Hakeem Nicks

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Not to be confused with Akiem Hicks.

Hakeem Nicks
refer to caption
Nicks with the Indianapolis Colts in 2014
No. 88, 14
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1988-01-14) January 14, 1988 (age 33)
Charlotte, North Carolina
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:Independence
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
College:North Carolina
NFL Draft:2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 29
Career history
  • New York Giants (2009–2013)
  • Indianapolis Colts (2014)
  • Tennessee Titans (2015)*
  • New York Giants (2015)
  • New Orleans Saints (2016)*
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
  • Super Bowl champion (XLVI)
  • 2× First-team All-ACC (2007, 2008)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:356
Receiving yards:5,081
Receiving average:14.3
Receiving touchdowns:31
Player stats at NFL.com

Hakeem Amir Nicks[1] (born January 14, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at North Carolina, and was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Nicks has also played for the Indianapolis Colts.

Personal life[]

Nicks was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended Independence High School (Charlotte, North Carolina). Playing football there, he was rated as one of the Top 10 Players in North Carolina by SuperPrep and Rivals.com.[2] He was also named the Charlotte Observer Offensive Player of the Year and was also selected to the North Carolina Associated Press All-State team. He never lost a game in high school, and completed his senior year with MVP honors at the 4-AA state championship game. In the game, he posted eight catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns (one for 11 and another for 80 yards). He posted 93 catches for 1,819 yards and 20 touchdowns in his senior year.

Hakeem Nicks is the son of Rob Nicks, Jr. and Lisa Mason. He has two brothers, Anwar and Aleef, and a daughter named Harmony.[3][4]

College career[]

During his freshman season, Nicks started all 11 games in which he played, missing one game due to an ankle sprain. Nicks led the team and set school single-season records for receptions and receiving yards by a freshman. He ranked third in the ACC in receiving yards per game and eighth in receptions per game.[5]

Nicks improved dramatically in his sophomore season, setting a single-season school record with 74 catches for 958 receiving yards along with five touchdowns. His single-season receiving yards were the third most in school history. Nicks finished second in the ACC with 79.8 receiving yards per game and third with 6.17 catches per game. Has made at least one catch in 22 of 23 games played and caught at least two passes in each game his sophomore season.[5]

Nicks was honored as a First-team All-ACC selection at wide receiver. By the completion of his junior season, Nicks set 14 school records at UNC, including career receptions (181), career receiving yards (2,580), and career touchdowns (21). During his last season, Nicks tallied 68 catches for school records of 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 68 receptions tied for third most in a season in school history. Nicks led the ACC and ranked 12th nationally with 94.0 receiving yards per game. Nicks caught at least one pass in 26 straight games and had a catch in 35 of 36 career games. He set the UNC single-season receiving yardage record and became North Carolina's first 1,000-yard receiver.[5]

Nicks ended his collegiate career in the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl, where he caught eight passes for a bowl record of 217 yards, with three going for touchdowns of 73, 66 and 25 yards, in a game against West Virginia. One of his other catches in that game was offered a candidate for the "Greatest Catch of the Year."

Four years after he had left North Carolina, Nicks was found guilty of academic fraud during the 2008 school year. His record setting season will remain in the media guide, but the school said they will place an asterisk by his records. Nicks was found to have received some jewelry and money during his years at North Carolina.[6]

College statistics summary[]

Rushing Receiving
Year G Att Yds TD Long Avg Rec Yds TD Long Avg
  2006   11   1 10   0   10   10.0     39 660   4   83   16.9
  2007   12   1 -1   0   -1   -1.0     74 958   5   53   12.9
  2008**   13   5 34   1   12   6.8     68 1222*   12*   74   18.0
TOTAL   36   7 43   1   12   8.6   181* 2,840* 21*   83   15.9

* school record ** vacated from school record books

Source: Hakeem Nicks - Career Statistics, North Carolina Tar Heels, 2009

Professional career[]

2009 NFL Draft[]

Considered to be one of the top wide receivers available in the 2009 NFL Draft,[7] Nicks drew comparisons to Hines Ward and Anquan Boldin. Butch Davis, Nicks' coach at North Carolina, went even further, comparing him to Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.[8] The New York Giants, in need to replace wide-out Plaxico Burress, selected Nicks in the first round, 29th overall. Nicks was the fifth wide receiver taken in the draft, and one out of six taken in the first round alone.

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand size 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Wonderlic
6 ft 1 in
(1.85 m) 		212 lb
(96 kg) 		33.5 in
(0.85 m) 		10.5 in
(0.27 m)		 4.53 s 1.52 s 2.60 s 4.43 s 6.96 s 36 in
(0.91 m)		 11
20-ss and 3-cone from UNC Pro Day, all others from NFL Combine[9]

New York Giants[]

Nicks at the Giants' Super Bowl XLVI parade in 2012 with Victor Cruz.

