#89 Chris Chambers | WR

Veteran wide receiver Chris Chambers made an immediate impact when he joined the Chargers in an October trade with the Miami Dolphins. The Chargers went 10-3, including playoffs, with Chambers on the roster as he had at least two catches in every game after making the move to Southern California. Chambers’ 15.9 yards per catch average in the regular season and 17.4-yard average in the postseason both led the team.

With the Bolts, Chambers played in his first-ever playoff games, debuting with a 121-yard effort in a Wild Card win over Tennessee. Chambers finished the postseason with the third-most receiving yards in the NFL (278) and the sixth-most catches (16).

 

Chambers spent the first six and a half seasons of his NFL career in Miami, leaving as one of the most prolific pass-catchers in Dolphins history. At the time of his departure, he ranked fifth in career receptions (405), fourth in yards (5,688) and touchdown catches (43), and third in 100-yard games (17). A dual threat because of his speed, Chambers also rushed for more yards (355) than any other receiver in team history.

 

A very private and reserved individual away from the playing field, Chambers quietly became a community leader in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio and in South Florida during his six-plus years with the Dolphins. In 2005, Chambers started the CATCH-84 (Children Achieving Through Community Help) Foundation to benefit youth education and athletic programs. The foundation’s website is www.Catch84.com. One of the foundation’s signature events is a two-day football camp that he hosts each summer at his alma mater, Bedford High School, outside of Cleveland. At the conclusion of the camp, Chris’ foundation awards two $2,500 scholarships to campers who excel not only in athletics, but also in academics and community service. In Miami, Chambers helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity, while also participating in the Dolphins’ annual Thanksgiving Turkey program. He was also a member of the Dolphins’ “All-Community Team” in which he personally donated 20 tickets for every home game to local youth football organizations.

 

An astute businessman with an eye for talent, Chris and good friend and former Wisconsin teammate Mike Echols, are co-owners of King Ape Entertainment, a music label that represents up-and-coming hip-hop, rock, alternative and club acts. Their current featured artist is “Pryslezz,” who just released his first album, “Death of a Man, Rebirth of a King,” and his first single and music video, “More than a love song,” which features Grammy-winning recording artist Dwele and a cameo appearance in the video from Chambers. Echols actually had a brief stint in the NFL, spending the 2002-04 seasons playing cornerback for the Tennessee Titans. The label has its own website at www.KingApeEnt.com.

 

Chambers’ hobbies include traveling and spending time with his wife and young son, Chaz. Past travels have taken Chris to Costa Rica, Brazil and Hawaii. This summer, the Chambers’ are headed to Puerto Rico for a wedding. One trip that Chambers is looking forward to is the Chargers’ Oct. trip to London for a game against New Orleans. He has never been to Europe. As a Dolphin last year, Chambers had planned on accompanying the Dolphins to London for their game against the New York Giants, but he was traded to San Diego two weeks before that game. He’ll finally get his chance to go this year as a member of the Chargers. Chris’ other hobbies include movies, basketball and golf.

2007: Started season with Miami and caught nine passes for 109 yards against Dallas Sept. 16…caught six balls for 101 yards at New York Jets Sept. 23…played in 100^th career game and caught 400^th pass of career at Cleveland Oct. 14…two days later, traded to Chargers (Oct. 16) for second-round choice in 2008 NFL Draft…scored touchdown in first career game for Bolts Oct. 28 vs. Houston…caught 14-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers in second quarter to give Chargers 35-3 lead over Texans…also ignited San Diego’s first touchdown drive of game with 21-yard catch on first play…helped set up early fourth quarter field goal Week 8 at Minnesota with 16-yard catch on second-and-20 play and then 19-yard catch on third-and-nine play after penalty…finished game with team-high 59 yards receiving and had 40-yard reception in fourth quarter negated by penalty…had best receiving day since joining Chargers with four catches for 93 yards at Jacksonville Nov. 18…season-long 44-yard catch on third-and-13 play helped set up second quarter field goal…later had 20-yard catch on fourth-and-10 play to keep alive fourth quarter touchdown drive…caught five-yard TD pass from Rivers late in second quarter of Nov. 25 contest vs. Baltimore…helped set up first-quarter Nate Kaeding field goal at Kansas City Dec. 2 with 37-yard catch to 10 on third-and-12 play…led team with 90 yards on four catches in 23-17 OT win at Tennessee Dec. 9…26-yard catch in fourth quarter helped set up Bolts’ first touchdown of game…later in quarter on game-tying TD drive, had 19-yard catch on fourth-and-five play that survived replay challenge and two plays later caught 28 yarder…led team with 69 yards receiving Dec. 16 vs. Detroit…two big catches included 28 yarder on third-and-six play and 21 yarder on third-and-13 play…both catches helped sustain field goal drives…caught 14-yard touchdown pass on opening series of second half against Denver on ESPN’s Monday Night Football Dec. 24…also had big 30-yard catch on third-and-eight play during team’s lone first-half touchdown drive…led team with 71 yards on four catches…other three catches besides touchdown grab were all third-down catches resulting in first downs, including 11-yarder on third-and-two play and 16-yarder on third-and-11 play…caught 19-yard touchdown pass late in first half of Dec. 30 game at Oakland…playing in first-ever playoff game, was off charts with team-leading 121 yards in Jan. 6 AFC Wild Card Playoff Game vs. Tennessee…had 84 yards in second half, including 19-yard catch on third-and-six play during field goal drive to open third quarter and give Chargers first points of game…later caught 39-yard pass to go over 100 yards for day on third-and-10 play during game-clinching fourth-quarter TD drive…combined with Vincent Jackson (114 yards) to give Bolts first pair of receivers to both go over 100 yards in playoff game since 1983…30-yard touchdown catch on opening drive of third quarter in Jan. 13 AFC Divisional Playoffs at Indianapolis gave Bolts first lead of game at 14-10…beat two Colts defenders down sideline to score TD for third score in last four games…after Indianapolis scored to retake lead (17-14) late in third quarter, caught 22-yard pass on third-and-14 play and two plays later, Darren Sproles scored on 56-yard screen play to give lead back to Chargers at 21-17…then after Indy reclaimed lead again, Chambers ignited game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown drive with 15-yard catch on first play of series…led team with seven catches, good for 90 yards, in AFC Championship Game at New England…helped set up first field goal of game with 11 yard catch to Patriots’ nine…15-yard catch got Bolts to New England’s 13 to set up another field goal on opening drive of third quarter, cutting San Diego’s deficit to 14-12.

