John Holifield
No. 40[1]
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born:(1964-07-14)July 14, 1964
Romulus, Michigan, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:Romulus (Romulus, Michigan)
College:West Virginia
NFL draft:1987 / Round: 12 / Pick: 328[2]
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Johnathan Mark Holifield (born July 14, 1964) was an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at West Virginia.

Football career

High school

Holifield played high school football at Romulus High School in Romulus, Michigan.

College

Holifield arrived at West Virginia in 1983. During his first two seasons as a Mountaineer, 1983 and 1984, Holifield accumulated 388 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Holifield earned the starting running back job in 1984, as a junior. He rushed for 595 yards and 6 touchdowns, along with a receiving score, that season. In 1986, Holifield was elected team captain and totaled his best season statistically. He rushed for 645 yards and 3 touchdowns his final season as a Mountaineer.

Professional

Holifield was drafted in the 12th round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.[3] He was a member of the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals in 1988 and played 3 games for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1989 season. He was released in 1990.[4]

After football

Having received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1987, Holifield earned a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1996. He practiced law for five years, as a prosecutor in Cincinnati and in private practice by 1999. Afterwards, Holifield became involved in economic development.[4]

In 2006, Holifield became CEO of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy in Buffalo, New York.[5] In 2007, Holifield was picked to lead the Urban League of Greater Cleveland.[6][7]

On September 18, 2017, Holifield was named executive director of the White House initiative on historically black colleges and universities.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "John Holifield - The Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.
  2. ^ "John Holifield College Stats - College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "1987 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Furfari, Micki (October 27, 2015). "FURFARI COLUMN: John Holifield was fine running back at WVU in 1980s". Times West Virginian. Fairmont, West Virginia. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  5. ^ "Holifield takes parks position in Buffalo". Cincinnati Business Courier. May 30, 2006. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  6. ^ Fink, James (September 21, 2007). "Holifield leaving Buffalo". Buffalo Business First. Buffalo, New York. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  7. ^ "Former Bengal Holifield to head Urban League". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. Associated Press. September 22, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  8. ^ Berry, Deborah Barfield (September 18, 2017). "White House names Johnathan Holifield as head of HBCU project". USA Today. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  9. ^ Duster, Chandelis R. (September 18, 2017). "White House names former NFL player Johnathan Holifield HBCU initiative director". NBC News. Retrieved July 2, 2022.

External links


Cincinnati Bengals 1987 NFL Draft selections
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