Earnest Graham
Earnest Graham was born in Naples, Florida, United States on January 15th, 1980 and is the Football Player. At the age of 44, Earnest Graham biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 44 years old, Earnest Graham has this physical status:
Earnest Graham, Jr. (born January 15, 1980) is an American former college and professional football player who has competed in the National Football League (NFL) for eight years.
He played college football for the University of Florida and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2003.
Graham became a favorite among Buccaneers fans, coaches, and colleagues for his hard work and team-first attitude after football.
From 2014 to 2018, he served as the head football coach at North Fort Myers High School.
Graham was installed as the new Head Coach and Director of Football Operations at Evangelical Christian School in Fort Myers, Florida, in February.
Early years
In 1980, Graham was born in Naples, Florida. He attended Mariner High School in Cape Coral, Florida. He was a versatile athlete and lettered in high school football, baseball, and basketball. Graham, especially as a football running back, was a natural performer, and he set new county and state records for career rushing yards and touchdowns. Despite missing two games, he finished his high school career with 5,710 passing yards and eighty-six touchdowns, including 2,159 yards and thirty touchdowns as a junior, as a freshman, and 1,858 yards and twenty-nine touchdowns as a senior. In 1997, Graham was named the state of Florida's "Mr. Football" and was rated as a Parade magazine high school All-American.
Earnest Graham was chosen to participate in The Rotary Club of Fort Myers South in 1996 (http://rotarysouth.org/); All Star Game honors high school athletes in Lee County, Florida.
Graham was named as one of the "100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years" of Florida high school football, nine years after he graduated from high school.
College career
Graham, a highly coveted college recruit, was a sought-after college recruit who received an athletic scholarship from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for the Florida Gators football team from 1998 to 2002. Graham sustained a foot injury in his first college season in 1998 and was given a medical redshirt.
Graham played for 654 yards and five touchdowns for the Gators as a redshirt freshman in 1999 and earned him a spot on the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team. During the 2000 season, Graham tied for 676 yards and eight touchdowns, splitting time with fellow running back Robert Gillespie. Graham was slowed by injuries in 2001 (including a controversial knee injury in the Florida State game), but the team received second-team All-SEC award for 650 yards and nine touchdowns while splitting time with Gillespie.
Graham played every game for the Gators in 2002 and scored 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a career-high 182 yards in the season opener against the UAB Blazers.
Graham was ranked as one of the best running backs in Gator history at the end of his career at Florida. Graham finished third in school history in rushing touchdowns (33), fifth in rushing yardage and attempts (3,065 yards on 603 attempts), fifth in career 100-yard games (9), and ninth in all-purpose yards (3,468). In his three bowl games, Graham also averaged 135 yards.
Professional career
In April 2003, Graham signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent the bulk of the 2003 NFL season and a portion of the 2004 season on the team's practice squad and was eventually promoted to the active roster on October 27, 2004.
During the 2004, 2005, 2005, and 2006 preseasons, Graham led the Buccaneers in rushing yards, prompting former coach Jon Gruden to dubbed him "Mr. August." However, he was not given the opportunity to play the ball until the regular season began. Rather, Graham spent his time on special teams, leading the team in special teams battles in 2005 and 2006.
Graham spent most of the 2007 season on special teams. For the first time in his pro career, however, Buccaneers running backs Carnell Williams, Mike Alstott, Michael Pittman, and others all missed him. In a 24-3 victory over the St. Louis Rams on September 23, 2007, he scored his first two touchdowns of his career. After starter Cadillac Williams suffered a serious knee injury in the Carolina Panthers' game the following week, the Buccaneers' quarterback was able to return to running back for the remainder of the season.
In the thirteen games he played, Graham capitalized on his opportunities, rushing for 898 yards and ten touchdowns. He rushed for over 100 yards in a game three times and scored a touchdown in six straight games during that time. Graham played in Buccaneers history for the second time in history, winning 100-yard rushing games against the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals. Graham played for 100 yards, scored a touchdown, averaged four yards per carry, or caught six or more passes in nine of his ten starts.
Graham decided to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension in 2008 after skipping voluntary off-season workouts in 2008 due to dissatisfaction with his employment. Graham received a $1 million roster bonus for making the regular season roster despite the fact that the agreement contained no promised funds.
Graham split carries with Warrick Dunn during the 2008 season and stopped on several long touchdown runs early in the season. Graham volunteered to move to Dunn and helped the Buccaneers' fullbacks return to action for several weeks due to injuries to several of the Buccaneers' fullbacks. During Week 11 of the 2008 season, Graham sustained an ankle injury on his first appearance against the Minnesota Vikings and was placed on injured reserve on November 19, extending his season.
Cadillac Williams recovered from a string of serious injuries for the 2009 season, putting Graham back to the role of a fullback and special teams player. His rushing attempts were limited, since he was more of a blocker rather than a ball carrier. During the Buccaneers' week 16 game against the New Orleans Saints on December 27, he tore a ligament in his toe, and he was drafted on season-end injured reserve the next day.
As LeGarrette Blount's return to the Buccaneers in 2010, Graham continued in his support role in 2010, resulting in few plays for Graham and the team not resigning Williams after the season. Graham's season highlight came on December 5, when he to tight end John Gilmore with a touchdown pass.
Graham was signed on to be a fullback and special teams player right from the start of the 2011 season. However, Graham was thrust back to his featured tailback role for a home game against the New Orleans Saints on October 16, when Blount was hospitalized during week 5. As the Buccaneers defeated their division rivals 26-20, he responded by rushing for 109 yards on 17 attempts. His one-game yardage average was more than he had gained in either of the previous two seasons as a blocker.
When the Buccaneers faced the Chicago Bears in London last week, Graham got off running back. During the first quarter, however, he suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury and was put on the injured reserve list two days later, putting an end to his season and NFL career. Following the 2011 season, he became a free agent.
Coaching career
Graham was named head football coach at North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, Florida, near his home town of Cape Coral, in December 2013. In the 1990s, the Red Knights had a tradition of football success, but they fell to 0-10 in the season after Graham's arrival. In his first three seasons, Graham led the team to records of 5-5, 5-5, and 6-3. For the first time since 2006, the Red Knights enjoyed their first unbeaten regular season since 1994 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They qualified for the regional semifinals and ended the year with a 9-1 record.
Graham resigned from his role at North Fort Myers in April 2018, citing the desire to spend more time with his family and take care of his health.
Graham was appointed as the new head coach and director of football operations at Evangelical Christian School in Fort Myers, Florida, in February 2019.