View source for Eric Metcalf

{{Short description|American football player (born 1968)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image       = Eric Metcalf 2013.jpg
| caption     = Metcalf in 2013
| number      = 21, 82, 34, 22
| position    = [[Running back]]<br>[[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1968|1|23}}
| birth_place = [[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 5
| height_in   = 10
| weight_lb   = 190
| high_school = [[Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School|Bishop Denis J. O'Connell]]<br/>([[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington, Virginia]])
| college     = [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]]
| draftyear   = 1989
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 13
| pastteams   =
* [[Cleveland Browns]] ({{NFL Year|1989|1994}})
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|1995|1996}})
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|1997}})
* [[Arizona Cardinals]] ({{NFL Year|1998}})
* [[Baltimore Ravens]] (1999)*
* [[Carolina Panthers]] ({{NFL Year|1999}})
* [[Oakland Raiders]] (2001)*
* [[Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|2001}})
* [[Green Bay Packers]] ({{NFL Year|2002}})
| highlights  =
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1993 All-Pro Team|1993]], [[1997 All-Pro Team|1997]])
* 3× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]], [[1995 Pro Bowl|1994]], [[1998 Pro Bowl|1997]])
* [[List of NFL annual kickoff return yards leaders|NFL kickoff return yards leader]] (1990)
* [[Cleveland Browns#Cleveland Browns legends|Cleveland Browns Legends]]
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|Football All-American]] ([[1987 College Football All-America Team|1987]])
* [[Southwest Conference football individual awards|SWC Offensive Player of the Year]] (1987)
* 3× First-team All-[[Southwest Conference|SWC]] ([[1986 All-Southwest Conference football team|1986]]–[[1988 All-Southwest Conference football team|1988]])
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue1  = 541
| statlabel2  = Receiving yards
| statvalue2  = 5,572
| statlabel3  = Rushing yards
| statvalue3  = 2,392
| statlabel4  = Return yards
| statvalue4  = 9,266
| statlabel5  = Total [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue5  = 55
| pfr         = M/MetcEr00
}}

'''Eric Quinn Metcalf''' (born January 23, 1968) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Cleveland Browns]], [[Atlanta Falcons]], [[San Diego Chargers]], [[Arizona Cardinals]], [[Carolina Panthers]], [[Washington Redskins]] and [[Green Bay Packers]]. He was a three-time [[Pro Bowl]] selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at [[Texas Longhorns|Texas]]. His father [[Terry Metcalf|Terry]] was a three time Pro Bowl [[running back]] for the [[Arizona Cardinals|St. Louis Cardinals]], [[Toronto Argonauts]] and [[Washington Redskins]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-news-democrat-eric-metcal/167611956/|title=Falcon firebrand|first=Steve|last=Korte|work=[[The Belleville News-Democrat]]|date=November 19, 1995|page=2R|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

==Early life==
Metcalf grew up in Seattle - where his parents were from - with his mother, Christina Jefferson.<ref name="Naturally">{{cite news |last1=Cabot |first1=Mary Kay |title=Eric Metcalf, Doing What Comes Naturally |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1993/10/30/eric-metcalf-doing-what-comes-naturally/a38f3aa1-89d9-4caf-8022-fd63fbca504b/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=29 October 1993}}</ref> 

Metcalf was an outstanding athlete from a young age. After a year at a Catholic all-boys high school in Seattle,<ref name="Naturally"/> he transferred to [[Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School]] in [[Arlington County, Virginia]] where he could play football.<ref name="Naturally"/> He lived with his father, who just finished his NFL career with the Redskins, and who helped coach the football team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Memories from Club 46: Eric Metcalf recalls dream of following in his dad's NFL footsteps |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/memories-from-club-46-eric-metcalf-recalls-dream-of-following-in-his-dad-s-nfl-f |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref> At O'Connell Metcalf competed in both [[high school football|football]] and [[track and field]]. In 1983, he led the O'Connell Knights to the state championship, rushing for over 1000 yards, scoring 24 touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams and being named all-Met, the DC area player of the year and a Catholic All-American an made the Washington Metropolitan All-Scholastic team.<ref name="schoolboy"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Caine |first1=Darryl |title=O'Connell's Metcalf Turns Dreams into Reality |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1984/10/11/oconnells-metcalf-turns-dreams-into-reality/122fdec9-8a02-4d2c-b65e-7d733123bb95/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=10 October 1984}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Facinoli |first1=Dave |title=State-champion 1983 O'Connell football team honored at homecoming |url=https://www.arlnow.com/2024/10/28/championship-oconnell-football-team-honored-at-homecoming/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |work=Arlington Now |date=28 October 2024}}</ref> He even filled in as QB for one game and upset De Matha.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1983/10/27/17bd4ea4-82f7-48b4-ba0c-f5dcad311bf6/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=26 October 1983}}</ref> The next season he again gained all-Met honors and scored 11 touchdowns.  

