Patrick Edwards
{{Short description|American football player (born 1988)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Patrick Edwards
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number = 83
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|10|25}}
| birth_place = Temple, Texas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 9
| weight_lbs = 175
| high_school = Hearne (TX)
| college = Houston
| undraftedyear = 2012
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2014}})
| status =
| highlights =
- Third-team All-American (2011)
- C-USA Offensive Player of the Year (2011)
- 2× First-team All-C-USA (2010, 2011)
- Second-team All-C-USA (2009)
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 5
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 46
| pfr = EdwaPa00
}}
Patrick Michael Edwards (born October 25, 1988) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars.
Early life
Edwards was born in Temple, Texas, to Patrick Dixon and Patricia Edwards. He was raised in Hearne, Texas, where he attended Hearne High School. There, he played baseball, basketball, and football and competed in track and field. In basketball, Edwards was named an All-Region and All-District player, and, in baseball, he was named an All-District player. He played football as a wide receiver, and earned first-team All-State, All-District, and All-Brazos Valley honors.[http://uhcougars.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/edwards_patrick00.html Player Bio: Patrick Edwards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030025713/http://uhcougars.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/edwards_patrick00.html |date=October 30, 2008 }}, University of Houston, retrieved February 10, 2009.
He was recruited by Baylor, Henderson State, and Houston. He chose the latter, as he had long ambitions to attend the school.
College career
Edwards did not secure a scholarship, but impressed the Cougars' coaches enough in try-outs to earn a walk-on position. He sat out the 2007 season as a redshirt.
He entered the season as a starter at a wide receiver position. During the first eight games of the season, Edwards recorded 46 receptions for 634 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He compiled 100-plus yard games against Oklahoma State, East Carolina, and Southern Methodist. Against UAB, he tallied a season-long 70-yard reception.[https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15474/patrick-edwards Patrick Edwards Stats], ESPN, retrieved February 10, 2009.
For their eighth game of the season, Houston traveled to meet Marshall. The Thundering Herd scored first with a field goal, and never relinquished the lead. In the third quarter, Houston quarterback Blake Joseph threw a long pass into the Marshall end zone. His intended receiver, Edwards, in pursuit of the pass, ran out of the back of the end zone. Just beyond the boundary, he collided with a cart. Running at full speed, Edwards' right leg impacted the object and he flipped over due to the momentum. He suffered a compound fracture of the leg. The cart was one of several that were parked just outside the field's boundary and held equipment for the Marshall band.[https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=283020276 Marshall never trails as Houston loses game, impact WR Edwards]{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ESPN, October 28, 2008.
Houston athletic director Dave Maggard declined to comment substantively about the situation, but confirmed he would discuss the matter with Marshall officials. Edwards himself considered the burden of responsibility to be with the Conference USA officiating crew, rather than Marshall.[https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=3671220 Houston Cougars receiver Patrick Edwards doesn't blame Marshall Thundering Herd for cart flip], ESPN, Associated Press, October 30, 2008. Shortly after the incident, he said from the hospital, "They are supposed to check and see if everything is off the field."[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103628.html Third Down: Never Saw It Coming], The Washington Post, November 1, 2008.
On March 30, 2009, Edwards announced that he would return to play the 2009 season and that he intended to pursue legal action against Marshall for his injury.
He still had an extremely productive college stay, racking up 4507 yards and 43 touchdowns on 291 receptions.
In Houston's 73-34 win against the Rice Owls on October 27, 2011, Edwards had 7 receptions for 318 yards and 5 touchdowns.[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090330/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_houston_edwards_injury;_ylt=AlDtx31bpSabDQuhI_bpIO4LMxIF Houston WR Will Return] Yahoo Sports, March 30, 2009 Edwards was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year for the 2011 season.[http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/article/Cougars-rake-in-C-USA-honors-2354260.php "Cougars rake in C-USA honors"] by Sam Khan, Jr.. Houston Chronicle, December 7, 2011.
= College statistics =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|! colspan="7" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Houston Cougars|color=white}};" |{{center|Houston Cougars}} | |||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! colspan="5" | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP
! Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2008
|8 |46 |634 |13.8 |4 | |||||
| 2009
|14 |85 |1,021 |12.0 |6 | |||||
| 2010
|12 |71 |1,100 |15.5 |13 | |||||
| 2011
|14 |89 |1,752 |19.7 |20 | |||||
| Career{{Cite web|title=Patrick Edwards College Stats|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/patrick-edwards-1.html|access-date=2021-05-08|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com|language=en}} | 48 | 291 | 4,507 | 15.5 | 43 |
Professional career
Edwards signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent and made the 2013 team roster. He was cut by the Lions on October 14,{{cite news |url=http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2013/10/patrick_edwards_released_by_de.html#incart_hbx#incart_best-of |title=WR Patrick Edwards waived by Detroit Lions |last=Meinke |first=Kyle |newspaper=mlive.com |date=October 14, 2013 |accessdate=October 14, 2013}} but was signed to the Lions' practice squad two days later.{{cite news |url=http://www.freep.com/article/20131016/SPORTS01/310160109/1049/Lions-bring-back-WR-Edwards-practice-squad |title=Detroit Lions bring back WR Patrick Edwards on practice squad |last=Birkett |first=Dave |date=October 16, 2013 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |accessdate=October 17, 2013}} He was released during Detroit's final cuts in 2014. Later in the 2014 season he was re-signed to the practice squad but was released before the season ended.