Randy Moss
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Randy Moss (born February 13, 1977 in Rand, West Virginia) is an American football player (wide receiver) for the Oakland Raiders NFL franchise. He was a former player for the Minnesota Vikings prior to a trade in 2005. He is 6 ft 4 in. and weighs 210 lb (95 kg).
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Family
His mother is Maxine Moss and is father is Randy Pratt, but Moss does not have much contact with him. His sister is Lutisian and half-brother is Eric, who had a short stint in the NFL. Moss has 4 children with his girlfriend Libby Offut (two daughters-Sydney and Senali, and two sons-Thaddeus and Montigo).
Troubled past
As a high school sophomore at DuPont High School, a now-defunct institution in Belle, West Virginia (near Charleston), he helped lead his school to the state AAA football title (West Virginia's highest class), starred in basketball alongside current Memphis Grizzlies point guard Jason Williams, and also won the state title in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash. He played centerfield in baseball, which some argued was his best sport. He played wide receiver, safety, punter, place kicker, kick returner, and punt returner in football. He finished his high school football career with 109 catches, 2,435 receiving yards, and 44 receiving touchdowns. He rushed the ball 75 times for 843 yards and nine touchdowns. He ended his basketball career at Dupont with 1,713 points scored. He went on to become the state's Athlete of the Year once in football and twice in basketball.
His dream was to play for Notre Dame, but also considered going to Ohio State, where his half-brother, Eric, had played offensive tackle.
After originally signing a letter of intent to play college football with Notre Dame in 1995, Moss took part in a racially-charged fight at his high school that left a person (Ernest Johnson) hospitalized. He pled guilty to battery and received probation and a 30-day suspended jail sentence. Notre Dame revoked his scholarship, but this setback did not stop another high profile college football program from giving him a chance. Notre Dame officials suggested Florida State due to the esteemed repuation of its coach, Bobby Bowden, for handling troubled players. However, because of his signed letter of intent at Notre Dame, the NCAA considered him a transfer student, which made him ineligible to play for the Seminoles in the 1995 football season. He was redshirted in his freshman season. In 1996, Moss tested positive for smoking marijuana, violating his probation, and was let go by Florida State. He served 30 days in jail for the probation violation.
College years
Ultimately, Moss transferred to Marshall University, about an hour's drive from his home. Because Marshall was then a Division I-AA school, NCAA rules allowed him to transfer there without losing any further eligibility. In 1996, he tied the NCAA Division I-AA record for touchdown catches in a season. He shared the honor with Mississippi Valley State University's Jerry Rice. Marshall had an undeafeted season and won the Division I-AA title in its last season before moving to Division I-A.
In the 1997 season, Marshall's first in Division I-A, Moss and current New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington were the centerpiece of an explosive offense that led the Thundering Herd to the Mid-American Conference title. Moss caught 25 touchdown passes that season, at the time a Division I-A record, and was a first-team All-American. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's leading wide receiver, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy (finishing fourth in the balloting).
NFL career
During the 1998 NFL Draft, Moss was projected as a high first-round pick because of his physical skills, but most teams were afraid to take him because of his personal history. The Vikings finally selected him late in the first round (21st overall pick).
In 1998, Moss helped the Vikings to become the number one ranked offense for that season. They finished with a 15-1 winning record and poised to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. However, during the NFC Championship Game the Atlanta Falcons stunned the Vikings by winning the game, 30-27 in overtime. At the end of the 1998 regular season, Moss was named a Pro Bowl starter and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for his rookie record 17 touchdown receptions and the third highest receiving yard (1,313) total of 1998.
On September 24, 2002 in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, Moss was driving in his Lexus and was preparing to do an illegal turn. A city worker saw what Moss was trying to do. She stood in front of his car and was ordering him to stop. However, Moss didn't stop his car until she fell on the ground. Moss was originally charged with Suspicion of Assault with a Deadly Weapon which is a felony and a misdemeanor marijuana possession. Moss pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor traffic violation. He was ordered to pay a $1,200 fine and perform 40 hours of community service.
Moss's fortunes took a better turn on the football field during the 2003 regular season, where he became the first wide receiver in history to play more than 12 games (he played 16) while averaging over 100 yards and one touchdown per contest. He finished with 111 receptions for 1632 yards and 17 touchdowns. All three of the numbers either tied or became a new personal best.
Recently he was fined $10,000 because the NFL found his end zone celebration (where he pretended to moon the fans at Lambeau Field) unsportsmanlike. However, Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, a respected voice of reason in the NFL, explained, if not defended, Moss' action by pointing out that Green Bay Packers fans are infamous for mooning the buses of departing opponents.
As of 2005 Moss has not cut his hair in several years and his afro is over 7 inches high.
On February 23, 2005, Randy's agent reported that Moss was going to be traded to the Oakland Raiders from the Minnesota Vikings for Napoleon Harris, the 7th overall pick and a 7th round pick. The trade was officially consummated on March 2, 2005.
Randy Moss made the Pro Bowl 5 times in his 7-year career with the Minnesota Vikings. He made it in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Randy wore number 18 with the Minnesota Vikings in his rookie season's training camp. Moss then switched to number 84. He currently wears number 18 with the Oakland Raiders because Jerry Porteris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Porter) known as number 84 with the Oakland Raiders.
NFL Statistics
- Year: Rec-Yards Avg/catch TD
- 1998: 69- 1,313 19.0 17
- 1999: 80- 1,413 17.7 11
- 2000: 77- 1,437 18.7 15
- 2001: 82- 1,233 15.0 10
- 2002: 106-1,347 12.7 7
- 2003: 111-1,632 14.7 17
- 2004: 49- 767 15.7 13
- Career to date: 574-9,142 15.9 90-TD
- Led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1998, 2000, and 2003
- Ranks 8th all-time in career touchdown receptions
- Ranks 30th all-time in career receiving yards
- Ranks 49th all-time in career receptions