E. J. Junior

E. J. Junior
No. 54, 53, 50, 93
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	December 8, 1959 (age 64); Salisbury, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:	Maplewood Comprehensive ; (Nashville, Tennessee)
College:	Alabama (1977–1980)
NFL draft:	1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
As a player:
	St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals (1981–1988); Miami Dolphins (1989–1991); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992); Seattle Seahawks (1992–1993);
As a coach:
	Seattle Seahawks (1994) ; Linebackers coach; Miami Dolphins (1996–1998) ; Director of player development; Minnesota Vikings (2003) ; Minority intern coach; Jacksonville Jaguars (2005) ; Minority intern coach; Rhein Fire (2005) ; Assistant coach; Southwest Baptist (2006–2008) ; Linebackers coach; Central State (OH) (2009–2013) ; Head coach; Delaware State (2015–2017) ; Defensive line coach;
Career highlights and awards
	As a player First-team All-Pro (1984); 2× Pro Bowl (1984, 1985); 2× National champion (1978, 1979); Unanimous All-American (1980); Second-team All-American (1979); SEC Lineman of the Year (1980); 3× First-team All-SEC (1978, 1979, 1980);
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:
Sacks:	36.5
Interceptions:	12
Interception yards:	186
Fumble recoveries:	7
Defensive touchdowns:	1
Head coaching record
Career:	9–45 (.167)
	Player stats at PFR
	College Football Hall of Fame

Ester James Junior III (born December 8, 1959) is an American former football player and coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, from 1981 to 1993, with the St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Seattle Seahawks. Junior played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he played as a defensive end and earned consensus selection to the 1980 College Football All-America Team. He was selected by the Cardinals in the first round with the fifth overall pick of the 1981 NFL Draft. Junior served as the head football coach at Central State University from 2009 to 2013. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2020.