Laveranues Coles
{{Short description|American football player (born 1977)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Laveranues Coles
| image = FSU wide receiver Laveranues Coles (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Coles with the Florida State Seminoles in 1997
| number = 87, 80, 11, 19
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|12|29|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 200
| high_school = Ribault {{nowrap|(Jacksonville, Florida)}}
| college = Florida State (1996–1999)
| draftyear = 2000
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 78
| pastteams =
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2000}}–{{NFL Year|2002}})
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|2003}}–{{NFL Year|2004}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2005}}–{{NFL Year|2008}})
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2009}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2010}})
| status =
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 674
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 8,609
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 49
| pfr = ColeLa00
}}
Laveranues Leon Coles ({{IPAc-en|l|ə|ˈ|v|ɜr|n|i|ə|s}}; born December 29, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New York Jets. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles. He was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft. A Pro Bowl selection in 2003, Coles also played for the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals.
Early life
Coles was born in Jacksonville, Florida. While attending Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Coles played football, basketball, and ran track. In football, he rushed for nearly 5,000 yards in his career, was named to the Blue Chip Dream Team, and was a first team Class 4A All-State selection. In basketball, he was a member of a state championship team as a senior. In track, he recorded a time of 10.6 seconds in the 100 meter and 21.8 seconds in the 200 meter on the Ribault track team. Due to a scandal at Florida State which resulted in Coles's dismissal from the team, he often referred to his high school when introducing himself on Monday Night Football.
College career
On September 29, 1999, during his senior season at Florida State, Coles and teammate Peter Warrick went to a Tallahassee, Florida Dillard's department store and, with the aid of a cashier with whom they were friendly, purchased $412.38 worth of clothing and were charged only $21.40—a discount so large that it is considered shoplifting under Florida law. An off-duty officer saw the event through a surveillance camera, according to police. Coles, Warrick, and the clerk, were arrested for grand theft. On October 22, Coles pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petty theft and was dismissed from the Florida State Seminoles football team.{{Cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4459202 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040308151524/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4459202/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2004 |title=Top bizarre sports scandals of all-time |last=Concha |first=Joe |date=March 8, 2004 |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=October 19, 2007}} At that year's rivalry game at the University of Florida, Florida Gators fans brought Dillard's bags to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to mock the team. Florida State won the game, and Seminole fans returned the mocking by requesting the bags as souvenirs.
Coles's childhood nickname was "Trouble".{{Cite web |url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030500/jag_2333069.html |title=The only trouble Coles wants to cause is for Jaguars opponents |last=Prisco |first=Pete |date=March 5, 2000 |publisher=The Florida Times-Union |access-date=October 19, 2007}} Coles was arrested in 1998 for simple battery, suspended for the Seminoles' 1999 season opener versus Louisiana Tech for academic reasons, and was discovered to have accepted a plane ticket from a sports agent's representative in 1999.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 1/4
| weight = 192
| dash = 4.44
| ten split = 1.56
| twenty split = 2.60
| shuttle = 4.39
| cone drill = 6.89
| vertical = 34
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 7
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 30 5/8
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=358&DraftYear=2000 |title=2000 Draft Scout Laveranues Coles, Florida State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=4668 |title=Laveranues Coles, Combine Results, WR - Florida State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=January 20, 2023}}
}}
=New York Jets (first stint)=
Coles was selected by the New York Jets in the third round (78th overall) of the 2000 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2000 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2000/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Coles' first career touchdown catch came in the Jets' "Monday Night Miracle" victory against the Miami Dolphins on October 23, 2000.{{Cite web |title=Laveranues Coles 2000 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ColeLa00/gamelog/2000/ |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} As a rookie, he finished with 23 receptions for 370 yards and one touchdown in 13 games and three starts.{{Cite web |title=Laveranues Coles 2000 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ColeLa00/gamelog/2000/ |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
=Washington Redskins=
After a spectacular 2002 season, Coles signed with the Washington Redskins in the 2002 offseason. He said he left the Jets because the Redskins offered him more money. He made the Pro Bowl for the Redskins in 2003, after catching 82 passes for 1,204 yards, while playing the majority of the season with a fractured toe.{{Cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5576376 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125161014/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5576376 | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 25, 2022 | title=Redskins' Coles is a good catch | website=NBC News }} It was the most receptions by a Washington player in a single season since Art Monk had 86 in 1989.
=New York Jets (second stint)=
He was traded back to the Jets in 2005 for Santana Moss. During the first year of his second stint with the Jets, Coles revealed that he had been sexually abused between ages 10 to 13 by a man whom his mother, Sirretta married. Coles refused to divulge the man's name. After the abuse was revealed, Sirretta Coles divorced the man, who was later sentenced to nine years in prison. He served about a third of his sentence and was released. He was convicted of another crime and has been imprisoned since 2001.{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2165781 |title=Jets' Coles confides he was sexually abused |date=2005-09-19 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |access-date=2019-07-19}}
After a disappointing season in 2005, Coles enjoyed a rebirth in 2006, partly due to the good health of quarterback, Chad Pennington. On December 26, 2006, he caught the last touchdown on Monday Night Football's last game on ABC. On September 28, 2008, now with Brett Favre at quarterback, Coles caught 8 passes for 105 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 56–35 win over the Arizona Cardinals.{{Cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280928020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810170050/http://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280928020 | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 10, 2017 | title=Cardinals vs. Jets - Game Recap - September 28, 2008 - ESPN }} That season, Coles tied his career high season touchdown mark that he set in 2001, with 7 touchdowns.{{Cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ColeLa00.htm | title=Laveranues Coles Stats | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }}
Coles was released by the Jets on February 25, 2009.{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=Tim |date=2009-02-25 |title=Source: N.Y. Jets decide to part ways with Coles |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3934737 |access-date=2019-07-19 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
=Cincinnati Bengals=
Coles was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals on March 4, 2009. He would agree in principle to a four-year, $28 million contract.[http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=7540 Coles has Skins] bengals.com, March 4, 2009 On January 9, 2010, Coles caught 6 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in a 24–14 loss to his former team, the Jets, in the first round of the playoffs.{{Cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001090cin.htm | title=Wild Card - New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals - January 9th, 2010 | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }}{{Cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/nfl-wild-card-weekend/ | title=NFL Wild Card Weekend | website=CBS News }}
He was released by the Bengals on March 4, 2010, exactly one year after signing with the organization.
