Charles Leigh (American football)
No. 25, 15, 23 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Albany (NY) | ||||||||
Undrafted: | 1965 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Charles Irving "Charlie" Leigh Sr. (October 29, 1945 – October 26, 2006) was a National Football League (NFL) running back. He was the first and only NFL player to be signed out of high school. He is best known for backing up Larry Csonka and returning kicks for the Miami Dolphins' back to back Super Bowl champions in the 1972 and 1973 seasons. He also played for the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. He played a total of six seasons in the NFL.[1]
Early years
Leigh attended
Professional career
In 1965, the
Leigh was a part of the
On September 1, 1969, he was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers.[6] He would later be cut and re-signed by the Browns, but received little time at running back and did not carry the ball the entire season, although he did catch two passes. He did return five punts for 18 yards and two kickoffs for six yards that season. He was cut before the start of the 1970 season.
In 1970, he played 8 games for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, before being released.[7]
In 1971, he was signed by the Miami Dolphins after a tryout. That season, he rushed five times for 15 yards and returned just four kickoffs for 99 yards, although he appeared in all 14 games. He couldn't play in Super Bowl VI against the Dallas Cowboys, because of a separated right shoulder he suffered in the AFC championship game against the Baltimore Colts.[8]
Leigh became the primary punt returner for the famous 1972 Miami Dolphins team that had a perfect season and won Super Bowl VII. Leigh returned 22 punts for 210 yards and a 9.5-yard average for the 1972 Dolphins.[9] The 22 punts returned ranked 5th in the NFL that season, and the 210 yards and 9.5 average each ranked 6th in the NFL that season. Leigh also returned six kickoff 153 yards, a 25.5-yard average, and rushed 21 times for 79 yards, a 3.8-yard average.[9] Leigh got to play in Miami's 14–7 Super Bowl victory over the Washington Redskins, but did not have any carries or returns.[10]
Leigh had one of his most productive seasons in 1973 for the Dolphins, another Super Bowl championship team. Leigh rushed 22 times for 134 yards for a 6.1 yards per carry average with one touchdown. His yards per carry average was second on the team to Mercury Morris' league leading 6.4.[11] He also returned nine kickoffs for 251 yards, for a 27.9 average that would have ranked 6th in the NFL had he had enough returns to qualify for the league leaders.[12] He also had nine punt returns for 64 yards, for a 7.1 average.
In 1974, he played one game for the Dolphins before being released. On September 26, 1974, he was claimed off waivers by the Green Bay Packers.[13] He appeared in 10 games, returned 9 kickoffs, for 201 yards and a 22.3-yard average. He also carried the ball one time for the Packers but did not gain any yards. He wasn't re-signed after the season.[14]
Career stats
For his career, Leigh rushed 72 times for 372 yards, a 5.2 yards per carry average and two touchdowns. The 5.2 yards per carry average was better than several of his more celebrated teammates, including Hall of Famer Leroy Kelly (4.2), Hall of Famer Larry Csonka (4.3), 3 time Pro Bowler Mercury Morris (5.1) and 2 time Pro Bowler Jim Kiick (3.7).[15][16][17][18] He also returned 46 kickoffs for 1082 yards and a 23.5 yards per return average, and returned 50 punts for 368 yards and a 7.4 yards per return average.
Personal life
Leigh died of lung cancer on October 26, 2006.[19]
References
- ^ "Charlie Leigh – databaseFootball.com". Archived from the original on 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Ex- Albany High Great Leigh Has Fond Memories Of Super Bowl". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "1968 Cleveland Browns". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "1968 NFL Kick & Punt Returns". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Leigh Waived". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "Charlie Leigh, cut by Browns now a 49er". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "Change for Bombers". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "Leigh to Miss Super Bowl". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ a b "Miami's Csonka: Plays Big Role". Pensacola News Journal. January 12, 1973. p. D-1. Retrieved 2022-08-18 – via newspapers.com.
- ISBN 0-671-72798-2.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "1973 Miami Dolphins". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "1973 NFL Kick & Punt Returns". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Packers Get Ex-dolphin". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "3 Packers Are Free Agents". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "Leroy Kelly – Pro Football Reference". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Larry Csonka – Pro Football Reference". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Mercury Morris – Pro Football Reference". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Jim Kiick – Pro Football Reference". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Leigh, From 72 Dolphins, Dies At 60". Retrieved June 19, 2016.