Inside The Panthers

Former Pitt All-American Named Honorary Captain vs. Boston College

A former Pitt Panthers All-American and Biletnikoff Award winner served a key role before the game vs. Boston College
Karl Ludwig|
Dec 14, 2008; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Domonique Foxworth (24) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant (89) in the first half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Buccaneers 13-10 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2008; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Domonique Foxworth (24) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant (89) in the first half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Buccaneers 13-10 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH - Pitt has three Biletnikoff Award winners in program history, and one of them is back in town for the Panthers' game vs. Boston College.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi announced that former All-American Antonio Bryant is the honorary captain this afternoon.

Bryant, who played for Pitt from 1999-2001, starred for the Panthers from the moment he first stepped on campus. He broke out with a 51-catch, 844-yard, 6-touchdown performance as a true freshman before emerging as a difference maker in his sophomore season.

He became the second sophomore to earn the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded to the best wide receiver in college football, in 2000. He hauled in 68 receptions for 1,302 yards (19.1 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns.

He finished his Pitt career with 161 receptions for 2,805 yards and 26 touchdowns - which is good for fourth in career receptions, second in career receiving yards and second in career receiving touchdowns.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Bryant in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, the 63rd overall pick, and he developed into a solid, veteran wideout with stints in Dallas, Cleveland, San Francisco and Tampa Bay.

Bryant hauled in 372 receptions for 5,685 yards (15.3 yards per reception) and 30 touchdowns over seven NFL seasons - including a career-high 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns with the Buccaneers in 2008.

He put together two 1,000-yard seasons in his NFL career, one with the Browns and one of the Buccaneers. He was a model of consistency, never finishing a season below 500 yards, either.

His lone NFL honor came in the form of PFWA All-Rookie Team membership in 2002 - hauling in 44 receptions for 733 yards and six touchdowns.

Bryant, along with Larry Fitzgerald and Jordan Addison, have spearheaded a list of Pitt wideouts have turned collegiate success into lasting NFL careers.

While he's sometimes forgotten with Fitzgerald coming in and winning the Biletnikoff three years later, Bryant is one of the best wideouts in college football in the 2000s - and in Panthers' history.

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Karl Ludwig
KARL LUDWIG

Karl Ludwig is a Pittsburgh Panthers on SI sportswriter. He has spent the past three years covering the Pitt Panthers for a couple of platforms. While he did not attend Pitt, he grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attending North Allegheny Senior High School and Slippery Rock University. As a student at SRU, he served as the sports editor of SRU’s student-run newspaper, The Rocket, and provided award-winning coverage in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer. It was at SRU that his love for sports journalism blossomed. Karl spent three seasons as the Pitt football beat writer for Pittsburgh Sports Now, following time as an intern for the Sports Now Network. His most recent coverage of the University was for Pitt Sports News of the On3/Rivals network. He’s also contributed to Athlon Sports and SB Nation’s Behind the Steel Curtain.

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