 Pettigrew with theDetroit Lions in 2011 | |||||||||||
| No. 84, 87 | |||||||||||
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| Position | Tight end | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1985-02-23)February 23, 1985 (age 40) Tyler, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 278 lb (126 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Tyler (TX) Lee | ||||||||||
| College | Oklahoma State (2004–2008) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2009: 1st round, 20th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Brandon Dennard Pettigrew[1] (born February 23, 1985) is an American former professionalfootball player who was atight end in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theOklahoma State Cowboys. He was selected in the first round (20th overall) of the2009 NFL draft by theDetroit Lions, and spent his entire 8-year career with the team.
Brandon Pettigrew playedhigh school football atRobert E. Lee High School inTyler, Texas, where he was teammates withMatt Flynn,Justin Warren, andCiron Black.
While at Robert E. Lee, Pettigrew played as a tight end and ondefense. As asenior, he was named All-District and All-East Texas. He was also one of three players to be named to the All-State team. He chose to attendOklahoma State University overTexas A&M,Texas Christian University (TCU),Southern Methodist University (SMU) andArkansas.[2]
Pettigrew played college football atOklahoma State where hemajored ineconomics.
As a freshman in2005, he appeared in 11 games (nine starts). He recorded 11receptions for 128 yards and onetouchdown. In2006, as a sophomore, he started all 13 games. He recorded 24 receptions for 310 yards and four touchdowns and was anAll-Big 12honorable mention. As a junior in2007, he started all 13 games. He recorded 35 receptions for 540 yards and four touchdowns. He was named First-team All-Big 12 Football at Tight End in 2007.[2] As a senior in2008, he recorded 42 receptions for 472 yards.[3] During his career he recorded 112 receptions for 1,450 yards and nine touchdowns.
| Season | Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Lng |
| 2005 | Okla. St. | 11 | 9 | 11 | 128 | 11.6 | 1 | -- |
| 2006 | Okla. St. | 13 | 13 | 24 | 340 | 12.9 | 4 | -- |
| 2007 | Okla. St. | 13 | 13 | 35 | 540 | 15.4 | 4 | -- |
| 2008 | Okla. St. | 10 | 10 | 42 | 472 | 11.2 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 47 | 45 | 112 | 1,450 | 12.9 | 9 | -- | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft5+3⁄8 in (1.97 m) | 263 lb (119 kg) | 34+7⁄8 in (0.89 m) | 10+3⁄4 in (0.27 m) | 4.86 s | 1.76 s | 2.87 s | 4.37 s | 7.12 s | 33.0 in (0.84 m) | 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) | 22 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Scouting Combine[4][5] | ||||||||||||
Pettigrew was selected in the first round (20th overall) of the2009 NFL draft by theDetroit Lions.[6] The pick used to select Pettigrew was originally acquired by the Lions in a trade that sentRoy Williams to theDallas Cowboys. On July 31, 2009, the Detroit Lions signed him to a five-year,$14.60 million contract with $9.4 million guaranteed and asigning bonus of $5.09 million.[7]
On November 22 against theCleveland Browns, Pettigrew caught six passes for 72 yards, including the game-winning touchdown. Pettigrew suffered aknee injury during the opening drive of the Lions'annual Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit. The next day, anMRI revealed he would require season-ending surgery.[8] On December 1, 2009, Pettigrew was officially placed oninjured reserve and missed the rest of the2009 season.[9] He finished the season with 30 receptions for 346 yards and two touchdowns.
In2010, he recorded 71 receptions for 722 yards and four touchdowns.[10] His 71 receptions and 722 receiving yards were both third best amongtight ends.[11] For the2011 season, he recorded 83 receptions for 777 yards and five touchdowns. This set the record for the most receptions and yards in a season by a tight end in Lions history which would stand until Sam LaPorta's stellar 86-catch, 889-yard rookie season in 2023.[12][13] In2012, he recorded 59 receptions for 567 yards and three touchdowns.[14] For the2013 season, he recorded 41 receptions for 416 yards and two touchdowns.[15]
On March 14, 2014, the Lions signed Pettigrew to a four-year, $12 million free-agent contract with $8 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $4 million.[16] For the2014 season, he recorded ten receptions for 70 yards.[17]
In a December 13, 2015, game against theSt. Louis Rams, Pettigrew suffered atorn ACL. He was placed on injured reserve on December 15.[18] For the2015 season, he recorded seven receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown.[19]
Pettigrew started out the 2016 on thePUP list to recover from his torn ACL the previous season. He was moved to the reserve/non-football injury list on December 6, 2016. Days later the Lions cleared out his locker, indicating that the team could be moving on without him.[20] He was officially released by the Lions on December 9, 2016.[21]
| Season | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Lng | Fum | |
| 2009 | DET | 11 | 11 | 30 | 346 | 11.5 | 2 | 30 | 1 | |
| 2010 | DET | 16 | 16 | 71 | 722 | 10.2 | 4 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2011 | DET | 16 | 16 | 83 | 777 | 9.4 | 5 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2012 | DET | 14 | 11 | 59 | 567 | 9.6 | 3 | 24 | 4 | |
| 2013 | DET | 14 | 14 | 41 | 416 | 10.1 | 2 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2014 | DET | 14 | 9 | 10 | 70 | 7.0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2015 | DET | 8 | 8 | 7 | 67 | 9.6 | 1 | 21 | 0 | |
| 2016 | DET | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| Career | 93 | 85 | 301 | 2,965 | 9.9 | 17 | 35 | 6 | ||
Pettigrew was arrested for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness on February 5, 2017, after anOklahoma City, Oklahoma bar fight.[22][23]
Pettigrew was arrested on July 9, 2018, inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, accused of aggravated assault after an argument arose regarding an unpaid limo fee. In November 2018, charges of aggravated assault and diversion of services were withdrawn.[24]
Pettigrew was arrested June 2, 2024, after an altercation in a Dallas convenience store.[25]
