Chris Baker (tight end)
No. 81, 86 | |||||||||
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Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Queens, New York, U.S. | November 18, 1979||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 258 lb (117 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Saline (MI) | ||||||||
College: | Michigan State | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 2002 / round: 3 / pick: 88 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Christopher T. Baker (born November 18, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans.
College career
[edit]He played college football at Michigan State from 1998 to 2001. He finished with 133 catches for 1,705 yards and 13 touchdowns[1] including a career best season as a Senior with 40 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns.
College statistics
[edit]Season | GP | Receiving | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
1998 | 11 | 22 | 305 | 13.9 | 3 |
1999 | 12 | 38 | 391 | 10.3 | 4 |
2000 | 11 | 33 | 461 | 14.0 | 2 |
2001 | 12 | 40 | 548 | 13.7 | 4 |
Totals[2] | 46 | 133 | 1,705 | 12.8 | 13 |
Professional career
[edit]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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
258 lb (117 kg) |
31 1⁄2 in (0.80 m) |
9 1⁄4 in (0.23 m) |
4.87 s | 1.71 s | 2.82 s | 4.22 s | 6.95 s | 35 in (0.89 m) |
9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) |
18 reps | |
All values were taken from the NFL Scouting Combine and published in scouting report. |
New York Jets
[edit]Baker was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round (88th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft.[3] During the 2005 season, he served as the starting tight end until becoming injured and placed on the injured reserve list. Baker had a breakout season in 2006, setting career bests in receiving yards, receptions, touchdowns and starts, as the Jets finished 10-6 earning the fifth wild card spot. After a career year in 2007, Chris said the Jets promised him a new contract and lied.[4]
Baker felt disrespected with the Jets decision to use their first-round pick in the 2008 NFL draft on Dustin Keller and their acquisition of free agent Bubba Franks, which pushed Baker to third on the depth chart and made him the least-paid Jets tight end, despite his productive past two seasons.[5][6] The Jets finally extended Baker with a three-year, $12.2 million contract extension through 2012, but it came with an out-clause stating the Jets would owe him nothing if he was cut from the team before March 5, 2009.[7]
On February 20, 2009, Baker was released by the Jets.[8]
New England Patriots
[edit]On February 27, 2009, Baker signed a five-year contract with the New England Patriots.[9] On September 27, 2009, Baker caught Tom Brady's 200th career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the Patriots and Falcons game.[10] Baker played in all 16 games for the 2009 season.
On March 4, 2010, Baker was released by the Patriots.[11]
Seattle Seahawks
[edit]On March 13, 2010, Baker signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks, primarily to serve as a blocking tight end.[12] On January 4, 2011, Baker was placed on a season-ending injured reserve due to a fractured bone in his hip, four days before Seattle's playoff game against the New Orleans Saints.[13][14] Baker played in all 16 games for the 2010 season and caught nine passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.
On February 24, 2011, Baker was released by the Seahawks.[15]
NFL career statistics
[edit]Legend | |
---|---|
Bold | Career high |
Regular season
[edit]Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
2002 | NYJ | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 10 | 0 |
2003 | NYJ | 16 | 0 | 18 | 14 | 137 | 9.8 | 24 | 0 |
2004 | NYJ | 16 | 0 | 29 | 18 | 182 | 10.1 | 23 | 4 |
2005 | NYJ | 8 | 8 | 25 | 18 | 269 | 14.9 | 47 | 1 |
2006 | NYJ | 16 | 14 | 45 | 31 | 300 | 9.7 | 28 | 4 |
2007 | NYJ | 15 | 15 | 61 | 41 | 409 | 10.0 | 22 | 3 |
2008 | NYJ | 16 | 13 | 30 | 21 | 194 | 9.2 | 29 | 0 |
2009 | NWE | 16 | 7 | 19 | 14 | 142 | 10.1 | 36 | 2 |
2010 | SEA | 16 | 13 | 19 | 9 | 116 | 12.9 | 44 | 1 |
131 | 71 | 249 | 168 | 1,763 | 10.5 | 47 | 15 |
Playoffs
[edit]Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
2002 | NYJ | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 16 | 1 |
2004 | NYJ | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 3.8 | 6 | 0 |
2006 | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 68 | 13.6 | 26 | 0 |
2009 | NWE | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
6 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 111 | 8.5 | 26 | 1 |
Personal life
[edit]In May 2009 Chris married his girlfriend, Yadira Taveras, in Long Island, New York. Together, they have a son, Chris Jr, and daughter Tamia. They reside near Boca Raton, Florida.
References
[edit]- ^ "Chris Baker Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com". Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Baker College Stats | College Football at". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ Baker upset over contract situation as Jets draft another tight end ESPN.com, April 28, 2008
- ^ "A Closer Look at Chris Baker's Contract Situation". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ "Chris Baker no closer as Jets bring in Dustin Keller". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ "Chris Baker's long-awaited deal with Gang Green short on security". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on August 3, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ Jets Release Tight End Baker Archived February 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine SI.com, February 20, 2009
- ^ "The allure of winning brings Chris Baker to the Patriots | New England Patriots | projo.com | the Providence Journal". Archived from the original on March 10, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ Ex-Jet Baker Happy to Join Rival[permanent dead link ] Yahoo Sports, March 3, 2009
- ^ "Patriots release TE Chris Baker". Boston.com. March 4, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ "Seattle agrees to terms with TE Chris Baker - NFL - Sporting News". Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ "Seattle Seahawks place tight end Baker, guard Pitts on injured reserve". GuelphMercury.com. January 4, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ O'Neil, Danny (January 3, 2011). "#Seahawks TE Chris Baker (hip) and G Chester Pitts (concussion) out for this game". @dannyoneil. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ O'Neil, Danny (March 3, 2011). "Seahawks release TE Chris Baker, QB Nate Davis". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
External links
[edit]- 1979 births
- Living people
- Players of American football from Queens, New York
- Players of American football from Michigan
- American football tight ends
- Michigan State Spartans football players
- New York Jets players
- New England Patriots players
- Seattle Seahawks players
- People from Saline, Michigan
- Sportspeople from Washtenaw County, Michigan
- 21st-century African-American sportsmen
- 21st-century American sportsmen
- 20th-century African-American sportsmen