Kavika Pittman

Kavika Charles Pittman (born October 9, 1974) is a former American football defensive end who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and the Carolina Panthers. Pittman played college football for McNeese State University and was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft.

Early years

Pittman was born in Frankfurt, Germany, where his father was stationed with the United States Army. After five moves, his family settled in Leesville, Louisiana, where as a senior at Leesville High School he was an All-State selection and the district Most Valuable Player, after finishing with 94 tackles and 12 sacks. In track and field he won the district championship in the high jump, triple jump and the long jump as a senior. In basketball he led his AAU all-star team to a national championship.

He played few games at McNeese State University until his junior year, when he earned All-Southland Conference honors, finishing with 59 tackles, 4 tackles for losses, 4 sacks, 11 quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.

As a senior, he helped his team reach the school's first ever semifinal appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs, while registering 57 tackles, 13 sacks, 7 tackles for losses, 18 quarterback pressures, 11 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick. For his efforts, he was named first-team Division I-AA All-American,^[1] Louisiana Defensive Player of the Year and the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He also played in the East-West Shrine Game, the Blue–Gray Football Classic and the Senior Bowl.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys traded down their first round draft choice in the 1996 NFL Draft, sending to the Washington Redskins the 30th and 250th picks, in exchange for their 37th and 67th draft choices. The team gambled that they could move down into the second round and still select Tony Brackens, while changing a seventh round selection into a third. The Jacksonville Jaguars ended up selecting Brackens and the Cowboys still needing a defensive end, drafted Pittman in the second round.^[2] He was originally seen as a project, with the plan of eventually replacing Shante Carver.

He was a backup at defensive end until earning a starter position in 1998 and recording a team leading 6 sacks, playing opposite to Greg Ellis. The next year he had 3 sacks. After his rookie contract ended, the team didn't resign him because of salary cap constraints.

Denver Broncos

Pittman signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2000 and proceeded to collect a career high 7 sacks.^[3] He was released during the 2003 offseason, because of the salary cap and a decrease in production.^[4]

Carolina Panthers

He signed as free agent with the Carolina Panthers in 2003. However, in only his second game, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament after being chop-blocked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Keenan McCardell. He reinjured the knee in the 2004 training camp and was released at the end of the season.^[5]

References