Davenport puts 255 pounds to good use as Steelers' return man

Nov/18/06 02:07 AM

In a league where size and speed have increased with regularity, not many teams have resorted to using a 255-pound kick-returner. Such, though, is the case with the Steelers' Najeh Davenport, an unlikely return man who has produced surprisingly good results.

Even Bill Cowher, a former special-teams standout as an NFL player, questions the sanity of those who try to tackle him.

"I know if I was on kickoff-coverage team, to see him catch that ball on a dead run and coming at me, even if I wasn't blocked, I'm sure it's not a real inviting sight," Cowher said.

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Davenport fills role nicely for Steelers

Nov/17/06 06:51 AM

Najeh Davenport didn't welcome a change of scenery as much as he did a change of culture.

That may seem odd, considering the running back went from one franchise with a storied history and fanatical fans -- Green Bay -- to another when he signed with the Steelers.

But after coach Bill Cowher told the fifth-year pro to simply play, the 247-pound Davenport felt considerably lighter. And if starting running back Willie Parker is on his way to a big year, Davenport is on his way to a somewhat redeeming one.

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Davenport has Parker’s back

Nov/15/06 08:43 AM

There was no doubt about who would be the Steelers' starting running back this season. And now it's also clear who is his backup.

Willie Parker earned the right to be the starter full-time with his performance early in the 2005 season when both Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley were rehabilitating injuries, and he cemented his status at the exact moment he blew past Seattle safety Michael Boulware on the way to that 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL.

But if the starting spot was not an issue, there was some question about which player would fill the role as Parker's complement, because Coach Bill Cowher always has believed that to run the football the way the Steelers want to run the football, one back is never enough.

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Harris: Q&A with Najeh Davenport

Nov/12/06 11:55 AM

In his first game with the Steelers, running back Najeh Devenport caught a 32-yard pass against San Diego for the longest catch of his five-year NFL career.

The next week, against Kansas City, Davenport rushed 12 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. His 48-yard run against the Chiefs tied a Heinz Field record for the Steelers' longest running play. Last Sunday, against Denver, Davenport set a new career-high with five catches for 57 yards. He also returned one kickoff for 23 yards, and is averaging 22.3 yards on four kickoff returns this season.

The versatile Davenport, who signed with the Steleers on Sept. 8, is developing into a change-of-pace back behind starter Willie Parker, a 6-1, 247-pounder with speed, who has the ability catch passes, run inside and contribute on special teams.

Davenport earning praise for his many roles

Nov/10/06 07:05 AM

Running back Najeh Davenport's contributions to the offense continued to grow on Sunday against the Broncos when he added the role of third down back.

Davenport replaced Verron Haynes, who was placed on injured reserve, in the role. He caught five passes for 57 yards and carried the ball twice for 17 yards.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger singled him out for his performance after the game and wide receiver Hines Ward sung his praises on his weekly radio show.

Prisuta: Davenport believes Steelers will rebound

Nov/06/06 09:59 AM

A 2-6 record at the season's midway point suggests it's maybe time for the Steelers to throw in the towel.

But coach Bill Cowher said he's "not concerned" about his players giving up or giving in following Sunday's 31-20 loss to the Denver Broncos at Heinz Field.

"Nobody is going to let that happen," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.

From running back Najeh Davenport's perspective, actions will speak louder than words, as the Steelers endeavor to keep it together.

Davenport fills third-down bill differently

Nov/04/06 09:31 AM

Najeh Davenport sat quietly at his locker this week, preparing for what could be his new role on his new team, that of third-down back.

"It's not really a role," Davenport corrected. "It's an attitude."

Davenport already knows the role/attitude/assignment of a third-down back the way the Pittsburgh Steelers use one: It's not really a job that carries much glory.

"You really don't get a lot of passes," Davenport explained. "Most of it is picking up blitzes, and you might get a screen here or a draw there."

Davenport relishes Steelers' approach

Oct/21/06 10:45 AM

After four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Najeh Davenport is relieved to have a change of scenery. After four years of rules, fines and what he said was an emphasis on upholding a storied image, he is glad to be with a team that can laugh, joke and win. Not to mention not worry about his weight.

Davenport said it is one of the reasons he feels refreshed and invigorated with the Steelers, who signed him last month as a backup running back. And one of the reasons he already has made several big plays for his new team, despite limited appearances.

"This is a different atmosphere," Davenport said. "Green Bay, you really had to treat it like a job, like a job-job, like working at Taco Bell, not like a career job. Here, I don't see that. I don't get that feeling. You're here to play football and you're doing something that you lov

Najeh Davenport Update

Oct/17/06 02:30 PM

Steelers RB Najeh Davenport will have a bigger role in the offense in the weeks to come as the team looks for someone to spell Willie Parker.