On August 1, 2009, Nicks signed a five-year, $12.54 million contract. The deal includes a $6.5 million signing bonus.[10] During training camp, Nicks vied for a starting position with the Giants' other wide receivers, most notably Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith, and Hakeem Nicks had the best overall average of all these wide receivers with a 16.0 average.[11]

Nicks made his first career NFL reception on September 13, 2009 against the Washington Redskins on wide receiver screen pass for 11 yards.[12] On October 4, 2009 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Nicks recorded his first touchdown reception on a 54-yard screen pass. For the next four games, Nicks would score a touchdown pass in each, becoming the first Giants rookie to score touchdowns in four consecutive games since Bob Gaiters, who scored in five straight games in 1961.[13] However, Odell Beckham Jr. broke that record. On the strength of that feat, Nicks was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month.[14] Nicks ended the season starting in the #2 wide receiver spot opposite Steve Smith after an injury to Domenik Hixon in Week 2 and outperforming Mario Manningham as of Week 14.

At the start of the 2010 season, Nicks recorded his first three-touchdown game against the Carolina Panthers during the season opener, catching a total of 4 passes for 75 yards in a winning effort. During week five, when New York visited Houston, Nicks exploited the NFL's 29th ranked secondary and more specifically Texans rookie cornerback Kareem Jackson as he reeled in career highs with 12 catches (tying a franchise record) for 130 yards. In addition, Nicks caught two touchdown passes on the day from quarterback Eli Manning.[15] Nicks was inactive for the final game of the season in Washington due to a broken toe in his left foot.[16] On the year, he recorded 1,052 yards on 79 receptions, and was fourth in the NFL with 11 receiving touchdowns.[17]

Nicks opened the 2011 season, his third, with seven receptions for 122 yards in a loss to Washington, followed three weeks later with 10 receptions for a career-best 162 yards and a touchdown against Arizona in the Giants' third-straight win. Nicks remained one of the few bright spots in the Giants' subsequent 2-5 slump, averaging 73 yards per game and recording four touchdowns. In Game 13 at Dallas, Nicks again had a career-best 163 yards on ten receptions in a pivotal 37–34 win. In the 2011 season, Nicks had his second straight 1,000+ yard receiving season. He caught 76 passes for 1,192 yards (15.7 yards per catch average) and seven touchdowns, helping the Giants sneak into the playoffs at 9–7.[17]

In the Giants' historically improbable 2011 postseason, Nicks had the most prolific receiving statistics in franchise history. In the Wild Card Round against the Atlanta Falcons, Nicks recorded six receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns in the 24–2 victory. The following week against the top seeded 15-1 Green Bay Packers, Nicks hauled in seven catches for 165 yards and two more touchdowns, including a 37-yard Hail Mary reception at the end of the first half. After 55 yards in the championship win over San Francisco, in Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots Nicks was the leading receiver for the game with 10 receptions for 109 yards to help secure a 21-17 New York Giants victory.[18] As of 2017, Nicks' 2011 postseason numbers remain franchise records with 28 receptions for 444 yards (also most all-purpose yards) and 4 receiving touchdowns (also tied with Joe Morris and Brandon Jacobs for most total touchdowns). He also holds postseason career franchise records for most Yds/Rec with 15.86, Yds/Game with 111, most 100+ yard receiving games with 3, and along with Amani Toomer is the only Giant with 2 games with 2+ TD scored.

In the 2013 season, Nicks did not record a touchdown reception, but still finished with 896 receiving yards in 15 games played for the Giants.[19] Nearing the trade deadline on October 29, there was speculation that the New York Giants were going to trade him. As the deadline passed, no deal was done and Nicks remained a Giant until his contract expired at the conclusion of the season, making him a free agent.

Indianapolis Colts[]

On March 14, 2014, Nicks signed a one-year deal worth a maximum of $5.5 million with the Indianapolis Colts.[20] In the Colts' Week 17 game against the Tennessee Titans, Nicks had three receptions for 46 yards, taking him over 5,000 receiving yards for his career. He finished the season with 38 receptions, 408 yards, and four touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans[]

On April 24, 2015, Nicks signed a 1-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.[21]

Nicks was released by the Titans on September 5, 2015.[22]

Second stint with Giants[]

On November 17, 2015, Nicks returned to the Giants, signing a one-year deal.[23]

New Orleans Saints[]

Nicks signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on July 27, 2016. On August 8, 2016, the Saints waived Nicks.[24][25]

XFL[]

Nicks participated in a tryout for the XFL in June 2019.[26]

