Brinkley (5-9, 208) is a third-year running back in his third year with the Chargers.
Curtis Brinkley is a survivor. What else can you say about a young man who grew up in the housing projects of Philadelphia, lost his father when he was a sophomore in college, survived an attempt on his life, and now plays the game he loves with a bullet just an inch from his heart.
A record-breaking running back at West Catholic High in Philadelphia, Brinkley was back in his hometown in July 2009, just three months after signing with the Chargers and completing offseason workouts. His sister, Niveka, called one evening and asked Brinkley if he could pick her up from the adult-care facility where she worked. While waiting in his car, a gunman - later identified as his sister’s ex-boyfriend - approached the vehicle and fired three shots, not realizing that the man behind the wheel was Niveka’s brother, Curtis.
Brinkley was shot three times. He was able to escape in the car, but a few blocks from the incident, he crashed through some bushes and a fence before losing consciousness and backing his car into an SUV parked in a driveway. He was rushed to a local hospital where doctors were able to remove two of the .357-caliber bullets, but a third was lodged so close to his heart that they decided it was too dangerous to remove. The boyfriend later turned himself in to the police and plead guilty to a felony charge of aggravated assault. Brinkley, meanwhile, returned to the Chargers less than a year later.
Assured by doctors that it was safe to resume his football career, Brinkley trained and ran harder than ever. He performed well enough in training camp and the 2010 preseason to earn a spot on the team’s practice squad, and just two weeks into the season he was brought up to the active roster when injuries left the team’s running backs in short supply. Brinkley did not play in the Chargers’ Week 3 contest in Seattle and returned to the practice squad the following week, but later in the season another opportunity presented itself and Brinkley returned to the active roster in late November. In true storybook fashion, he received his first-ever regular-season NFL carry late in an ESPN Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos when his teammates decided to change the play call in the offensive huddle. Instead of the fullback dive called in from the sidelines, the ball went to Brinkley, who carried it nine yards for a first down that enabled the Chargers to take a knee and run out the clock for a victory.
Brinkley’s storybook career continued in 2011 as he scored his first NFL touchdown in another Monday Night Football game in Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium and he made his first NFL start in the Chargers’ season finale in Oakland. In December, teammates voted Brinkley as the team’s winner of the Ed Block Courage Award.
Brinkley is now an advocate for the Crime Victims Fund.
Curtis Brinkley is a survivor. What else can you say about a man who survived an attempt on his life and plays with a bullet just an inch from his heart.
A record-breaking running back at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Brinkley was back in his hometown in July 2009, just three months after signing with the Chargers and completing offseason workouts. His sister, Niveka, called one evening and asked Curtis if he could pick her up from work at an area medical center. While waiting in his car outside the medical center, a gunman - later identified as his sister’s boyfriend - approached the car and fired into the vehicle, not realizing that the man behind the wheel was Niveka’s brother, Curtis.
Brinkley was shot three times. Doctors were able to remove two of the bullets but a third was lodged so close to his heart that they decided it was too dangerous to remove. The boyfriend later turned himself in to the police and plead guilty to a felony charge of aggravated assault. Brinkley, meanwhile, survived this horrific event and returned to the Chargers less than a year later.
Assured by doctors that it was safe to resume his football career with a bullet so close to his heart, Brinkley trained and ran harder than ever. He performed well enough in training camp and the 2010 preseason to earn a spot on the team’s practice squad, and just two weeks into the season he was brought up to the active roster when injuries left the team’s running backs in short supply. Brinkley did not play in the Chargers’ Week 3 contest in Seattle and returned to the practice squad the following week. Later in the season another opportunity presented itself when Brinkley returned to the active roster in late November. In true storybook fashion, Brinkley received his firstever regular-season NFL carry late in an ESPN Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos when his teammates decided to change the play call in the offensive huddle. Instead of a fullback dive, the ball went to Brinkley, who carried it nine yards for a first down that enabled the Bolts to take a knee and run out the clock for a
victory.
Now an advocate for the Crime Victims Fund, Brinkley is hopeful of earning even more playing time in 2011 and adding yet another chapter to his storybook NFL career.
TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed May 1, 2009...placed on “Reserve-Non-Football Injury,” July 24...activated, Feb. 8, 2010 ...waived Sept. 4...re-signed to practice squad, Sept. 6...signed to active roster, Sept. 25...waived Sept. 28 and re-signed to practice squad, Sept. 30...re-signed to active roster, Nov. 22... waived Dec. 16 and re-signed to practice squad, Dec. 18... signed to active roster, Dec. 31.
2011: Seeing extended time for a banged up Ryan Mathews in Week 8 against Kansas City, he scored his first career touchdown on a two-yard dive over the pile and his two-point conversion catch at the goal line tied the game at 20-20 with 7:11 remaining in the fourth quarter...both plays survived instant replay challenges...Brinkley set up the touchdown with a 20-yard over-the-shoulder catch to the Chiefs’ two yard-line...
2010: First-career NFL carry for nine yards and game-clinching first down in Nov. 22 ESPN Monday Night Football win over Denver.
2009: Spent season on “Reserve-Non-Football Injury” list.
COLLEGE: Big East Honor Roll after 2008 games vs. Akron, West Virginia, South Florida and Louisville...15th all-time leading rusher with 2,132 yards and 1,164 yards as senior ranked fifth...played at Syracuse 2005-09...degree in communications.
PERSONAL: Born in Philadelphia...AAAA Offensive Player of the Year at West Catholic HS...set Philadelphia prep records with 7,429 yards, 85 TDs, 1,007 att. and five 300-yard games to break marks held by Kevin Jones of Detroit Lions... spent 2004 season at Hargrave Military Academy.
