| No. 61, 68 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Center | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | (1964-06-18)June 18, 1964 (age 60) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 275 lb (125 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Oakhaven (Memphis) | ||||||
| College: | Northwest Mississippi JC South Carolina | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 1986: 3rd round, 77th pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Leonard Bernard Burton (born June 18, 1964) is an American former professionalfootball player who was acenter for five seasons in theNational Football League (NFL) with theBuffalo Bills andDetroit Lions. He was selected by the Bills in the third round of the1986 NFL draft. He playedcollege football atNorthwest Mississippi Junior College and theUniversity of South Carolina.
Leonard Bernard Burton was born on June 18, 1964, inMemphis, Tennessee.[1] He attended Oakhaven High School in Memphis.[1]
Burton first playedcollege football atNorthwest Mississippi Junior College from 1982 to 1983.[1] He was then a two-yearletterman for theSouth Carolina Gamecocks of theUniversity of South Carolina from 1984 to 1985.[1]
Burton was selected by theBuffalo Bills in the third round, with the 77th overall pick, of the1986 NFL draft.[2] He officially signed with the team on July 24, 1986.[3] He played in 14 games for the Bills during his rookie year in 1986.[2] Burton was placed oninjured reserve on December 17, 1986.[3] He played in 12 games, starting three, in 1987.[2] He appeared in all 16 games, starting four, during the 1988 season.[2] He also played in two playoff games that year as well.[2] Burton appeared in all 16 games for the second consecutive year in 1989 and also played in one postseason contest.[2] He spent the entire 1990 season on injured reserve and became a free agent after the season.[3] He re-signed with the Bills but was later released on August 26, 1991.[3]
Burton signed with theCleveland Browns on September 3, 1991.[3] He was placed on injured reserve on October 10, 1991, before playing in any games for the Browns.[3] He became a free agent after the 1991 season and re-signed with the Browns before being released on July 10, 1992.[3]
Burton was signed by theDetroit Lions on July 27, 1992.[3] He was released on August 31 but later re-signed on October 18, 1992.[3] He played in two games, both starts, for the Lions that year before being placed on injured reserve.[2][3] Burton became a free agent again after the 1992 season and re-signed with the Lions on April 23, 1993.[3] He was released on August 30, re-signed the next day, and released again on September 3, 1993.[3] He signed with the Lions again on April 29, 1994, but was later released for the final time.[3]