Ben Graham (American football)

Infobox NFLactive


name=Ben Graham
currentteam=Free Agent
currentnumber=--
currentpositionplain=Punter
birthdate=birth date and age|1973|11|2
birthplace=Leopold, Victoria
heightft=6
heightin=5
weight=235
debutyear=2005
debutteam=New York Jets
college=Deakin
pastteams=
* New York Jets (2005-2008)
status=
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Punts
statvalue1=212
statlabel2=Punt Yards
statvalue2=8,018
statlabel3=Punting Yard Average
statvalue3=43.7
nfl=GRA128871Infobox afl player | firstname = Ben
lastname = Graham




birthdate = birth date|1973|11|2|df=y
birthplace = Leopold
originalteam = Leopold/Geelong U19
heightweight = 196 cm / 96 kg
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 21, 21 August 1993
debutteam =
Geelong
debutopponent = Essendon
debutstadium =
Kardinia Park
playingteams = Geelong (1993-2004)

219 games, 145 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2004
careerhighlights =

* Geelong Best and Fairest 1999
* International Rules series 1999
* Geelong captain 2000-2002

Ben Graham (born November 2, 1973 in Leopold, Victoria, Australia) is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Jets as a street free agent in 2005.

Prior to his NFL career, Graham played Australian rules football professionally in the Australian Football League for over a decade.

Australian football career

Graham was recruited from the Geelong U19s with pick 40 in the 1992 Australian Football League (AFL) pre-season draft. He was Geelong's "Best First Year Player" in the reserves team of 1992, and made his debut with the Geelong seniors late in 1993.

Graham was noted for his long kicking (in particular his expertise at the torpedo punt), and could play at both ends of the ground as a key position player. He played at centre half-forward and could convert goals from distances of 60 metres, as well as playing at centre half-back, where his booming kicks cleared the ball from defence, particularly during kickouts. Once, when Graham was bringing the ball back in from play, he booted the ball 85 metres which was right to the centre of the ground.

Graham went on to play 219 games for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League from 1993 to 2004. He captained the side from 2000 to 2002, and won the club's Best and Fairest award (the Carji Greeves Medal) in 1999. Graham was renowned for his long, accurate kicking, and in 2004 he surprised many in Australia when he quit Australian rules football to pursue a career as a punter in the United States National Football League. He had first been approached by the New York Jets in 1997 to try out as a punter, but decided to stay in the AFL.

While playing for the Cats, Graham attended Deakin University in Geelong.

American football career

New York Jets

Graham was signed to a short-term contract by the New York Jets in January 2005. Graham moved to New York City and attended Jets training camp at Hofstra University, before being confirmed as the team's starting punter for the 2005 NFL season when his predecessor Micah Knorr was released [http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/NYJ/8778560] . When Graham played his first NFL regular season game, (against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on 11 September 2005) he became the second person after Darren Bennett to play in both the AFL and the NFL, (Colin Ridgeway played at AFL reserves level for Carlton), and fourth Australian NFL player. He also became the oldest rookie ever to be part of an NFL opening day roster at age 31.

On 22 May 2006, the Jets signed Graham to a six-year contract worth US$5.17 million. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/benny-and-the-jets-take-7m-punt/2006/05/20/1147545567659.html]

In late 2006, Graham made history becoming the first Australian to captain an American pro-sports team when he joined the leadership group of the New York Jets. He also became the only player to captain a team in two professional sports leagues. [" [http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php?story=20060911135133525 Graham elected a NY Jets Captain] " worldfootynews.com September 11 2006. URL Accessed September 11 2006.] Graham also helped introduce the drop punt—a style of kicking prevalent in Australian rules football—which improves kicking efficiency and is said to be a new introduction to the game of American football. [http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,20560396%255E20322,00.html]

The Jets waived Graham on September 16, 2008 because of inconsistent play following a disappointing 2007, but quickly re-signed him on September 22 due to an injury to his replacement Reggie Hodges. [http://web.sny.tv/news/article.jspymd=20080916&content_id=1475580&oid=36122&vkey=12] Graham was released again on September 29.

References

External links

American football

* [http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/roster/show/884 New York Jets bio]

Australian rules

*Geelplayer|ref=13282
*AflRleague|ref=B/Ben_Graham.html