In track he set school records in the long jump, triple jump, 100 (10.54 seconds), 200 (21.34 seconds), and 400-yard dash still stand today.<ref name="Oconnell">{{cite web |title=Wounded Warriors vs. NFL Alumni Football |url=https://www.bishopoconnell.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=932 |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref> His 1983 long jump of 24 feet {{frac|5|1|2}} inches was the 10th longest jump by a high school boy ever.<ref name="schoolboy">{{cite news |last1=Nearman |first1=Steve |title=Metcalf Gains National Schoolboy Track Recognition |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1984/04/26/metcalf-gains-national-schoolboy-track-recognition/077c0957-731e-4552-bf2b-30898c77a044/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=25 April 1984}}</ref>  He still has the seventh longest distance ever posted indoors by an American high schooler with a jump of 7.75 meters. 

In 1991, he was inducted into the inaugural Bishop O'Connell Athletic Hall of Fame class and in 2023 he was inducted into the Arlington County Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arlington Sports Hall of Fame will induct six new members |url=https://www.gazetteleader.com/arlington/sports/arlington-sports-hall-of-fame-will-induct-six-new-members-6711619 |access-date=4 October 2023 |date=17 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Oconnell"/>

==College career==
Metcalf was heavily recruited and initially committed to the [[University of Miami]] and heavily considered the [[University of Notre Dame]] before attending the [[University of Texas at Austin]] where he was an All-[[Southwest Conference]] selection three times, the 1987 Southwest Conference player of the year and team MVP and a second-team All-American in 1987.  Metcalf finished his four seasons with 4,051 yards from scrimmage, 125 receptions, and 31 total touchdowns, while adding another 1,650 yards on special teams, with an average of 10 yards per punt return.<ref>[https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/eric-metcalf-1.html Eric Metcalf]</ref> He set school records for most career receptions (125), most receptions in a season (42, twice), most receptions in a single game (12), most receiving yards in a game by a freshman (120), longest reception by a freshman (80 yards), career all-purpose yards (5,507), all-purpose yards in a season (1,921), and career return yards (1,076). And he currently holds the record for most career receptions by a running back (125), most career receiving yards by a running back (1,394), most receiving yards by a running back in one season (556), most receiving yards by a running back in one game (181), longest reception by a running back (80 yards, tied), most returns in a game (7).  He is the only player in Texas history to lead the team in all-purpose yards all four years and one of only three players to have 100+ yards rushing and 100+ yards receiving in a single game.<ref>{{cite web |title=Texas Football Record Book |url=https://texaslonghorns.com/documents/2024/8/8/Football_Record_Book.pdf |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref> He helped the Longhorns to two Bluebonnet Bowl and led them to victory in the 1987 game.<ref>{{cite news |title=NFL Scouts, NCAA Testers Find Drug Use Declining |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1988/03/10/nfl-scouts-ncaa-testers-find-drug-use-declining/75b156de-2b4e-4446-806e-016133ba3197/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=10 March 1988}}</ref>

In track, he was a four-time All-American and set the University of Texas at Austin's long jump record (still current) at 8.44 meters (27'8"1/4). He won the NCAA National Long Jump Championship in 1986 and 1988 (he skipped the 1987 meet) and the SWC Long Jump titles in 1986 and 1987. He was also the US Jr. National Long Jump Champion in 1986 and 1987. He earned the distinction of being a five-time All-American and in 1988 competed in the USA Olympic Trials, finishing 8th overall. He helped the team win two conference outdoor championships in 1986 and 1987 and to finish 2nd at the NCAA championships in 1987 and 1988.

