Brandon Pettigrew life and biography

Brandon Pettigrew is a former American football tight end for the Detroit Lions. He was drafted by the Lions with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

* Placed on Reserve/Injured list by the Lions December 1, 2009.
* Drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round (20th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.

PRO: Pettigrew is a big, athletic tight end who has the ability to stretch the field as a receiver and aggressively block at the line of scrimmage.

* Started in the first 11 games of his career before a knee injury on Thanksgiving Day vs. Green Bay (11/26) forced him out for the remainder of his rookie season.
* Led all NFL rookie tight ends in 2009 with 30 catches for 346 yards, and was tied for the most receiving touchdowns (two).
* Regarded by many as the most complete tight end to enter the 2009 NFL Draft, the Lions selected Pettigrew in the first round (20th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.

2010: Team’s starting tight end. Currently tied for second among tight ends in the NFL with 60 catches and is fifth with 590 receiving yards. His 60 receptions are the most by a Lions tight end in a single season, and he is one of only three Lions tight ends to ever record 50 catches in a season. Pettigrew’s 590 receiving yards are the sixth best in team history by a tight end in a single season. He has the most receiving yards by a Lions tight end since TE David Sloan registered 591 yards in 1999.

* Had 1 reception for 6 yards in season opener at Chicago (9/12).
* Recorded 7 receptions, tied for a then career-best, for a career-high 108 yards, including a long of 35, against Philadelphia (9/19). It was his first career 100-yards game, and the first by a Lions tight end since Te Marcus Pollard had 105 yards vs. Carolina 10/16/05. Since the era of the modern day tight end (1960), Pettigrew’s 108 yards are the fifth-most by a Lions tight end in a game.
* Caught 6 passes for 44 yards at Minnesota (9/26).
* His eight catches at Green Bay (10/3) were a career high and they were the fourth-most by a Lions tight end in a single game since 1960. Led the team in receiving yards with 91.
* Caught first touchdown of year in Lions win vs. St. Louis (10/10) when he grabbed a 3-yard pass from QB Shaun Hill with :10 left to play in second quarter to give team a 24-6 lead heading into the half. He finished with four catches for 26 yards.
* Led the team in catches with 7 for 61 yards at the New York Giants (10/17).
* Caught second touchdown of the season in third quarter against Washington (10/31).
* Caught third touchdown of the season against the New York Jets (11/7). Three touchdown receptions is a career high for the second-year tight end.
* Had four catches for 50 yards receiving at Buffalo (11/14), marking his sixth game this season with at least 4 catches.
* Caught 2 passes in the first half against the Bills to move his season total of receptions to 40. It marks the 13th time since 1960 that a tight end has caught 40 passes in a season.
* Led team as he tied a career single-game high with 8 catches for 75 yards receiving at Dallas (11/21). Became the first Lions tight end since 1960 to record at least 8 receptions twice in a single game. The only other tight ends to have 8 receptions in a game for the Lions since 1960 is Hall of Fame TE Charlie Sanders (10 at Washington 12/15/68), TE Jim Gibbons (9 at Los Angeles Rams 10/30/60) and TE David Hill (9 vs. Green Bay 10/25/81).
* With 8 receptions vs. the Cowboys, Pettigrew reached 50 receptions on the season. Pettigrew became only the third Lions tight end since 1960 to register 50 receptions in a season. Pettigrew joins TE David Hill (53 in 1978) and TE Jim Gibbons (51 in 1960) as the only Lions tight ends to record 50 catches in a season since 1960.
* Caught five balls for 67 yards against New England (11/25). Caught his 4th pass of the day on the Lions third quarter scoring drive that gave the team a 24-17 led and moved Pettigrew past TE David Hill (53 in 1978) for the most receptions by a Lions tight end in a single season.
* Pettigrew’s 5 receptions against the Patriots marked the sixth time this season he has caught 5 passes in a game and the eighth time he has registered at least 4 catches in a game.
* Led team with five catches against Chicago (12/5), adding 36-yards of receiving.

