Nickell Robey-Coleman

Nickell Robey-Coleman
refer to caption
Robey-Coleman in 2019
Personal information
Born: (1992-01-17) January 17, 1992 (age 32)
Frostproof, Florida, U.S.
Height:5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school:Frostproof
College:USC (2010–2012)
Position:Cornerback
Undrafted:2013
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:338
Sacks:5.0
Forced fumbles:6
Fumble recoveries:6
Pass deflections:49
Interceptions:6
Defensive touchdowns:3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Nickell Earl Robey-Coleman (born January 17, 1992) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2013 after playing college football at USC. Robey-Coleman has also played for the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders.

Early life

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A native of Frostproof, Florida, Robey-Coleman attended Frostproof Middle-Senior High School, where he played quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back, and return specialist for the Bulldogs football team.[1] During his senior year, in 2009, he had 764 yards on 88 carries (8.9 avg.) with nine touchdowns and caught 17 passes for 232 yards (13.7 avg.) with six touchdowns on offense. He had 73 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles on defense and averaged 17.1 yards on eight punt returns and 34.7 yards on seven kickoff returns.[2] Robey-Coleman was ranked as a four-star recruit and the ninth best cornerback coming out of high school by the Rivals.com recruiting service.[3] He chose USC over West Virginia, Tennessee, and Clemson, among other schools.

In addition to playing high school football, he was on Frostproof's baseball and track teams.

College career

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Robey-Coleman while at USC in 2010

After graduating high school, Robey-Coleman attended and played college football for USC.[4]

As a freshman, Robey-Coleman started all of the 2010 season when he became a cornerback after playing wide receiver in high school. He was named to the 2010 Collegefootballnews.com Freshman All-American honorable mention list, All-Pac-10 honorable mention, and Phil Steele's All-Pac-10 fourth team in recognition of his freshman season.[2]

Robey-Coleman put together a solid sophomore season in 2011. He started in all 12 games, posting a record of 63 tackles (including 5.5 for losses and 2 sacks), a team-high nine deflections, and two interceptions (with one a touchdown). He made 12 punt returns for 132 yards total.[5] He was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and was named to the 2011 CollegeFootballNews.com Sophomore All-American second-team.[2]

In his final season with the Trojans in 2012, Robey-Coleman would once again put together a solid season. He was a Jim Thorpe Award candidate and returned punts and kicks for the Trojans. He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2012.[6]

Robey-Coleman decided to forgo his senior season and entered the 2013 NFL draft.[7]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 7+14 in
(1.71 m)
169 lb
(77 kg)
29+34 in
(0.76 m)
9+18 in
(0.23 m)
4.53 s 1.57 s 2.48 s 4.09 s 6.74 s 37+12 in
(0.95 m)
10 ft 7 in
(3.23 m)
10 reps
All values from 2013 NFL Combine[8]

Buffalo Bills

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Robey-Coleman was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the 2013 NFL draft.[9] In a Week 7 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, Robey-Coleman recorded his first interception, returning it 19 yards for a touchdown.[10] In the 2013 season, he recorded 39 tackles, three sacks, six stuffs, one forced fumble, and one interception.[11]

In his second season in the NFL, Robey-Coleman recorded 46 tackles, one sack, one stuff, and one pass defensed.[12]

On August 9, 2015, Robey-Coleman signed a two-year contract extension with the Bills.[13] In the 2015 season, he recorded 46 tackles, one sack, and four passes defensed.[14]

In Week 2 of the 2016 season, Robey-Coleman had a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown against the New York Jets.[15] In Week 5, against the Los Angeles Rams, he had a 41-yard pick six.[16] In the 2016 season, Robey-Coleman recorded 35 tackles, two run stuffs, two interceptions, and seven passes defensed.[17]

On March 6, 2017, Robey-Coleman was released by the Bills.[18]

Los Angeles Rams

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The moment Nickell Robey Coleman committed an uncalled defensive pass interference penalty on Tommylee Lewis