 

2006: Third on team with 59 catches, 677 yards and four TDs…caught 23-yard TD pass against Buffalo Sept. 17…season-long 39-yard run helped set up touchdown in 13-10 win over Tennessee Sept. 24…24-yard TD catch at Chicago Nov. 5…season-long 46-yard catch on flea-flicker helped set up lone score of game in 13-10 win over Kansas City Nov. 12…went over 5,000 yards for career on catch…racked up season-high 121 yards on eight catches Dec. 3 against Jacksonville…had streak of 60 games with catch end Dec. 17 at Buffalo…streak began Dec. 29, 2002 vs. New England.

 

2005: Selected to AFC Pro Bowl team after leading team with career-high 82 receptions, 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns…tied for third in NFL in TDs, while ranking 13th in catches and 12th in yards…became first Dolphin since Tony Martin (1999) to go over 1,000 yards…became sixth 1,000-yard receiver in team history…had career-long 61-yard run on reverse against Denver Sept. 11…was second-longest run by receiver in team history…acrobatic 42-yard touchdown catch gave Dolphins 21-10 lead in game they won 27-24 over Carolina Sept. 25…led team with six catches for 93 yards against Panthers…had career-long 77-yard touchdown catch vs. Kansas City Oct. 21…tied for 11^th-longest catch in team history…caught TD passes of three and 15 yards against New England Nov. 13…first multi-TD game of season and sixth of career…tallied 101 yards on six catches at Oakland Nov. 27…earned first-career AFC Offensive Player of Week Award after turning in team-record performance against Buffalo with 15 catches for 238 yards and touchdown in 24-23 comeback win over Bills on Dec. 4…became first Dolphins WR to earn award since 1994…touchdown catch was game-winner with six seconds left in fourth quarter…15 catches were team record, most in NFL in 2005 and most by NFL receiver since 2002…238 yards were also most in NFL for season and most since 2002…was fifth 200-yard game in team history and first since 1994…one week later turned in eight catch, 121 yard, two touchdown effort against Chargers to lead Dolphins…caught scoring passes of eight and 35 yards…tallied five of his catches for 97 yards and both scores in second half…was third-straight 100-yard game, tying second-longest streak in team history…also marked only fourth time Dolphins’ player had three-straight 100-yard games…caught two scoring passes against Tennessee Dec. 24 on grabs of seven and 11 yards…surpassed 1,000-yard mark for first time in career vs. Titans…game also marked career-best fourth straight with touchdown catch…capped off season with 16-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning in Pro Bowl.

 

2004: Led team with 898 yards and seven scores and ranked second with 69 catches…became third player in team history to lead team in yards for four straight years…inactive for Jets game Oct. 3 with knee injury…tallied 128 yards and touchdown on three catches against St. Louis Oct. 24…score came on 71-yard grab, which at time was second-longest catch of career…averaged career-high 42.7 yards per catch in game with at least three receptions…104 yards on seven catches at Arizona Nov. 7…season-high nine catches for 103 yards and TD at Seattle Nov. 21…became first Dolphin with consecutive 100-yard games since 1999…caught two-yard touchdown pass against Buffalo Dec. 5 for third-straight game with TD…also caught first two-point conversion pass in Bills game…closed out season with four catches for 146 yards and score at Baltimore Jan. 2…was second-best yardage game of career at time…caught 76-yard touchdown pass on first play of game, which at time was career long.

