Doug Baldwin (American football)

Douglas Dewayne Baldwin Jr. (born September 21, 1988) is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2011.

Early years

Doug Baldwin grew up in Gulf Breeze, Florida. He played youth football and ran track in Pensacola, Florida with Alfred Morris, the current running back for the Dallas Cowboys.^[1] He has one younger brother named Devon.^[2] He played football for Gulf Breeze High School.^[3] As a senior, Baldwin had 42 receptions for 682 yards (16.2 avg.) with 6 touchdowns.

In track & field, Baldwin competed in the jumping events, recording top-jumps of 1.94 meters in the high jump and 6.65 meters in long jump.

College career

Baldwin played wide receiver at Stanford from 2007 to 2010. He led the Cardinal in receiving yards and touchdowns his senior year.

Career statistics

Professional career

2011 season

Despite leading Stanford in receiving yards that year Baldwin went undrafted and was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent following the end of the 2011 NFL lockout to a 3-year deal worth 1.4 million.^[4]

Baldwin caught his first NFL touchdown in Week 1 of the 2011 season against the San Francisco 49ers. He was 4th in rookie reception yardage in the 2011 NFL season, and led the team both in receiving yards and receptions. He also made the USA Today All-Joe Team for players who are talented and had put up good numbers, but did not receive a Pro Bowl bid. He became the first undrafted rookie free agent to lead his team in receptions and yards receiving since the AFL-NFL merger.

2012 season

He changed his number from #15 to #89 for the 2012 NFL season due to the incoming Matt Flynn to the Seahawks.^[5] After Week 1 of the 2012 season, Baldwin required dental surgery after diving for a pass.^[6] He suffered a shoulder injury during practice prior to Week 3, and also suffered a high ankle sprain during a punt return in Week 7, both of which kept him out the following week.^[7][8]

Baldwin in a 2013 game against the St. Louis Rams.

2013 season & Super Bowl XLVIII

Baldwin caught a career-high 5 touchdowns in 2013 and was second on the team in receptions and yards.

Baldwin before the start of Super Bowl XLVIII.

In Super Bowl XLVIII, he led the Seahawks receiving corps with 5 receptions for 66 yards and a TD.

Prior to the Super Bowl former NFL wide receiver, Cris Carter, made comments about the quality of the Seattle receiving corps. After the game, Doug Baldwin said: "OK, y’all listen to me loud and clear," he said. "Y’all listening? Y’all hear me? For all y’all who called us, the receiving corps, average, pedestrian, appetizers—I’m not going to say any names, but he knows who he is—I respect what you did on the field, but stick to playing football, because your analytical skills ain’t up to par yet. You need to slow down and go back and not do it half-assed and put some effort into it, because you’re saying some stuff that didn’t really make sense." "That dude who said that we were appetizers, he told me to Google him, and I did Google him, but I didn’t see any Super Bowl appearances, and I also saw two losses in conference championships. I have a Super Bowl ring, and I would gladly show that to him. And if he doesn’t have time to come see it, tell him he can Google it."^[9]

2014 season

On March 7, 2014, the Seahawks placed a one-year, second round tender worth $2.187 million on Baldwin,^[10] but he never signed it.^[11] On May 29, Baldwin would sign a new two-year, $13 million contract, which included the one-year tender offered to him earlier making his contract extension a total of three years.^[12][13][14] Baldwin became the primary receiving threat on the Seahawks after the team traded Percy Harvin to the New York Jets.^[15] Baldwin had his second career regular-season 100 yard game in week 7 against the St. Louis Rams, reeling in 7 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort. In week 14, Baldwin had 5 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, and also drew a long pass interference penalty, in a 24–14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He would catch another 7 passes in week 16 against the Arizona Cardinals, going for 113 yards. His 66 receptions and 825 receiving yards for the season were both career highs. In the divisional round against the Carolina Panthers, Baldwin would catch a 16-yard touchdown pass for the first score of the game in an eventual 31-17 victory. In the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers, Baldwin had 6 catches for 106 yards, including a 35-yard catch in overtime immediately preceding the game-winning touchdown by the Seahawks.^[16] Baldwin also took over kick return duties in this game due to injury, fumbling once and averaging just 19.3 yards on three returns. In Super Bowl XLIX, Baldwin was held to 1 catch for 3 yards and scored Seattle's last touchdown of the season as they failed to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Baldwin celebrated the touchdown with a vulgar pantomime which gained significant attention on social media as the "poopdown", and which earned a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. He commented after the game that the celebration was directed at an unnamed group, who were not present at the game.^[17] He was later fined $11,025 for his actions by the NFL.^[18] The Seahawks would not score again in the game, and went on to lose 28-24 to the New England Patriots. Baldwin would later apologize for the incident, clarifying that the gesture was directed at opposing star CB Darrelle Revis, and that "it was just kind of a built-up frustration I was letting out in that sequence, between him and I."^[19]

