafts (born January 6, 1968) is an American former professional football offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He also played in the World League of American Football, XFL, Canadian Football League and Arena Football League. He is the only person to have been involved with teams that played in the championship games of each of the aforementioned Leagues. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners under coach Barry Switzer before transferring to the Louisville Cardinals.

Currently he is an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Early life and college

Crafts is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended Metro Christian Academy. He began his college career at the University of Oklahoma before transferring to the University of Louisville after his sophomore season.

Professional career

Crafts was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 11th round (292nd pick overall) of the 1991 NFL draft, but was released during the preseason on August 16.{{Cite web |title=1991 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1991/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{cite web |url=http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player?id=21575&action=login&appRedirect=http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player?id=21575 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120401/http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player?id=21575&action=login&appRedirect=http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player?id%3D21575 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |title=Jerry Crafts 1991 NFL Draft Profile |work=ESPN.com |accessdate=29 June 2012}} After not making the Colts' roster, Crafts played for the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in the spring of 1992. He was a backup to left tackle Rick Cunningham and right tackle Kevin Allen, before starting World Bowl '92 in the place of an injured Cunningham.

Following the World League season, Crafts signed with the Buffalo Bills on July 7.{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920708/1501110/deals |title=Deals|date=July 8, 1992 |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=29 June 2012}} He played as a backup in the first six games of the 1992 NFL season before suffering a knee injury.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CrafJe20.htm |title=Jerry Crafts NFL Football Statistics |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |accessdate=29 June 2012}} On October 26, the Bills placed him on the injured reserve list, where he remained for the rest of the season.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22435289.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101629/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22435289.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |title=Key Bills performers, hobbled in game, shake off the pain and play to the end |last=Gaughan |first=Mark |date=October 27, 1992 |work=The Buffalo News |quote=To make room, Kurt Schulz (sprained knee) and tackle Jerry Crafts (tendinitis in knee) were placed on the injured reserve list. |accessdate=29 June 2012}}

Crafts would go on to play as a tackle/guard for the Buffalo Bills from 1992 to 1994, but was released by the Green Bay Packers in 1995 after being signed during the offseason. Out of the league, Crafts played the 1996 and 1997 seasons in the World League for the Amsterdam Admirals. His play would lead to a signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, for whom he played from 1997 to 1998. He was released in camp in 1999, and later by the Oakland Raiders in 2001.

In the latter years of his career, Crafts made stops across three different football leagues: the Arena Football League (AFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the XFL. In the AFL, he played for the New Jersey Red Dogs (2000), Buffalo Destroyers (2001–2002),{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/crafts-back-in-the-saddle/n-1963280 |title=Crafts back in the saddle |date=March 14, 2017 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 20, 2017}} Las Vegas Gladiators (2003), and Detroit Fury (2004). Crafts was a member for the Toronto Argonauts (2000–2001), Montreal Alouettes (2002, a year the team would go on to win the Grey Cup), and Hamilton Tiger Cats (2002) of the CFL. In the spring of 2001, he played for the Los Angeles Xtreme of the XFL, winning the league's championship; he used the uniform nickname "Big Daddy" (along with jersey number 69) with the Xtreme.Bulkema, Will. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pRFTLDtgeQ The only XFL championship was also the worst] by SB Nation, February 7, 2019

Coaching career

Crafts is currently an assistant offensive line coach and scheduler with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent one season as offensive line coach with the National Arena League's Jacksonville Sharks, helping them win NALBowl I.