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Troy Walters
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Troy McHenry Walters (born December 15, 1976) is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Walters played as a wide receiver and punt returner in the NFL for eight seasons. Walters played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, earning consensus All-American honors and winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the season's outstanding college football receiver. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings, and also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions of the NFL.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Walters was born in Bloomington, Indiana. His father Trent Walters was a three-year letterman at Indiana and played two seasons in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos. He attended A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas, and was a letterman in football, basketball and track. In football, as a senior, he was named to the Texas Magazine First-team; he also was a second-team All-Greater Houston selection and a third-team all-state selection.
College career
[edit]After accepting an athletic scholarship to attend Stanford University, Walters played for the Stanford Cardinal football team from 1996 to 1999. As a senior in 1999, he was recognized as consensus first-team All-American and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award. He finished his college career with 244 catches and over 3,900 receiving yards, and currently ranks as Stanford's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
Professional career
[edit]The Minnesota Vikings selected Walters in the fifth round (165th pick overall) of the 2000 NFL draft, and he played for the Vikings from 2000 to 2001.[1] His father was on the coaching staff during his time with the Vikings. He subsequently played for the Indianapolis Colts (2002–2005), Arizona Cardinals (2006) and Detroit Lions (2007). During his eight-season NFL career, he played in 98 games, compiled 102 receptions for 1,135 yards and nine touchdowns, returned 117 kickoffs for 2,594 yards, and returned 139 punts for 1,241 yards.
NFL career statistics
[edit]| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
[edit]| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2000 | MIN | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 | MIN | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | IND | 16 | 1 | 25 | 18 | 207 | 11.5 | 27 | 0 |
| 2003 | IND | 15 | 4 | 52 | 36 | 456 | 12.7 | 46 | 3 |
| 2004 | IND | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 | IND | 16 | 1 | 19 | 14 | 152 | 10.9 | 39 | 3 |
| 2006 | ARI | 15 | 3 | 35 | 23 | 209 | 9.1 | 26 | 2 |
| 2007 | DET | 13 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 101 | 11.2 | 21 | 1 |
| 98 | 9 | 143 | 102 | 1,135 | 11.1 | 46 | 9 | ||
Playoffs
[edit]| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2000 | MIN | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2002 | IND | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 |
| 2003 | IND | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 5.2 | 11 | 0 |
| 2004 | IND | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | IND | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 6.9 | 17 | 0 | ||
Coaching career
[edit]Walters joined the staff at Indiana State University as their offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and wide receivers coach. He then left to become the wide receivers coach at Texas A&M University from 2010 to 2011. He then had stints at North Carolina State University in 2012, and at the University of Colorado Boulder from 2013 to 2015 as a wide receivers coach.[2]
Walters joined Scott Frost's staff at the University of Central Florida as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2016. Walters was a finalist for the Broyles Award, presented to the top assistant coach in college football in December 2017.[3][4]
Walters followed Frost to Nebraska to become the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in December 2017.[5] On January 17, 2020, the University of Nebraska and Walters parted ways.
Walters was hired by the Cincinnati Bengals as their assistant wide receivers coach on February 10, 2020.[6] He assumed Bob Bicknell's wide receivers coaching duties for the team's weeks 10 and 11 games in 2020 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Football Team due to Bicknell missing the games for COVID-19 pandemic protocols.[7][8]
References
[edit]- ^ "2000 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
- ^ "Troy Walters - Football Coach". University of Colorado Athletics. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- ^ Green, Shannon (December 4, 2015). "Scott Frost adds two new assistants to UCF football staff". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- ^ Romero, Iliana Limón (November 28, 2017). "UCF offensive coordinator Troy Walters a finalist for Broyles Award". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- ^ writer, Sam McKewon / World-Herald staff (December 8, 2017). "Nebraska officially announces additions of Troy Walters, Sean Beckton, Zach Duval to coaching staff". Omaha.com. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- ^ Dragon, Tyler (February 10, 2020). "Cincinnati Bengals add assistant coaches Troy Walters and Colt Anderson to staff". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ Roling, Chris (November 13, 2020). "Bengals announce WR coach Bob Bicknell to miss Steelers game due to COVID-19 reasons". USAToday.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ Baby, Ben (November 20, 2020). "Cincinnati Bengals to be without 3 position coaches due to COVID-19 reasons". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
