Antonio Cromartie
refer to caption
Cromartie with the Indianapolis Colts in 2016
No. 25, 31
Position:Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1984-04-15) April 15, 1984 (age 39)
Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:Lincoln (Tallahassee)
College:Florida State (2003–2005)
NFL draft:2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
  • Texas A&M (2021–2022)
    Graduate Assistant (Defense)
Career highlights and awards
NFL records
  • NFL-record 109-yard play (tied)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:416
Forced fumbles:2
Fumble recoveries:5
Pass deflections:116
Interceptions:31
Total touchdowns:6
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected in the first round by the San Diego Chargers in the 2006 NFL Draft.[1] He was selected to four Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2007 after leading the league in interceptions. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts. Cromartie holds the record for the longest scoring play in NFL history after returning a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown in 2007.[2] After his playing career, he was a Graduate Assistant for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Early years

Cromartie was born in Tallahassee, Florida,[3][4] He was a versatile player at Tallahassee's Lincoln High School. Throughout his senior season, Cromartie recorded 12 tackles and 2 interceptions, returned 3 punts and 2 kicks for TDs, had 450 yards and 1 touchdown on 30 catches and ran the ball 13 times for 242 yards and 3 touchdowns. This was enough to earn Cromartie 2002 USA Today defensive player of the year.[5] Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Cromartie ranked sixth among cornerback prospects in the nation.[6] Cromartie also participated in the 2003 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Cromartie also ran track in high school and placed 3rd in the 110-metres hurdles and as a member of the 4 x 100-metres relay team at the Class 5A County track meet. He also cleared 14.3 meters in triple jump.[7]

College career

Cromartie decided to stay close to home for college and accepted an athletic scholarship offer from Florida State University, where he played for coach Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles football team from 2003 to 2004. After flashing playmaking potential as a nickelback and kick returner his first two years, Cromartie tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in July 2005 during voluntary workouts before his junior year and was forced to miss the entire 2005 season. He was potentially going to play at wide receiver during his junior year.[8]

In addition to football, Cromartie also joined the Florida State Seminoles track team in 2004. He was a member of the FSU track team that won the ACC Championship in 2004, where he placed 10th in the 200 meters with a time of 21.35 seconds.[9] He ran a career-best time of 46.39 seconds in the 400 meters at the NCAA Division I Championships, placing 6th in the prelims.[10] He was timed at 21.27 seconds in the 200 meters.

Professional career

2006 NFL Combine

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+1⁄8 in
(1.88 m) 		208 lb
(94 kg) 		33+3⁄4 in
(0.86 m) 		10+1⁄2 in
(0.27 m)		 4.52 s 1.58 s 2.63 s 3.89 s 7.02 s 38 in
(0.97 m)		 11 ft 0 in
(3.35 m)		 18 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[11][12]

Despite being removed from competitive football for an entire year, Cromartie was still selected as the 19th overall pick of the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Chargers based on his great potential.[citation needed]

After not performing much at the NFL Scouting Combine, on March 16, 2006, just 8 months after surgery to repair his torn ACL, Cromartie performed at his pro day in 2006 for scouts.[13][14]

San Diego Chargers

Cromartie with the Chargers in 2007

On July 25, 2006, Cromartie signed a 5-year, $13.5 million contract with $7.35 million guaranteed with the Chargers. In his first season with the Chargers, Cromartie saw action at cornerback and on special teams. Toward the end of the season, Cromartie handled some punt and kickoff return duties. In a game against the Oakland Raiders, Cromartie returned a kickoff 91 yards, the longest return for the team since 2001.

Cromartie wore jersey No. 25 his rookie season but switched to No. 31 as a Charger for subsequent years, the reverse of #13, the jersey he wore at Florida State.

On October 28, 2007, Cromartie had two interceptions, returning one 70 yards for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery for another touchdown while leading the Chargers to a 35–10 victory against the Houston Texans. He was subsequently nominated for the AFC Defensive Player of the Week award.

The following week, Cromartie made NFL history. Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell came onto the field to attempt a 58-yard field goal to end the first half. The Chargers put Cromartie in the endzone to return the field goal in case of a missed kick. The field goal attempt missed the goalposts and fell toward the back of the endzone. Cromartie intercepted the football, came down with both feet in bounds, two inches from the back of the end zone, and began the return. Cromartie returned the missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown at The Metrodome, setting a record for the longest play in NFL history. This record can be equaled but never exceeded (barring a rule change); a regulation football field is 100 yards long, the end zones are 10 yards deep, a play ends when the ball crosses the goal line, and all plays are rounded down to the nearest yard. Therefore, according to the current rules of the game, 109 is the theoretical maximum for plays in the NFL.

The next week Cromartie made his first NFL start in place of the injured Quentin Jammer and intercepted three passes thrown by Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts; the last of which was a leaping one-handed interception in front of Colts WR Reggie Wayne.[15] Cromartie called the interception the best play of his short career.[16] He is the first player to intercept Peyton Manning three times in one game during the regular season, and earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in the game.[17]

On November 24, Cromartie became the starting cornerback, replacing Drayton Florence (who became a free agent at the end of the season). In the AFC Divisional game against the Colts, Cromartie recorded another interception against Peyton Manning, and his defensive efforts during the game (including a forced fumble against Marvin Harrison) helped the Chargers knock off the defending champion Colts.