=New York Jets (third stint)=
The Jets announced Coles had been signed to a one-year contract on July 30, 2010. However, his stay would be brief as the team waived Coles after nearly a month on August 29, 2010.{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5509593 |title=Jets cut veteran WR Laveranues Coles |last=Cimini |first=Rich |date=August 29, 2010 |publisher=ESPN New York |access-date=August 29, 2010}}
On September 21, 2010, Coles was talked about in the media as an option to fill in for Braylon Edwards, who was charged with a DWI the previous night.{{Cite news |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/expect_jets_to_play_without_edwards_j0FEMlzCEnJlRmYhRDeZfO/1 |title=Expect Jets to play without Edwards on Sunday |last=Cannizzaro |first=Mark |date=September 21, 2010 |access-date=September 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130181112/http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/expect_jets_to_play_without_edwards_j0FEMlzCEnJlRmYhRDeZfO/1 |archive-date=January 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |publisher=New York Post}} Coles contemplated retirement.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2010/08/coles_comtemplating_retirment.html |title=Ex-Jets WR Laveranues Coles contemplating retirement |last=Hutchinson |first=Dave |date=August 29, 2010 |publisher=The Star Ledger |access-date=September 21, 2010}}
On December 4, 2010, the Jets filled their open roster spot by signing Coles to yet another contract reuniting him with the Jets.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2010/12/former_jets_wr_laveranues_cole.html |title=Former Jets WR Laveranues Coles to re-sign with team |last=Vrentas |first=Jenny |date=December 4, 2010 |publisher=The Star Ledger |access-date=December 4, 2010}} The roster spot had been vacated when Jim Leonhard was placed on injured reserve with a fractured tibia. Coles was able to rejoin the team in time for their Monday night game against the New England Patriots for Week 13 of the NFL's 2010 season.
NFL career statistics
Receiving Statistics{{cite web|title=Laveranues Coles Stats|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/2209/laveranues-coles|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=March 31, 2014}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||||||
| Year | Team | GP | Rec | Tgts | Yards | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Fum | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 || NYJ
| 13 || 22 || — || 370 || 16.8 || 63 || 1 || 16 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2001 || NYJ
| 16 || 59 || — || 868 || 14.7 || 40 || 7 || 42 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2002 || NYJ
| 16 || 89 || — || 1,264 || 14.2 || 43 || 5 || 67 || 1 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2003 || WAS
| 16 || 82 || — || 1,204 || 14.7 || 64 || 6 || 54 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2004 || WAS
| 16 || 90 || — || 950 || 10.6 || 45 || 1 || 52 || 1 || 1 | |||||||||||
| 2005 || NYJ
| 16 || 73 || — || 845 || 11.6 || 43 || 5 || 52 || 1 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2006 || NYJ
| 16 || 91 || 152 || 1,098 || 12.1 || 58 || 6 || 52 || 1 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2007 || NYJ
| 12 || 55 || 89 || 646 || 11.7 || 57 || 6 || 35 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2008 || NYJ
| 16 || 70 || 117 || 850 || 12.1 || 54 || 7 || 44 || 1 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2009 || CIN
| 16 || 43 || 77 || 514 || 12.0 || 40 || 5 || 29 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| colspan="2"| Career || 153 || 674 || 435 || 8,609 || 12.8 || 64 || 49 || 443 || 5 || 1 |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||||
| Year | Team | GP | PRet | Yards | TD | FC | Lng | KRet | Yards | TD | FC | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 || NYJ
| 13 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 207 || 0 || 0 || 24 | ||||||||||||
| 2001 || NYJ
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 9 || 211 || 0 || 0 || 34 | ||||||||||||
| 2006 || NYJ
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2009 || CIN
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 14 || 0 || 0 || 14 | ||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| Career || 61 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 22 || 432 || 0 || 0 || 34 |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yards | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Fum | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 || NYJ
| 13 || 2 || 15 || 7.5 || 8 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2001 || NYJ
| 16 || 10 || 108 || 10.8 || 20 || 0 || 7 || 1 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2002 || NYJ
| 16 || 6 || 39 || 6.5 || 21 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2003 || WAS
| 16 || 10 || 39 || 3.9 || 23 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2004 || WAS
| 16 || 3 || -3 || -1.0 || 7 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2006 || NYJ
| 16 || 2 || 14 || 7.0 || 15 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2008 || NYJ
| 16 || 2 || 9 || 4.5 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| 2009 || CIN
| 16 || 2 || 10 || 5.0 || 8 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| colspan="2"| Career || 153 || 37 || 231 || 6.2 || 23 || 0 || 16 || 1 || 0 |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/coles_laveranues00.html Florida State Seminoles bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130121072706/http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/coles_laveranues00.html |date=January 21, 2013 }}
{{1999 Florida State Seminoles football navbox}}
{{Jets2000DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coles, Laveranues}}
Category:Jean Ribault High School alumni
Category:Players of American football from Jacksonville, Florida
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Florida State Seminoles football players
Category:New York Jets players
Category:Washington Redskins players