Eddie Royal life and biography

• A third-year wide receiver who is one of two players in the NFL (San Diego RB Darren Sproles) to post at least 1,400 yards from scrimmage and 1,400 return yards since 2008.
• Totaled a Broncos-record for receptions through a player’s first two years with 128 and tied for the third-fastest in NFL history that a player reached 100 receptions (20 games).
• Registered 1,302 combined yards in 2009 en route to becoming the ninth Bronco in team history to post at least 1,000 combined yards in each of his first two NFL seasons.
• Became just the second Bronco and 11th player in NFL history to return a punt (71 yds.) and a kickoff (93 yds.) for touchdowns in the same game at San Diego (10/19/09).
• Earned All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly/PFWA and The Sporting News after totaling the second-most receptions (91-980 yds., 5 TDs) by a rookie in NFL history with Denver in 2008.
• Set Broncos rookie records in 2008 for receptions (91), receiving yards (980) and receiving touchdowns (5) while ranking sixth in the NFL with 1,829 combined yards that marked the third-highest total by a rookie in club annals.
• Posted five plays of at least 50 yards for Denver in 2008 and became the first player since the 1970 NFL merger to record his team’s longest run (71 yds.), reception (93 yds.), kickoff return (95 yds.) and punt return (36 yds.) in the same year.
• Tied for second in the NFL in 2008 with four 9+catch games, including a Broncos rookie-record 11 receptions in the season finale at San Diego (12/28/08).
• Became Virginia Tech University’s all-time leader in career all-purpose yards with 4,686, a total that included an Atlantic Coast Conference-record 1,296 punt return yards (11.7 avg.) along with 1,386 kickoff return yards (23.5 avg.).
• Selected by the Broncos in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:

Signed by Denver as a draft choice 7/24/08.

The third year wide receiver is the only player in the NFL to post at least 1,700 yards from scrimmage and 1,700 return yards since 2008… Totaled a Broncos record for receptions through a player's first two years with 129 and tied for the third-fastest in NFL history that a player has reached 100 receptions (20 games)… Became just the second Bronco and 11th player in NFL history to return a punt (71 yds.) and a kickoff (93 yds.) for a score in the same game (at San Diego, 10/19/09)… Ranks second in the NFL in punt return average (10.2) (minimum 9 returns)… Tied for fifth among NFL wide receivers with eight third-down receptions.

2010: at Jacksonville (9/12): Caught a game-high eight passes for 98 yards (12.3 avg.), including two receptions of 20-plus yards. vs. Seattle (9/19): On the receiving end of a 34-yard catch-and-run from QB Kyle Orton following a lateral from RB Knowshon Moreno that set up RB Correll Buckhalter's 1-yard rushing touchdown to give the Broncos a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. vs. Indianapolis (9/26): Turned in the most productive game of punt returns for the season with returns of 10-plus yards on three of his four returns. at Tennessee (10/3): Registered the fourth 100-yard game of his career and his third-highest single-game output. Caught his seventh career touchdown on a 2-yard pass from QB Kyle Orton in the second quarter. Posted his longest reception of the season to date with a 41-yard catch-and-run from Orton in the third quarter that set up K Matt Prater's 36-yard field goal.

2009: Royal played 14 games (12 starts) for the Broncos, totaling 37 receptions for 345 yards (9.3 avg.)... Added 30 punt returns for 335 yards (11.2 avg.) with one touchdown (71 yds.) along with 26 kickoff returns for 621 yards (23.9 avg.) with one touchdown (93 yds.)... Registered 1,302 combined yards to become the ninth Bronco to post at least 1,000 combined yards in each of his first two NFL seasons... Set a Denver record for receptions through a player’s first two years (128) while totaling the second-most receiving yards (1,325) by a Bronco through that period... Had 10 catches for 90 yards (9.0 avg.) vs. N.E. (10/11) to tie as the third-fastest player to 100 receptions (20 games) in NFL history... Became the 11th player in NFL history to return a punt (71 yds.) and a kickoff (93 yds.) for a touchdown in the same game at S.D. (10/19) en route to being named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week and AFC Special Teams Player of the Month (October)... 93-yard kickoff return touchdown against the Chargers was the fifth longest in team history... Ranked seventh in the NFL in punt return average (11.2 yds.).