On December 16, Cromartie set a franchise record by recording his 10th interception of the season, breaking the previous record of 9 interceptions set by Charlie McNeil in 1961. His 10 interceptions led the NFL for number of interceptions in 2007. In addition, Cromartie had 2 post season interceptions.

Cromartie was one of three cornerbacks selected to the 2007 AFC Pro Bowl team, his first selection. At the Pro Bowl, Cromartie intercepted two passes.

Cromartie was not as successful in 2008, his third season. After stating before the season began that he'd like to break the all-time interception record in a season (14), he managed only 2 interceptions for the season. At the end of the season, Cromartie announced that he played the entire season with a broken hip. The injury was sustained in the first week of the season against the Carolina Panthers.

He finished the 2009 regular season with 3 interceptions, 33 tackles, and 10 passes defended.[18]

New York Jets

Cromartie was traded to the New York Jets on March 4, 2010, for a third-round draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft that turned into a second-round pick based on Cromartie's performance.[19] In his first regular season game with the Jets, Cromartie intercepted an errant throw from Joe Flacco which he returned 66 yards.[20] Cromartie performed well throughout the season. He finished the regular season with 3 interceptions and broke up 18 passes, but he gave up 7 touchdowns.[21] His kickoff return in the wild card round against the Indianapolis Colts helped to set up Nick Folk's game-winning field goal.[22]

The Jets re-signed Cromartie to a four-year, $32 million contract on August 1, 2011.[21] In the home opener against the Dallas Cowboys on September 11, Cromartie gave up two touchdowns to Dez Bryant and Miles Austin but rebounded the following week intercepting two passes by Luke McCown.[23] Cromartie was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Jaguars.[24] In Week 3 against the Oakland Raiders, Cromartie committed four errant penalties for 46 total yards. He later fumbled a kickoff return which resulted in a turnover that led to a Raiders go-ahead touchdown. He left the game in the second half and was transported to Eden Medical Center where he was diagnosed with bruised ribs and a pulmonary contusion.[25]

During the 2012 season, after Darrelle Revis went down due to a torn ACL, Cromartie became the #1 cornerback and performed well, finishing the year with 3 interceptions, 13 passes defended, and 30 tackles in all 16 games started. For his efforts, Cromartie was elected to attend the Pro Bowl for the 2nd time of his career.

After the 2013 season, Cromartie was elected to attend the Pro Bowl as a replacement. It was the third election of his career. Cromartie was released by the Jets on March 9, 2014.[26]

Arizona Cardinals

Cromartie signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals on March 19, 2014.[27] He made the Pro Bowl that year as well.[28]

New York Jets (second stint)

On March 12, 2015, Cromartie signed a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Jets.[29] On February 22, 2016, the Jets released Cromartie after just one season.[30]

Indianapolis Colts

On August 22, 2016, Cromartie signed a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts.[31] On October 4, 2016, after just four games with the team, Cromartie was released.[32]

Retirement

On March 5, 2018, after spending the entire 2017 season out of football, he announced his retirement from football.[33]

NFL career statistics

Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck FF FR Yds Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
2006 SD 16 0 24 20 4 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
2007 SD 16 8 44 39 5 0.0 0 2 0 10 144 14 70 1 18
2008 SD 16 15 64 60 4 0.0 0 0 0 2 66 33 52 1 9
2009 SD 16 16 33 31 2 0.0 0 0 0 3 17 6 16 0 10
2010 NYJ 15 15 42 41 1 0.0 0 1 0 3 75 25 66 0 17
2011 NYJ 16 16 45 36 9 0.0 1 0 0 4 105 26 42 0 12
2012 NYJ 16 16 35 30 5 0.0 0 0 0 3 53 18 40 1 13
2013 NYJ 16 16 38 35 3 0.0 1 0 0 3 20 7 20 0 9
2014 ARI 16 16 48 43 5 0.0 0 1 14 3 65 22 40 0 10
2015 NYJ 15 15 29 26 3 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12
2016 IND 4 4 14 14 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Career 162 137 417 376 41 0.0 2 4 14 31 545 18 70 3 116

Coaching career

In 2018, Cromartie worked as an intern for the New York Jets under Todd Bowles.[34] In 2021, he announced that he would be a graduate assistant at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher.[35] In October 2023, Antonio Cromartie was hired as a defensive analyst for the Saint Augustine University’s football team.

