Bradley Jamar Sams (born October 29, 1980) is a former American football player who was a running back, wide receiver, cornerback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for 6 seasons. He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

at McNeese State University. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2004, and also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and California Redwoods.

Early years

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens

For the first three years of his career, Sams proved to be a valuable asset to the Ravens return game, and one of the better return men in the league. After joining the team as an undrafted free agent, his rookie season he posted 1826 total kick and punt return yards., including 2 punt return touchdowns. The following season, he missed two games, but still recorded 1,399 total return yards, with a career long of 82 yards. In 2006, he had an equally productive season, and was on pace to have the best season of his career before going down with injury in Game 12. Two weeks prior to that, against the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

, he had one of the best games of his career, returning for more yards than the Falcons had rushing, combined, at 212. His best career game, his rookie season, he had 250 total yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. Sams suffered a broken leg against the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...

and missed the remainder of Baltimore's 2007 season. Before suffering the injury, he helped keep the team in the game with 177 return yards, though they would ultimately lose on a late flag that negated a Todd Heap touchdown. Although he was let go following this season, in favor of Yamon Figurs, a return man who wound up being released himself in 2009, in Sams' career as a Raven prior to injury, he became the second best return specialist in Baltimore Ravens history, with 4,481 total return yards in just over three seasons. That mark is second only to Jermaine Lewis, who was the team's all-time leading return man, with 5,883 regular season return yards in six seasons. His rookie season mark of 1,251 kick return yards, still stands as the best single season kick return total in team history.

Kansas City Chiefs

On April 9, 2008, Sams signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was released four games into the regular season on October 1 after the team signed wide receiver Mark Bradley.

California Redwoods

Sams was drafted by the California Redwoods of the United Football League in the UFL Premiere Season Draft in 2009. He signed with the team on August 18. He led the UFL's inaugural season as the league's leading kick returner, with 375 yards.

NFL statistics

Returning Stats

References

External links

United Football LeagueJust Sports StatsUnited Football League
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sams, B. J. 1980 births Living people Players of American football from New Orleans American football running backs American football wide receivers American football cornerbacks American football safeties American football return specialists McNeese Cowboys football players Baltimore Ravens players Kansas City Chiefs players People from St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Sacramento Mountain Lions players People from Mandeville, Louisiana