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Justice Cunningham
Justice Cunningham
Justice Cunningham
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Justice Cunningham (born January 14, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks. In the 2013 NFL draft, he was the 254th and last player to be drafted, making Cunningham the year's Mr. Irrelevant. Cunningham was the second consecutive Mr. Irrelevant for the Indianapolis Colts, who chose Chandler Harnish as the last pick of 2012 NFL draft.[1]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Cunningham graduated from Central High School (Pageland, South Carolina) in 2009. While there, he collected his fair share of accolades. His senior year, he helped Central reach the 2008 Class AA state finals and a 14–1 record while playing tight end and defensive end. This same year, he collected 20 sacks. His efforts landed him a spot on the All-State First-team, the 2008 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, and on PrepStar's All-Atlantic Region Team. As a junior, he caught 21 passes for 400 yards and 8 touchdowns. On defense, he registered 92 tackles, seven sacks, two interceptions, and three fumble recoveries. He also excelled on the basketball court averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds his junior year.[2]

Professional career

[edit]

Indianapolis Colts

[edit]

Cunningham had the "honor" of being Mr. Irrelevant in the 2013 NFL draft, being the 254th, and last player selected in the draft.[3] On September 2, 2013, he was waived.[4] On September 3, 2013, he was signed to the practice squad. On November 19, 2013, he was promoted to the active roster. He played his first regular season game on November 24, 2013 against Arizona. Cunningham had one catch for four yards.[5] On November 26, 2013, he was waived.

St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams

[edit]

On November 28, 2013, Cunningham was signed to the practice squad. On December 31, 2013, he was signed a future contract.

On September 1, 2014, he was placed on injured reserve. On September 2, 2014, he was waived from injured reserve. On October 29, 2014, Cunningham was signed to the practice squad. On November 25, 2014, he was promoted to the active roster.

On September 5, 2015, he was waived and was signed to the practice squad the next day.[6][7] On October 15, 2015, he was promoted to the active roster. On November 28, 2015, he was waived. On December 1, 2015, he was re-signed to the practice squad.

On September 3, 2016, Cunningham was waived by the Rams as part of final roster cuts.[8]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Justice Cunningham

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Justice Cunningham (born January 14, 1991) is a former tight end who played professionally in the (NFL) from 2013 to 2015, primarily known for being selected as the final pick in the , earning him the title of "." Born in , Cunningham stands at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 258 pounds (117 kg) during his playing career. Cunningham attended the , where he played for the Gamecocks from 2009 to 2012 as a and team captain in his senior year. Over four seasons, he appeared in 53 games, starting 23, and recorded 50 receptions for 581 receiving yards and one , excelling particularly as a blocker in the run game. His college performance highlighted his physicality and reliability, with 18 receptions for 142 yards and one in 2011 alone. In the , the selected Cunningham with the 254th and final overall pick in the seventh round, making him the last player chosen that year. He made the Colts' initial 53-man roster and debuted in Week 12 of the 2013 season against the , where he caught his lone career reception for four yards in his only game that year. After being waived by the Colts in late November 2013, Cunningham joined the ' practice squad and was elevated to the active roster multiple times in subsequent seasons, appearing in two games during the 2015 season without recording additional statistics. He was released by the in September 2016, effectively ending his professional playing career after five total games.

Early life

Early years

Justice Cunningham was born on January 14, 1991, in .

High school career

Justice Cunningham attended Central High School in , where he was coached by Joey Mangum. He played both and for the school's and graduated in 2009. As a junior, Cunningham recorded 21 receptions for 400 yards and 8 touchdowns on offense, while contributing 92 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 3 fumble recoveries on defense. In his senior year, he tallied 20 sacks and earned First-team All-State honors from The State newspaper, along with selection to the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and the PrepStar All-Atlantic Region team. He helped lead Central High School to a 14-1 record and a berth in the 2008 Class AA state finals. Cunningham also excelled in basketball at Central High School, averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior.

College career

2009–2010 seasons

As a true freshman in 2009, Cunningham appeared in 13 games with 2 starts for the South Carolina Gamecocks, recording 2 receptions for 23 yards at an average of 11.5 yards per catch and no touchdowns. His receiving contributions were modest but marked his emergence as a reliable option in the tight end rotation under coach Steve Spurrier. In the 2010 sophomore campaign, Cunningham played in all 14 games, earning starts against Vanderbilt and while totaling 7 receptions for 92 yards at a 13.1-yard average and no touchdowns. He achieved a career-high performance with 33 yards on one reception during a victory over Clemson. This outing highlighted his growing downfield potential in the Gamecocks' offense, which finished the season 9-5 and reached the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Throughout his early years, Cunningham primarily served as a blocker on the offensive line and contributed on special teams, earning the Steve Sisk Outstanding Blocker Award in 2010 for his efforts in run support and pass protection. His high school experience as a at Central High School in , directly influenced this blocking emphasis at the collegiate level.
YearGames PlayedStartsReceptionsYardsAverageTouchdowns
200913222311.50
201014279213.10

