Miles Austin

Miles Jonathon Austin III (born June 30, 1984) is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Monmouth University, and was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Early years
He was born in Summit, New Jersey to parents Miles and Ann Austin, who were born in Nebraska and New Jersey. He has one sister, Jennifer Austin. Austin grew up in Garfield, New Jersey and attended Garfield High School. He was a letterman in football, basketball, and track and field. In football, he played wide receiver and defensive back, and as a senior, he won All-Bergen County honors and All-State honors. In basketball, Austin garnered All-Bergen County honors as well. In track and field, Austin participated in the 100 meter dash, long jump, triple jump, and the javelin throw. He recorded the third-longest javelin throw in Bergen County history with a throw of 214 feet, 8 inches. Austin finished third in the triple jump at the New Jersey Meet of Champions in 2001.

College career
During his college football days at Monmouth University, Austin caught 150 passes for 2,867 yards and 33 touchdowns. He is the school record-holder in receiving yards. Austin rushed 15 times for 140 yards and one touchdown. In 2003, Austin set a Monmouth single-season record for touchdown catches with 12. He ran 4.47 second 40 yard dash and jumped 40.5 inches in the vertical leap at the 2006 NFL combine.

Dallas Cowboys
In his rookie season of 2006, he returned 29 kickoffs for 753 yards and recorded 5 tackles. His main highlight of the year was in the Cowboys playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. He returned 3 kickoffs for 136 yards in the game, including a 93 yard touchdown return. In the 55 postseason games in franchise history, it was the Cowboys' first ever kickoff return touchdown.



2009 season
With the release of Terrell Owens, Austin started the regular season as the Cowboys' No. 3 receiver. During free agency, the New York Jets looked at Austin but did not offer him a contract, possibly because they would have had to give the Cowboys a second-round draft pick in order to sign him. Before the year, Football Outsiders rated Austin as the top prospect in football on their Top 25 Prospects list.

Austin got his first NFL start on October 11, 2009 against the Kansas City Chiefs, as a replacement for injured Roy Williams. Austin had 10 catches for 250 yards (a Cowboys record for receiving yards in a single game, breaking Bob Hayes' 246-yard effort in 1966 against the Washington Redskins) and 2 touchdowns including the 60-yard game winner in overtime. Austin made his second career start on October 25 against the Atlanta Falcons replacing Patrick Crayton as the No. 2 receiver. Austin solidified his place as a starting receiver with 171 receiving yards along with 2 touchdowns. After only two weeks as a starting wide receiver, Austin was the ninth-most productive receiver in the National Football League going into Week 8, and moved up to eighth just four weeks later having caught his 8th touchdown against Oakland on Thanksgiving Day. Against the Giants in week 13 he had 10 catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.

December 29, 2009, Austin was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl, his first. He went on to lead the NFC (third overall in the NFL) with 1320 receiving yards for the 2009 season. He also tied for first in the NFC with 11 receiving touchdowns which was tied for third in the NFL for receiving touchdowns in only starting 11 games in the 2009 season.

2010 season
On September 9, 2010, Austin agreed to a six-year contract extension that will kick in beginning in 2011. The deal includes $18 million in guaranteed salary. Austin signed a $3.168 million contract in June 2010. Austin's extension is worth $54 million, bringing the total value of his contract to $57 million.

With 10 catches in each of the first two games of the 2010 season, Austin became the second player in Cowboys history to record double-digit catches in consecutive weeks. On Thanksgiving, Austin scored a 60 yard touchdown on an end-around. However, the Cowboys lost 30-27 to the New Orleans Saints. He finished the season with 69 catches for 1041 yards and 7 touchdowns. He made his second consecutive Pro Bowl in 2010, replacing DeSean Jackson who sprained his MCL during practice for the Pro Bowl.

2011 season
Austin's 2011 season started well with a 5 catch, 90 yard performance in week 1, followed by a career-best mark for touchdowns in a game with 3 to go along with 9 catches for 143 yards in a week 2 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The rest of Austin's 2011 season was marred by nagging hamstring injuries which caused him to miss 6 games and limited him to his lowest reception, touchdown, and yardage output since the 2008 season.

Austin Family Foundation
In 2011, Austin founded The Austin Family Foundation with help from his family. The Austin Family Foundation’s mission is to support and promote youth programming, in lower income areas, that focuses on character development and community involvement. The Austin Family Foundation currently supports the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute and the Garfield Boys' and Girls' Club.