2008: Selected by the Broncos in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft, Royal played 15 games (all starts) for Denver and totaled 91 receptions for 980 yards (10.8 avg.) with five touchdowns along with 14 punt returns for 140 yards (10.0 avg.) and 23 kickoff returns for 600 yards (26.1 avg.)... Finished the year with 1,829 combined yards... Earned All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly/PFWA and The Sporting News... 91 receptions were the second most by a rookie in NFL history and ranked seventh in the league among all players for the year... Set Broncos rookie records for receptions (91), receiving yards (980) and receiving touchdowns (5) while leading all league rookies for those categories in 2008... Ranked sixth in the NFL with a rookie-best 1,829 combined yards that marked the third-highest total by a rookie in Denver annals... Placed seventh in the league in kickoff return average (26.1 yds.)... Totaled five plays of at least 50 yards (2 rec., 2 KR and 1 rush) and became the first player since the 1970 NFL merger to record his team’s longest run (71 yds. vs. Buf. 12/21), reception (93t at Cle. 11/6), kickoff return (95 vs. Mia. 11/2) and punt return (36 at K.C. 9/28) in the same year... 93-yard touchdown catch at Cle. (11/6) tied for the fourth-longest reception in Denver annals... 95-yard kickoff return vs. Mia. (11/2) tied for the third-longest kickoff return in Broncos history... Tied for second in the NFL with four 9+catch games, including a Broncos rookie-record 11 grabs (76 yds.) in the season finale at S.D. (12/28)... Named Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week twice (at Oak. 9/8 and at Cle. 11/6)... Totaled the sixth-most receiving yards (146) by a player making his NFL debut since 1960 in his first career game at Oak. (9/8) on Monday Night Football... Hauled in the game-winning two-point conversion vs. S.D. (9/14) following his 4-yard touchdown reception with 24 seconds left to play against the Chargers... Inactive vs. Jac. (10/12) due to an ankle injury.

COLLEGE

Royal played 51 career games (44 starts) at Virginia Tech University, totaling a school-record 4,686 all-purpose yards (1,778 receiving, 1,386 kickoff returns, 1,296 punt returns, 226 rushing)... Finished his collegiate career ranked fourth in Virginia Tech annals in receptions (119), fifth in receiving touchdowns (12) and sixth in receiving yards (1,778)... Accounted for 17 total touchdowns at Virginia Tech, scoring 12 touchdowns on receptions, three on punt returns and one on a rush while also throwing one touchdown pass... Set an Atlantic Coast Conference record with 1,296 career punt return yards on 111 returns (11.7 avg.)... Added 59 kickoff returns for 1,386 yards (23.5 avg.)… Earned first-team All-ACC honors and second-team All-America accolades from The NFL Draft Report as a senior after ranking 10th in the nation in punt return average (14.7 yds.) while posting career highs in receptions (33-496 yds.) and receiving touchdowns (4)... Picked up second-team All-ACC honors and honorable mention All-America recognition from Sports Illustrated as a junior… Received freshman All-America honors from The NFL Draft Report after totaling 1,101 all-purpose yards as a true freshman.

PERSONAL

Royal attended Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va., where he was an all-state selection as both a wide receiver and special-teams returner… Received All-America honors from SuperPrep, which rated him as the top player in Virginia… Named a PrepStar All-American… Totaled 41 receptions for 875 yards (21.3 avg.) with 11 touchdowns as a senior to help Westfield win the Group AAA Division 6 championship (14-0)… Scored on a 47-yard punt return that year, marking one of 10 kick return touchdowns he posted as a prep athlete… Earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Virginia Tech in three-and-a-half years… Is the son of Pearl Royal and William Edward Royal... Resides in Herndon, Va.... Eddie Royal was born on May 21, 1986, in Alexandria, Va.

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