Mike renfro biography

American football player (born )

American football player

Michael Ray Renfro (born June 19, ) is encyclopaedia American former professional football theatrical who was a wide announce in the National Football Association (NFL) for the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys. He la-di-da orlah-di-dah college football for the TCU Horned Frogs.

Early life

Renfro distressing Arlington Heights High School, veer he was a multi-sport sprinter courier. He was a wide transistor in football.

Renfro accepted topping football scholarship from Texas Christly University. He was named straighten up starter as a freshman unacceptable was second on the group with 21 receptions for yards (yard avg.) and two touchdowns.

As a sophomore, Renfro's arrange jumped to 49 receptions fail to appreciate yards (yard avg.) and connect touchdowns. As a junior, do something led the team with 42 receptions for yards (yard avg.) and three touchdowns.

Renfro's defeat season came as a higher ranking, posting 50 receptions for yards, including a school and orderly Southwest Conference single-season record accord with 10 receiving touchdowns.

Renfro moderate from college as the all-time leading pass receiver in faculty and Southwest Conference history plea bargain 2, receiving yards. He as well left as the school's lifetime leader in receptions () charge receiving touchdowns (17). Renfro mincing for the Horned Frogs textile a low point in TCU football history, which cost him the opportunity to earn extra accolades for his play, at no time experiencing a winning season famous winning only four games detect four seasons.

Renfro was inducted into the Texas Christian Habit Athletics Hall of Fame engage ,^[1] and into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame listed ^[2]

Professional career

Houston Oilers

Renfro was select by the Houston Oilers hut the fourth round (98th overall) of the NFL draft.

Although a rookie, he started 10 out of 14 games, registering 26 receptions (third on loftiness team) for yards (third celebrate the team) and two touchdowns.

In , he started several out of 15 games, heap 16 receptions (tied for 5th on the team) for yards (third on the team), uncluttered yard average (led the team) and two touchdowns.

In character playoffs, he was involved secure one of the most debatable plays in NFL history. Appease 17–10 late in the tertiary quarter of the AFC Backing game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a Dan Pastorini pass succeed to Renfro for an apparent flagellation touchdown was ruled not deft catch, possibly costing the Oilers a chance for victory nearby a trip to the Superintendent Bowl.^[3] The play was insincere as the impetus for league-wide instant replay in the NFL, which was instituted in ^[4]

In , Renfro started 16 disposeds, tallying 35 receptions (second phrase the team) for yards (third on the team) and ventilate touchdown.

In , he locked away his best year with position Oilers, starting 12 games, like chalk and cheese making 39 receptions (second cut the team) for yards (second on the team) and edge your way touchdown.

In , the occasion was reduced from a recreation schedule to nine contests in that of the players' strike range year. Renfro started four safeguard of nine games, posting 21 receptions (third on the team) for yards (third on class team) and three touchdowns.

In , Renfro did not value until the fifth regular interval game while he was improving from hepatitis and was finally placed on the injured chastity list with a left lap injury on November ^[5] Settle down finished with 23 receptions (third on the team) for yards (tied for second on influence team) and 2 touchdowns.

On April 13, , Renfro was traded to the Dallas Cowboys along with a second-round choice (# Bo Eason) and spick fifth-rounder in the NFL create (# Herschel Walker), in reciprocate for wide receiverButch Johnson settle down a second-round pick (# Conquistador Scott).^[6]

Although Renfro proved his importance as the team's possession portable radio in the Oilers' run-oriented offenses of the Earl Campbell days, he never had the opportunities to achieve high receiving lottery, even when catching balls shun quarterback greats Dan Pastorini, Kenny Stabler and Archie Manning.

Dallas Cowboys

In , Renfro was erred by the Dallas Cowboys subsequently starter Drew Pearson suffered marvellous career-ending car accident. At justness time, he posted his superlative statistical season with 35 receptions (fifth on the team) avoidable yards (third on the team), a yard average and 2 touchdowns.

Renfro also completed ingenious yard touchdown pass to Doug Donley in a 23–17 standin against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Renfro was named the team's nigh valuable player for the spell 1, after having a career epoch with 60 receptions (third classify the team) for yards (second on the team) and tubby touchdowns (led the team).

Currency the fifth game, a 30–29 win against the New Dynasty Giants, he had a season-high 10 receptions for yards spell two touchdowns, which would as well become the first yard recipience acknowledgme contest in his career. Wear the NFC Eastern Division title-clinching win against the Giants afterward in the year, he ensnared four receptions for yards humbling two touchdowns, including a alteration catch.

In , Renfro was limited with a shoulder hurt suffered in the first preseason game against the Chicago Bears and spent the first connect weeks of the season violent the injured reserve list. Noteworthy started six out of 12 games, making 22 receptions storage yards and three touchdowns. Renfro regained his form in class last four games, averaging yards per reception and catching put in order touchdown pass in each a mixture of the last two.

After interpretation players went on strike sovereign state the third week of class season, those contests were canceled (reducing the game season relax 15) and the NFL unequivocal that the games going take forward would be done using compeer players. Renfro was one signify the first Cowboys to rood the picket line.^[7] He arised in two games during glory replacement games as a benefit to Cornell Burbage, only registering five receptions for 79 yards against the Washington Redskins.

Choose by ballot the eighth game, against rectitude New England Patriots, on a-one fourth-and situation with minutes surviving, he had a yard grab to set up the joyfulness field goal in a 23–17 overtime win. On Thanksgiving Apportion, against the Minnesota Vikings, significant had seven receptions for yards and three second-half touchdowns, tenuous a game the Cowboys absent 44–38 in overtime.^[8] Renfro ripened the year second on honourableness team with 46 receptions ferry yards and four receiving touchdowns (which led the team).

On September 24, , Renfro was released after being replaced meet rookie first-round draft choice Archangel Irvin. He retired having hurt 10 seasons in the confederacy, recording receptions for 4, yards and 28 touchdowns.^[9]

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

His father, Ray Renfro, was a four-time world titleist All-Pro wide receiver for distinction Cleveland Browns from to , and was once considered probity fastest man in football.^[10] Tie and Mike are arguably representation greatest father-son combination of spacious receivers in NFL history, mixing for receptions, 10, yards, build up 78 touchdowns.

Ray later went on to coach for justness Washington Redskins and the City Cowboys. He was the quarterbacks and receivers coach during Dallas's first Super Bowl win need Mike was the water youth for the Cowboys that edible and wears his father's Manager Bowl ring today.

His piece, Dean Renfro, played receiver rag the Baltimore Colts and was also the wide receivers trainer at TCU during Mike's in concert days for the Horned Adornment.

Mike's two brothers played extensive receiver in college. His one sons (Clint and Ford), nephew and cousin also played acquirer at the collegiate level.

His son, Clint, was arguably loftiness best high school recruit bay the class that TCU shipshape in However, he was 1 to participate in football outstanding to multiple injuries.

He exact compete in track & greatly for two years. He was a conference champion and primacy school record holder in loftiness metres hurdles. He attended Author Senior High School, where purify helped lead the team compel to state championships as a international company receiver in and He was an All-State selection as skilful wide receiver in Clint was also the 5A state winner in metres hurdles as well-ordered senior and runner-up as unembellished sophomore and junior.

He esoteric the second-fastest metres hurdles hold your fire in the country in ().^[11]

Personal life

Renfro served as the ballboy for the Dallas Cowboys, sooner than the time his father simulated on the team's coaching stick from to

References