View source for Dewayne Washington

{{Short description|American football player (born 1972)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{similar names|Dwayne Washington (disambiguation){{!}}Dwayne Washington}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Dewayne Washington
| image       = DeWayneWashington 2002.jpg
| caption     = Washington with the [[2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] in 2002
| number      = 20, 30
| position    = [[Cornerback]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1972|12|27}}
| birth_place = [[Durham, North Carolina]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 5
| height_in   = 11
| weight_lb   = 193
| high_school = [[Northern High School (Durham, North Carolina)|Northern Durham (NC)]]
| college     = [[NC State Wolfpack football|NC State]]
| draftyear   = 1994
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 18
| pastteams   = * [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|1994|1997}})
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1998|2003}})
* [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] ({{NFL Year|2004}})
* [[Kansas City Chiefs]] ({{NFL Year|2005}})
| highlights  = * [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#1994|1994]])
* Second-team All-[[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]] ([[1993 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|1993]])
| statlabel1  = Total [[Tackle (football move)|tackle]]s
| statvalue1  = 807
| statlabel2  = Forced [[fumble]]s
| statvalue2  = 2
| statlabel3  = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3  = 7
| statlabel4  = [[Pass deflected|Passes defended]]
| statvalue4  = 85
| statlabel5  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue5  = 31
| statlabel6  = Defensive [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue6  = 7
| pfr         = W/WashDe20
}}

'''Dewayne Neron Washington''' (born December 27, 1972) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[cornerback]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played for the [[Minnesota Vikings]], [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], [[Jacksonville Jaguars]], and [[Kansas City Chiefs]]. He was a first-round pick (18th overall) in the [[1994 NFL draft]] from [[North Carolina State University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1994 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1994/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  He is currently the head football coach at [[Heritage High School (Wake Forest, North Carolina)|Heritage High School]] in [[Wake Forest, North Carolina]].<ref name="Head Football Coach">{{Cite web |title=Heritage hires Dewayne Washington to coach football, Torry Holt to be assistant |date=May 11, 2015 |url=http://www.highschoolot.com/heritage-hires-dewayne-washington-to-coach-football-torry-holt-to-be-assistant/14638402/ |access-date=May 12, 2015 |publisher=WRAL High School OT}}</ref>

==Early life==
Washington played [[high school football]] at [[Northern High School (Durham, North Carolina)|Northern High School]] in Durham, North Carolina, where he earned [[All-American]] honors from ''[[Sporting News]]'', [[SuperPrep]], and ''[[USA Today]]'' in 1989. After high school Washington attended North Carolina State, grabbing 3 [[interception]]s his junior year. As a senior, Washington led the team with 4 interceptions, and also recorded 66 [[Tackle (football move)|tackles]] (51 solo) as a co-[[Captain (sports)|captain]].

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 11 1/4
|       weight = 191
|         dash = 4.45
|    ten split = 1.57
| twenty split = 2.63
|      shuttle = 4.16
|   cone drill =
|     vertical = 36.0
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 10
|        bench = 12
|     arm span = 32 1/2
|    hand span = 9 1/8
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from NFL Combine<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=24056 |title=Dewayne Washington, Combine Results, CB - North Carolina State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=July 20, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===Minnesota Vikings===
Dewayne Washington [[Starting lineup|started]] all 16 games for the [[Minnesota Vikings]] as a [[rookie]] in 1994. Washington recorded 75 tackles (69 solo), and had 3 interceptions for 135 yards and 2 [[touchdown]]s as a rookie. Dewayne Washington was named defensive rookie of the year by ''College and Pro Football Weekly'' and earned All-Rookie honors from ''[[Pro Football Weekly]]'' and [[Pro Football Writers Association|Pro Football Writers of America]]. The Vikings won the [[NFC Central Division]] with a 10–6 record, but lost in the first round of the [[NFL playoffs, 1994–95|1994 NFL playoffs]].

In 1995, Washington played in 15 games, recording 62 total tackles (57 solo), and had 1 interception for 25 yards. Washington only missed 1 game in his career. For the next 10 NFL seasons, he did not miss a game.  He played in a total of 191/192 possible regular season games during his 12-year career.

In 1996, Washington recorded 75 tackles (72 solo). He had 2 interceptions for 27 yards and a touchdown that year.

In 1997, he had 84 tackles (74 solo). He had 4 interceptions that year for 71 yards, but no touchdowns. Washington was a starter for a Vikings that entered the [[NFL playoffs, 1997–98|1997 NFL playoffs]] as a [[Wild card (sports)|wildcard]] team, [[Upset (competition)|upset]]ting the [[New York Giants]] in the first round before falling to the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in the divisional playoffs.

===Pittsburgh Steelers===
On February 25, 1998, the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] signed Dewayne Washington as an [[unrestricted free agent]]. 1998 proved to be Dewayne's best season in the NFL. In his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington had 93 tackles (82 solo). He had 5 interceptions for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns that year. These would be the last interceptions Washington would return for touchdowns in his career.

In 1999, Washington had a career low of 52 tackles (50 solo). However, he did manage to record 4 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dewayne Washington 1999 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WashDe20/gamelog/1999/ |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2000, Washington had 78 tackles (70 solo). He matched his career high with 5 interceptions, returning them for 59 yards. On July 19, 2001, the Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed Dewayne Washington to a multi-year contract.

In 2001, he had 77 tackles, but only 1 interception for 15 yards. He helped Steelers win the [[AFC North#2000s|AFC Central]] with a 13–3 record, advancing to the [[NFL playoffs, 2001–02|AFC Conference Championship]], where they were defeated by the [[New England Patriots]].

In 2002, he had only 55 tackles, and a career-low 45 solo tackles. Washington also had 3 interceptions for 51 yards.  With a record of 10–5–1, the Steelers lost in the [[NFL playoffs, 2002–03|divisional round]] of the playoffs.

