Drew Haddad Explained

Drew Haddad
Position:Wide receiver
Number:84, 86
Birth Date:August 15, 1978
Birth Place:Westlake, Ohio, U.S.
Draftyear:2000
Draftround:7
Draftpick:233
High School:Saint Ignatius (OH)
College:Buffalo
Teams:
Statlabel1:Games played
Statvalue1:2
Statlabel2:Receptions
Statvalue2:1
Statlabel3:Receiving yards
Statvalue3:11
Statlabel4:Kick returns
Statvalue4:2
Statlabel5:Return yards
Statvalue5:19
Pfr:HaddDr00
Highlights:
  • Second-team All-MAC (1999)

Andrew George Haddad[1] (born August 15, 1978) is a former National Football League (NFL) wide receiver, who played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Buffalo Bills.[2] He finished his career with the San Diego Chargers. He was drafted with the 25th pick of the 7th round in the 2000 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.[3]

Early life and amateur career

Haddad was born in Ohio to George P. and Joyce A. Haddad.[4]

He played high school football at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland where he was teammates with Dan O'Leary and Chris Hovan. He graduated in 1996.[5] Haddad was a wide receiver and kick returner at Ignatius and helped lead the team to three Ohio high school football championships and two High School Football National Championships; the team only lost one game in his three years playing on the varsity team. He also earned two varsity letters in basketball and track and field. He was inducted into the school's athletics hall of fame in 2019.[6]

Several college football programs including Miami University, Bowling Green, Villanova and Youngstown State recruited Haddad to play defensive back because they felt that he did not have the skills necessary to be a receiver. He instead accepted a scholarship offer from the University at Buffalo. As a freshman at Buffalo, Haddad played in every game for the Bulls. As a sophomore, he set a school record with 67 catches and tied that record the following year.[7] As a senior, he again set a record for receptions in a single season. In addition to that record, he ended his time at Buffalo as the all-time school leader in total receptions, total receiving yards, total all-purpose yards, total punt return yards and single-season receiving yards.[8] In the fall of 2007 he was inducted into the University at Buffalo's Athletic Hall of Fame.[9]

Professional career

The Buffalo Bills selected Haddad in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL draft.[10] He signed with the Bills on or about July 17, 2000.[11]

Haddad's single career reception and both of his career kick returns came in the same game. During a November 3, 2002 game with the Indianapolis Colts, Haddad muffed a kickoff by Joe Nedney of the Tennessee Titans. In the following quarter, he returned a Nedney kick for 14 yards before being tackled by Tony Beckham. On the ensuing drive, he caught a pass from Peyton Manning for 11 yards and was tackled by Donald Mitchell. He also fair caught a punt from Craig Hentrich on the eight-yard line to begin Indianapolis' final possession of the game.[12]

In 2004, Haddad played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe. He led the team with 28 receptions and 455 receiving yards. That June, the Buffalo Bills signed Haddad as a free agent.[13]

On October 24, 2004, Haddad saw playing time in the second and final game in his NFL career. He appeared in that day's game for the Buffalo Bills against the Baltimore Ravens but did not accumulate any stats.[14] The Bills released Haddad on September 3, 2005.[15]

On December 20, 2005, Haddad signed with the San Diego Chargers.[16]

Personal life

Haddad married Colleen E. O'Neil in March 2002 in Buffalo and had their wedding reception at UB's Center for the Arts. Haddad met Colleen while she was a student at Buffalo State College and her father, Ed O'Neil, was coaching at Buffalo.

Haddad's father-in-law, Ed O'Neil, was picked by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft. His brother-in-law, Keith O'Neil also played in the NFL.[17] Keith later wrote that he looked up to Haddad when he, like Haddad, was a high school football player struggling to attract the attention of college football recruiters.[18]

His brother, Eric, played fullback at Purdue.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Drew Haddad Stats . . . 1 December 2021 . en.
  2. Web site: Stats. Haddad. Drew. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20080219164856/http://www.pro-football-reference.com:80/players/H/HaddDr00.htm . 2008-02-19 .
  3. News: Haddad thrilled to go from the Bulls to the Bills . April 17, 2000 . . Graham, Tim . August 18, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160819015715/http://www.buffalonews.com/HADDAD_THRILLED_TO_GO_FROM_THE_BULLS_TO_THE_BILLS.html . August 19, 2016 . dead .
  4. News: O'NEIL - HADDAD . 1 December 2021 . . March 3, 2002 . en.
  5. Web site: Alumni in the Pros . www.ignatiuswildcats.com . . 30 November 2021.
  6. News: Adding to the Wall . 30 November 2021 . . 2019.
  7. News: Wilson . Allen . SCHOOLS THAT PASSED ON HADDAD HAVE REALLY GOT TO HAND IT TO BULLS RECEIVER . 1 December 2021 . . September 17, 1999 . en.
  8. News: Mostiller . Conrad . 99 for 99 - #89: Drew Haddad Rewrites the Record Books, is Drafted by the Bills . 1 December 2021 . Bull Run . . 30 April 2012 . en.
  9. Web site: Drew G. Haddad (2007) - Dr. and Mrs. Edmond J. Gicewicz Family UB Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees . . 30 November 2021 . en.
  10. Web site: 2000 NFL Draft Listing . 2023-03-19 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  11. News: Belichick fines Pats slackers . https://web.archive.org/web/20211201032751/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/07/18/belichick-fines-pats-slackers/ . dead . December 1, 2021 . 1 December 2021 . . July 18, 2000 . en.
  12. Web site: Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts - November 3rd, 2002 . . . 30 November 2021 . en.
  13. News: Levy . Michael . Bills Bring Back Haddad . 1 December 2021 . . June 19, 2004 . en.
  14. Web site: Drew Haddad 2004 Game Log . . . 30 November 2021 . en.
  15. News: Clayton . John . Pasquarelli . Len . List of NFL cuts . 1 December 2021 . . . September 3, 2005 . en.
  16. News: Gaughan . Mark . Bills notebook Holcomb to start against Bengals . 1 December 2021 . . December 21, 2005 . en.
  17. News: Nason . Geoff . O'NEIL FINDS A SWEET HOME ON COWBOYS' SPECIAL TEAMS . 30 November 2021 . . September 9, 2004 . en.
  18. Book: O'Neil . Keith . Under My Helmet: A Football Player's Lifelong Battle with Bipolar Disorder . 11 July 2017 . Skyhorse . 978-1-5107-1688-9 . 1 December 2021 . en.