After college he played in the 1989 Hula Bowl and the 1989 Senior Bowl.<ref name="Honors">{{cite web |title=Texas Football History and Honors |url=https://texaslonghorns.com/documents/2024/8/8/Football_History___Honors.pdf |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref> 

In 2002 he was inducted into the Texas Longhorns Hall of Honor and in 2017 he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |title=Metcalf inducted into Texas Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://texassports.com/news/2017/2/21/football-metcalf-inducted-into-texas-sports-hall-of-fame.aspx |access-date=4 October 2023 |date=17 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Eric Metcalf |url=https://texassports.com/honors/hall-of-honor/eric-metcalf/719 |access-date=4 October 2023}}</ref>

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 9
|       weight = 180
|         dash = 4.46
|    ten split = 1.58
| twenty split = 2.59
|      shuttle =
|   cone drill =
|     vertical = 33.0
|     broad ft =
|     broad in =
|        bench =
|     arm span =
|    hand span =
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from NFL Combine<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=25777 |title=Eric Metcalf, Combine Results, WR- Texas |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=October 18, 2021}}</ref>
}}

===Cleveland Browns===
Metcalf was selected by the Browns in the first round with the 13th overall pick in the [[1989 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1989/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Browns traded four draft picks (first round, second round, fifth round, and ninth round) to the Denver Broncos (with which they chose Hall of Famer [[Steve Atwater]] among others) to move up seven spots to pick up Metcalf. Metcalf didn't sign with Cleveland until August, missing all but one preseason game.<ref>{{cite news |title=METCALF SET TO SIGN WITH BROWNS TODAY |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1989/08/20/metcalf-set-to-sign-with-browns-today/0cf61241-9105-4fc7-8836-c294e74cbe11/ |access-date=31 October 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=19 August 1989}}</ref>

A multi-talented player, Metcalf excelled at offense and as a returner on special teams. In his first season he had more than 2000 all-purpose yards and he set the Browns' rookie rushing record as the Brown's won the AFC Central and made it all the way to the [[1989 AFC Championship]] game.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Gosslin |first1=Rich |title=State Your Case: Eric Metcalf & his HOF moments |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/talkoffame/state-your-case/state-your-case-eric-metcalf-who-had-hall-of-fame-moments |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref>  In his second NFL season, he led the league in [[kickoff (American football)|kickoff]] return yards (1,052), kickoff returns (52) and return touchdowns (two) including one for 101 yards - the longest in the NFL that season. He suffered an injury in 1991 that limited to only 8 games, but notable new coach [[Bill Belichick]] had him start returning punts. As a result of that decision he led the NFL in punt returns in 1992 including a TD. He would go on to lead the NFL in punt return touchdowns in four different seasons (1993–1995, 1997) and score at least one punt return touchdown per year for four years in a row and five out of six. In 1993 he led the league in all-purpose yards, was First Team All-Pro as both a kickoff returner and punt returner, made the Pro Bowl and was the AFC NFL Players Association Special Teams Player of the Year. He also had the longest punt return in the NFL that year - 91 yards. In 1994 he again made the Pro Bowl as a returner - though in the Pro Bowl he did line up as running back and had one catch - was the AFC NFL Players Association Special Teams Player of the Year and was  a Sporting News All Pro.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Life And Career Of Browns Star Eric Metcalf (Complete History) |date=June 22, 2020 |url=https://www.brownsnation.com/eric-metcalf/ |access-date=31 October 2024}}</ref> That season the Brown again made the playoffs, but lost in the second round.

===Atlanta Falcons===
In 1995 he was traded to the [[Atlanta Falcons]] along with the Browns 1st Round draft pick (#26 overall) for Atlanta's 1st round draft pick (#10 overall). Atlanta moved him to slot receiver in their "Run and Shoot" offense where he led the team with 104 receptions (7th in the NFL that year) for more than 1,000 yards and helped them make the playoffs as a wild card team. He also set a career high with 1,983 all-purpose yards. He was a reduced part of the offense in 1996, getting only half as many catches as yards, but still had a career 2nd best 1,937 all-purpose yards. 

===San Diego Chargers===

At the end of the 1996 season, he became a free agent and signed with [[San Diego Chargers|San Diego]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Around the NFL |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=10 May 1997}}</ref>

In San Diego he was again a receiver, and during his lone season there was again named an All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl primarily as a kick returner, though in that Pro Bowl he did have one rush and one reception.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pro Bowl Rosters |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=1 February 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=AFC NFC Box score |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2 February 1998}}</ref>  He led the league with a career high of 3 punt return touchdowns.

=== Arizona Cardinals ===

At the end of the season, the Chargers traded Metcalf, [[Patrick Sapp]], the third and 33rd pick in the [[1998 NFL draft]] and their 1999 first-round pick to move up one spot to draft [[Ryan Leaf]], often considered one of the worst trades in franchise history.

In [[Arizona Cardinals]], his playing time was down and he didn't score a touchdown, but in the season finale, he returned a kickoff 46 yards to set up the game-winning field goal in a victory that sent Arizona to the playoffs. 

