| File:Darren Fells (cropped).jpg Fells with the Browns in 2018 | |
| No. 87 | |
| Tight end | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: April 22, 1986 | |
| Place of birth: Fullerton, California | |
| Career information | |
| College: UC Irvine | |
| Undrafted in 2013 | |
| No regular season or postseason appearances | |
| Career history | |
* Seattle Seahawks ( 2013)*
| |
| Roster status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NFL statistics as of 2018 | |
| Receptions | 68 |
| Receiving yards | 830 |
| Receiving touchdowns | 10 |
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Darren Andre Fells (born April 22, 1986) is an American football tight end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He did not play college football, instead playing college basketball at the University of California, Irvine. Prior to his NFL career, he played professional basketball in several countries, and was then signed by the Seattle Seahawks. He has also played for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, and is the brother of former NFL tight end Daniel Fells.
Early years[]
Fells attended Fullerton Union High School in Fullerton, California, where he played basketball. He was selected to the All-CIF Southern Section II-A second team as a junior while averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds as the team's center.[1] He was named All-Freeway League second team also in his junior season.[1]
Professional basketball career[]
Basketball career[]
| No. 14, 12, 7 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power forward / Center | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Nationality | American | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 244 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Fullerton Union (Fullerton, California) | ||||||||||
| College | UC Irvine (2004–2008) | ||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2008 / Undrafted | ||||||||||
| Pro career | 2008–2012 | ||||||||||
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Between 2008 and 2012, Fells played basketball professionally in Argentina, Mexico, Belgium, Finland, and France.[2]
As a rookie on the Basketball League Belgium Division I team Leuven Bears in 2008–09, Fells wore jersey #14 and averaged 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 33 games.[3] In his second season with the team in 2009–10, Fells averaged 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds.[4]
In the 2010–11 season, Fells played for Kataja Basket Club of the Finnish Korisliiga, wearing jersey #7. In 55 games, Fells averaged 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds.[5] Kataja were runners-up of the 2011 Korisliiga Finals.[6]
A Étendard de Brest of French LNB Pro B,[7] Fells played 25 games for Soles de Mexicali of the Mexican Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional in the 2011–12 season and wore jersey #12. He averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.[8] After the LNBP season ended, Fells played nine games for Obras Sanitarias of the Argentine Liga Nacional de Basquet from March to April 2012 and averaged 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds.[9] Like at Soles de Mexicali, Fells wore jersey #12 for Obras.[10]
In December 2012, Fells signed with Libertad de Sunchales but did not play any games.[11]
Professional football career[]
USA Mens National Team[]
2013[]
On March 6, 2013, Fells was signed by the Seattle Seahawks.[12] On May 18, 2013, he was waived by the team.[13] On May 20, 2013, he was re-signed with the team. On August 31, 2013, Fells was released by the team.
Arizona Cardinals[]
On October 9, 2013, Fells signed with the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. On January 1, 2014, he was re-signed to a reserve/future contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
2014[]
Fells entered Arizona Cardinals' training camp competing with John Carlson, Troy Niklas, and Jake Ballard to be a backup tight end. He was named the fifth tight end on the Cardinals' depth chart to begin the regular season, behind Rob Housler, John Carlson, Troy Niklas, and Jake Ballard.[14]
On September 21, 2014, he made his first career start as the Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 23–14. On December 11, 2014, Fells made his first career reception on a six-yard pass from Carson Palmer during a 12–6 victory over the St. Louis Rams. On Week 17, he caught a 24-yard pass for the longest catch of the season and finished the Cardinals' 17–20 loss to the 49ers with two receptions for 39 receiving yards. He completed his rookie season with a total of five receptions for 59 receiving yards while starting five games and appearing in ten.
