Duke Fergerson
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Boise, Idaho, U.S.
| No. 89, 19 | |||||||||
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| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | April 21, 1954 Boise, Idaho, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 189 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Merced (Merced, California) | ||||||||
| College | Washington State San Diego State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1976: 3rd round, 73rd overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Duke Fergerson (born April 21, 1954) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs and was selected in the third round of the 1976 NFL draft.
Fergerson was raised by his single mother in Merced, California and attended Merced High School where he was a three-sport athlete. As a track runner,[1] he recorded the second fastest low hurdle time in the history of high school track during his senior year.
He was even more successful as a football player, but dyslexia prevented him from earning a student-athlete scholarship. Even though he earned a diploma, his combined SAT score of 580 essentially qualified him as a functional illiterate at graduation.
College career
To address his academic deficits, he enrolled at Merced College and made such progress in two years that Stanford, Washington State, UCLA, Duke, and the University of Alabama all offered him full athletic scholarships. He chose Washington State University to play college football and majored in Political Science with a minor in US History.
After his junior year where he had 10 receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown, he transferred to San Diego State University where his brother Nate was a wide receiver and because he felt the passing offense gave him a better chance at a professional career.[2]
As a senior, he caught 57 passes for 886 yards and 4 touchdowns. Finishing as the NCAA's third leading wide receiver in receptions. He was selected to participate in the Senior Bowl, where he scored two touchdowns for the North squad. He also practice track and ran a 9.4 seconds 100-yard dash.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Fergerson was selected in the third round (73rd overall) of the 1976 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. As a rookie, he tore a tendon in his right ring finger and was placed on the injured reserve list.[3] The next year, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a second-round draft choice (#54-Glenn Carano).[4]
Seattle Seahawks
He started 8 games in 1977, but his career with the Seattle Seahawks was spent playing mostly on special teams. He was released on September 26, 1979.
Buffalo Bills
On September 2, 1980, he signed with the Buffalo Bills after a tryout.[5] He scored 2 preseason touchdowns in his first season. He was cut on August 23, 1981.[6]
Los Angeles Rams
In 1983, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams and was released on August 29.[7]