Ethan Shane Horton (born December 19, 1962) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who was a

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played one season as a

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

for the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...

(1985), and seven seasons as a tight end for the

Los Angeles Raiders The Los Angeles Raiders were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). The Raiders played in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994 before relocating back to Oakland, California, where the team played from its inaugural ...

(1987, 1989–1993), and the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

(1994).

College career

Horton played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

, where he was an all- ACC running back and 1984 ACC Player of the Year. In 1981, he was named the co-

MVP MVP most commonly refers to: * Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition * Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering MVP may also refer to: ...

of the

Gator Bowl The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, usually contested on or around New Year's Day. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first televise ...

, and in 1982 he shared MVP honors with two teammates in the

Sun Bowl The Sun Bowl is a college football bowl game that has been played since 1935 in the southwestern United States at El Paso, Texas. Along with the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl, it is the second-oldest bowl game in the country, behind the Rose Bowl. ...

. Horton rushed for 1,107 yards as a junior and 1,247 as a senior. Overall, he rushed for 3,074 yards, caught 46 passes for 495 yards, and scored 27 touchdowns.

Professional career

Horton was selected by the Chiefs in the first round with the 15th overall pick of the

1985 NFL draft The 1985 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The NFL draft, draft was held April 30 and May 1, 1985 NFL season, 1985, at the Omni Park Central Hotel in New York City, New ...

. He caught 28 passes in his rookie season, but had a dismal year running the ball, finishing the season with just 146 rushing yards. He was widely considered a bust and cut by the Chiefs at the end of the year. Horton managed to sign on with the Raiders in 1987, but played in just four games and was cut during training camp in 1988. He then returned to North Carolina as an athletic counselor, but was called back to the Raiders in 1989 by owner

Al Davis Allen R. Davis (July 4, 1929 – October 8, 2011) was an American professional football executive and coach. He was the managing general partner, principal owner and ''de facto'' general manager of the National Football League (NFL) Oakland Rai ...

, who had him converted to the tight end position. Although he saw limited playing time in 1989, this ultimately paid off as he caught 33 passes in 1990, and scored a 41-yard touchdown reception in the team's divisional playoff win in the postseason. Horton had his best season in 1991, when he caught 53 passes for 650 yards and five touchdowns, which earned him his only career selection to the pro bowl. He added 77 more receptions with his next two years on the Raiders, and finished his NFL career with the Redskins in 1994. Horton finished his career with 212 receptions for 2,360 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 241 yards and 3 touchdowns rushing the ball.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Horton, Ethan 1962 births Living people Sportspeople from Kannapolis, North Carolina American football running backs American football tight ends North Carolina Tar Heels football players Kansas City Chiefs players Los Angeles Raiders players Washington Redskins players American Conference Pro Bowl players NFL replacement players