Lett's failed recovery ranked at #3 in both ESPN lists, #3 on "Top 10 Foul-Ups", and #8 on "Top 10 Worst Plays". Buffalo, once 4-0, was pushed around for the second straight week and its young QB finished with just 122 passing yards against the Chiefs. During his two years at Emporia, the defense held opponents to 4.1 yards-per-play and 3.1 yards-per-carry. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. On July 20, 2011, he was hired as a full-time assistant defensive line coach for the Cowboys. In Super Bowl XXVII, he nearly set the record for the longest fumble return in Super Bowl history (64 yards). Leon Lett Jr. (born October 12, 1968) is a former American football defensive tackle and coach who is the assistant defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. During his final season in 2001, he played for the Denver Broncos. [3] Even though he was constantly double teamed, he dominated at the point of attack affecting both the running and the passing game of teams.

As a rookie, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a lower back problem on August 27. In the resulting chase for possession, the Dolphins recovered on the one-yard line.

In the divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, he registered 6 tackles (1 for loss), 2 passes deflected (one was intercepted), 3 quarterback pressures and recovered a fumble. He was selected to play in 2 Pro Bowls. ; Lett, Carried Away, Fumbles His Moment of Glory – New York Times", "Legends, underdogs, goats shared Texas Stadium spotlight", "ULM Football Head Coach Todd Berry Appoints Five Assistant Coaches – ULM Warhawks Athletics", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leon_Lett&oldid=974614034, Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football coaches, Players of American football from Alabama, Short description is different from Wikidata, Dallas Cowboys currentteam parameter articles, Infobox NFL biography articles with old NFL.com URL, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 August 2020, at 00:17. After playing in 11 games, he led all defensive linemen in passes deflected (4) Playing mainly as a defensive right tackle in passing situations, he finished the regular season with 19 quarterback pressures (tied for second on the team) and four passes deflected (led the team). Copyright: © 2020 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Late in the fourth quarter, Lett recovered a fumble on the Dallas 35-yard line and ran it back towards the end zone. He also sacked Frank Reich on the game’s final play. The fumble ranked at #1 in the ESPN fan list, at #2 in the ESPN expert panel, #3 on "Top 10 Foul-Ups", and #9 on "Top 10 Worst Plays". Kansas City Chiefs turn to ground game in win, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushes for 161 vs. Buffalo Bills. However, Lett prematurely began to celebrate and the ball was knocked out of his hand by Bills receiver Don Beebe which resulted in a touch back. [6], On March 31, 2011, he was invited as part of the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program to assist Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Brian Baker during training camp. When he reached the 10-yard line, Lett slowed and held the ball out as he approached the goal line.

His last season in Dallas was 2000, when he played in 9 games (7 starts), registered 35 tackles (14 solo), 2.5 sacks, 4 passes deflected and one forced fumble. He sprained his left medial collateral ligament during a November practice and was inactive for five games, before being placed on the injured reserve list on December 14. The Dolphins sent kicker Pete Stoyanovich out to attempt a 41-yard field goal, which would likely have won the game due to how little time would have remained for the Cowboys to drive downfield after the ensuing play and subsequent kickoff. Defense; Fumbles; Regular Season Reg Postseason Post. On Thanksgiving Day in 1993, during a rare snow and sleet storm in Dallas, the Cowboys, who came into the game with a 7–3 record, were leading the 8–2 Miami Dolphins by a score of 14–13 with 15 seconds remaining in the game. Leon Lett career stats with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. The Cowboys had a commanding 52–17 lead at the time, and the play is viewed as not having significantly affected the outcome of the game, but it embarrassed Lett and is still well known today. Lett had 22.5 sacks. Defense Def Fumbles Fum. On December 19, 2009, he was appointed defensive tackle coach for the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury's beautiful mind.

He received a scholarship from Auburn University, but after a low score on the ACT, he had to play two seasons at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi, compiling 141 tackles, 10 sacks, nine pass deflections and three fumble recoveries. When Lett was playing, he was one of the most feared defensive players in the game. In 2008, the game was named the third-most memorable in the history of Texas Stadium by ESPN. [5], Lett started his coaching career in 2009 as a volunteer assistant at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In 1993, he fractured his right ankle in the third game of the season, re-injuring a fracture suffered He served an additional full 16-game suspension (3 games in 1996 and 13 games of 1997) and an eight-game suspension at the start of the 1999 season. However, Lett did not see Bills wide receiver Don Beebe chasing him down from behind. On May 9, 2009, Lett graduated from UNLV with a degree in university studies and a concentration in sociology and history. In his second season, he blossomed into a key player in the Cowboys' defensive line rotation and his teammates nicknamed him "Big Cat" in reference to his agility.

