April 16, 2015

Highlighted Year: Danny Amendola, 2009

Wide Receiver, St. Louis Rams




Age: 24 (Nov. 2)
2nd season in pro football, 1st active & with Rams
College: Texas Tech
Height: 5’11” Weight: 186

Prelude:
Amendola caught 204 passes in college, including 109 for 1245 yards and six touchdowns as a senior (and adding in 6 for 68 yards and a TD in the Gator Bowl). Undrafted in 2008, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys and spent the entire regular season on the practice squad after being waived. The Eagles signed him to their practice squad for the postseason. He went to training camp with Philadelphia and started the ’09 season on the practice squad until the Rams signed him from there in September.

2009 Season Summary
Appeared in 14 of 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 43      
Most receptions, game – 7 (for 55 yds.) vs. Seattle 11/29
Yards – 326
Most yards, game – 61 (on 4 catches) vs. Arizona 11/22
Average gain – 7.6
TDs – 1

Rushing
Attempts – 3
Yards – -2
Average gain – -0.7
TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns
Returns – 66 [1]
Yards – 1618 [1]
Most yards, game – 217 (on 9 ret.) at Tennessee 12/13
Average per return – 24.5 [17]
TDs – 0
Longest return – 58 yards

Punt Returns
Returns – 31 [8, tied with Captain Munnerlyn]
Yards – 360 [6]
Most yards, game – 79 (on 3 ret.) at Arizona 12/27
Average per return – 11.6 [7]
TDs – 0
Longest return – 56 yards

All-purpose yards – 2302 [6, 1st in NFC]

Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6

Rams went 1-15 to finish fourth in the NFC West.

Aftermath:
Amendola had a bigger year in 2010, seeing more action on offense as an effective slot receiver with 85 catches for 689 yards, still returning kicks, and leading the league in all-purpose yards with 2364. However, an elbow injury suffered in the 2011 season-opening game had him spending the rest of the year on injured reserve and he missed another five games due to injury in 2012. Amendola departed for New England as a free agent in 2013, where it was anticipated that he would help fill in for departed WR Wes Welker, and he had 54 catches for 633 yards while appearing in 12 games. His production declined in 2014 but he became a significant factor in the postseason, which was capped by a touchdown reception in the Super Bowl victory over Seattle. Through 2014, he has caught 277 passes for 2559 yards (9.2 avg.) and 10 touchdowns, averaged 23.6 yards on 138 kickoff returns and 10.2 yards on 106 punt returns. Of those totals, 196 receptions for 1726 yards (8.8 avg.) and seven TDs came with the Rams, where he also averaged 23.5 yards on 118 of the kickoff returns and 10.5 yards on 89 punt returns.

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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