Jeremy Shockey still helps Miami Hurricanes football program
MIAMI (BVM) 鈥� Former University of Miami and NFL tight end Jeremy Shockey may best be remembered for his hard-nosed style of play for some of the early 2000s toughest teams both at the collegiate levels and in the pros. While he has been out of the league for a decade, fans who grew up during that generation still remember Shockey for his tough-as-nails attitude and stellar play for his position. While Shockey鈥檚 journey doesn鈥檛 begin in Miami, the former NFL standout has fully embraced the city and his role for one of the best teams in Hurricanes program history.
Shockey鈥檚 story begins in a place that seems as opposite of Miami as one could get 鈥� Ada, Oklahoma, a rural town of just over 16,000 people. This is where a young Shockey first began playing football, but he had something to prove.
鈥淐oming from Oklahoma, from a small town in Oklahoma, you鈥檝e got that stigma of you can鈥檛 do it,鈥� Shockey 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it gave you a chip on your shoulder but it did something to me and it gave me a bad taste in my mouth. It gave me something of 鈥業 could do it, I could achieve it. I am not here to prove anyone wrong, I’m here to prove myself wrong and my own doubts.鈥� That was a turning point in my career.鈥�
A four-year letter winner for Ada High School, Shockey played wide receiver, outside linebacker and returned punts during his time on the team, finishing his senior season with 50 catches for 1,108 yards and five touchdowns as well as four punt return touchdowns. This earned Shockey all-conference, all-district and all-state honors that season.
However, the big schools wouldn鈥檛 come calling just yet. Instead, Shockey would go the junior college route playing for Northeast Oklahoma A&M, fittingly in Miami (pronounced My-am-uh), Oklahoma. During his lone JUCO season, the freshman proved himself as he caught 33 passes for 484 yards and seven scores while being named a unanimous first-team All-Southwest Junior College Conference selection and a first-team JC All-American by The JC GridWire.
鈥淭hat was the biggest obstacle I would have to overcome,鈥� Shockey 鈥淣ot being recruited by a big school, having to go to junior college, not being fast enough, not being strong enough, not being tall enough.鈥�
It was during this time that University of Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator and soon-to-be head coach Larry Coker saw Shockey and offered him a chance to move to Miami in Florida.
鈥淭o say that I was very humbled at that time to have a person come down from Oklahoma and coached at Miami at the time to scout me I was in awe,鈥� Shockey 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 let me do much but I think he saw me and he understood I wanted to get out of Miami and go to Miami.鈥�
This move would be a significant one for both Shockey and the Hurricanes. Signing with the team in July 2000, Shockey would go on one of the best two-year runs in program history.
Despite being the backup as a sophomore, Shockey would go on to catch 21 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns including a historic touchdown catch in the final seconds to defeat No. 1 Florida State 27-24. This impressive season helped Shockey earn first-team All-Big East honors by the league鈥檚 coaches, College Football News and The Sporting News.
The next season, Shockey would truly become a star. The junior tight end led the Canes with 45 receptions with 604 receiving yards and eight touchdowns including catching five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown in the 37-14 Rose Bowl win over No. 4 Nebraska to earn the program its fifth national championship. Shockey was named a Mackey Award finalist, a first–team All-American by CNNSI.com and a second-team All-American by the Associated Press, Sportsline.com and ABC Sports Online.聽
Following his stellar junior season, Shockey would declare for the 2002 NFL Draft where he was selected in the first round and No. 14 overall pick by the New York Giants. With the Giants, Shockey would continue his strong play right out of the gates.
In his first year with the G-Men, Shockey had 74 catches for 894 yards and two scores helping him earn Pro Bowl and nods while finishing runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year to former Hurricanes鈥� teammate Clinton Portis. This would be the start of a six-year tenure in the Big Apple where Shockey would go to four Pro Bowls and be a part of numerous highlight moments including catching Eli Manning鈥檚 , being on the cover of the video game 鈥�鈥� and helping the Giants win Super Bowl XLII over the unbeaten New England Patriots, though he missed the final game due to a broken leg.
After the championship season, Shockey would become more vocal about his desire to leave the Giants due what he felt was a lack of use in the passing offense. Shockey would get his wish as the Giants sent him to the New Orleans Saints for second and fifth-round picks, where he reunited with Sean Payton, who was previously the G-Men鈥檚 offensive coordinator for the tight end鈥檚 All-Pro rookie campaign. Shockey finished his Giants tenure with 371 catches (fifth-most in franchise history at the time) for 4,228 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Shockey would never achieve the same highs he had with the Giants. Playing three seasons with New Orleans, Shockey would have his moments, including catching the in the Saints鈥� Super Bowl XLIV win, but he would never make a Pro Bowl and never had a season that even topped his final season in New York. In three seasons, Shockey recorded 139 receptions for 1,460 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.
Shockey signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers in 2011 and played one season for the team playing in 15 games recording 37 receptions, 455 receiving yards and four touchdowns. That would end Shockey鈥檚 NFL career as he played 10 seasons recording 547 catches for 6,143 yards and 37 touchdowns.
During his post-NFL life, Shockey has stayed relatively out of the limelight, though his social media pages show him living in Miami. He was inducted into the in 2017. In 2019, Shockey returned to the New York Giants for the first time since his public breakup with the team as he took part in the franchise鈥檚 celebrating the NFL鈥檚 100–year anniversary.
Shockey has also maintained a relationship with his alma mater. Last month, Shockey was included among the alumni like Michael Irvin, Bryant McKinnie, Jon Beason, Reggie Wayne and Antrel Rolle among a host of others, helping with Mario Cristobal鈥檚 .
Though Shockey may not have imagined ever making his way to Miami in Florida, it has now become a part of him and the city would not be the same without him. Given his legendary status at the U, expect Shockey to continue to grow his relationship with the school for years to come.
鈥淚t鈥檚 truly special to be a part of this university,鈥� Shockey said during his UM Sports Hall of Fame acceptance speech. 鈥淚t goes without saying it was the best time of my life. Everyone asked what was the best part of playing football when I played in the NFL for a while and I said, 鈥業t鈥檚 simple it was Miami.鈥欌��
