 Moats at Eagles training camp in 2008 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 21, 23 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1982-12-17)December 17, 1982 (age 42) Dallas, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Bishop Lynch (Dallas) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Louisiana Tech | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2005: 3rd round, 77th pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Ryan Moats (born December 17, 1982) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theLouisiana Tech Bulldogs and was selected by thePhiladelphia Eagles in the third round of the2005 NFL draft.
Moats was also a member of theArizona Cardinals,Houston Texans andMinnesota Vikings. Since the completion of his NFL career, Moats has transferred his skills torugby union and plays forGriffins Rugby ofAllen,Texas.[1]
Moats attended Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas. While there he was a two sport athlete in bothfootball andtrack and field. He ran a 10.9 in the 100 meter dash for track. In football, he won All-State (private school) honors, the Dominic Norman Award, given to a player who demonstrates excellent leadership, and the Dave Campbell Texas Player of the Year. He rushed for a school record 4,782 yards, and 56touchdowns. Moats was also named Offensive MVP of the DFW All-Star game, following his senior season at Bishop Lynch.
In addition to being named the Offensive MVP of the DFW All-Star game, Moats was voted MVP of the 2006 Main Mein's squad and was widely regarded as the steal of the draft.
Moats then playedcollege football atLouisiana Tech University, playing 32 games over three seasons. He was namedWestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2004.
Moats was drafted by thePhiladelphia Eagles in thethird round (77th overall) of the2005 NFL draft.[2] Following injury tostarterBrian Westbrook, Moats was given the opportunity play in the latter half of the2005 season. On December 11 he scored a 40-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game, his first NFL touchdown, and finished with 114 yards on 11 carries in a 26–23 loss to theNew York Giants.[3]
Moats saw limited playing time during the2006 season and missed the entire2007 season after breaking hisankle during the Eagles' first preseason game.
On August 29, 2008, Moats was waived by the Eagles during final cuts.[4]
Moats was signed to thepractice squad of theArizona Cardinals on September 16, 2008. He was released on October 1.
Moats was signed to the practice squad of theHouston Texans on October 8, 2008, when the team released practice squadRunning backD. D. Terry. Moats was promoted to the active roster on October 25 after the team waived running backDarius Walker. Moats got his first carry of the 2008 season in Week 8 against theMinnesota Vikings. Moats was promoted to second on the depth chart because of an injury toAhman Green. In week 8 of the 2009 season Moats scored three touchdowns after replacing starting running backSteve Slaton. Moats ended with 126 yards on 23 carries. He was named starting running back for the week's following game at Indianapolis. He was waived on June 10, 2010.[5]
Moats was claimed off waivers by theMinnesota Vikings on June 15, 2010.[6] He was waived on August 24.[7]
In the summer of 2013, Moats joined theGriffins Rugby Club in Allen, TX[8] to become one of the first NFL athletes to play the sport. The Griffins, formerly the Frisco Griffins, are a semi-pro team with strong affiliations withEnglish Premiership Rugby.
In early March 2009, Moats'smother-in-law, Jonetta Collinsworth, died frombreast cancer. When they were informed that Collinsworth was close to death, Moats, his wife Tamishia (Collinsworth's daughter) and other family members rushed to Baylor Regional Medical Center inPlano, Texas. After driving through ared light, Moats was stopped byDallas Police Department officer Robert Powell, who delayed him for 13 minutes outside the hospital's emergency room, even after Moats's explanation was corroborated by a hospital nurse. By the time Moats reached Collinsworth, she had died.[9][10][11]
When asked if he felt that Powell should be fired, Moats said, "I really don't know. All I know is what he did was wrong. I mean, he stole a moment away from me that I can never get back. I'm really not the judge on what should happen to him. I think maybe his superiors and the Dallas police should handle what should happen to him."[12]
The police chief and Powell issued an apology to the Moats' family and the traffic charge was later dismissed. Police officials investigated Powell's actions; he was placed on administrative leave but later resigned from the department.[11][13][14]