James Lofton

Infobox NFLretired


|caption=
position=Wide receiver
number=80
birthdate=birth date and age|1956|7|5
Monterey, California
debutyear=1978
finalyear=1993
draftyear=1978
draftround=1
draftpick=6
college=Stanford
teams=
* Green Bay Packers (1978–1986)
* Los Angeles Raiders (1987–1988)
* Buffalo Bills (1989–1992)
* Los Angeles Rams (1993)
* Philadelphia Eagles (1993)
stat1label=Receptions
stat1value=764
stat2label=Receiving Yards
stat2value=14,004
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=80
nfl=LOF276861
highlights=
* 8x Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991)
* 6x All-Pro selection (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
* NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
* Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
HOF=131
CollegeHOF=

James David Lofton (born July 5, 1956 at Fort Ord, Monterey, California) is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and currently the wide receivers coach for the Oakland Raiders. He is a former American football coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers (1978–1986), Los Angeles Raiders (1987–1988), the Buffalo Bills (1989–1992), Los Angeles Rams (1993) and Philadelphia Eagles (1993). He was also the NCAA champion in the long jump in 1978 while attending Stanford University.

High school career

Lofton prepped at George Washington High School in Los Angeles, California where he played quarterback and safety.

Track career

Lofton won the long jump at the 1978 NCAA Track & Field Championships with a wind-aided jump of 26 feet 11¾ inches. He won the long jump at the 1974 California State Track & Field Championships with a jump of 24 feet 3½ inches after placing sixth in this meet the year before. He was also a sprinter of note, with a best of 20.7 in the 200 meter dash. He has been an active participant in Masters track & field since 1997.

College career

James Lofton graduated from Stanford University. As a senior in 1977, Lofton received 57 passes for 1,010 yards (17.72 yards per reception average)with 14 TDs, and was an AP & NEA Second Team All-American selection.

Professional career

Lofton was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the 6th pick of the 1978 NFL Draft. Lofton was named to the NFL Pro Bowl eight times (seven with the Packers, one with the Bills). Lofton was also named to four All-Pro teams. Lofton also played in three Super Bowls during his career with the Bills. Lofton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the class of 2003.

In his 16 NFL seasons, Lofton caught 764 passes for 14,004 yards and 75 touchdowns. He averaged 20 yards per catch or more in five seasons, leading the league in 1983 and 1984 with an average of 22.4 and 22 yards respectively. He also rushed 32 times for 246 yards and 1 touchdown.

Lofton is the first NFL player to record 14,000 yards receiving and the first to score a touchdown in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. During his nine seasons in Green Bay, Lofton played in seven Pro Bowls and left as the team's all time leading receiver with 9,656 yards. In 1991, Lofton became the oldest player to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season (since broken by Jerry Rice).

Coaching career

Lofton became the wide receiver coach for the San Diego Chargers in 2002 and continued that role until he was fired on January 22, 2008. In 2006, Lofton was one of two finalists for the Stanford head coaching job. That job went to Jim Harbaugh. Lofton was later announced as a candidate to become head coach for Oakland Raiders in 2007 but the job would later go to Lane Kiffin. In 2008, the Raiders hired him as their wide receivers coach.

Personal

Lofton and his wife, Beverly, have three children: David, Daniel, and Rachel. David Lofton is an NFL safety who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins. Rachel Lofton's team took 6th place in the third season of television's "Endurance Hawaii". Lofton is also the Godfather of former college mate and NFL player Gordon Banks (American football) children.

External links

*"Pro Football Hall of Fame:" [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=131 Member profile]