=== Later career ===

After one season with the Cardinals, Metcalf was signed and released by the [[Baltimore Ravens]] during the summer and fall of 1999.

He was then signed by the [[Carolina Panthers]], where he was unhappy and unproductive.<ref>{{cite news |title=Panthers Release Oliver, Sign Metcalf |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1980&dat=19990908&id=dFkoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FwYGAAAAIBAJ&pg=912,1188213 |access-date=24 January 2023 |work=The Item |date=9 September 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Idle-no-longer-After-sitting-out-a-season-2896416.php|title=Idle no longer / After sitting out a season, Metcalf survives first Raiders practice|last=Bush|first=David|date=July 24, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ravens-sign-wr-eric-metcalf/|title=Ravens Sign WR Eric Metcalf|website=[[CBS News]] |date=July 3, 1999}}</ref> The highlight of the season was that he became the first player in NFL history with 7,000 yards in offense and 7,000 yards in kick returns.

After sitting out the 2000 season, Metcalf was signed by the [[Oakland Raiders]] in the 2001 preseason and then released before the season started. 

In October he was signed by the [[Washington Redskins]], for whom his father had played.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/10/24/Eric-Metcalf-signs-with-Redskins/7881003896000/|title=Eric Metcalf signs with Redskins|date=October 24, 2001}}</ref> He had an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown, the longest in the NFL that season, that set the record for punt returns for a touchdown (since surpassed). Despite his late start, he finished in the top 10 for punt returns, punt return yards and 2nd for punt return touchdowns. He did not return to the Redskins in 2002.

He was signed by the [[Green Bay Packers]] for the last game of the 2002 season and the playoffs. He ran the ball twice and had 5 returns for 47 all-purpose yards. Following the season he retired.

=== NFL Career ===

Overall, Metcalf finished his career with 2,392 rushing yards, 541 receptions for 5,572 yards, 3,453 punt return yards (5th best in history), and 5,813 yards returning kickoffs. This gave him a total of 17,230 all-purpose yards, ranking him 9th among at the time of his retirement (he had been as high as 7th earlier in his career). He also scored 55 touchdowns (12 rushing, 31 receiving, ten punt returns, two kickoff returns). His 12 returns for touchdowns are the third most in NFL history behind [[Devin Hester]] and [[Brian Mitchell (running back)|Brian Mitchell]].  Metcalf's 10 punt return touchdowns were an NFL record, until October 2, 2011, when Hester broke it against the Panthers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Devin Hester Video: Watch Bears Star Break Punt Return Record |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/875259-devin-hester-video-watch-bears-star-break-punt-return-record |access-date=22 August 2023}}</ref> Metcalf is 2nd all-time for punt returns. At the time of his retirement, he was 4th in Punt Return Yards, 8th in Kickoff returns, and 9th in Kickoff return yards.

In 2008 he was named a Cleveland Brown legend. As of 2023, he has been a Pro Football Hall of Fame nominee eight times, but never made it to semi-finalist.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eric Metcalf |url=https://futurefootballlegends.com/Player/Eric_Metcalf/ |access-date=9 October 2023}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
'''Receiving statistics'''<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|title=Eric Metcalf Stats|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/55/eric-metcalf|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref> 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! GP !! Rec !! Yards !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! FD !! Fumb !! Lost
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] || [[1989 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 54 || 397 || 7.4 || 68 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] || [[1990 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 57 || 452 || 7.9 || 35 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] || [[1991 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 8 || 29 || 294 || 10.1 || 45 || 0 || 13 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] || [[1992 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 47 || 614 || 13.1 || 69 || 5 || 25 || 2 || 1
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] || [[1993 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 63 || 539 || 8.6 || 49 || 2 || 21 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] || [[1994 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 47 || 436 || 9.3 || 57 || 3 || 21 || 2 || 2
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] || [[1995 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 104 || 1,189 || 11.4 || 62 || 8 || 53 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] || [[1996 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 54 || 599 || 11.1 || 67 || 6 || 33 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] || [[1997 San Diego Chargers season|SD]]
| 16 || 40 || 576 || 14.4 || 62 || 2 || 24 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] || [[1998 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]
| 16 || 31 || 324 || 10.5 || 29 || 0 || 18 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || [[1999 Carolina Panthers season|CAR]]
| 16 || 11 || 133 || 12.1 || 33 || 0 || 6 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] || [[2001 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 10 || 4 || 19 || 4.8 || 9 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career || 178 || 541 || 5,572 || 10.3 || 69 || 31 || 214 || 6 || 5
|}

