Brandon Lloyd : biography
Brandon Matthew Lloyd (born July 5, 1981) is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He played college football at University of Illinois, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the Second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Lloyd has also played for the Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams, and New England Patriots. He is currently a free agent.
Music career
In addition to his football career, Lloyd has recorded music and attempted to launch a career as a rapper. In 2008 his single "She All Mine" made the Billboard R&B chart, and his song "Heavy" was featured on the Spike TV show Blue Mountain State. Lloyd has received criticism for trying to balance careers in football and rap, but he says that making music is important to expressing who he really is. Quoted in a 2011 article, Lloyd said, "I have the guts to stand out and do something I’m passionate about, go against the grain and go against the conventional wisdom that the athlete-rap thing is unsuccessful. Yet I’m going to do it. People will say: ‘Oh, you’re doing hip-hop music? Who does he think he is, a rapper? He’s trying to be someone he’s not.’ When in reality, I’d be someone I’m not by not expressing myself in music."
Professional career
San Francisco 49ers
Lloyd was drafted in the Second round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. In his first game he blocked a punt against the Chicago Bears on September 7, 2003. On November 2, 2003, he caught his first touchdown pass against the St. Louis Rams. He finished the season with 14 receptions for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 2004, Lloyd started and appeared in 13 games and finished the season with 43 catches for 565 yards and 6 touchdowns. During the 2005 season Lloyd started 15 games and had 48 receptions 733 yards receiving and had 5 touchdown catches. In Week 3 vs. the Dallas Cowboys, he recorded four catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns, including a 89-yard touchdown catch.
Washington Redskins
On Saturday March 11, 2006, the San Francisco 49ers traded Lloyd to Washington Redskins in exchange for a third-round draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. His first season is widely considered a failure, as he caught 23 passes for no touchdowns. According to Howard Bryant of the Washington Post, citing NFL.com, "Lloyd suffered through the worst season for a starting receiver in the Super Bowl era… No starting No. 2 wide receiver in the NFL started more games (12) while producing less (23 catches, 365 yards)."
Lloyd never made it out of Joe Gibbs’ doghouse, due to a questionable attitude and alleged poor work ethic. On Sunday, November 4, 2007, Lloyd was listed among Redskins inactives as the team traveled to play against the New York Jets. Citing the reason behind the move, Gibbs said that Lloyd had been told to remain behind in Washington as disciplinary action for missing important team meetings. Lloyd would spend the latter part of the 2007 season on injured reserve after having snapped his collar bone while making a diving touchdown catch during team practice.
On February 26, 2008, the Redskins released Lloyd, who caught only 21 passes for 315 yards for the 2007 season.
Chicago Bears
On March 7, 2008, Lloyd signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears after the release of Muhsin Muhammad and the loss of Bernard Berrian to free agency. The move reunited him with Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner, who was Lloyd’s head coach at Illinois. Lloyd had a successful start to his career in Chicago, establishing himself as a favorite target of quarterback Rex Grossman, with 15 catches in his first four games. An injury forced him to miss several weeks, and he fell out of favor with the coaching staff as a result.http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-scott-14-haugh-brandon-lloyd-bearsnov14,0,4010616.column He returned to the field in week 11, though did not approach his early-season productivity until the Bears’ final game of the season, where he caught 4 passes from Grossmen for 64 yards.http://www.mouthpiecesports.com/media/17335