On April 7, 2017, Robey-Coleman was signed by the Los Angeles Rams.[19][20] In Week 3, he recorded an interception against the San Francisco 49ers that led to running back Todd Gurley to score his first touchdown of the game in the Rams 41–39 win.[21] In Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he recorded his second interception off a tipped ball by tight end Marcedes Lewis in a 27–17 win.[22] He played in 15 games with four starts as the Rams' primary slot corner and nickelback, recording a career-high 49 tackles, nine passes defensed, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.[23][24]

On March 13, 2018, Robey-Coleman signed a three-year contract extension with the Rams.[25] In the 2018 regular season, he had 37 total tackles, four passes defended, and one interception in 16 appearances with one start.[26] In the NFC Championship on January 20, 2019, against the New Orleans Saints, Robey-Coleman was involved in a controversial moment late in the game when he collided with Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis helmet-to-helmet. The hit would have been pass interference or a personal foul, but neither came about. The Rams went on to win 26–23 in overtime, sending them to Super Bowl LIII.[27] Following the game, Robey-Coleman admitted that he thought he should have been called for defensive pass interference or a personal foul.[28] On January 25, 2019, Robey-Coleman was fined $26,739 for the hit on Lewis.[29] During the Super Bowl, Robey-Coleman made a helmet-to-helmet hit on Rex Burkhead, which resulted in a personal foul. The entire game turned out to be a defensive struggle as the Rams eventually were defeated, 13–3. He had two tackles and one pass defended in the game.[30][31] On February 10, 2019, Robey-Coleman was again fined $26,739.[32]

In the 2019 season, Robey-Coleman finished with 36 total tackles, seven passes defended, and two forced fumbles in 16 games, of which he started three.[33]

On March 17, 2020, the Rams declined the option on Robey-Coleman's contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.[34]

Philadelphia Eagles

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On March 31, 2020, Robey-Coleman signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.[35] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on January 3, 2021,[36] and activated on January 20.[37] He finished the 2020 season with 44 total tackles, one pass defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 15 games, of which he started seven.[38]

Detroit Lions

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On August 9, 2021, Robey-Coleman signed with the Detroit Lions.[39] He was released on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day.[40][41] He appeared in one game, Week 14 against the Denver Broncos, for the Lions in the 2021 season.[42]

Las Vegas Raiders

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On September 13, 2022, Robey-Coleman signed with the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad.[43] He appeared in two games for the Raiders in the 2022 season.[44]

NFL career statistics

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Regular season
Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Comb Total Ast Sck FF FR Yds TD PD INT Yds Avg Lng TD
2013 BUF 16 2 39 30 9 3.0 1 1 0 0 10 1 19 19.0 19T 1
2014 BUF 16 7 48 38 10 1.0 2 2 0 7 0.0
2015 BUF 16 3 46 39 7 1.0 4 0.0
2016 BUF 16 3 35 32 3 0.0 1 1 36 1 7 2 44 22.0 41T 1
2017 LAR 15 4 49 39 10 0.0 1 1 0 0 9 2 56 28.0 31 0
2018 LAR 16 1 37 25 12 0.0 4 1 0 0.0 0 0
2019 LAR 16 3 35 31 4 0.0 2 0 12 0 7 0.0
2020 PHI 15 7 44 37 7 0.0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.0 0 0
Career 126 30 334 272 62 5.0 6 6 50 1 49 6 119 19.8 41 2
Postseason
Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Comb Total Ast Sck FF FR Yds TD PD INT Yds Avg Lng TD
2017 LAR 1 0 3 3 0 0.0 1 0.0
2018 LAR 3 1 5 4 1 0.0 3 0.0
Career 4 1 8 7 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0

Personal life

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In February 2010, two weeks after he signed with the Trojans, his mother, Maxine, died, aged 44. Before leaving for school that morning, he checked on her because she had recently been hospitalized, and found her on her bedroom floor. After calling paramedics, he performed CPR on her but she was to succumb later at the hospital from heart failure.[45]

