Steve Breaston

Breaston with theArizona Cardinals in 2008
No. 15, 19
Position	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born	(1983-08-20)August 20, 1983 (age 42) North Braddock, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	189 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school	Pittsburgh (PA) Woodland Hills
College	Michigan (2002–2006)
NFL draft	2007: 5th round, 142nd overall pick
Career history
Arizona Cardinals (2007–2010) Kansas City Chiefs (2011–2012) New Orleans Saints (2013)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Awards and highlights
Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year (2003)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions 255 Receiving yards 3,387 Return yards 3,126 Totaltouchdowns 11 Stats atPro Football Reference

Steven William Breaston (born August 20, 1983) is an American former professionalfootballwide receiver. He playedcollege football for theMichigan Wolverines and was selected by theArizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the2007 NFL draft. He also played for theKansas City Chiefs.

Breaston grew up inNorth Braddock, Pennsylvania and attendedWoodland Hills High School in suburbanPittsburgh,PA. Breaston lettered three times in football at Woodland Hills High School, where he led the team to a 14-1 record and to a berth in the Pennsylvania 4-A state championship game. He helped Woodland Hills win the WPIAL Class AAAA title, gaining 219 yards on 15 carries during a 41-6 victory. The Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year in 2001, Breaston was rated the third-best skill athlete and was named Northeast Offensive Player of the Year bySuper Prep. He received a four-star rating and was ranked as the nation's eighth-best "athlete" by Rivals100.com.

Breaston was selected as Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's co-Player of the Year (with quarterbackTyler Palko) and named an All-American running quarterback by Max Emfinger. The versatile athlete gained 2,545 career rushing yards and 37 touchdowns as a quarterback. As a senior, he carried 151 times for 1,718 yards (11.4-yard average) and 24 touchdowns, completed 33 of 79 passes for 600 yards and was involved in 34 scores overall, including 10 touchdown runs of more than 50 yards.

Breaston returned two punts for touchdowns as a senior, including a 93-yarder vs.McKeesport Area High School, and accounted for more than 5,000 all-purpose yards during his last two seasons combined. Breaston lettered twice in basketball and track, winning the district title in the 300-meter hurdles as a junior.

Breaston played for theMichigan Wolverines for four seasons (2003–2006). He is the most prolific return man in school history and his 156 career receptions are fifth most in Michigan history.

Breaston is Michigan's all-time leading punt returner (127 returns for 1,599 yards) and kickoff returner (81 returns for 1,993 yards). He returned four punts for touchdowns, which ties him withGene Derricotte andDerrick Alexander for the school record, and one kickoff for a score. His combined total of five returns for touchdowns is a Michigan record. Breaston's punt returns and punt return yardage marks are alsoBig Ten Conference records. Breaston ranks seventh in conference annals in kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage. On January 1, 2005, Breaston set aRose Bowl record with 315 all-purpose yards.

• 2006Maxwell Award watchlist
• 2006Walter Camp Award watchlist
• 2006Biletnikoff Award watchlist

• 2003Big Ten Freshman of the Year (coaches)
• 2006 Big Ten Conference Sportsmanship Award Honoree
• Four-time Big Ten FootballSpecial Teams Player of the Week

Breaston had ten games in his U-M career in which he had more than 200 all-purpose yards, as follows:

Breaston was selected by theArizona Cardinals with the 142nd pick in the fifth round of the2007 NFL draft.^[4] In the fourth game of the 2007 season against thePittsburgh Steelers, Breaston took a punt back 73 yards for a touchdown, which proved to be the key score, as the Cardinals went on to win the game. Through week 13 of the 2007 season, Breaston had 1,462 return yards for the Cardinals.

Breaston had a breakout year in 2008. Following a serious injury to perennial Pro Bowl receiverAnquan Boldin, Breaston was inserted into the Cardinals' starting line-up at wide receiver. Breaston notably refused to participate in pre-game introductions at home games due to his opinion that he was still a backup, keeping a seat warm for the usual starter Anquan Boldin. Breaston finished the year with 1,006 yards, and he, Boldin, andLarry Fitzgerald became the fifth 1,000 yard receiving trio in NFL history.Breaston's final stats with the Cardinals were 140 receptions, 1,810 yards (12.9 avg), and 6 touchdowns.

On July 29, 2011 Breaston signed a five-year deal with theKansas City Chiefs. In a week 5 game against the Colts, Breaston played an important role by catching 2 touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a 28-24 comeback victory. Breaston finished the year with 785 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In 2012, he only had 74 yards. He was released by the Chiefs on February 19, 2013.^[5]

On August 5, 2013, Breaston signed a one-year deal with theNew Orleans Saints.^[6] On August 19, 2013, he was released by the Saints.^[7]

Breaston’s cousin isToney Clemons.^[8]

• Lists of Michigan Wolverines football receiving leaders

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSteve Breaston.

• ESPN NFL profile
• ESPN college profile

• 1983 births
• Living people
• American football return specialists
• American football wide receivers
• Arizona Cardinals players
• Kansas City Chiefs players
• Michigan Wolverines football players
• New Orleans Saints players
• 20th-century African-American sportsmen
• 20th-century American sportsmen
• 21st-century African-American sportsmen
• 21st-century American sportsmen
• People from North Braddock, Pennsylvania
• Players of American football from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

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