2011–2012 seasons

In the 2011 season, Cunningham solidified his role as a reliable for the , appearing in all 13 and earning 8 starts. He recorded 18 receptions for 142 yards with an average of 7.9 yards per catch, including a , contributing to the team's 11-2 record and appearance in the Bowl. His consistency as a receiver was evident, with catches in 11 of those , including a 5-reception, 46-yard performance with an 11-yard against . Building on his early blocking foundation, Cunningham's efforts helped bolster the Gamecocks' run-heavy offense under coach . During the 2012 senior campaign, Cunningham emerged as a leader, serving as one of the team captains while playing in all 13 games and making 11 starts. He elevated his receiving production to 23 catches for 324 yards, averaging 14.1 yards per reception, with notable games including a career-high 6 receptions for 108 yards against , featuring a 45-yard catch. Though he did not score a that year, his contributions supported South Carolina's 11-2 finish and Outback Bowl victory over . As a captain, Cunningham's vocal presence and on-field reliability were praised by coaches for fostering team unity. Throughout these seasons, Cunningham's true value lay in his blocking prowess, where he was regarded as the Gamecocks' premier blocker, excelling in run support and pass protection to enhance the offense's ground game. No major individual awards were bestowed during this period, but his improved evaluations as a blocker underscored his development into a complete player. Over his junior and senior years, he amassed 41 receptions for 466 yards and 1 , culminating his college career with totals of 50 receptions, 581 yards, and 1 across 53 games.

Professional career

Indianapolis Colts

Cunningham was selected by the in the seventh round, 254th overall, of the , becoming the draft's "" as the final pick overall. His leadership as a team captain at the contributed to his draft selection despite modest receiving production in college. Following the draft, Cunningham signed a four-year rookie contract with the Colts worth approximately $2.28 million, including a $37,000 . He was waived on September 2, 2013, during final roster cuts but was re-signed to the team's shortly thereafter. On November 19, 2013, the Colts promoted him to the active 53-man roster in place of Griff Whalen. Cunningham made his NFL debut on November 24, 2013, in a 40–11 loss to the , where he appeared in one game primarily on special teams and recorded his lone career reception for four yards from quarterback on a sideline route. These statistics—1 reception for 4 yards in 1 game—represent his entire receiving output during his brief stint with the Colts and remain his professional career totals to date. He was waived by the team on November 26, 2013, after just two days on the active roster and limited snaps.

St. Louis Rams

Following his waiver by the late in the 2013 season, Cunningham signed with the ' practice squad on November 28, 2013. He remained there through the end of the regular season, appearing in no games and recording no statistics, primarily serving as depth at . On December 31, 2013, the Rams signed him to a reserve/future contract, securing his spot for the 2014 offseason. In 2014, Cunningham participated in the preseason but saw limited action before the Rams elevated him briefly to the active roster. On September 1, 2014, he was placed on injured reserve due to an ankle injury, ending his season without any regular-season appearances or statistical contributions. The team reached an injury settlement with him on September 2, releasing him from the reserve list. Later that year, on November 25, the Rams promoted him from the practice squad to the active roster, but he did not appear in any regular-season games. Throughout his time with the , Cunningham's role emphasized blocking and depth support rather than receiving, aligning with his limited snaps as a backup . Cunningham's 2015 season involved frequent roster fluctuations with the Rams, who were still based in St. Louis at the time. He began on the practice squad, was elevated to the active roster on October 15, and appeared in two games—against the Cleveland Browns on October 25 and at the Minnesota Vikings on November 8—logging 11 offensive snaps and nine special teams snaps total, with no receptions or targets. The Rams waived him on November 28 to make room for a kicker, then re-signed him to the practice squad on December 1. On January 5, 2016, he signed another reserve/future contract as the team prepared to relocate to Los Angeles, though his contributions remained confined to the St. Louis era. The waived Cunningham on September 3, 2016, during final cuts for the regular season, concluding his career after two total appearances with the team and no offensive production. His tenure highlighted the challenges of maintaining a roster spot as a developmental blocker in a competitive group.

References

  1. https://www.nfl.com/news/justice-cunningham-is-2013-nfl-draft-s-mr-irrelevant-0ap1000000164861
  2. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CunnJu00.htm
  3. https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/football/roster/player/justice-cunningham/
  4. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/justice-cunningham-1.html
  5. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/9219100/2013-nfl-draft-indianapolis-colts-choose-justice-cunningham-final-pick-draft
  6. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/12536/justice-cunningham
  7. https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/bio/_/id/15991/justice-cunningham
  8. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/south-carolina/2010.html
  9. https://247sports.com/player/justice-cunningham-6916/college-25245/
  10. https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2015/03/20/highlights-justice-cunningham-south-carolina-football/
  11. https://overthecap.com/player/justice-cunningham/2396
  12. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/colts-waive-justice-cunningham
  13. https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/transactions/_/name/ind/season/2013
  14. https://www.colts.com/news/colts-cardinals-final-game-report-11938910
  15. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/11_transactions.htm
  16. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/rams-reach-injury-settlement-with-justice-cunningham/
  17. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/rams-promote-te-justice-cunningham-from-practice-squad
  18. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CunnJu00/gamelog/2015/
  19. https://www.sportsforecaster.com/nfl/p/48446/Justice_Cunningham
  20. https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/transactions/_/name/lar/season/2016
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