| No. 81 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1982-04-16)April 16, 1982 (age 43) Nassau, Bahamas | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 213 lb (97 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Stephen F. Austin(Sugar Land, Texas, U.S.) | ||||||||
| College | Washington State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2004: 3rd round, 82nd overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Devard Loran Darling (born April 16, 1982) is a Bahamian-American former professionalfootballwide receiver. After playingcollege football atFlorida State University andWashington State, he was selected by theBaltimore Ravens in the third round of the2004 NFL draft and went on to play for theKansas City Chiefs andHouston Texans.
Born in theBahamas, Darling attended Nassau Christian Academy before relocating to theUnited States. He attendedStephen F. Austin High School inSugar Land, Texas and won threevarsity letters infootball, two intrack, and one inbasketball. In football, he won All-District honors and was named the 28th best prospect in the state ofTexas bySuperPrep.
Darling attendedFlorida State University until the death of hisidentical twin brother, Devaughn Darling. After his brother died during practice, due to exhaustion, possibly tied to asickle cell trait, FSU doctors would not clear him medically to return to thefootball team. He subsequently transferred toWashington State University, and finished his career with 105receptions for 1,630 yards (15.7 yards per reception average) and 30 receiving touchdowns.
Darling was selected by theBaltimore Ravens in the third round of the2004 NFL draft.[1] He signed a three-year contract worth about $1.5 million with the team on July 26, 2004. He was placed oninjured reserve on October 29 due to a heel injury. Darling missed most of 2005 and 2006 to injuries as well. He was tendered to a one-year contract worth $850,000 on March 1, 2007. On September 27, he was fined $7,500 by the league for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty he received in week 3 after followingYamon Figurs into the stands following a touchdown. He had a breakoutgame on November 18, 2007 against theCleveland Browns with four catches for 107 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
Darling had 20 catches for 331 yards and threetouchdowns in his career with the Ravens.
On March 11, 2008, Darling signed a three-year contract with theKansas City Chiefs. On September 7, Darling broke free for what looked to be a game-tying touchdown against theNew England Patriots, but he was tackled on 5-yard line. Kansas City ended up losing the game. He ultimately would score only one touchdown while with the Chiefs. He was placed oninjured reserve on September 1, 2009. He was released by the Chiefs on March 3, 2010.[2]
Darling was signed by theOmaha Nighthawks of theUnited Football League on September 8, 2010.[3]
On August 8, 2011, Darling signed with theHouston Texans. He was released on September 3, 2011.[4]
Darling is the younger brother of Bahamian track athleteDennis Darling and the brother-in-law of his wifeTonique Williams-Darling.
Devard's twin brother, Devaughn Darling, died in 2001 during afootball practice atFlorida State University. In 2005, the university agreed to pay the Darling family $2 million in a wrongful death settlement, but under Florida state law, they could only pay a maximum of $200,000 unless a claims bill was passed allowing them to pay any more that that. In 2017, the bill allowing for the remaining $1.8 million to be paid out was finally passed, bringing the twelve-year-long legal proceedings to an end.[5][6]
