Highlighted Year: Miles Austin, 2009

Wide Receiver, Dallas Cowboys

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Cowboys

College: Monmouth

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 216

Prelude:

Austin set school records at Monmouth with 150 catches for 2867 yards (19.1 avg.) and 30 touchdowns over the course of 39 games. Coming out of a Division 1-AA program, he went undrafted in 2006 and signed with the Cowboys as a free agent. He was used exclusively as a kickoff returner as a rookie and had a 93-yard TD return in the postseason loss to Seattle. Austin continued to return kickoffs in 2007 and ’08 and caught a total of just 18 passes for 354 yards (19.7 avg.) and three TDs in a reserve role. The departure of WR Terrell Owens opened up an opportunity for Austin, who had demonstrated potential as a deep threat.

2009 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 81 [15]          

Most receptions, game – 10 (for 250 yds.) at Kansas City 10/11, (for 104 yds.) at NY Giants 12/6

Yards – 1320 [3, 1^st in NFC]

Most yards, game – 250 (on 10 catches) at Kansas City 10/11

Average gain – 16.3 [10]

TDs – 11 [4, tied with Roddy White & Visanthe Shiancoe]

200-yard receiving games – 1

100-yard receiving games – 5

Rushing

Attempts – 2

Yards – -2

Average gain – -1.0

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 7

Yards – 157

Average per return – 22.4

TDs – 0

Longest return – 29 yards

Scoring

TDs – 11 [14, tied with four others]

Points – 66

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 11

Most pass receptions, game – 7 vs. Philadelphia, NFC Wild Card playoff

Pass receiving yards – 116

Most pass receiving yards, game – 82 vs. Philadelphia, NFC Wild Card playoff

Average yards per reception – 10.6

Pass Receiving TDs – 1

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards – 8

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Cowboys went 11-5 to finish first in the NFC East while ranking second in the NFL in total yards (6390). Won NFC Wild Card playoff over Philadelphia Eagles (34-14). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Minnesota Vikings (34-3).

Aftermath:

Austin followed up with 69 catches for 1041 yards (15.1 avg.) and seven touchdowns in 2010, with the loss of QB Tony Romo six games into the season due to a broken collar bone and the addition of rookie WR Dez Bryant contributing to lowered production. He was again selected to the Pro Bowl. Hamstring problems limited Austin to ten games in 2011 but he bounced back by catching 66 passes for 943 yards (14.3 avg.) and six TDs in ’12. After being held to 11 games and 24 catches in 2013, he was released and moved on to Cleveland for 2014, where he had 47 receptions for 568 yards (12.1 avg.) before being sidelined with a lacerated kidney. Overall, over the course of nine seasons through 2014, six in a starting role, Austin has caught 348 passes for 5049 yards (14.5 avg.) and 36 TDs, with 301 of those receptions for 4481 yards and two scores coming with Dallas. He also returned 89 kickoffs for a 24.1-yard average, all with the Cowboys.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970