Virgil Green Explained

Virgil Green
Current Team:Nevada Wolf Pack
Position:Tight ends coach
Birth Date:3 August 1988
Birth Place:Tulare, California, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lbs:255
High School:Tulare Union
(Tulare, California)
College:Nevada (2006–2010)
Draftyear:2011
Draftround:7
Draftpick:204
Pastteams:
Pastcoaching:
  • Nevada (2023–present)
    Tight ends coach
Pastadmin:
  • Nevada (2022)
    Director of player personnel
Highlights:
Statlabel1:Receptions
Statvalue1:102
Statlabel2:Receiving yards
Statvalue2:1,145
Statlabel3:Receiving touchdowns
Statvalue3:7
Pfr:GreeVi00

Virgil Leo Green (born August 3, 1988) is an American football coach and former tight end who is currently the tight ends coach at the University of Nevada, Reno. He played college football at Nevada and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL draft.

Early life

Green is a graduate of Tulare Union High School, where he played on the Redskins football team.[1] He totaled 61 receptions for 1,014 yards (16.6 avg.) with 12 touchdowns during his career at Tulare, where he earned first-team All-East Yosemite League honors following his senior season. He had 13 catches for 245 yards and four touchdowns in a single game. In addition to football, he lettered four years in basketball and participated in track & field.

College career

Green played 50 career games (34 starts) at the University of Nevada and totaled 72 receptions for 939 yards (13.0 avg.) with 11 touchdowns while helping the Wolf Pack rank fifth in the nation with 500.2 total yards per game from 2007 to 2010. He recorded a personal-best 35 catches for 515 yards (14.7 avg.) with five touchdowns in his senior campaign to earn first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors. He was named the Nevada Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year as a junior in the 2009 season in addition to being selected to the All-WAC second-team.[2]

College statistics

SeasonTeamClassGPReceiving
Rec Yds Avg TD
SO13 14 164 11.7 1
JR13 23 260 11.3 5
SR14 35 515 14.7 5
Career 40 72 939 11.7 11

Professional career

Pre-draft

Green was considered to be a top tight end prospect for the 2011 NFL draft.[3] At the 2011 NFL Combine, he was the top tight end performer in the broad jump and vertical jump categories.[4]

Denver Broncos

Green was chosen in the seventh round with the 204th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos.[5] As a rookie, Green had a limited role behind the main starter Daniel Fells and Julius Thomas.[6] He started three games and recorded three receptions for 24 yards on the 2011 season.[7]

In March 2012, Green was suspended for four games after failing a drug test. Green then began taking prescribed medication for ADHD before receiving approval from the NFL.[8] He remained in a limited role on the offense behind Joel Dreessen and Jacob Tamme.[9] He recorded two starts and five receptions for 63 yards.[10]

In the 2013 season, Green started three games and recorded nine receptions for 45 yards.[11] [12]

On December 28, 2014, Green scored his first career touchdown reception, which was from quarterback Brock Osweiler, in a 47–14 win against the Oakland Raiders in Week 17.[13] On the 2014 season, he finished with six receptions for 74 yards and one touchdown on nine starts.[14] [15]

On March 10, 2015, the Broncos re-signed Green to a three-year, $8.4 million contract.[16] In Week 2, against the Kansas City Chiefs, he scored a one-yard touchdown from Peyton Manning on Thursday Night Football.[17] On the 2015 season, he started five games and finished with 12 receptions for 173 yards and one receiving touchdown.[18] [19]

On February 7, 2016, Green played on the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50. In that Super Bowl, the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers by a score of 24–10.[20] [21]

In the 2016 season, Green started 11 games and finished with 22 receptions for 237 yards and one receiving touchdown.[22]

On September 17, 2017, in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, Green had two receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown in the 42–17 victory.[23] In the 2017 season, he started all 16 games and finished with 14 receptions for 191 yards and one receiving touchdown.[24]

Los Angeles Chargers

On March 14, 2018, Green signed a three-year, $8.6 million contract. The deal includes a $2.4 million signing bonus and $5.9 million guaranteed with the Los Angeles Chargers.[25] In Week 5, against the Oakland Raiders, he scored his first receiving touchdown as a Charger.[26] In the 2018 season, he finished with 19 receptions for 210 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[27] In the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs, Green caught a one-yard receiving touchdown in the 41–28 loss to the New England Patriots.[28]