'''Rushing statistics'''<ref name= ESPN />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! GP !! Att !! Yards !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! FD !! Fum !! Lost
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] || [[1989 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 187 || 633 || 3.4 || 43 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] || [[1990 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 80 || 248 || 3.1 || 17 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] || [[1991 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 8 || 30 || 107 || 3.6 || 15 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] || [[1992 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 73 || 301 || 4.1 || 31 || 1 || 12 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] || [[1993 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 129 || 611 || 4.7 || 55 || 1 || 25 || 2 || 2
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] || [[1994 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 93 || 329 || 3.5 || 37 || 2 || 12 || 1 || 0
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] || [[1995 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 28 || 133 || 4.8 || 23 || 1 || 8 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] || [[1996 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 3 || 8 || 2.7 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] || [[1997 San Diego Chargers season|SD]]
| 16 || 3 || -5 || -1.7 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || [[1999 Carolina Panthers season|CAR]]
| 16 || 2 || 20 || 10.0 || 17 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 1 || 2 || 7 || 3.5 || 5 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career || 179 || 630 || 2,392 || 3.8 || 55 || 12 || 62 || 4 || 3
|}

'''Returning statistics'''<ref name= ESPN />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! GP !! PR !! Yards !! TD !! FC !! Lng !! KR !! Yards !! TD !! FC !! Lng
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] || [[1989 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 31 || 718 || 0 || 0 || 49
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] || [[1990 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 52 || 1,052 || 2 || 0 || 101
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] || [[1991 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 8 || 12 || 100 || 0 || 1 || 30 || 23 || 351 || 0 || 0 || 24
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] || [[1992 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 44 || 429 || 1 || 10 || 75 || 9 || 157 || 0 || 0 || 30
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] || [[1993 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 36 || 464 || 2 || 11 || 91 || 15 || 318 || 0 || 0 || 47
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] || [[1994 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 16 || 35 || 348 || 2 || 6 || 92 || 9 || 210 || 0 || 0 || 32
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] || [[1995 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 39 || 383 || 1 || 14 || 66 || 12 || 278 || 0 || 0 || 47
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] || [[1996 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 27 || 296 || 0 || 9 || 39 || 49 || 1,034 || 0 || 0 || 55
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] || [[1997 San Diego Chargers season|SD]]
| 16 || 45 || 489 || 3 || 8 || 85 || 16 || 355 || 0 || 0 || 63
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] || [[1998 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]
| 16 || 43 || 295 || 0 || 7 || 24 || 57 || 1,218 || 0 || 0 || 59
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || [[1999 Carolina Panthers season|CAR]]
| 16 || 34 || 238 || 0 || 18 || 30 || 4 || 56 || 0 || 0 || 31
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] || [[2001 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 10 || 33 || 412 || 1 || 5 || 89 || 1 || 25 || 0 || 0 || 25
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 1 || 3 || -1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 41 || 0 || 0 || 21
|-
! colspan="2"| Career || 179 || 351 || 3,453 || 10 || 89 || 92 || 280 || 5,813 || 2 || 0 || 101
|}

==Personal life==

Following his retirement as a player, Metcalf went into coaching. He coached football and track at [[Rainier Beach High School]] in [[Seattle, Washington]] and in the 2005–2006 season he helped lead the team to the state semi-finals in football. He also started an elite high school track and field club called Seatown Express. He 2013 he became a volunteer track and field coach at the [[University of Washington]] working with horizontal jumpers and sprints, and in 2016 he transitioned into an Assistant Coach for sprints there. In his first year as an assistant coach, the women's 4x400-meter relay squad he coached qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history and he has since coached the sprinters to break several school records.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eric Metcalf Assistant Coach |url=https://gohuskies.com/staff-directory/eric-metcalf/330# |access-date=1 November 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Footballstats |nfl=eric-metcalf |espn=55 |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=M/MetcEr00 |rotoworld= }}

{{1989 NFL Draft}}
{{Browns1989DraftPicks}}
{{BrownsFirstPick}}
{{Cleveland Browns Legends}}
{{NFL kickoff return yards leaders}}
{{Footer US NC long jump Men}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Metcalf, Eric}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football return specialists]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:American male long jumpers]]
[[Category:Arizona Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons players]]
[[Category:Carolina Panthers players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Browns players]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:Texas Longhorns football players]]
[[Category:Texas Longhorns men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Arlington County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Seattle]]
[[Category:African-American coaches of American football]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]