| Damiere Byrd | |
| Position: | Wide receiver |
| Birth Date: | January 27, 1993 |
| Birth Place: | Erial, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 9 |
| Weight Lbs: | 175 |
| High School: | Timber Creek (Erial) |
| College: | South Carolina (2011–2014) |
| Undraftedyear: | 2015 |
| Pastteams: |
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| Statseason: | 2024 |
| Statlabel1: | Receptions |
| Statvalue1: | 130 |
| Statlabel2: | Receiving yards |
| Statvalue2: | 1,689 |
| Statlabel3: | Receiving touchdowns |
| Statvalue3: | 7 |
| Statlabel4: | Return yards |
| Statvalue4: | 466 |
| Statlabel5: | Return touchdowns |
| Statvalue5: | 1 |
| Pfr: | B/ByrdDa00 |
Damiere Byrd (born January 27, 1993) is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Byrd signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and has been a member of several other NFL teams.
Byrd played wide receiver for the South Carolina Gamecocks football team as a true freshman in 2011. After his senior season in 2014, Byrd had amassed 1,265 yards on 68 receptions (18.6 yards/catch) with 10 touchdowns in his collegiate career.[1]
Byrd was considered the fastest player on the team while at South Carolina and also competed for the South Carolina track team.[2] [3]
At the South Carolina Pro Day, Byrd only ran the 40-yard dash once, since his left calf muscle tightened up on him. Byrd, having a track & field background, was able to put up impressive numbers, completing the short shuttle in 4.03 seconds, the three-cone in 6.6 seconds and the 60-yard long shuttle in 10.90 seconds, faster than any other time posted at the 2015 scouting combine.[4]
On May 8, 2015, Byrd was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers. On September 5, 2015, he was released by the Panthers.[5] On September 7, 2015, Byrd was signed to the Panthers' practice squad, where he spent the rest of his rookie season.[6] On February 7, 2016, Byrd's Panthers played in Super Bowl 50. In the game, the Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24–10.[7]
Byrd signed a reserve/futures contract with the Panthers on February 9, 2016.
Byrd made the initial 53-man roster in 2016 but was inactive for the first five games before being released on October 14, 2016.[8] He was re-signed to the practice squad the next day.[9] He was promoted back to the active roster on December 29, 2016.[10]
On October 1, 2017, during the second quarter of a game versus the New England Patriots, Byrd broke his left arm on a reverse play. He was subsequently placed on the injured reserve two days later.[11] He was activated off injured reserve to the active roster on December 2, 2017.[12] In Week 16, Byrd returned a kickoff 103 yards, a franchise record, and scored the Panthers' first kickoff-return touchdown since 2011 which was crucial in the 22–19 win over the Buccaneers, earning him National Football Conference (NFC) Special Teams Player of the Week.[13] However during the second half of the game, Byrd suffered a lower leg injury and subsequently was placed on injured reserve on December 26, 2017.[14]
Byrd entered the 2018 season as the Panthers primary punt returner. He played in eight games before suffering a broken arm in Week 12. He was placed on injured reserve on November 27, 2018.[15]
On March 26, 2019, Byrd signed with the Arizona Cardinals.[16] He played in 11 games with three starts, recording a career-high 32 catches for 359 yards and one touchdown.[17]
On March 23, 2020, Byrd signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.[18]
In Week 11 against the Houston Texans, Byrd recorded six catches for 132 yards and a touchdown during the 27–20 loss.[19]
Byrd finished the season playing in 16 games with 47 receptions, 604 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown.[20]
On May 4, 2021, Byrd signed with the Chicago Bears.[21] In the Week 14 game against the Green Bay Packers, Byrd caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from Justin Fields.[22]
On April 1, 2022, Byrd signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons.[23] On October 22, in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Byrd recorded his first touchdown of the season on a 75–yard reception from Marcus Mariota.[24]
On April 14, 2023, Byrd signed with the Panthers.[25] He was placed on injured reserve on August 16, 2023.[26] He was released on August 25.[27]
On October 19, 2023, Byrd was signed to the Falcons practice squad.[28] He was released on November 22.[29]
On January 17, 2024, Byrd was signed to the Houston Texans practice squad.[30] He was not signed to a reserve/future contract after the season and thus became a free agent when his practice squad contract expired.[31]
Byrd signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders on May 16, 2024.[32] He was released by Washington on July 31.[33]
On August 12, 2024 Byrd signed with the Buffalo Bills.[34] He was released on August 25.[35]
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | |||
| CAR | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 31.0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CAR | 8 | 3 | 10 | 105 | 10.5 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 238 | 29.8 | 103 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| CAR | 8 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 138 | 10.6 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| ARI | 11 | 3 | 32 | 359 | 11.2 | 58 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 59 | 14.8 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| NE | 16 | 14 | 47 | 604 | 12.9 | 42 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| CHI | 17 | 4 | 26 | 329 | 12.7 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | ATL | 14 | 4 | 13 | 268 | 20.6 | 75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | ATL | 1 | 0 | Did not record any stats | |||||||||||||||||
| Career | 76 | 28 | 130 | 1,689 | 13.0 | 75 | 7 | 3 | 27 | 9.0 | 12 | 0 | 29 | 466 | 16.1 | 103 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||