Thomas Everett
No. 27, 31, 22 | |||||||||||
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Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||
Born: | Daingerfield, Texas, U.S. | November 21, 1964||||||||||
Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||
Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||
High school: | Daingerfield | ||||||||||
College: | Baylor (1983–1986) | ||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1987 / Round: 4 / Pick: 94 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||||||
Thomas Gregory Everett (born November 21, 1964) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, where he won the Jim Thorpe Award. He won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys, both over the Buffalo Bills.
Early years
Everett was born in Daingerfield, Texas. He attended Daingerfield High School, where he started playing football as a sophomore. Although his best position was running back, he played seven positions including quarterback.
As a senior, he received All-district honors in football and basketball. He later became the first, and so far only person to have his number retired at Daingerfield High School.[1]
College career
Everett accepted a football scholarship from Baylor University, where he played under College Football Hall of Fame coach Grant Teaff. As a freshman, he began the year at running back and was named the starter at cornerback halfway through the season.
As a sophomore, he began the season at corner, but was moved to
As a junior, he became one of the best defensive backs in the nation, eventually being named a two-time All-American selection, a two-time Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the year and twice first team All-Conference. As a senior, he registered 86 tackles (7 for loss), 14 passes defensed and 6 interceptions.
As a senior in 1986, Everett became the first-ever winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.[2] He was also voted the conference's Athlete of the Year.
Everett was a leader during one of the school's most successful eras as the Bears won 30 games and appeared in three bowl games. He left as the fourth all-time tackler (325) in school history. He also ranked among Baylor's top 10 in interceptions (12), punt returns (80) and punt return yards (766).
In 2006, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was named to Baylor's All-Decade team of the 1980s and to the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.[3]
Professional career
Pittsburgh Steelers
Everett was selected by the
In
In 1989, he started in all 16 games. He posted 81 tackles, 3 interceptions, 9 passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
In 1990, he suffered a lacerated forehead in the season opener against the Browns and did not start in the next 2 contests. He returned to the starting lineup in the fourth game against the Dolphins. He totaled 35 tackles, 3 interceptions, 5 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles.
In 1991, he started all 16 games. He had 8 tackles in the tenth game against the Bengals. He made 2 interceptions and one forced fumble in the twelfth game against the Houston Oilers. He tallied 57 tackles, 4 interceptions (led the team), 12 passes defensed, 2 fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
On September 19, 1992, after having missed the first two games due to a contract dispute, he was traded to the Cowboys in exchange for a fifth round draft choice (#140-Marc Woodard).[6]
Dallas Cowboys
In
In
On April 2, 1994, because of salary cap reasons he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fourth round draft choice (#109-Willie Jackson).[7] He was replaced with James Washington. Everett was one of the most important acquisitions made during the Jimmy Johnson era, helping to solidify the team's defense along with Charles Haley.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In
Personal life
His brother Eric Everett played for the Philadelphia Eagles (1988–89), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1990), Kansas City Chiefs (1991), and Minnesota Vikings (1992). He currently runs an athletic camp called Thomas Everett Athletics.
References
- ^ "Steelers". Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "Everett Wins Thorpe Award". Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "Baylor's Thomas Everett to join the greats in SWC Hall of Fame". Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "1987 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ "Ankle Sprain Hobbles Steelers' Little Big Man". Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "Steelers Trade Safety Everett To Cowboys". Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "Two key Cowboy defenders heading out of town". Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "Buccaneers waive safety Everett". Retrieved January 3, 2020.