Josh Baker
 Baker with the Jets in 2011 | |||||||||
| No. 45 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | December 25, 1986 Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 244 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Chesapeake (VA) Western Branch | ||||||||
| College: | Northwest Missouri State | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2011 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Joshua Stevenson Baker (born December 25, 1986[1]) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Northwest Missouri State and the University of Delaware. He played high school football at Western Branch High School.
College career
[edit]Baker began his college career at the University of Delaware in 2005. Although among the team's top scout team players, Baker did not participate in a formal match-up that year.[2] In 2006, he was named the Blue Hens' third string tight end appearing in ten games in a back-up role primarily on running plays and special teams. Baker recorded one catch for no yards and had a 14-yard kickoff return.[2] In 2007, Baker was named the second string tight end and ranked sixth on the team in receiving, totaling 20 catches for 344 yards and 2 touchdowns.[2] In 2008, Baker was suspended from the team for a year after violating the school's three strike policy which included incidents such as underage drinking and having a lit candle in his dorm room.[3]
Baker went to live with his father in Waco, Texas, where he attended Collin County Community College and worked at an OfficeMax earning $9.00 an hour, which went toward his community college fees.[3] He also worked with a professional trainer to stay in shape.[4] Delaware retained Baker's athletic scholarship and he returned for his redshirt senior season in 2009.[3] Baker tore multiple knee ligaments in the first quarter of the Blue Hens' first game of the year, ending his season.[4]
Baker was denied a medical redshirt and transferred to Division II Northwest Missouri State.[4] Baker had 66 catches for 838 yards and a touchdown, and 3 rushing touchdowns for Missouri in 2010 and was named to the Associated Press' Little All-America Team.[3][5]
Professional career
[edit]New York Jets
[edit]The New York Jets signed Baker as an undrafted free agent on July 27, 2011.[6] To meet the roster requirement, Baker was waived by the Jets on September 3.[7] He was signed to the team's practice squad a day later.[8] Baker was called up to the active roster on September 27, 2011, following a season-ending injury to tight end Jeff Cumberland.[9] On December 24, 2011, he caught his first career touchdown against the New York Giants.[10] In 11 games of 2011, Baker made 3 receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown. He also returned 3 punts for 60 return yards.
Baker suffered a severe knee injury on August 26, 2012 and was placed on the team's injured reserve list the following day.[11] He was waived by the Jets on February 19, 2013.[12]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
[edit]Baker signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on April 1, 2014. He was waived by the Bucs on May 12, 2014.
References
[edit]- ^ "Josh Baker". Northwest Missouri State University Athletics. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Josh Baker". University of Delaware Athletics. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Dyer, Kristian (June 15, 2012). "Josh Baker's 'long, crazy journey' to Jets". Metro New York. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ a b c Cimini, Rich (August 29, 2011). "Long shots: Undrafted and undeterred". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ "Three Bearcats earn AP All-America honors". Northwest Missouri State University Athletics. December 17, 2010. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ Cimini, Rich (July 27, 2011). "Jets announce UDFA class". ESPN New York. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- ^ Mehta, Manish (September 3, 2011). "Jets trim roster to 53; make two trades". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ Vrentas, Jenny (September 4, 2011). "Jets awarded four players off waivers, including QB Kevin O'Connell; cut Aaron Maybin". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
- ^ Jets Media Relations Department (September 27, 2011). "Baker to Active Roster, Cumberland, Turner to IR". New York Jets. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- ^ Orr, Conor (July 11, 2012). "Jets summer Q&A with fullback/tight end Josh Baker". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ Vrentas, Jenny (August 27, 2012). "Jets waive/injured Josh Baker, trim roster to 74". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Lange, Randy (February 19, 2013). "Five Are Gone, but 'They'll Always Be Jets'". New York Jets. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
External links
[edit]- Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio Archived April 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- New York Jets bio Archived September 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Northwest Missouri Bearcats bio
- Delaware Fighting Blue Hens bio