Name Cornell Burbage Education University of Kentucky Receptions: 26 Weight 84 kg | Undrafted: 1987 Height 1.78 m College: Kentucky Role American football player Positions Wide receiver | |
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Date of birth: (1965-02-22) February 22, 1965 (age 50) High school: Lexington (KY) Bryan Station | ||
Place of birth: Lexington, Kentucky | ||
Cornell Burbage: Football Wide Receiver
Cornell Rodney Burbage (born February 22, 1965) is a former American football player and coach. He played in professional football as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 1989 and the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in 1991 and 1992. He played college football for the University of Kentucky.
Contents
- Cornell Burbage Football Wide Receiver
- Early years
- Dallas Cowboys
- Minnesota Vikings
- New YorkNew Jersey Knights WLAF
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Hamilton Tiger Cats CFL
- Memphis Mad Dogs CFL
- Coaching career
- References
Early years
Burbage attended Bryan Station High School, where he was a teammate of Dermontti Dawson and Marc Logan. He didn't have great stats at wide receiver because he played in a heavily run-oriented system.
He played his college football at the University of Kentucky, but also had few opportunities to prove his true worth in the Wildcats run-oriented offense. As a junior, he tallied 15 receptions for 239 yards. In his last year in 1986, he led the team in receiving with only 24 receptions.
Dallas Cowboys
Burbage was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 1987 NFL draft. He was waived on September 7.
After the players went on a strike on the third week of the 1987 season, those games were canceled (reducing the 16 game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. Burbage was signed to be a part of the Dallas Cowboys replacement team, that was given the mock name "Rhinestone Cowboys" by the media. He had a 77-yard touchdown reception against the Philadelphia Eagles and was eventually cut on October 26, after the strike ended.
In 1988, he was signed during the offseason and was cut on August 29. Burbage was re-signed on October 12, to provide depth after the team suffered many injuries on the wide receiver corps. He finished the year ranked second in kickoff-return average (22.4 yards) in the National Football Conference.
On September 19, 1989, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a shoulder injury.
Minnesota Vikings
Burbage signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a Plan B free agent in 1990. He was released on August 28.
New York/New Jersey Knights (WLAF)
Burbage signed with the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football in 1991, that were coached by Mouse Davis, the architect of the Run and shoot offense. He led the league in kickoff-return average and also registered a World League-record return of 101 yards in 1992.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On July 10, 1991, he was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was cut on August 26.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL)
Burbage signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 1993. He was released on July 4.
Memphis Mad Dogs (CFL)
In 1995, he was signed as a free agent by the Memphis Mad Dogs of the Canadian Football League.
Coaching career
After his playing career was over, Burbage was a coach at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, where he helped turn the team into a state runner-up in 1997. The next year, he left to coach at his alma matter Bryan Station High School.
Burbage served three years as the offensive coordinator, before taking over as the 27th head football coach at Kentucky State University on an interim basis for the 2004 season. His record at Kentucky State was 7–4.
In 2006, he was named the head coach at West Jessamine High School.