Davenport relieved to be a Steeler

Oct/17/06 08:51 AM

PITTSBURGH - Najeh Davenport admits he watched the clock during Packers games, sometimes counting the minutes until he could leave Lambeau Field.

Being released, he said, was actually a relief.

And signing with the Steelers has made football fun.

"It's like a whole different game," Davenport said. "In Green Bay it felt like a job. ... And not like a career job. There's a difference between a career job and a job job. It felt like I was working at Taco Bell."

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Steelers Notebook: Parker, Davenport run up a storm

Oct/16/06 08:22 AM

Najeh Davenport Update

Oct/11/06 08:33 AM

Reserve running back Najeh Davenport could have an expanded role Sunday. Against the Chargers, Davenport gained 32 yards off a dump pass that set up the Steelers' only touchdown. He also played on special teams and returned a kickoff 26 yards. With Reid doubtful, Davenport is a candidate to return kickoffs against the Chiefs, Cowher said.

Steelers 'big back' limping following practice

Oct/03/06 03:01 PM

PITTSBURGH - Since signing with the Steelers three weeks ago, Najeh Davenport has yet to play a down. Based on how he limped off the field Monday, he might not play again Sunday in San Diego.

A running back who came to Pittsburgh in hopes of assuming the "big back" role vacated by the retirement of Jerome Bettis, Davenport suffered an undisclosed injury to his right leg at Monday's practice.

"We're not allowed to talk about injuries," Davenport said. "You'll have to ask the trainer."

Parking Ramp: Slow Progress Ahead - Najeh Davenport

Sep/27/06 08:01 AM

It was more than a year ago that the City of Green Bay built a new parking ramp on a downtown corner. But the ground level of the Cherry Street ramp, intended for retail shops, is still empty.

The empty space is across the street from another downtown building on a corner lot slow to show development.

With room for 800 cars, the Cherry Street parking ramp fills a major space in the city's downtown. Since it opened, though, the city hasn't filled the building's ground level, 12,000- square feet of space intended for retail tenants who want a spot on a prime downtown corner.

Najeh Davenport Update

Sep/20/06 08:30 AM

The Steelers also have a couple of solid players worth considering for your bench. Running back Najeh Davenport, a free-agent signee, has emerged as Pittsburgh's best option in short-yardage and goal line situations. (Duce Staley blew his chance at that job with a poor preseason.)
(cnnsi.com)

Notebook: Cowher offers no decision on Davenport

Sep/15/06 08:15 AM

Steelers coach Bill Cowher said newly acquired running back Najeh Davenport, who participated in his second practice with the team Thursday, is having no problem picking up the Steelers offense. Cowher, though, hasn't said whether Davenport would suit up for Monday night's game in Jacksonville. Davenport, 6-foot-1 and 247 pounds, is hoping to play behind starter Willie Parker.

In the season opener against Miami, Parker rushed for 115 yards, and he did it on 29 carries, showing he can take a pounding.
"He's improved dramatically," All-Pro guard Alan Faneca said of Parker.

Steelers, looking for another Bus, will give Davenport a chance

Sep/15/06 12:11 AM

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Steelers know they can't keep running Willie Parker 29 times per game, like they did in their opener. What they don't know is who should succeed the retired Jerome Bettis as the big running back who can wear down defenses and keep Parker rested.

Duce Staley tried out for the role but, despite still being on their roster, couldn't win the job after averaging 2.2 yards per carry during the preseason. Patrick Cobbs was the next to audition, getting a quick look following a productive camp with the Patriots, only to be cut by the Steelers.

Next up is former Packers running back Najeh Davenport, who spent the last four seasons in Green Bay - much of that time in the trainers room. The 250-pound Davenport has been productive when he's been healthy, but injuries kept him out of 29 of the 64 games he spent with the Packers.

"He's a proven big back," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "We were kind of looking for that. He's played third down and fullback, and that gives you some flexibility. ... He was the one guy out there who fit what we were looking for with the makeup of our roster."

Davenport putting past behind him

Sep/12/06 05:44 PM

It's been more than four years, and Najeh Davenport, the Steelers' newest running back, still can't escape from being linked to an incident in college.

A few weeks before he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in April 2002, Davenport was accused by Miami Shores police of entering a dorm room at Barry University in the early morning hours of April 1, 2002.

Mary McCarthy, asleep in the room, told police she was awakened by a strange sound and saw a man squatting in her closet. The man, later identified as Davenport, had defecated in her laundry basket, police said.

"You're telling me it's a bizarre story?" Davenport said Monday. "You try looking at it from the inside-out. You try sitting there and have me ask you about that.

