Quentin Coryatt
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Quentin John Coryatt (born August 1, 1970) is a former
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
and
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
. 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
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
. He is distinguished as being the first Crucian to play in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
.


Early years

Coryatt was born in
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorpo ...
, where he was raised until the age of 15. He attended Robert E. Lee High School in
Baytown, Texas Baytown is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within Harris and Chambers counties. Located in the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area, it lies on the northern side of the Galveston Bay complex near the outlets of t ...
. As a senior, he received All-district, All-area and All-Greater Houston honors. He also practiced
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
and
track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
.


College career

He accepted a football scholarship from
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
. He didn't play in his first two years after failing to meet the requirements of Proposition 48. As a junior, he became a starter at
inside linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
. He posted 92 tackles (5 for loss), 3 sacks, 18 quarterback pressures and 2 fumble recoveries. He received SWC Newcomer of the Year honors, contributing to the defense ranking first in the nation. He was the centerpiece of an outstanding Aggie defensive unit (nicknamed "Wrecking Crew"), along with players like
Mark Wheeler Mark Anthony Wheeler (born April 1, 1970) is a former American football defensive tackle who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He started in S ...
,
Marcus Buckley Marcus Wayne Buckley (born February 3, 1971) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1990s. He played college football for Texas A&M ...
, Kevin Smith,
Derrick Frazier Derrick Lothair Frazier (born April 29, 1970) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played for the team from 1993 to ...
, and
Patrick Bates Patrick James Bates (born November 27, 1970) is a former safety in the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Raiders and later played for the Atlanta Falcons after being traded by t ...
. As a senior, he registered 92 tackles (second on the team), 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 3 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He gained fame in a nationally televised game by knocking out
Texas Christian University Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private research university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark as the Add-Ran Male & Female College. It is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples ...
wide receiver Kyle McPherson with a ferocious hit on a pass over the middle, breaking McPherson's jaw in three places.
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
named it the "Hit of the Year". He was selected second-team All-American, All-SWC, and a SWC Defensive Player of the Year. In the
1992 Cotton Bowl Classic The 1992 Cotton Bowl Classic featured the Florida State Seminoles and the Texas A&M Aggies. Background The Aggies were the Southwest Conference champions for the first time since 1987, and they had done it with a perfect 8-0 record in conference ...
, the Aggies lost 10-2 against
Florida State University Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
, with Coryatt producing the only points after making a sack for a safety, while also having 15 tackles (10 solo), 3 tackles for loss and one
safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are ...
. In 2009, he was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.


Professional career


Indianapolis Colts

Entering the
1992 NFL Draft The 1992 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1992, at the Marriott Mar ...
, the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
owned the first two overall draft picks. After selecting
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
Steve Emtman, the team chose Coryatt who was projected as the No. 1
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
. It was the highest draft position for a Texas A&M player since John David Crow in
1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...
. As a rookie, he became the starter at left inside linebacker in the team's 3-4 defense for the first seven games. On October 27, he was placed on the
injured reserve list The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
with a broken left wrist he suffered in the seventh game against the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. He recorded 54 tackles (at the time of the injury second on the team), 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. In
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
, the team changed to a 4-3 defense and he was named the starter at
middle linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
. He tallied 150 tackles (led the team), 11 passes defensed, 8 quarterback pressures, one sack and one forced fumble. In
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, Vince Tobin was hired as the new
defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football (American football) team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's c ...
and proceeded to move Coryatt to right outside linebacker, where he registered 141 tackles (third on the team), 6 passes defensed, one sack, 2 quarterback pressures and one fumble recovery. He set the franchise record for the longest fumble return (78 yards) against the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
. In
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, he started at right outside linebacker, recording 163 tackles (second on the team), 2.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, 7 passes defensed, 3 fumble recoveries and his first career interception, while helping the team reach the AFC Championship Game. In
1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
. He was a
restricted free agent A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), or National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain ...
and was signed to a $17.5 million offer sheet by the Jacksonville Jaguars, which the Colts ended up matching, ensuring he would remain with the team. He played just eight games in the season, after tearing 20 percent of his left pectoral muscle and later in the season tearing his right pectoral muscle off the bone, which was a career-threatening injury. He finished with 58 tackles, 4 quarterback pressures, 2 fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. In
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, he was limited with an injured left shoulder, starting 15 games (11 at the right side and 4 at the left side). He missed the game against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
with an Achilles injury. He posted 116 tackles (second on the team), 2 sacks, 6 quarterback pressures, 2 interceptions, one pass defensed and 2 forced fumbles. He was waived injured on August 31,
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
. He underwent reconstructive surgery on his left shoulder on September 30.


Dallas Cowboys

The
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
gambled that Coryatt could regain his form and signed him as a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
on April 17,
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
. He was expected to be the starter at
strongside linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
, but was slowed down by an Achilles injury suffered during a June minicamp and also had problems with his surgically reconstructed left shoulder. After not being able to overcome his injuries, he initially announced his retirement on September 14. He tried again to come back in December, playing in 4 games (one start), while making only one tackle. He was released on February 13,
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
. Coryatt played in 82 games over a seven-year stretch in the
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
and although he was a solid contributor, injuries didn't allow him to live up to the stardom that was expected of him by virtue of his high draft status.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coryatt, Quentin 1970 births Living people People from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands players of American football American football linebackers Texas A&M Aggies football players Indianapolis Colts players Dallas Cowboys players