In the spring of 2014, Robey started attending transferable classes[46] at Warner University in Florida. In 2015, he returned to USC, taking three classes, then took three more after his 2017 season with the Rams. In 2019, he finished coursework for his degree in policy, planning and development, with an emphasis in real estate development, fulfilling the promise he had made to his mother to finish college.[47] Before the 2016 season, he added the name of his mother to his own.[47]

In November 2018, Robey-Coleman's son Nickell Jr. died after he was born prematurely and suffered from lung complications.[47]

Robey-Coleman, in 2019, revealed[48] in an exchange with Neil deGrasse Tyson, that he had doubts "all his life" about the Earth being round.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Fredericksen, Brady (March 14, 2018). "Frostproof High alum Nickell Robey-Coleman, his mother on his mind, re-signs with Rams". The Ledger. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Nickell Robey Bio". USC Trojans Athletics. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "Nickell Robey". Rivals.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  4. ^ "Nickell Robey College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  5. ^ "Nickell Robey 2011 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  6. ^ Huston, Chris (November 26, 2012). "Pac-12 announces 2012 all-conference team, individual honors". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  7. ^ Klein, Gary (January 13, 2013). "USC cornerback Nickell Robey to declare for NFL draft". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "Nickell Robey, CB". NFL Draft Scout. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  9. ^ Castillo, Michael (April 27, 2013). "Nickell Robey Signs With Buffalo Bills As Undrafted Free Agent". Reign of Troy. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins – October 20th, 2013". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman 2013 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  12. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman 2014 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  13. ^ Wesseling, Chris (August 9, 2015). "Nickell Robey, Buffalo Bills strike contract extension". NFL.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
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  20. ^ Orr, Conor (April 7, 2017). "Nickell Robey-Coleman signs contract with L.A. Rams". NFL.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
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  24. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman 2017 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  25. ^ Simmons, Myles (March 13, 2018). "Rams, Robey-Coleman Agree to Terms on Three-Year Deal". TheRams.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
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  28. ^ Gantt, Darin (January 21, 2019). "Nickell Robey-Coleman: "Oh, hell yeah. That was P.I."". ProFootballTalk. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  29. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman draws fine for non-call hit". NFL.com. January 25, 2019. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
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  32. ^ Bergman, Jeremy (February 10, 2019). "Robey-Coleman hit with another $26K fine for SB hit". NFL.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  33. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman 2019 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  34. ^ "Rams decline option for CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, making him a free agent". TheRams.com. March 17, 2020. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  35. ^ Spadaro, Dave (March 25, 2020). "Nickell as the nickel? Eagles agree to terms with CB Nickell Robey-Coleman". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  36. ^ McPherson, Chris (January 3, 2021). "CB Nickell Robey-Coleman is out for tonight's game". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
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  39. ^ Schlitt, Erik (August 9, 2021). "Detroit Lions sign NB Nickell Robey-Coleman, waive D'Angelo Amos". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  40. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 31, 2021. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  41. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. September 1, 2021. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  42. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman 2021 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  43. ^ "Raiders sign WR Keelan Cole to active roster, place WR DJ Turner on reserve/injured list". Raiders.com. September 14, 2022. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  44. ^ "Nickell Robey-Coleman 2022 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  45. ^ Thiry, Lindsey (January 17, 2019). "Years of sorrow haven't taken everything from Rams CB Nickell Robey-Coleman". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  46. ^ "Articulated vs. Transferable". Irvine. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  47. ^ a b c Klein, Gary (May 8, 2019). "Rams' Nickell Robey-Coleman fulfills promise to mother, earns degree from USC". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  48. ^ "Neil deGrasse Tyson answers Nickell Robey-Coleman's question: Is the world round or flat". Los Angeles Rams. November 27, 2019. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
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