2009: Started the first 11 games for the Lions, making 30 catches for 346 yards (11.5 avg.) and two touchdowns before a knee injury ended his season.
* Started in a two-tight end set in season opener at New Orleans (9/13).
* Caught four passes for 64 yards (16.0 avg.) including a career-long 28-yard catch on a tight-end screen pass from Stafford at Chicago. (10/4).
* Recorded three receptions for 27 yards vs. Pittsburgh (10/11).
* Recorded first career touchdown on a 7-yard pass from QB Matthew Stafford at Seattle (11/8). Also posted a career high 7 receptions for 70 yards on the day. His 7 catches were the most by a Lions tight end since David Sloan registered 7 at Arizona November 14, 1999.
* Caught the game-winning touchdown pass with no time left on the clock (following defensive pass interference penalty) as he finished with a career-best 73 receiving yards on six catches vs. Cleveland (11/22).

COLLEGE: Regarded by many as the most complete tight end to enter the 2009 NFL Draft draft, the Lions second Pettigrew in the first round (20th overall) to become just the second tight end in school history to hear his name called in the first round of the draft, joining Reuben Gant (1974, Buffalo). Pettigrew ended his collegiate career ranked ninth overall on the school's receiving yardage record list with 1,450 and averaged more than 54 knockdown blocks per season for the Cowboys. Pettigrew has not only proven to be a clutch short-area receiver, but an outstanding blocker. A physical open-field runner, he has gained more than 40 percent of his yardage after the catch. He also proved to be an excellent pass catcher, becoming the first tight end in school history to amass more than 100 receptions (112) in a career. Pettigrew enrolled at Oklahoma State in 2004, spending the season as a red-shirt after turning down offers from Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Southern Methodist and Arkansas. In 2005, he started nine games, including the last seven, for the Cowboys. He gained 128 yards with a touchdown on 11 catches (11.6 avg). He delivered 30 knockdowns and also recorded a solo tackle.

2008: Had just eleven receptions through the team's first seven games, but finished with a career-high 42 catches for 472 yards (11.2 avg), despite not finding the end zone. 23 of his receptions produced first downs (54.76%), as he converted 4-of-9 third-down (44.44%) and 1-of-2 fourth-down plays.

* All-American Dream Team and All-Big Twelve Conference selection by The NFL Draft Report.
* Rated the best tight end prospect in the country by that scouting information service.
* Finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end
* Three of his catches were for 20 yards or longer, as he also had key receptions to set up five scoring drives.
* Eleven of his catches came inside the red zone, including eight on goal-line plays.
* Made 43 knockdowns, including eight touchdown-resulting blocks.

2007: Started all thirteen games, ranking third on the team with 35 receptions for 540 yards (15.4 avg) and four touchdowns. Added one solo tackle in the Oklahoma clash and led the conference's tight ends. Also paced the Cowboys with ten touchdown-resulting blocks, as his 72 knockdowns were a league-high for tight ends.

* All-Big Twelve Conference first-team selection.

2006: Started all thirteen games, ranking third on the team with 24 receptions for 310 yards (12.9 avg), including four touchdowns. Also recorded six tackles (3 solos) and recovered a fumble. Registered 71 knockdowns that included eight touchdown-resulting blocks.

* All-Big Twelve Conference honorable mention.

2005: Played in every game, starting nine contests, including the final seven. Finished fifth on the team with eleven receptions for 128 yards (11.6 avg).
* Scored his only touchdown on a 3-yard reception vs. Baylor.
* Recorded a solo tackle vs. Iowa State.
* Posted 30 knockdowns and four touchdown-resulting blocks.

2004: Redshirted as a freshman.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Robert E. Lee (Tyler, Tex.) High School, earning All-State honors in 2003.

* Despite playing primarily as a blocker, he was rated as the best tight end in Texas by numerous recruiting services.
* The All-District and All-East Texas choice also competed on the defensive line.

PERSONAL:
Son of Elaine and Henry Pettigrew. Born February 23, 1985.
* Resides in Tyler, Texas.
* Was an education major at Oklahoma State.

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