External links
[edit]Troy Walters
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Family background
Troy Walters was born on December 15, 1976, in Bloomington, Indiana.[3] His father, Trent Walters, built a distinguished career in football that profoundly shaped the family's environment. Trent played running back for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League from 1966 to 1967 before embarking on a long coaching tenure, serving as an assistant at multiple universities including Indiana (1968–1971 and 1973–1980), Louisville (1972 and 1986–1990), Washington (1981–1983), Pittsburgh (1985), and Texas A&M (1991–1993).[1][8] He later coached in the NFL with teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles, accumulating nearly four decades in the profession.[2] The family's frequent moves followed Trent's coaching opportunities, including a relocation to College Station, Texas, in 1991 when he joined Texas A&M as secondary coach.[2] This placed young Troy in the heart of college football culture during his formative teenage years. Immersed in the sport from an early age due to his father's profession, Walters developed a keen interest in football, often serving as a ball boy for Texas A&M during his father's tenure there.[2] This hands-on exposure to practices and games fostered his passion and laid the groundwork for his own athletic pursuits.High school career
Troy Walters attended A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas, where he developed into a multi-sport athlete.[5] He lettered in football, basketball, and track, showcasing versatility across disciplines during his high school years.[5][7] In football, Walters emerged as a standout wide receiver and return specialist over three varsity seasons. As a junior, he recorded 68 receptions for 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning first-team all-district, all-valley, all-Greater Houston, and all-region honors.[5] His senior year saw him catch 53 passes for 800 yards and five touchdowns, along with 20 punt returns for 420 yards and two scores, contributing to his selection as second-team All-Greater Houston and third-team All-Texas.[5][2] Over his career at A&M Consolidated, Walters amassed 133 receptions for 2,050 yards and 24 touchdowns, highlighting his speed and reliability in the passing game and special teams.[5]College career
Stanford University
Troy Walters enrolled at Stanford University in 1996 and played wide receiver for the Stanford Cardinal football team from 1996 to 1999.[6] As a freshman in 1996, Walters saw limited action in a deep receiver corps, primarily contributing as a punt returner while recording 32 receptions for 444 yards and three touchdowns.[6] His role expanded modestly on offense, helping the Cardinal to a 7-5 record and a berth in the Sun Bowl, where Stanford defeated Michigan State 20-17 in overtime. Walters emerged as a star during his sophomore season in 1997, becoming one of the Pac-10's top receivers with 86 catches for 1,206 yards and eight touchdowns, while also returning 30 punts for 424 yards and two scores.[6] He delivered standout performances in key conference matchups, including 11 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns against USC and 13 catches for 169 yards and two scores versus Oregon in a high-scoring 58-49 win.[10] These efforts anchored Stanford's passing attack, though the team finished 5-6 without a bowl appearance. In 1998, as a junior, Walters' progress was hampered by a high-ankle sprain suffered early in the season, limiting him to six full games and causing him to miss or sit out portions of others against opponents like North Carolina and Oregon.[11] Despite the injury, he posted 52 receptions for 880 yards and five touchdowns, maintaining his status as the team's go-to target in the passing game.[6] Stanford struggled to a 1-11 record, the program's worst in decades. Walters' senior year in 1999 marked his peak as Stanford's primary receiver, with 74 catches for 1,456 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the Cardinal to an 8-4 finish, a Pac-10 championship, and a Rose Bowl invitation.[6] He shone in pivotal Pac-10 contests, notably hauling in nine receptions for 278 yards and three touchdowns—including a Pac-10 record 98-yard score—against UCLA in a 42-32 victory that set a Stanford single-game receiving yardage mark.[12] Later, in the Big Game against California, Walters grabbed six passes for 126 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown, to help secure a 31-13 win and clinch the conference title.[13] In the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin, despite playing with a recently dislocated wrist, he managed three receptions for 52 yards in Stanford's 17-9 defeat.[14][13] Over his four seasons at Stanford, Walters totaled 244 receptions for 3,986 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns, complemented by 86 punt returns for 910 yards and three return touchdowns, establishing him as one of the program's most productive wideouts.[6]Awards and records
