Eric Kattus

Infobox NFLretired


width=
caption=
position=Tight end
number=
birthdate=
deathdate=
debutyear=1986
finalyear=1992
draftyear=1986
draftround=4
draftpick=91
college=Michigan
teams=Cincinnati Bengals (1986- 1991)
New York Jets (1992)
stat1label=Receptions
stat1value=66
stat2label=Yards
stat2value=698
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=5
pfr=
dbf=
highlights=All-Big Ten Conference
Michigan Wolverines Captain
HOF=
CollegeHOF=

Eric Kattus (born March 41963 in city-state|Cincinnati|Ohio) is a former professional American football tight end who played primarily for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He also played briefly with the New York Jets of the NFL. He had played in college for the Michigan Wolverines football team where he served as captain of the team during the 1985 season. He was also a member of the 1982 Big Ten Conference Champions.

College

After attending Colerain High School, Kattus spent five years at the University of Michigan, where he redshirtted one year and was a varsity letterman for four, while wearing the #81. [cite web|url=http://141.211.39.65/allroster/fbsearch.htm|title=Bentley Historical Library -- -- U of M Football Rosters: Kattus|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|date=2003-08-25] As a second year senior, he was a member of the 1982 Big Ten Champions who went to the Rose Bowl. [cite web|url=http://www.bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1982fbt.htm|title=1982 Football Team|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|date=2007-03-31] At the University of Michigan he earned All Big Ten Conference honors in his senior season. He was captain and started all 12 games for Bo Schembechler's Michigan team that ended the season ranked #2 in both the A.P. and U.P.I. polls after a Fiesta Bowl victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers gave them a 10-1-1 record for the season. [cite web|url=http://www.bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1985fbt.htm|title=1985 Football Team|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|date=2007-03-31] Kattus caught eight touchdowns for the Wolverines among his 38 receptions for 582 yards. Each of the three times he caught six passes that season he scored at least one touchdown and twice he scored two. In another game where he caught five passes, he had his only 100 yard game with 123 yards and a touchdown. [cite web|url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php|title=Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=Regents of the University of Michigan|date=2003] His senior season was quite a progression from his previous seasons, which totaled seven receptions for 60 yards and two touchdowns.

Professional career

Kattus was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the his hometown Cincinnati Bengals with the 91st pick overall. [cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?lg=nfl&yr=1986|title=1986 NFL Player Draft|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=databaseSports.com|work=databaseFootball.com ] He played for the Bengals for the first six years of his NFL career from 1986 to 1991. During that time he had modest success with his best season being 1987 when he totaled 217 receiving yards on 18 receptions with two touchdowns. [cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/players/erickattus/careerstats?id=KAT711924|title=All-Time Players: Eric Kattus|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=NFL Enterprises LLC] He also played on special teams and fielded an occasional squib kickoff return. In his six years Bengals won two American Football Conference central division championships (1988 &1990). [cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin1988.htm|title=1988 Cincinnati Bengals|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=pro-football-reference.com] [cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin1990.htm|title=1990 Cincinnati Bengals|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=pro-football-reference.com] In 1988, they won the conference championship but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII. The Bengal playoff run that season was best remembered for the Ickey Shuffle. Kattus was not on the Super Bowl gameday roster. [cite web|url=http://www.hoffco-inc.com/sb/gms/23-rost.html|title=Super Bowl XXIII Rosters, Coaching Staff, & Schedules |accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=Hoffco, Inc.|work=CompleteSuperBowl.com |date=2005] The Bengals also had winning season in his rookie year, going 10-6 but missing the playoffs. The Bengals did not have winning records in any of his other season with the team.

Kattus spent his entire Bengals career in the shadow of fellow tight end Rodney Holman who played for the Bengals from 1982 to 1992 and went to the Pro Bowl three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. [cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/HolmRo00.htm|title=Rodney Holman|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=pro-football-reference.com] The only season during Kattus' Bengals tenure that Holman did not play all 16 regular season games was the season Kattus had his best year. The Bengals played five playoff games during Kattus' years in Cincinnati, but Kattus only caught a pass in one. He in fact caught two passes for nineteen yards and a touchdown in the first round Wild Card game of the 1990-91 NFL playoffs against the Houston Oilers. [cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/KattEr00.htm|title=Eric Kattus|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|accessdate=2007-12-04]

He saw no passes as a member of Bruce Coslet' 4-12 1992 New York Jets in his final season. [cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyj1992.htm|title=1992 New York Jets|accessdate=2007-12-04|publisher=pro-football-reference.com] Kattus signed with the Jets after Johnny Mitchell was placed on injured reserve. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6DD143DF933A2575AC0A964958260|title= Transactions|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=2007-09-10|accessdate=2007-12-31] Coslet had been the Bengals' offensive coordinator and as a result of the similarities Kattus was familiar with the Jets' offensive scheme. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?query=%22Eric+Kattus%22+Jets|title= FOOTBALL; Jets' Plan of Action: To Reinstate the Run|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=2007-09-10|accessdate=2007-12-31|author=Smith, Timothy W.] Kattus was cut when Mitchell and Siupeli Malamala were reactivated four weeks later. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6D61E30F93BA35753C1A964958260|title= PRO FOOTBALL; No-Huddle Means No Time For Jets' Defense to Adjust (page 2)|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=2007-10-08|accessdate=2007-12-31|author=Smith, Timothy W.]

ee also

*Lists of Michigan Wolverines football receiving leaders

Notes

External links

[http://www.nfl.com/players/erickattus/careerstats?id=KAT711924 Eric Kattus] @ [http://www. nfl.com nfl.com]