 

2003: Led team with 64 catches, 963 yards and 11 touchdowns…ranked third in NFL in TD catches…most catches and yards by Dolphins receiver since 1999 and most TD catches since 1991…his average of touchdown for every 5.8 receptions was second-highest in NFL…led squad with seven catches for 118 yards and two scores (57 and 21 yards) in season opener against Houston Sept. 7…caught 12 yards scoring pass vs. Buffalo Sept. 21…added six-yard TD catch against New England Oct. 19…caught touchdown pass as part of four-catch, 79-yard night in Oct. 27 Monday Night Football game against Chargers that was played in Tempe, Arizona due to wildfires in San Diego…following week caught 28-yard touchdown catch against Indianapolis Nov. 2 for third-straight game with TD…shared CBS’ Phil Simms Ironman of Game Award with QB Jay Fiedler after scoring career-high three touchdowns on catches of 39, six and 35 yards in Nov. 27 Thanksgiving Day game on national television at Dallas…led squad with five catches for 96 yards…was Miami’s first three-touchdown performance since 1998…closed out season with team-leading and then career-high nine catches and 153 yards against New York Jets Dec. 28…also scored on 20-yard catch vs. Jets…153 was most yards by Dolphin since 1999.

 

2002: Led team with 52 receptions for 734 yards and scored three touchdowns…caught six passes for 102 yards at K.C. Sept. 29…caught seven-yard TD pass against defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots Oct. 6 to give Dolphins 14-0 lead in eventual 26-13 win…inactive for Buffalo game Oct. 20 while recovering from concussion sustained Oct. 13 at Denver…set season-highs with seven catches and 138 yards against Oakland Dec. 15…had 117 yards in first half alone against Raiders…rushed three times for 59 yards at New England Dec. 29, including season-long 45-yarder…at time, tied team record for most rushing yards in game by wide receiver…

 

2001: Consensus All-Rookie selection and named NFL Offensive Rookie of Year by Football News and Football Digest…also named Dolphins’ Newcomer of Year by media and fans…Finished rookie season with 48 receptions and led team with 883 yards, seven touchdowns and 18.4 yards per catch average…set team rookie records for receiving yards and TD catches and led all rookie NFL receivers in those categories…ranked second in catches to Chargers’ rookie LaDainian Tomlinson…Chambers was only 10^th wide receiver selected in 2001 draft and not taken by Dolphins until second round with 52^nd overall pick…his 18.4-yard average (min. 24 catches) was also team rookie record and highest by Dolphin since 1986…tied team rookie mark with three 100-yard games…caught first NFL pass for 36 yards in Sept. 9 season opener at Tennessee…named NFL Offensive Rookie of Month for November…caught 14 passes for 293 yards and four TDs during month…became third Dolphins rookie to win ROM honors…received Offensive Game Ball from coaching staff after catching three passes for 113 yards and two scores at Indianapolis Nov. 11…set team rookie record with 37.7-yard per catch avg. (min. 3 catches)…first 100-yard game by Dolphins rookie since 1993 and first by rookie WR since 1989…caught TD passes of 74 and 29 yards against Colts…74-yarder was longest catch by Dolphins rookie since 1996 and second-longest in team history…29-yarder came with 7:44 to play in contest and provided winning points in Miami’s 27-24 victory…became only Miami’s second rookie with two TD catches in game and first since Mel Baker in 1974…led fourth quarter 11-point comeback at Buffalo Nov. 25 with pair of fourth-quarter TD catches…finished Bills game with five grabs for 101 yards…22-yard TD catch with 4:07 left in game cut deficit to 27-24 and 32-yarder with 0:48 remaining lifted Dolphins to 34-27 win…teamed with Oronde Gadsden (116 yards) to give team first pair of 100-yard receivers in game since 1999…caught 11-yard TD pass against Denver Dec. 2…was fifth TD catch of season, tying Dolphins’ rookie record…caught two TD passes (2 and 32 yards) in Dec. 10 MNF game against Indianapolis…paced squad with seven catches for 124 yards in Dec. 22 game at N.E….inactive for Jan. 13 playoff game vs. Baltimore after spraining right ankle in Jan. 6 season finale vs. Buffalo

COLLEGE: Second-team All-Big Ten as senior after 52-catch season for 813 yards and five touchdowns…honorable mention all-conference as junior…finished career as school’s third all-time leading receiver with 127 catches for 2,004 yards and 16 TDs…started final 33 games and played on Rose Bowl winning teams following sophomore (1998) and junior (1999) seasons……spent frosh year as backup guard on Badgers’ basketball team…played football at Wisconsin from 1997-00…majored in sociology and law.

PERSONAL: Born Cleveland, Ohio…All-America and two-time all-state performer at Bedford (Ohio) High School…third-team all-state in basketball as senior…state champion in 400 meters as senior…married, Christina, and couple has son, Chaz.