Laveranues Coles

Laveranues Leon Coles (/ləˈvɜːrniəs/; born December 29, 1977) is a former American football wide receiver who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Florida State University. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. A Pro Bowl selection in 2003, Coles also played for the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals.

Laveranues Coles
Coles during his second stint with the Jets
No. 87, 80, 11, 19
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1977-12-29) December 29, 1977
Jacksonville, Florida
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Jacksonville (FL) Ribault
College:Florida State
NFL Draft:2000 / Round: 3 / Pick: 78
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:674
Receiving yards:8,609
Receiving TDs:49
Player stats at NFL.com

Early years

Coles was born in Jacksonville, Florida. While attending Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Coles played football, basketball, and ran track. In football, he rushed for nearly 5,000 yards in his career, was named to the Blue Chip Dream Team, and was a first team Class 4A All-State selection. In basketball, he was a member of a state championship team as a senior. In track, he recorded a time of 10.6 seconds in the 100 meter and 21.8 seconds in the 200 meter on the Ribault track team. Due to a scandal at Florida State which resulted in Coles's dismissal from the team, he often referred to his high school when introducing himself on Monday Night Football.

College career

On September 29, 1999, during his senior season at Florida State, Coles and teammate Peter Warrick went to a Tallahassee, Florida Dillard's department store and, with the aid of a cashier with whom they were friendly, purchased $412.38 worth of clothing and were charged only $21.40—a discount so large that it is considered shoplifting under Florida law. An off-duty officer saw the event through a surveillance camera, according to police. Coles, Warrick, and the clerk, were arrested for grand theft. On October 22, Coles pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petty theft and was dismissed from the Florida State Seminoles football team.[1] At that year's rivalry game at the University of Florida, Florida Gators fans brought Dillard's bags to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to mock the team. Florida State won the game, and Seminole fans returned the mocking by requesting the bags as souvenirs.

Coles's childhood nickname was "Trouble".[2] Coles was arrested in 1998 for simple battery, suspended for the Seminoles' 1999 season opener versus Louisiana Tech for academic reasons, and was discovered to have accepted a plane ticket from a sports agent's representative in 1999.[2]

Professional career

2000 NFL Combine
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
5 ft 11 in
(1.80 m)		 192 lb
(87 kg)		 4.41 s 1.53 s 2.58 s 4.39 s 6.89 s 34 in
(0.86 m)		 9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)
All values from NFL Combine

New York Jets

Coles was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round (78th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. Coles' first career touchdown catch came in the Jets' "Monday Night Miracle" victory against the Miami Dolphins on October 23, 2000.

Washington Redskins

After a spectacular 2002 season, Coles signed with the Washington Redskins in the 2002 offseason and admitted that he left the Jets because the Redskins offered him more money. He made the Pro Bowl for the Redskins in 2003.

New York Jets (second stint)

He was traded back to the Jets in 2005 for Santana Moss. During the first year of his second stint with the Jets, Coles revealed that he had been sexually abused between ages 10 to 13 by a man whom his mother, Sirretta married. Coles refused to divulge the man's name. After the abuse was revealed, Sirretta Coles divorced the man, who was later sentenced to nine years in prison. He served about a third of his sentence and was released. He was convicted of another crime and has been imprisoned since 2001 for it.[3]

After a disappointing season in 2005, Coles enjoyed a rebirth in 2006, directly due to the good health of quarterback, Chad Pennington. On December 26, 2006, he caught the last touchdown on Monday Night Football's last game on ABC. Coles was released by the Jets on February 25, 2009.[4]

Cincinnati Bengals

Coles was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals on March 4, 2009. He would agree in principle to a four-year, $28 million contract.[5]

He was released by the Bengals on March 4, 2010, exactly one year after signing with the organization.

New York Jets (third stint)

The Jets announced Coles had been signed to a one-year contract on July 30, 2010. However, his stay would be brief as the team waived Coles after nearly a month on August 29, 2010.[6]

On September 21, 2010, Coles was talked about in the media as an option to fill in for Braylon Edwards, who was charged with a DWI the previous night.[7] Coles contemplated retirement.[8]

On December 4, 2010, the Jets filled their open roster spot by signing Coles to yet another contract reuniting him with the Jets.[9] The roster spot had been vacated when Jim Leonhard was placed on injured reserve with a fractured tibia. Coles was able to rejoin the team in time for their Monday night game against the New England Patriots for Week 13 of the NFL's 2010 season.

NFL career statistics

Receiving Statistics[10]

YearTeamGPRecTgtsYardsAvgLngTDFDFumLost
2000NYJ 1322—37016.86311600
2001NYJ 1659—86814.74074200
2002NYJ 1689—1,26414.24356710
2003WAS 1682—1,20414.76465400
2004WAS 1690—95010.64515211
2005NYJ 1673—84511.64355210
2006NYJ 16911521,09812.15865210
2007NYJ 12558964611.75763500
2008NYJ 167011785012.15474410
2009CIN 16437751412.04052900
Career1536744358,60912.8644944351

Returning Stats[10]

YearTeamGPPRetYardsTDFCLngKRetYardsTDFCLng
2000NYJ 1300000112070024
2001NYJ 160000092110034
2006NYJ 160000010000
2009CIN 16000001140014
Career6100000224320034

Rushing Statistics[10]

YearTeamGPAttYardsAvgLngTDFDFumLost
2000NYJ 132157.580000
2001NYJ 161010810.8200710
2002NYJ 166396.5210200
2003WAS 1610393.9230300
2004WAS 163-3-1.070200
2006NYJ 162147.0150100
2008NYJ 16294.560000
2009CIN 162105.080100
Career153372316.22301610

References
  1. Concha, Joe (March 8, 2004). "Top bizarre sports scandals of all-time". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on March 8, 2004. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
  2. Prisco, Pete (March 5, 2000). "The only trouble Coles wants to cause is for Jaguars opponents". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
  3. "Jets' Coles confides he was sexually abused". ESPN.com. September 19, 2005. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  4. "Source: N.Y. Jets decide to part ways with Coles". ESPN.com. February 25, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  5. Coles has Skins bengals.com, March 4, 2009
  6. Cimini, Rich (August 29, 2010). "Jets cut veteran WR Laveranues Coles". ESPN New York. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  7. Cannizzaro, Mark (September 21, 2010). "Expect Jets to play without Edwards on Sunday". New York Post. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  8. Hutchinson, Dave (August 29, 2010). "Ex-Jets WR Laveranues Coles contemplating retirement". The Star Ledger. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  9. Vrentas, Jenny (December 4, 2010). "Former Jets WR Laveranues Coles to re-sign with team". The Star Ledger. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  10. "Laveranues Coles Stats". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
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