Personal life

He is a cousin of former NFL cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Marcus Cromartie, a former cornerback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.[36][37]

Cromartie married Terricka Cason, who starred on E!'s Candy Girls, on July 2, 2008.[38] Cason gave birth to a daughter named Alanna in June 2009 [38] a son in early 2011,[39] twins in 2016, and in August 2017, a daughter.[40][41][42] Cromartie has 14 known children.[43]

In 2016, he knelt in protest of police brutality and racial oppression during the playing of the national anthem. He was released from the Colts in October. Although the Jets had released him earlier that year prior to his protest, Cromartie has stated his belief is that his release was due to his protesting social injustice and police brutality.[44]

References

  1. ^ "2006 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Campbell, Dave (November 4, 2007). "Adrian Peterson leads Vikings past Chargers 35-17 on another record day". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on November 6, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2007.
  3. ^ "NFL pledges $2.5M to aid Haiti earthquake relief efforts". NFL.com. January 14, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  4. ^ Millman, Joel (December 4, 2009). "These Days, Everybody's All-American Just May Be a Haitian". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "All-USA 2002 high school football team". USATODAY.com. May 20, 2005. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
  6. ^ "Rivals.com Cornerbacks 2003". Rivals.com. February 5, 2003.
  7. ^ "Antonio Cromartie - Feed". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  8. ^ ESPN - Cromartie to miss 2005 season. - College Football Archived August 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "ACC Championships 2004 - Complete Results". Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ "Antonio Cromartie Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "Antonio Cromartie, Florida State, CB, 2006 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  13. ^ "NFL Draft Scout, Powered by The SportsXchange - *Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State - Draft Profile". April 23, 2006. Archived from the original on April 23, 2006. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  14. ^ Scout.com Archived February 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ SignOnSanDiego.com > Sports - Give Cromartie a party, more starts Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ ESPN - Cromartie's first start at corner a smash hit - NFL Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Chargers.com - News » Headlines » Sproles, Cromartie earn League honors Archived November 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "Antonio Cromartie 2009 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  19. ^ Schefter, Adam (March 4, 2010). "Former All-Pro Cromartie headed to Jets". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 7, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  20. ^ "Ravens grind out victory over host Jets". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 13, 2010. Archived from the original on September 18, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  21. ^ a b Cimini, Rich (August 1, 2011). "Source: Antonio Cromartie, Jets agree". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  22. ^ McManus, Jane (January 9, 2011). "Cromartie is a hero ... on special teams". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 10, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  23. ^ Ackert, Kristie (September 19, 2011). "Antonio Cromartie rebounds from poor performance vs. Cowboys to dominate Jaguars for NY Jets". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  24. ^ Armstrong, Kevin (September 21, 2011). "Nick Mangold lobbying to play vs. Raiders, giving Colin Baxter pointers". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  25. ^ Begley, Ian; Mike Mazzeo (September 26, 2011). "Antonio Cromartie bruised lung, ribs". ESPN. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  26. ^ Cimini, Rich (March 9, 2014). "Jets release Antonio Cromartie". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  27. ^ Cardinals Land Antonio Cromartie Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ Urban, Darren (January 18, 2015). "Pro Bowl Calls Antonio Cromartie". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  29. ^ Pedulla, Tom. Antonio Cromartie is reunited with Darelle Revis on the Jets Archived April 3, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  30. ^ Lange, Randy. "Jets Release Cornerback Antonio Cromartie". Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.. NewYorkJets.com. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  31. ^ Wesseling, Chris (August 22, 2016). "Veteran CB Antonio Cromartie, Colts ink one-year deal". NFL.com. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  32. ^ "Colts release CB Antonio Cromartie". Sports Illustrated. October 4, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  33. ^ Alper, Josh (March 5, 2018). "Antonio Cromartie announces his retirement". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  34. ^ Nash, Mike (July 27, 2018). "Antonio Cromartie back with Jets as a coaching intern". Jets Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  35. ^ Greenawalt, Tyler (April 7, 2021). "Former Jets CB Antonio Cromartie joins Texas A&M coaching staff". Jets Wire. USA Today. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  36. ^ Raanan, Jordan (March 18, 2014). "Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Eight things to know about Giants' new cornerback". NJ.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  37. ^ Hughes, Connor (March 16, 2017). "Source: Jets interested in Marcus Cromartie". NJ.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  38. ^ a b Cimini, Rich (August 3, 2010). "Antonio Cromartie needs a new start". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  39. ^ "Cromartie nixes reality show about kids". FOX Sports. April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  40. ^ Schwab, Frank (May 15, 2017). "Antonio Cromartie's wife says she's pregnant with his child". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  41. ^ "Antonio Cromartie has 14th child on the way despite getting a vasectomy years ago". usatoday.com. May 15, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  42. ^ "Antonio Cromartie, Wife Terricka Welcome His 14th Child, Announce Reality Show". usmagazine.com. September 7, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  43. ^ "Antonio Cromartie, father of 14, tackles full-time dad duties on new reality show".
  44. ^ "Antonio Cromartie Believes Colts Cut Him for Kneeling". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved October 30, 2019.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antonio Cromartie.
USA Today High School Football Defensive Player of the Year winners
2006 NFL Draft first-round selections
Los Angeles Chargers first-round draft picks
San Diego Chargers 2006 NFL draft selections
NFL annual interceptions leaders
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