During his final season in 2001, he played for the Denver Broncos. Lett played in the NFL for 11 seasons and spent the majority of his career with the Cowboys, who drafted him in 1991. Leon Lett Stats. Defensive lineman Leon Lett played 11 seasons for the Cowboys and Broncos. Lett would be suspended at different times for violating the NFL substance abuse policy, missing a total of 28 games during his career. He earned All-NAIA District 10 recognition as a senior and finished second in the team in sacks (4), but pro scouts lost interest when he missed his first three games with a right knee injury and wasn't invited to any senior All-Star games or the NFL Scouting Combine.[2]. Lett's gaffe also cost the Cowboys the record for most points scored in a Super Bowl, which is currently held by the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV at 55 points. Career Stats for DE Leon Lett. Bold denotes league leader. Stoyanovich attempted a field goal from that spot and connected, winning the game 16-14 for the visitors. © 2020 NFL Enterprises LLC. Lett played in the NFL for 11 seasons and spent the majority of his career with the Cowboys, who drafted him in 1991. YEAR TEAM G Total Solo AST SCK SFTY PDEF INT TDS YDS … In 1995, he served a four-game suspension in the middle of the season, before returning strong during the team drive to Super Bowl XXX, registering in the last four regular season games 22 tackles, 2 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble. The second play occurred during the next season and was more serious as it resulted in a Cowboy defeat. Two of the top three of ESPN's "25 Biggest Sports Blunders" are attributed to Lett and the plays appeared on NFL Network's "Top 10 Foul-Ups" and "Top 10 Worst Plays". ", Struggles by Bills, Josh Allen against AFC elite a cause for concern. Conversely, the Dolphins lost the rest of their remaining games and did not qualify for the playoffs. The kick was blocked by Lett's linemate Jimmie Jones, and the ball came to rest several yards away. Latest on DE Leon Lett including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on NFL.com In 1994, he started all 16 games and was named to his first Pro Bowl after finishing with 68 tackles, 4 sacks and 26 quarterback pressures (second on the team). Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin suffered a concussion in the first quarter of the Cowboys' game against the Cardinals and was ruled out to return. Career Stats Career Stats Game Log Game Log Splits Splits. Niners running back Raheem Mostert suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday's win over the Rams that will likely land Mostert on three-game injured reserve. He is also remembered for two botched plays: a fumble just before scoring a touchdown in Super Bowl XXVII and a failed recovery after a blocked field goal in a Thanksgiving game, although he would go on to help his team win the Super Bowl in both seasons. He was part of the Super Bowl winning teams in 1992, 1993 and 1995. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about defensive end Leon Lett on ESPN. After leading the team in pass deflections (10) and blocked kicks (two) and finishing second in tackles (83) and sacks (5), he received honorable mention NAIA All-America, All-NAIA District 10 and All-CSIC honors.

Had Lett simply done nothing, the Cowboys would have automatically received possession as the play would have been whistled dead and the team would have received possession at the line of scrimmage. NFL footage © NFL Productions LLC. The first play occurred in January 1993, in Super Bowl XXVII. Leon Lett: Pos: DT-DE, Career: 121 G, 2xProBowl, Cowboys/Broncos 1991-2001, born AL 1968 [7], American football coach and former defensive tackle, Central States Intercollegiate Conference, "When Don Beebe first met Leon Lett, the result was the – 05.17.93 – SI Vault", "Leon Lett – DT, Seventh Round, Dallas Cowboys, 1991 – Best Draft Bargains of the Past 20 Years – Photos – SI.com", "SUPER BOWL XXVII: OOPS! He was re-activated on November 21 and played as a reserve defensive tackle during the last five games of the season and in the playoffs. Josh Allen shoulders blame for Buffalo Bills' recent struggles, says team 'can't afford to have me play poorly', After a 4-0 start to the season during which Josh Allen resembled a possible MVP candidate, the Bills have now dropped two games in a row, with their struggling quarterback acknowledging, "This team can't afford to have me play poorly. The play ultimately did not hurt the Cowboys' season as they won all of their remaining regular-season games and went on to win Super Bowl XXVIII. Lett was a talented player and a cornerstone of the Cowboys defense during his tenure, but he is also remembered for being involved in two famous plays that resulted from gaffes he made. for the second straight season. A two-time Pro Bowler, Lett was a member of the Cowboys teams that won three Super Bowls during the 1990s. Leon Lett Jr. (born October 12, 1968) is a former American football defensive tackle and coach who is the assistant defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL).

Career Stats. Since Lett went for the ball and touched it, by rule the play was considered a muffed kick and the Dolphins were given possession on the one-yard line with three seconds showing on the clock.

After retiring, Lett began a career in coaching and rejoined the Cowboys as a coach in 2011. San Francisco 49ers' Raheem Mostert likely to IR for high ankle sprain. during offseason workouts. Lett later said he was watching the Jumbotron, and trying to do a "Michael Irvin", where he put the ball out across the goal line.[4]. Upon his return after missing 5 games, he played the four positions along the defensive line at different times. In the postseason, he was one of the defense's best players, tying for the team lead with two tackles for losses and leading the team with three forced fumbles. Rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 161 yards as the Chiefs turned to their ground game in a 26-17 victory against the Bills on Monday. At a very young age, Kingsbury began drawing up plays on napkins and whiteboards, and he has been expanding on his ideas ever since.