During his senior year at Stanford in 1999, Troy Walters was recognized as a consensus All-American, earning first-team honors from multiple outlets including the Associated Press, United Press International, and the Football Writers Association of America.[15][6] This selection highlighted his elite performance as a wide receiver, placing him among the top players nationally and underscoring Stanford's resurgence in the Pac-10 Conference that season.[16] Walters capped his college career by winning the 1999 Fred Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the outstanding receiver in NCAA Division I football, an honor that affirmed his status as the nation's premier pass-catcher that year.[17][15] The award, voted on by the Biletnikoff National Selection Committee, recognized his exceptional route-running and productivity despite his undersized frame at 5-foot-9, marking the first time a Stanford player had received it and contributing to the Cardinal's first Pac-10 championship since 1990.[18][4] Over his four seasons at Stanford from 1996 to 1999, Walters established several enduring school records that cemented his legacy as one of the program's all-time great receivers. He holds the Stanford career marks for receptions (244) and receiving yards (3,986), achievements that also ranked him first in Pac-12 history for career receiving yards at the time and demonstrated his consistency across 42 games.[15][6] Additionally, his 26 career receiving touchdowns rank second in Stanford history, reflecting his red-zone reliability and role in elevating the Cardinal's passing attack during a transitional era for the team.[6][4] These records, many of which stood for over a decade, showcased Walters' impact in a run-heavy conference, where he amassed more than 100 yards receiving in 19 career games—a Stanford best.[19][9] In 1999, Walters led the Pac-10 in total receiving yards (1,456) and ranked second in the conference with 109.7 receiving yards per game, while placing fifth nationally in the latter category, stats that fueled Stanford's 8-4 record and Rose Bowl appearance.[15][20] His versatility extended to special teams, where he posted a 14.1-yard punt return average that topped the Pac-10, adding a dynamic element to Stanford's return game and earning him first-team All-Pac-10 honors as a return specialist.[15] These conference-leading figures not only broke Pac-10 single-season records for yardage but also positioned Walters as a key contributor to Stanford's offensive evolution under coach Tyrone Willingham.[21]Professional playing career
NFL draft and Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings selected Troy Walters in the fifth round (165th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft out of Stanford University.[3] His prolific college production, including Pac-10 Conference records for career receptions (244) and receiving yards (3,986), bolstered his draft stock despite concerns over his 5-foot-7 frame.[6] In his rookie season of 2000, Walters appeared in 12 games without a start, primarily contributing as a return specialist with 30 kickoff returns for 692 yards (23.1 average) and 15 punt returns for 217 yards (14.5 average).[3] He had minimal offensive involvement, recording 1 reception for 5 yards and no touchdowns.[3] These efforts aided the Vikings' special teams unit during a 11-5 regular season that culminated in an NFC Championship Game appearance.[22] The 2001 season proved challenging for Walters, who was limited to 6 games due to injuries, again without starts.[3] He continued in a returner role, logging 18 kickoff returns for 425 yards (23.6 average) and 11 punt returns for 69 yards (6.3 average), but recorded no receptions.[3] The Vikings finished 5-11 that year, missing the playoffs. Following the 2001 campaign, Walters was released by the Vikings and subsequently claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis Colts, ending his tenure with Minnesota after two seasons of special teams support and roster depth at wide receiver.[3][23][24]Indianapolis Colts era
Troy Walters was released by the Minnesota Vikings on February 22, 2002, and claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis Colts in March of that year.[23][24] He signed a two-year contract extension with the Colts in 2004 and re-signed for one year in 2005.[25] During his tenure with Indianapolis from 2002 to 2005, Walters served primarily as a backup wide receiver behind Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison and as a special teams return specialist, contributing to teams that made the playoffs each season, including an appearance in the 2003 AFC Championship Game.[3][26] In the 2002 season, Walters appeared in all 16 games, recording 18 receptions for 207 yards while handling significant return duties with 35 punt returns for 270 yards and 53 kickoff returns for 1,150 yards.[27] His role expanded on special teams amid the Colts' 10-6 wildcard playoff campaign, where he provided depth in the receiving corps led by Peyton Manning.[28] Walters achieved his most productive receiving year in 2003, starting four of 15 games and posting career highs with 36 receptions for 456 yards and three touchdowns, including a 46-yard score against the Houston Texans.[29] He also contributed 11 punt returns for 105 yards and six kickoff returns for 126 yards, though a hamstring injury sidelined him for parts of the season.[30] As part of the 12-4 Colts squad that advanced to the AFC Championship, Walters helped stabilize the offense during Harrison's occasional absences. The 2004 season was limited for Walters, who played only five games after suffering a broken right arm in the preseason opener against the New York Jets, an injury that sidelined him for much of the year. He managed just one reception for five yards, along with seven punt returns for 40 yards and one kickoff return for 16 yards, amid the Colts' 12-4 division-winning effort. In 2005, Walters returned to play all 16 games in a reserve role, catching 14 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns, with his returns limited to 21 punts for 172 yards and one kickoff for 13 yards.[31] Despite the reduced offensive output, he remained a valuable special teams asset for the 14-2 Colts, who reached the playoffs but fell in the divisional round.Later teams and retirement