On January 3, 2015, Fells appeared in his first career postseason game after the Cardinals finished the season with an 11–5 record. In the Cardinals' 16–27 NFC Wildcard loss to the Carolina Panthers, he caught one pass for one receiving yard.[15]
2015[]
He started 2015 as the second tight end behind Jermaine Gresham. During the Arizona Cardinal's home opener against the New Orleans Saints, Fells caught his first career touchdown on a 17-yard pass from Carson Palmer. He finished the 31-19 victory with four receptions for 82 receiving yards and a touchdown.[16] On October 18, 2015, he left a 25-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering a shoulder sprain that would keep him out the next two games.[17]
He finished the 2015 season with the career-high 21 receptions, 311 receiving yards, and three touchdowns in 12 starts and 14 games.[15]
2016[]
Fells remained the Cardinals' second option at tight end behind Gresham in 2016 . In a Week 2 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught a career-high four passes for 31 receiving yards during a 40-7 victory. On January 1, 2017, he caught a 37-yard touchdown reception from Carson Palmer as the Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Rams 44-7.[18]
He finished the season with 14 catches for 154 receiving yards and a touchdown in seven starts and 14 games.[15]
Detroit Lions[]
On March 11, 2017, Fells signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Detroit Lions.[19]
Fells entered training camp competing with Cole Wick, Khari Lee, and Michael Roberts to be the backup tight end. He was named the backup behind Eric Ebron to begin the regular season. Ebron struggled with drops in the first half of the season, and Fells saw increased snaps and eventually started in place of him.
Cleveland Browns[]
On March 15, 2018, Fells signed a three-year contract with the Cleveland Browns.[20][21] He played in 16 games with 11 starts, recording 11 receptions for 117 yards and three touchdowns.
On March 11, 2019, Fells was released by the Browns.[22]
Houston Texans[]
On March 18, 2019, Fells signed a one-year contract with the Houston Texans.[23]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "California-Irvine Profile". ucirvinesports.com. http://www.ucirvinesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/fells_darren00.html.
- ↑ "From Hoops To Tight End". azcardinals.com. http://www.azcardinals.com/news-and-events/article-2/From-Hoops-To-Tight-End/06008d87-853c-40d6-aef3-22e0ce13b611. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ↑ http://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Belgium/Stella_Artois_Leuven_Bears/334?Page=3&Stats=2009
- ↑ http://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Belgium/Stella_Artois_Leuven_Bears/334?Page=3&Stats=2010
- ↑ http://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Finland/Joensuun_Kataja_Basket/1864?Page=3&Stats=2011
- ↑ http://www.eurobasket.com/team/Finland/Joensuun_Kataja_Basket/1864?Page=2&Stats=2011
- ↑ http://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/France/Etendard_de_Brest/867?Page=3&Stats=2012
- ↑ http://basketball.latinbasket.com/team/Mexico/Soles_de_Mexicali/7313?Page=3&Stats=2012
- ↑ http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/gameCent/p/leagueid/COPCC/ot/1/pid/73439/season/2012/tid/90054/tidstat//playerView.html
- ↑ http://basketball.latinbasket.com/team/Argentina/Obras_Sanitarias_Buenos_Aires/1085?Page=3&Stats=2012
- ↑ http://www.basquetplus.com/nota-13142-darren-fells-sera-el-segundo-extranjero-de-libertad-de-sunchales
- ↑ "Seattle Seahawks sign former pro basketball player Darren Fells". nfl.com. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000147151/article/seattle-seahawks-sign-former-pro-basketball-player-darren-fells. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ↑ "Seahawks waive tight end Darren Fells". nbcsports.com. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/08/seahawks-waive-tight-end-darren-fells/. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- ↑ "Ourlads.com: Arizona Cardinal's depth chart: 08/31/2014".
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "NFL Player Profile: Darren Fells".
- ↑ "NFL Game Center: Week 1-2015: New Orleans Saints @ Arizona Cardinals".
- ↑ Daniel Kramer (October 19, 2015). "Darren Fells Injury: Updates on Cardinals TE's Shoulder and Return".
- ↑ "NFL Game Center: Week 17-2016: Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams".
- ↑ "Lions sign free agent TE Darren Fells". March 11, 2017. https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-sign-free-agent-te-darren-fells-18644361.
- ↑ Gantt, Darin (March 14, 2018). "Browns add tight end Darren Fells to early haul". http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/14/browns-add-tight-end-darren-fells-to-early-haul/.
- ↑ Maks, Patrick (March 15, 2018). "Browns sign DL Chris Smith, DB Terrance Mitchell, OL Donald Stephenson, TE Darren Fells". ClevelandBrowns.com. https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-sign-dl-chris-smith-db-terrance-mitchell-ol-donald-stephenson-te-20454357.
- ↑ "Browns release TE Darren Fells". March 11, 2019. https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-release-te-darren-fells.
- ↑ Alper, Josh (March 18, 2019). "Texans sign Darren Fells". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/03/18/texans-sign-darren-fells/.