Eric Bjornson

Eric Thomas Bjornson (born December 15, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. He was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL draft. He played college football for the Washington Huskies.

Bjornson attended Bishop O'Dowd High School, where he became a three-year starter at quarterback. As a sophomore, he had a game where he threw for 5 touchdowns.

As a senior, he helped his team earn a 10–1 record and the East Shore Athletic League championship. He received scholar-athlete awards from the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and the Oakland Tribune. He finished his career with 583 completions for 4,074 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Bjornson accepted a football scholarship to the University of Washington. As a redshirt freshman in 1991, he was the third-string quarterback behind Billy Joe Hobert and Mark Brunell, on the national championship team. He was converted into a wide receiver as a sophomore, making 14 receptions for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a junior, he returned to quarterback, as the backup to Damon Huard, getting a chance to start the final 3 games of the 1993 season, registering a 2–1 record.

As a senior, he was moved back to wide receiver, leading the team with 49 receptions (at the time fifth highest total in school history), for 770 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was sixth in the Pacific-10 in receptions and tied for second in touchdown receptions, while earning second-team All-Pac-10, Academic All-Pac-10 and second-team Academic All-American honors. He finished his college career with 64 receptions for 958 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Bjornson was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 1995 NFL draft, with the plan of converting him into a tight end. As a rookie, he contributed on special teams (6 tackles) and as a backup, while being part of the Super Bowl XXX championship team.

He became a starter in 1996, after Pro Bowler Jay Novacek suffered a back injury, that eventually forced him to retire. He would go on to start 10 games and had career-highs with 48 receptions (second on the team) and 3 touchdowns, despite playing through two sprained ankles that limited his playing time over the final four games of the regular season and the playoffs.

In 1997, although the Cowboys had drafted tight end David LaFleur in the first round, Bjornson still was an integral part of the offense, finishing second on the team and third among NFC tight ends with 47 receptions. He also was third on the team with a career-high 442 receiving yards, even though he suffered a fractured left fibula in Week 14.