In 2003 Washington began to show signs of aging. That year, he had only 60 tackles (53 solo). He had only 1 interception for the second consecutive year, returning it for only 7 yards. This would be the end of Washington's six-season career in Pittsburgh.

===Jacksonville Jaguars===
On February 27, 2004, the Pittsburgh Steelers officially cut Dewayne Washington, making him a [[free agent]] eligible to sign with any team. On March 9, 2004, the [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] signed Dewayne Washington to be a [[nickel back]]. In 2004, Washington had 2 interceptions and 76 Tackles.

===Kansas City Chiefs===
In [[Training camp (National Football League)|training camp]] before the [[2005 NFL season]], the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] signed Washington to a one-year contract. Washington's signing was considered less significant due to the possibility of signing [[Ty Law]] before he signed with the [[New York Jets]]. Dewayne played almost always on [[special teams]], recording 10 tackles, 9 being solo. Despite a 10–6 record that included 4,000 yards passing by [[Trent Green]] and 1,700 yards rushing by [[Larry Johnson (running back)|Larry Johnson]], the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs. For the first season in his career, Washington went without an interception and only started one game. In his career, Washington recorded 31 interceptions and recovered 7 [[fumble]]s. He returned four interceptions and two fumbles for touchdowns. Washington has started all 8 playoff games he has appeared in.

===NFL statistics===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Team !! Games !! Combined Tackles !! Tackles !! Assisted Tackles !! Sacks !! Forced Fumbles !! Fumble Recoveries !! Fumble Return Yards !! Interceptions !! Interception Return Yards !! Yards per Interception Return !! Longest Interception Return !! Interceptions Returned for Touchdown !! Passes Defended
|-
| [[1994 NFL season|1994]] || [[1994 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]] || 16 || 75 || 68 || 7 || 0.0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 3 || 135 || 45 || 81 || 2 || 12
|-
| [[1995 NFL season|1995]] || [[1995 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]] || 15 || 62 || 54 || 8 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 25 || 25 || 25 || 0 || 9
|-
| [[1996 NFL season|1996]] || [[1996 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]] || 16 || 75 || 69 || 6 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 27 || 14 || 27 || 1 || 12
|-
| [[1997 NFL season|1997]] || [[1997 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]] || 16 || 84 || 74 || 10 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 71 || 18 || 27 || 0 || 10
|-
| [[1998 NFL season|1998]] || [[1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]] || 16 || 93 || 79 || 14 || 0.0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 5 || 178 || 36 || 78 || 2 || 39
|-
| [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || [[1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]] || 16 || 52 || 50 || 2 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 18
|-
| [[2000 NFL season|2000]] || [[2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]] || 16 || 79 || 69 || 10 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 59 || 12 || 31 || 0 || 24
|-
| [[2001 NFL season|2001]] || [[2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]] || 16 || 77 || 66 || 11 || 1.0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 0 || 18
|-
| [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]] || 16 || 55 || 45 || 10 || 0.0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 3 || 51 || 17 || 28 || 0 || 17
|-
| [[2003 NFL season|2003]] || [[2003 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]] || 16 || 60 || 53 || 7 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 8
|-
| [[2004 NFL season|2004]] || [[2004 Jacksonville Jaguars season|JAX]] || 16 || 76 || 68 || 8 || 0.0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 9
|-
| [[2005 NFL season|2005]] || [[2005 Kansas City Chiefs season|KC]] || 16 || 13 || 12 || 1 || 0.0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 ||  0 || 2
|-
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WashDe20.htm Career] || || 191 || 801 || 707 || 94 || 1.0 || 3 || 5 || 0 || 31 || 569 || 18 || 81 || 5 || 178
|}

==Coaching career==
On May 11, 2015, Dewayne was introduced as the new head football coach at Heritage High School in Wake Forest, North Carolina making his head coaching debut on August 21, 2015, against [[Green Hope High School]].<ref name="Head Football Coach" />  Prior to accepting the head coaching job at Heritage, he served as an assistant coach at [[Ravenscroft School]] in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]].<ref name="Head Football Coach" /> His assistant coaches included former NFL wide receiver [[Torry Holt]] and former NFL running back [[Willie Parker]].

In January 2018, he resigned from the position, wishing to spend more time focusing on his business and family.<ref>{{Cite web |title=High school football coaching changes |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/high-school/article196361639.html |access-date=September 16, 2018 |website=News and Observer |publisher=News and Observer |ref=4}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Since retiring from the NFL, Dewayne has been active within his community.  He has participated in various real estate projects which have helped revitalize downtown Durham, NC and started Carolina Skills Academy, a year-round football skills academy available to kids in and around [[Research Triangle|The Triangle]].  He has also served on the Durham [[YMCA]] Board, NC State's Alumni Board and Board of Visitors, and Union Baptist Trustee Board, been involved with the [[100 Black Men of America]], and volunteered as a coach for [[Pop Warner Little Scholars|Pop Warner]] football.  Currently, Dewayne lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, NC State graduate Adama Washington, and their three children.<ref>{{Cite web |title=North Carolina State University Leadership Profiles |url=https://www.ncsu.edu/about-nc-state/university-leadership/board-of-visitors/ |access-date=May 12, 2015 |publisher=North Carolina State University}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WashDe20.htm NFL Player Database]
*[http://www.nfl.com Official Webpage of the NFL]

{{1994 NFL Draft}}
{{Vikings1994DraftPicks}}
{{VikingsFirstPick}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Dewayne}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Durham, North Carolina]]
[[Category:American football cornerbacks]]
[[Category:NC State Wolfpack football players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings players]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players]]
[[Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs players]]
[[Category:People from Wake Forest, North Carolina]]