In 2006, Walters signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent following his release from the Indianapolis Colts.[3] During the season, he appeared in 15 games, recording 23 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns while primarily serving as the team's punt returner with 24 returns for 250 yards.[32] Over his eight-year NFL career, Walters amassed 139 punt returns for 1,241 yards, highlighting his role as a versatile special teams contributor. Walters joined the Detroit Lions in 2007 on a one-year contract, marking his final season in the league.[3] He played in 13 games, catching nine passes for 101 yards and one touchdown, along with 15 punt returns for 118 yards, but saw limited offensive involvement amid a crowded receiving corps.[33] The Lions released him at the end of the season, after which he entered unrestricted free agency in 2008 without securing a contract offer from any team.[25][34] Following his release, Walters did not return to the NFL and retired from professional football, concluding an eight-season career in which he appeared in 98 games with 102 receptions for 1,135 yards and nine touchdowns.[3]Career statistics
Regular season
Troy Walters appeared in 98 regular season games over eight NFL seasons from 2000 to 2007, primarily as a wide receiver and return specialist. His career receiving totals include 102 receptions for 1,135 yards and 9 touchdowns, while his return contributions featured 117 kickoff returns for 2,594 yards (22.2 average) and 139 punt returns for 1,241 yards (8.9 average).[3]Receiving Statistics
The following table summarizes Walters' regular season receiving statistics by year:| Year | Team | Games | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | MIN | 12 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 | MIN | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | IND | 16 | 18 | 207 | 0 |
| 2003 | IND | 15 | 36 | 456 | 3 |
| 2004 | IND | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 | IND | 16 | 14 | 152 | 3 |
| 2006 | ARI | 15 | 23 | 209 | 2 |
| 2007 | DET | 13 | 9 | 101 | 1 |
| Career | - | 98 | 102 | 1,135 | 9 |
Return Statistics
Walters also excelled as a returner early in his career, with the table below detailing his kickoff and punt return stats:| Year | Team | Games | Kickoff Returns | KR Yards | KR Avg | Punt Returns | PR Yards | PR Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | MIN | 12 | 30 | 692 | 23.1 | 15 | 217 | 14.5 |
| 2001 | MIN | 6 | 18 | 425 | 23.6 | 11 | 69 | 6.3 |
| 2002 | IND | 16 | 53 | 1,150 | 21.7 | 35 | 270 | 7.7 |
| 2003 | IND | 15 | 6 | 126 | 21.0 | 11 | 105 | 9.5 |
| 2004 | IND | 5 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 7 | 40 | 5.7 |
| 2005 | IND | 16 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 21 | 172 | 8.2 |
| 2006 | ARI | 15 | 0 | 0 | - | 24 | 250 | 10.4 |
| 2007 | DET | 13 | 8 | 172 | 21.5 | 15 | 118 | 7.9 |
| Career | - | 98 | 117 | 2,594 | 22.2 | 139 | 1,241 | 8.9 |
Postseason
Troy Walters appeared in eight postseason games during his NFL career, primarily as a backup wide receiver and return specialist for the Minnesota Vikings in 2000 and the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2005.[3] His contributions were modest, reflecting his reserve status, with no touchdowns scored and limited offensive involvement across Wild Card and Divisional round contests.[35] In the 2000 playoffs with the Vikings, Walters played in the Wild Card win over the New Orleans Saints and the Divisional loss to the New York Giants, recording one reception for seven yards while providing key return yardage, including 181 kickoff return yards and 25 punt return yards over the two games.[35] With the Colts, his most active postseason came in 2003, where he recorded three receptions for one yard in the Wild Card victory against the Denver Broncos and three receptions for 30 yards in the Divisional defeat to the New England Patriots.[35] Earlier, in the 2002 Wild Card loss to the New York Jets, he caught one pass for 17 yards but fumbled twice on kickoff returns.[35] He saw minimal action in the 2004 and 2005 postseasons, with no receptions and limited returns, including negative yardage on punts against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2005 playoffs.[35] Walters never advanced to a conference championship or Super Bowl.[3] The following table summarizes Walters' postseason receiving and rushing statistics by year:| Year | Team | Games | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | MIN | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2002 | IND | 1 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 2003 | IND | 2 | 6 | 31 | 0 | 11 |
| 2004 | IND | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2005 | IND | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Career Totals | 8 | 8 | 55 | 0 | 17 |
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