Dennis Law (American football)

Raymond Dennis Law (born April 4, 1955) is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner who played for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at East Tennessee State University.[1][2][3]

Dennis Law
No. 83
Position:Wide receiver
Kick returner
Personal information
Born: (1955-04-04) April 4, 1955
Commerce, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:179 lb (81 kg)
Career information
High school:Jefferson (Jefferson, Georgia)
College:East Tennessee State
NFL Draft:1978 / Round: 4 / Pick: 99
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:5
Receiving yards:81
Receiving touchdowns:0
Return yards:136
Return touchdowns:0
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

College career

Law played wide receiver at East Tennessee State University, joining the team in 1973 as a freshman.[4] In his first two years with East Tennessee, he was a reserve for the wide receiver position but gained the starting role in 1975, where he caught 18 passes in 11 games for 428 yards and a touchdown.[5] Law improved his performance in 1976 with 22 catches in 10 games for 460 yards and a touchdown.[5] Coming into the 1977 season, Law took over the punt and kick-off return position when team injuries caused him to fill in in a game against Murray State.[5] Law became the team's best wide receiver, with 33 catches in 11 games for 488 yards and four touchdowns. Law made 18 returns for 510 yards and two touchdowns, landing him a spot on the All-Ohio Valley team with East Tennessee.[5][6]

Professional career

Law was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round with the 99th pick in the 1978 NFL Draft.[7]

Law made his NFL debut on September 3, 1978, against the Kansas City Chiefs. Law received 1 pass for 18 yards and returned 4 punts for 29 yards.[8] Law was primarily used as a kick and punt returner for the 1978 season, returning 25 kicks and 2 punts for 136 yards, and receiving 5 passes for 81 yards as a wide receiver.[1] Law is most known for a mistake he made against the Buffalo Bills on October 22, 1978, by breaking an "unwritten commandment" of running into the end zone to receive a punt rather than staying on the 10-yard line, where he was tackled by Lou Piccone for a safety, making the game's score 5–0 Bills.[9]

Law was traded on August 24, 1979, to the Washington Redskins for an undisclosed draft pick,[10] but retired two days later, declaring the draft void.[11] Law was waived off the Bengals and then signed by the Redskins on November 6, 1979, as a replacement for Buddy Hardeman who had suffered a broken jaw.[12] Law was later waived the following week on the 13th to make room for the signing of Bobby Hammond.[13]

On April 18, 1980, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Law along with wide receivers Warren Anderson and Randy Simmrin.[14] On August 6, 1980, the Buccaneers waived Law along with tight end Steve Stephens and defensive back Larry Flowers.[15]

References
  1. "Dennis Law stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. "Dennis Law, WR". Nfl.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  3. Buck, Ray (May 12, 1978). "Bengals' Rookies Measure Up, And Down". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 18. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  4. Cathey, John (September 4, 1974). "Good defense, solid running backs on scene at ETSU". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. p. 19. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  5. "ETSU's Law Was One Of Only Two OVC Draftees". Kingsport Times. May 9, 1978. p. 18. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  6. "Dennis Law makes All-Ohio Valley". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. Associated Press. November 25, 1977. p. 12. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  7. "1978 NFL Draft". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2018-10-31. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  8. "Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals - September 3rd, 1978". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  9. Felser, Larry (October 23, 1978). "Return Breaks Law". Buffalo Evening News. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  10. "Redskins trade Bengals for receiver Dennis Law". The Daily News Leader. Associated Press. August 24, 1979. p. 12. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  11. "Dennis Law quits football". Dayton Daily News. August 26, 1979. p. 30. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  12. "Redskins Pick Up Former Bengal Dennis Law". Springfield News-Sun. Associated Press. November 7, 1979. p. 21. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023. open access
  13. "Redskins sign Bobby Hammond". Daily Journal. UPI. November 14, 1979. p. 8. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  14. "Football". Quad-City Times. April 19, 1980. p. 16. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
  15. "Csonka Waived; No Takers Yet". The Cincinnati Enquirer. August 7, 1980. p. 44. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023. open access
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