Davenport hoping to play sizable role

Sep/12/06 09:58 AM

Najeh Davenport, as halfbacks go, is as big as a bus, and that is a role the Steelers would like him to fill.

They won't ask him to run for 10,571 yards over the next decade, or have his own television show and become one of the most popular players in team history. They would settle for some production at the goal line and some relief carries in the second half for starter Willie Parker.

They also would not mind if his last game is played in his hometown, just the way it was for Jerome Bettis in February. Davenport grew up in South Florida, home of Super Bowl XLI.

"I think they brought me in to exemplify some of the things they've been missing that the Bus brought," said Davenport, who is 6 feet 1 and weighs 247 pounds before lunch
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Steelers Sign Najeh Davenport

Sep/08/06 11:11 PM

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers added size and experience to their backfield today when they signed veteran running back Najeh Davenport to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Davenport (6-1, 247), a fifth-year veteran from the University of Miami, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers. In 39 games, Davenport has rushed for 1,068 yards and seven touchdowns on 217 carries (4.9 avg.). He also has caught 17 passes for 107 yards (6.3 avg.).

Originally drafted by the Packers in the fourth round (135th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft, Davenport missed most of the 2005 season after breaking his ankle on Oct. 9 against New Orleans. The 27-year-old Davenport, whose first name is pronounced "NAH-jay", set a personal best with 178 rushing yards on Nov. 29, 2004, against the St. Louis Rams.

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Packers: Davenport runs out of time

Sep/05/06 12:59 AM

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers finally ran out of patience with running back Najeh Davenport.

The oft-injured Davenport was the biggest name among 19 final cuts made Saturday as the Packers moved into compliance with the NFL-mandated, 53-player limit in advance of next week's regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears.

"It was difficult," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said of the decision to release Davenport. "He's been here, he's done a good job, he did everything we asked.

"Najeh, I'm sure, will be working somewhere."

Packers say goodbye to Davenport

Sep/03/06 06:59 PM

GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers don't know who is going to lighten the load for running back Ahman Green this season, but now it won't be Najeh Davenport.

Davenport, an old-fashioned pile-driver with a long history of injury, was released Saturday as the Packers took a novel approach by cutting down to 51 players, two shy of the mandatory 53-man roster limit.

General manager Ted Thompson waived 19 players and in effect said goodbye to cornerback Mike Hawkins, one of three players placed on injured reserve.

Packers: McCarthy putting the heat on oft-injured Davenport to play

Aug/28/06 08:19 AM

GREEN BAY - Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy sent a not-so-subtle message to oft-injured No. 2 running back Najeh Davenport on Thursday: Get back to practice or you might not be here.

Davenport missed his second straight day of practice Thursday after dropping out of Tuesday night's workout with a strained hip flexor. The fifth-year running back also missed six practices earlier in camp with a calf injury.

When asked whether Davenport will play in Monday night's exhibition game at Cincinnati, McCarthy replied, "Player injuries I really can't control. Obviously, you want to see him out there. He's competing for a roster spot.

"Am I concerned? I'm concerned about what's best for our football team. We like the things Najeh has done, but he needs to get out there and play and make our football team just like everybody else."

Coach says Davenport needs to get back to practice

Aug/25/06 08:17 AM

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy sent a not-so-subtle message to oft-injured No. 2 running back Najeh Davenport on Thursday: Get back to practice or you might not be here.
Davenport missed his second straight day of practice Thursday after dropping out of Tuesday night's workout with a strained hip flexor. The fifth-year running back also missed six practices earlier in camp with a calf injury.
When asked whether Davenport will play in Monday night's exhibition game at Cincinnati, McCarthy replied, "Player injuries I really can't control. Obviously, you want to see him out there. He's competing for a roster spot.
"Am I concerned? I'm concerned about what's best for our football team. We like the things Najeh has done, but he needs to get out there and play and make our football team just like everybody else."

Davenport on Bubble

Aug/24/06 10:10 AM

Despite starting two preseason games, Najeh Davenport is on the roster bubble in Green Bay. Multiple reports suggest Ahman Green and Samkon Gado are safe, and Davenport (hip) has now missed back-to-back practices. Green Bay is going with a youth movement, which suggests a younger option like Arliss Beach or Noah Herron will get their third running back spot

(Milwaukeee Journal-Sentinel)

It’s Najeh time

Aug/19/06 10:58 PM

With Ahman Green hoping to play in next week’s preseason game, this is Najeh Davenport’s time to shine. He has been a big-time tease during his stay in Green Bay, flashing just enough skills during a couple games each season to show what he could be, but too often winding up on the sideline with an injury.
Beyond his running skills, Davenport must improve his blocking — he was responsible for one of the sacks last week — and show he can catch after dropping an easy dump-off pass last week.
Scout.com