NFL career statistics[]

Regular season[]

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2009 NYG 14 6 47 790 16.8 68T 6 2 8 4.0 9 0 2 0
2010 NYG 13 12 79 1,052 13.3 46T 11 – – – – – 1 0
2011 NYG 15 15 76 1,192 15.7 68 7 – – – – – – –
2012 NYG 13 11 53 692 13.1 50 3 – – – – – – –
2013 NYG 15 15 56 896 16.0 57 0 – – – – – – –
2014 IND 16 6 38 405 10.7 29 4 – – – – – – –
2015 NYG 6 2 7 54 7.7 19 0 – – – – – – –
Total 92 67 356 5,081 14.3 68 31 2 8 4.0 9 0 3 0

Postseason[]

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2011 NYG 4 4 28 444 15.9 72T 4 – – – – – – –
2014 IND 3 0 6 98 16.3 45 1 – – – – – – –
Total 7 4 34 542 15.9 72 5 – – – – – 0 0

Awards and accomplishments[]

  • Super Bowl Champion (XLVI)
  • NFC Champion (2011)
  • NFL Alumni Wide Receiver of the Year (2011)
  • Ranked #90 in the Top 100 Players of 2012
  • NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (October 2009)
  • Most career receptions in UNC history (181) * Ryan Switzer Broke this
  • Most career TD receptions in UNC history (21)
  • Most single-season TD receptions in UNC history (12)
  • 2007 First-Team All-ACC by Rivals.com
  • 2007 Second-Team All-ACC by The Associated Press
  • 2008 First-Team All-ACC by ACSMA/AP
  • Honorary Sound Board Laugh by ESPN Radio (Dan Le Batard)

References[]

  1. ^ "ESPN Profile". ESPN.com.
  2. ^ "North Carolina Top 30 2006", Rivals.com, January 23, 2006
  3. ^ "With brothers in and out of jail, Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has found peace and Harmony". NY Daily News. November 20, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  4. ^ Reilly, Rick (September 4, 2012). "Nicks goes his own way". ESPN. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Player Bio:Hakeem Nicks". TarHeelBlue. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  6. ^ Hinton, Matt. "Ex-Tar Heel Hakeem Nicks guilty of academic fraud during final season at UNC". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  7. ^ Pompei, Dan (April 8, 2009), "2009 NFL Draft: Dan Pompei's top wide receivers", Chicago Tribune
  8. ^ Vacchiano, Ralph (May 6, 2009), "Giants first-round pick Hakeem Nicks grabs comparison to Michael Irvin", New York Daily News
  9. ^ Nawrocki, Nolan (April 21, 2009). "The Way We Hear It — draft edition". Pro Football Weeklywebsite. Retrieved April 25, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Lapointe, Joe (August 1, 2009), "Giants Reach Deal With First-Round Pick", New York Times
  11. ^ "Giants QB Manning has new deal but needs go-to receivers", NFL.com, Associated Press, August 6, 2009, archived from the original on August 9, 2009
  12. ^ "Washington Redskins at New York Giants - September 13th, 2009". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  13. ^ "On the offensive", Giants.com, October 28, 2009, archived from the original on October 31, 2009, retrieved October 29, 2009
  14. ^ "Giants' Hakeem Nicks Named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month", NESN.com, October 28, 2009
  15. ^ Elfin, David (October 10, 1010). "Hakeem Nicks, Giants Defense Punish Texans In Complete Rout". AOL.Original. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
  16. ^ Associated Press, (January 2, 2011) Webster, O'Hara, Nicks among Giants inactives
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hakeem Nicks Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  18. ^ "Super Bowl XLVI - New York Giants vs. New England Patriots - February 5th, 2012". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  19. ^ Wells, Brad (April 27, 2014). "Giants called WR Hakeem Nicks 'a cancer', says RB Ahmad Bradshaw". stampedeblue.com. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  20. ^ "Colts, Hakeem Nicks reach deal". ESPN.com. March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  21. ^ Gantt, Darin (April 24, 2015). "Hakeem Nicks is heading to Tennessee for his next chance". profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  22. ^ Hanzus, Dan (September 5, 2015). "Tennessee Titans release WR Hakeem Nicks". NFL.com. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  23. ^ "Hakeem Nicks". Spotrac.com. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  24. ^ Smith, Michael (July 27, 2016). "Saints sign Hakeem Nicks". NBCSports.com. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  25. ^ Triplett, Mike (July 27, 2016). "Saints sign veteran WR Hakeem Nicks to 1-year deal". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  26. ^ Williams, Charean (June 14, 2019). "Joe Callahan, Hakeem Nicks among those working out for XFL". profootballtalk.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.

External links[]

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