Andrew Hawkins

Andrew Hawkins
Hawkins (2015)
Position (s): Wide Receiver	Jersey numbers: 0, 16, 19
born March 10, 1986 in Johnstown , Pennsylvania
Career information
Active : 2009 - 2016
Undrafted in 2008
College : Toledo
Teams
Montreal Alouettes ( 2009 - 2010 ) Cincinnati Bengals ( 2011 - 2013 ) Cleveland Browns ( 2014 - 2016 )
Career statistics
captured passports	250
earned yards	2,876
Touchdowns	14th
Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
Career highlights and awards
2 × Gray Cup winners ( 2009 , 2010 )

Andrew Austin Wyatt Hawkins (born March 10, 1986 in Johnstown , Pennsylvania ) is a retired American Canadian football and American football player. He played in the position of wide receiver for two seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and six seasons in the National Football League (NFL).

Career

Hawkins attended the University of Toledo from 2004 to 2007 , where he played college football for their sports team, the Toledo Rockets . There he was the first player in 48 years to be used in both offense and defense . As a wide receiver, he caught 67 passes for 634 yards and four touchdowns. In addition, he was also used in the running game , where he ran 109 yards and a touchdown in 25 runs. As a cornerback and gunner , he scored 17 tackles , two forced fumble , one captured fumble and one blocked punt . In his senior year he was also a kick returner , where he returnt for 358 yards. On Pro Day , Hawkins was able to get on the radar of NFL scouts for the first time, as he delivered very good values. Among other things, he ran the 40 yard sprint in 4.34 seconds and jumped 96.5 cm. Since he was relatively small and light for his position with a height of 1.68 m and a weight of 79 kg, he made himself 5 cm taller when measuring on the Pro Day by attaching clay to his heels and placing Weight pieces in the trouser pockets 9.5 kg heavier. To help his dream of a professional career, he needed an agent . To get this he wrote emails to agents in which he posed as the coach of Toledo, who saw in Hawkins the potential of an undrafted NFL player or CFL and AFL player. He found an agent in Craig Schaeffer.

Hawkins remained undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft , but received an invitation from the Cleveland Browns to their rookie mini camp . He also had trial sessions with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from the CFL and the Cleveland Gladiators from the Arena Football League. However, he did not receive a contract. Hawkins asked the Browns for video footage from the camp to apply to other NFL teams and in Canada, but the Browns wouldn't give him any. Instead, he had to seek help from an acquaintance who had got a job with the Browns to get the video footage. In 2008 he interrupted his professional career. He instead completed his studies as a Graduate Assistant in Toledo while working as a caddy and in a wind turbine factory. During this time he slept on his friend Stephen Williams' couch . He also completed an internship with the Detroit Lions as a scout . He was responsible for scouting wide receivers. Because it also gave him access to lists of potential college candidates, he also learned that his coaches hadn't suggested him.

On December 5, 2008, he received a contract offer from the Montreal Alouettes . Shortly thereafter, he found out about another career opportunity, the television show 4th and Long . At that show, six receivers and six defensive backs battled for a spot on the Dallas Cowboys ' 80-man offseason roster , with one player eliminated each week. Since he didn't have to answer the Alouettes until the summer and the show was recorded in spring 2009, he applied. Although he clearly dominated the show and only receiver Jesse Holley was almost at his level, he made his only mistake in the final episode when he fumbled the ball in the last play of regular time and gave the opposing team the opportunity to score and that Game still to be won. Because of this, Holley was ultimately given the squad spot. Hawkins then went to the CFL, where the Alouettes, however, did not let him play for the first seven weeks. Only in week 8 did he catch his first pass and his first touchdown on matchday 15. By the end of the regular season he had caught 13 passes for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns. In the CFL semifinals he added four trapped passes for 40 yards. However, he broke his ankle in the game and therefore missed the Gray Cup , which the Alouettes won.