2015 season

Baldwin vs. the Ravens in 2015

During the 2015 offseason, the Seahawks acquired Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham from the Saints and drafted speedy Kansas State receiver Tyler Lockett, giving Baldwin and the Seahawks two more offensive weapons. Baldwin entered training camp as the projected #1 receiver for Seattle. In week 2 vs. the Green Bay Packers Baldwin had 7 receptions for 92 yards and 1 touchdown in a 27–17 loss. In week 4 vs. the Detroit Lions Baldwin had 3 receptions for 36 yards and 1 touchdown in a controversial win for the Seahawks.

In week 9 vs. the Arizona Cardinals, Baldwin had 7 receptions for 134 yards and 1 touchdown in a 32–39 loss. In week 12 vs the Steelers Baldwin had a huge day, with 6 receptions for 145 yards and 3 touchdowns. The third TD against Pittsburgh came on an 80-yard touchdown on a 3rd and 9 play, effectively icing the game for the Seahawks 39–30. It was the first 3 touchdown game of Baldwin's career.

The next week vs. the Vikings, Baldwin had another big day, totaling 5 receptions, 94 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 38–7 victory for the Seahawks. The next week, Baldwin and the Seahawks went to Baltimore to face the Baltimore Ravens and Baldwin again had a great game, with 6 receptions for 82 yards and 3 touchdowns. In week 15 vs the Cleveland Browns Baldwin had 4 receptions for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns. After his performance vs the Browns, Baldwin joins Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only players in league history with at least 10 receiving touchdowns in a four-game span. Baldwin also caught at least two touchdowns in four straight games, a feat that, since 1960, only Calvin Johnson and Hall of Famer Cris Carter have accomplished.

In week 16 against the Rams, Baldwin recorded 10 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. Though the Seahawks would lose 23–17, Baldwin would set a team record for touchdown receptions in a single season with 14, surpassing the mark of 13 set by Daryl Turner. He also became the first Seahawks receiver to record 1,000 receiving yards since 2007. After week 17, his season totals of 78 receptions for 1,069 yards and 14 touchdowns were all career highs.

In the Wild Card round of the postseason against the Minnesota Vikings, Baldwin registered 5 catches for 42 yards and the only touchdown scored in the entire game. The Seahawks would win 10–9.

2016 season

Baldwin and the Seahawks agreed to a 4-year contract extension worth $46 million. The deal includes a guaranteed $24.25 million. With this deal, Baldwin becomes the sixth-highest paid wideout in the NFL.

Baldwin started the 2016 season with a 9 catch, 92 yard outing against the Miami Dolphins, including a 3-yard touchdown catch with less than a minute left to secure a narrow victory for the Seahawks. Two weeks later against the San Francisco 49ers, Baldwin hauled in 8 receptions for a career high 164 receiving yards, including a touchdown. In week 10 on the road against the New England Patriots, Baldwin caught 6 passes for 59 yards, including 3 touchdowns, equaling a career high. The following week against the Philadelphia Eagles, Baldwin caught 4 passes for 104 yards, and threw his first career touchdown pass on a reverse WR pass to Russell Wilson.

Career statistics

Personal life

Baldwin has a video series on YouTube called "Fresh Files". In it, he answers questions from fans and talks about recent events in his life. He also talks to other NFL players, most of whom are fellow Seahawks, such as Russell Wilson and Sidney Rice, or Stanford alumni, such as Andrew Luck, Richard Sherman, and Coby Fleener. On November 17, 2013, Baldwin carried the flag of the Philippines onto CenturyLink Field to honor Typhoon Haiyan victims. His grandmother is Filipina and is from Tacloban City.^[20] Baldwin is a Christian,^[21] and frequently posts about his faith and various Bible verses on his Twitter account.

References

External links

• Seattle Seahawks bio
• Stanford Cardinal bio