In the 2019 season, Green finished with nine receptions for 78 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[29]

In Week 7 of the 2020 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Green suffered an ankle injury while catching a 26-yard touchdown pass and was placed on injured reserve on October 29, 2020.[30] He finished the 2020 season with three receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown in six games.[31]

Professional statistics

YearTmGTgtRecYdsY/RTD
2011DEN1553248.00
2012DEN12656312.60
2013DEN16129455.00
2014DEN13667412.31
2015DEN16151217314.41
2016DEN12372223710.81
2017DEN16221419113.61
2018LAC16271921011.11
2019LAC15139788.71
2020LAC6635016.71
Career1371491021,14511.27

Post-playing career

Green was named the director of player personnel at his alma mater Nevada in 2022.[32] He was promoted to tight ends coach on August 28, 2023.[33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Yang . Vongni . February 4, 2016 . Tulare's Virgil Green is a Super Bowl champion . December 28, 2018 . Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register . en.
  2. Web site: McAlman, Green Earn Strength and Conditioning Awards . December 28, 2018 . University of Nevada Athletics . en.
  3. Web site: Virgil Green, DS #7 TE, Nevada . April 27, 2011 . NFL Draft Scout.
  4. Web site: Silva . Evan . 2011-02-26 . Nevada tight end Virgil Green creates buzz at Combine . 2024-05-11 . NBC Sports . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2011 NFL Draft Listing . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  6. Web site: 2011 Denver Broncos Statistics & Players . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  7. Web site: Virgil Green 2011 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  8. Web site: March 9, 2012 . 3 Broncos suspended for violating NFL drug policy . March 22, 2012 . WSJ.com . Associated Press.
  9. Web site: 2012 Denver Broncos Statistics & Players . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  10. Web site: Virgil Green 2012 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  11. Web site: 2013 Denver Broncos Statistics & Players . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  12. Web site: Virgil Green 2013 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  13. Web site: Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos – December 28th, 2014 . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  14. Web site: Virgil Green 2014 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  15. Web site: 2014 Denver Broncos Statistics & Players . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  16. Web site: Payne . Scotty . March 10, 2015 . Broncos re-sign tight end Virgil Green . December 28, 2018 . Mile High Report.
  17. Web site: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – September 17th, 2015 . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  18. Web site: 2015 Denver Broncos Statistics & Players . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  19. Web site: Virgil Green 2015 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  20. Web site: Super Bowl 50 – Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers – February 7th, 2016 . August 31, 2017 . Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  21. Web site: Rosenthal . Gregg . July 21, 2015 . Broncos outlast Panthers, claim third Super Bowl title . August 7, 2017 . NFL.com.
  22. Web site: Virgil Green 2016 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  23. Web site: Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos – September 17th, 2017 . October 14, 2017 . Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  24. Web site: Virgil Green 2017 Game Log . December 28, 2018 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  25. Web site: Henne . Ricky . March 14, 2018 . Chargers Agree to Terms on Three-Year Deal with TE Virgil Green . October 30, 2022 . Chargers.com.
  26. Web site: Chargers' Virgil Green: Catches first touchdown as member of Chargers . December 28, 2018 . CBSSports.com . en.
  27. Web site: Virgil Green 2018 Game Log . October 30, 2020 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  28. Web site: Divisional Round – Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots – January 13th, 2019 . October 30, 2020 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  29. Web site: Virgil Green 2019 Game Log . October 30, 2020 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  30. Web site: October 29, 2020 . Los Angeles Chargers Place Two Players on Injured Reserve . October 30, 2020 . Chargers.com.
  31. Web site: Virgil Green 2020 Game Log . October 31, 2022 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  32. Web site: Murray . Chris . March 22, 2022 . Nevada hires former Wolf Pack great Virgil Green as player personnel director . September 10, 2023 . Nevada Sports Net.
  33. Web site: August 28, 2023 . Nevada announces additions of Virgil Green, Carson Strong to staff . September 10, 2023 . University of Nevada Athletics.