In 2010 he didn't see much playing time either, but was able to improve his statistics. He caught 28 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns, with an additional four runs for 52 yards. With kick returns he was able to achieve an average of 21 yards, while he could only achieve an average of seven yards with punt returns. He won the Gray Cup again with the Alouettes . After the season, his contract expired and his chances of being renewed were slim. However, he received two trial training sessions with NFL teams, the Cincinnati Bengals and the St. Lois Rams . He signed with the Rams, but they already had some talented wide receivers in their squad. Hawkins did not get a chance to prove himself, but was already weighed by the Rams after a day in training camp . Two teams then claimed Hawkins, the New Orleans Saints and the Bengals. Since the Bengals had done worse in the previous season, they got the contract. There he did not make it into the final squad. He was dismissed as part of the final squad reduction to 53 players, but shortly afterwards committed to the Practice Squad . There he stayed for two weeks before he got a call to the main squad due to the injury to Jordan Shipley . Hawkins made his NFL debut on October 2, 2011 against the Buffalo Bills . In his first NFL season, he caught 23 passes for 263 yards. He scored his first NFL touchdown in the second week of the 2012 season against the Cleveland Browns. Overall, he scored four touchdowns and 533 yards on 51 passes during the season. Hawkins injured his ankle on August 1, 2013, after which the Bengals placed him on the Injured Reserve List on September 4, but also marked him as a possible returning player. After missing two games in 2012, he has now missed the first eight games. On his return, however, he was only on the field for 25% of the offensive snaps and scored 12 captured passes for 199 yards.

In 2014 his contract with the Bengals had expired and was Hawkins free agent . He then signed with the Browns, where he delivered the best season of his career. He caught 63 passes for 823 yards and two touchdowns in fifteen games as a starter. He played eight games as a starter in the 2015 season before being put on the Injured Reserve List due to two concussions . During the season he made 27 pass catches for 276 yards without touchdowns. In 2016 he was elected one of the team captains. He caught 33 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. He started five out of sixteen games. On February 27, 2017, Hawkins was fired from the Browns for financial reasons. His contract still had a term of one year in which he would have earned $ 1.8 million. On May 24, 2017, he signed a contract with the New England Patriots . However, he resigned from professional sports on July 25, 2017. He cited physical complaints as the reason. However, the resignation also came shortly after several studies of American football's brain damage were published. Hawkins also announced shortly after his death that he would donate his brain to science.

After football, he started the podcast The ThomaHawk Show with Joe Thomas on Uninterrupted. In June 2019, he was hired by NFL Media .

style

Hawkins is considered a very fast player. He is also seen as a great leader who puts the team above himself and has an above-average work ethic. He is agile and has good instincts to gain space after a catch.

Personal

Hawkins has several professional football players in his family. His father Artrell Hawkins Sr. was a running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers , his brother Artrell Hawkins was a cornerback for the Bengals, his cousin Carlton Haselrig was a Pro Bowl guard for the Steelers and his other cousin Geroy Simon is one of the most successful receivers in the CFL . Hawkins is committed to fighting social problems in US society. He is the father of a son. In 2015, he started his Masters in Sports Management at Columbia University . He completed it in 2017 with the top grade GPA 4.0.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} The Story of Andrew Hawkins, Pt. I. Cincy Jungle, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Coming Up Short. The Players Tribune, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
3. ↑ ^{a b c} The Story of Andrew Hawkins, Pt. II. Cincy Jungle, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
4. ↑ ^{a b} Andrew Hawkins tells the story of his unique path to the NFL. National Football League, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
5. ↑ Whatever It Takes. The Players Tribune, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
6. ^ ^{A b} Andrew Hawkins' Game-Breaking Speed ​​Makes Him Great Complement to AJ Green. Bleacher Report, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
7. ↑ Bengals put Andrew Hawkins on IR. ESPN, September 4, 2013, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
8. ↑ Brown's Sign Andrew Hawkins. Pro Football Focus, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
9. ↑ ^{a b c d} Browns cut veteran receiver Andrew Hawkins, who took stand on social issues and inspired teammates during time in Cleveland. In: ohio.com. February 28, 2017, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
10. ↑ The proudest moment of Andrew Hawkins' career had nothing to do with football. The Undefeated, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
11. ↑ ^{a b} Andrew Hawkins announces retirement, thanks Browns fans for 'unwavering support'. Cleveland Browns, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
12. ^ Andrew Hawkins signs with Patriots after graduating from Columbia. SB Nation, May 24, 2017, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
13. ↑ Now-retired Andrew Hawkins to donate his brain to CTE research. Boston Globe, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
14. ^ Former NFL wide receiver Andrew Hawkins joins NFL Media. Retrieved June 19, 2019 . 
15. ^ Andrew Hawkins calls out ESPN over Father's Day tweet. FOX Sports, accessed January 23, 2018 . 
16. ^ Andrew Hawkins: Just as Smart as I Am Quick. Sports Illustrated, May 19, 2017, accessed January 23, 2018 .