Jerry Crafts

Jerry Wayne Crafts (born January 6, 1968) is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He also played in the World League of American Football, XFL, Canadian Football League and Arena Football League. He is the only person to have been involved with teams that played in the championship games of each of the aforementioned Leagues. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma for Barry Switzer and the University of Louisville.

Jerry Crafts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Position:Offensive line coach
Personal information
Born: (1968-01-06) January 6, 1968
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Career information
High school:Tulsa (OK) Metro Christian
College:Louisville
NFL Draft:1991 / Round: 11 / Pick: 292
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:54
Games started:13
Fumble recoveries:2
Player stats at NFL.com · ArenaFan.com

Currently he is an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Early years and college career

Crafts is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended Metro Christian Academy. He began his college career at the University of Oklahoma before transferring to the University of Louisville after his sophomore season.

Professional career

Crafts was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 11th round (292nd pick overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, but was released during the preseason on August 16.[1][2] After not making the Colts' roster, Crafts played for the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in the spring of 1992. He was a backup to left tackle Rick Cunningham and right tackle Kevin Allen, before starting World Bowl '92 in the place of an injured Cunningham.

Following the World League season, Crafts signed with the Buffalo Bills on July 7.[3] He played as a backup in the first six games of the 1992 NFL season before suffering a knee injury.[4] On October 26, the Bills placed him on the injured reserve list, where he remained for the rest of the season.[5]

Crafts would go on to play as a tackle/guard for the Buffalo Bills from 1992 to 1994, but was released by the Green Bay Packers in 1995 after being signed during the offseason. Out of the league, Crafts played the 1996 and 1997 seasons in the World League for the Amsterdam Admirals. His play would lead to a signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, for whom he played from 1997 to 1998. He was released in camp in 1999, and later by the Oakland Raiders in 2001.

In the latter years of his career, Crafts made stops across three different football leagues: the Arena Football League (AFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the XFL. In the AFL, he played for the New Jersey Red Dogs (2000), Buffalo Destroyers (2001–2002),[6] Las Vegas Gladiators (2003), and Detroit Fury (2004). Crafts was a member for the Toronto Argonauts (2000–2001), Montreal Alouettes (2002, a year the team would go on to win the Grey Cup), and Hamilton Tiger Cats (2002) of the CFL. In the spring of 2001, he played for the Los Angeles Xtreme of the XFL, winning the league's championship; he used the uniform nickname "Big Daddy" (along with jersey number 69) with the Xtreme.[7]

Coaching career

Crafts is currently an assistant offensive line coach and scheduler with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent one season as offensive line coach with the National Arena League's Jacksonville Sharks, helping them win NALBowl I.

References
  1. "1991 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  2. "Jerry Crafts 1991 NFL Draft Profile". ESPN.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  3. "Deals". The Seattle Times. July 8, 1992. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  4. "Jerry Crafts NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  5. Gaughan, Mark (October 27, 1992). "Key Bills performers, hobbled in game, shake off the pain and play to the end". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2012. To make room, Kurt Schulz (sprained knee) and tackle Jerry Crafts (tendinitis in knee) were placed on the injured reserve list.
  6. "Crafts back in the saddle". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. March 14, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  7. Bulkema, Will. The only XFL championship was also the worst by SB Nation, February 7, 2019
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