![]() Gage with the Falcons in 2021 | |||||||
No. 6 – Baltimore Ravens | |||||||
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Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. | January 22, 1996||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 184 lb (83 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Redemptorist (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) | ||||||
College: | LSU (2014–2017) | ||||||
NFL draft: | 2018 / Round: 6 / Pick: 194 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
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Roster status: | Active | ||||||
Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||
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Player stats at PFR |
Russell Gage Jr. (born January 22, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft.[1]
Early life
[edit]Gage attended and played high school football at Redemptorist High School.[2]
College career
[edit]Gage attended and played college football at LSU from 2014 to 2017.[3] He played defensive back for his first two seasons, but was brought onto the offense in Week 7 of his junior year for a key victory over #22 Texas A&M, where he led the run-heavy Tigers with five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, his only receptions of the season.[4] He was used as both a running back and receiver in his senior year, generating four touchdowns on just 49 touches. He also recorded 11 tackles as a special teams gunner.[5]
College statistics
[edit]Season | Team | Conf | Class | GP | Receiving | Rushing | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||||
2014 | LSU | SEC | FR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
2015 | LSU | SEC | SO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
2016 | LSU | SEC | JR | 7 | 5 | 62 | 12.4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
2017 | LSU | SEC | SR | 13 | 21 | 285 | 13.6 | 3 | 28 | 232 | 8.3 | 1 |
Career | 21 | 26 | 347 | 13.3 | 4 | 28 | 232 | 8.3 | 1 |
Professional career
[edit]Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
186 lb (84 kg) |
33 in (0.84 m) |
9+1⁄8 in (0.23 m) |
4.50 s | 1.54 s | 2.54 s | 4.25 s | 7.03 s | 39.0 in (0.99 m) |
10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) |
15 reps | |
All values from Pro Day[6] |
Atlanta Falcons
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Russell_Gage.png/220px-Russell_Gage.png)
With modest college stats, Gage was not invited to the combine of any of the major award games, but attracted attention after an exceptional Pro Day and strong endorsement of his work ethic by coaches.[5] Gage was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round with the 194th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, four rounds behind fellow LSU wide receiver D. J. Chark.[7] In Week 6, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gage recorded his first professional reception, which went for six yards.[8] As a rookie, he totaled six receptions for 63 yards in 15 games on a team with deep talent at receiver.[9]
In Week 13 of the 2019 season, Gage recorded his first professional receiving touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.[10] Overall, Gage finished the 2019 season with 49 receptions for 446 receiving yards (fourth on the team behind Calvin Ridley, and pro-bowl-bound Julio Jones and Austin Hooper) and one receiving touchdown.[11]
With Jones injured for seven games and the departure of Hooper, in 2020 Gage became the second leading receiver for the 4–12 Falcons.[12] Gage's breakthrough game came in the home opener of September 13, a loss to the Seattle Seahawks where he had 114 receiving yards on nine receptions.[13] In the following week's game against the Dallas Cowboys, Gage caught six passes for 46 yards and another touchdown during the 40–39 loss.[14] In Week 14, against the Los Angeles Chargers, he threw a 39-yard touchdown reception to Calvin Ridley in the 20–17 loss.[15] Gage finished the 2020 season with 72 receptions for 786 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.[16]
The 2021 season was highlighted by 11 receptions for 130 yards in a 30–17 loss to the Buccaneers in Week 13, and catching 9 of 13 targets for 126 yards and a touchdown in a Week 18 loss to the Saints.[17][18] The touchdown was both Gage's and quarterback Matt Ryan's last touchdowns as Atlanta Falcons. Gage missed two games due to injuries, but still was the Falcons' second leading receiver, behind rookie pro-bowler Kyle Pitts.[19] Gage finished the 2021 season with 66 receptions for 770 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns in 14 games.[20]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
[edit]On March 18, 2022, Gage signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Buccaneers.[21] Gage spent five weeks on injured reserve. He had a career-best 12 receptions (for 87 yards and a touchdown) in a Week 3 loss to the Green Bay Packers.[22] He had his first career multi-touchdown game in a Week 14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.[23] Gage finished the 2022 season with 51 receptions for 426 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns in 13 games.[24]
On January 16, 2023, Gage suffered a neck injury during a Wild Card Round playoff game against the Cowboys and was carted off the field.[25] It was confirmed after the game by Todd Bowles that Gage had suffered a concussion from the contact and was being evaluated in a local hospital.[26][27][28] The following morning, it was confirmed by the team that Gage "had movement in all extremities"[29] and would remain hospitalized with more testing planned.[30] By Tuesday afternoon, it was reported by Bowles that Gage was planned to be released from the hospital by the end of the day.[31]
In 2023 during training camp, Gage suffered a torn patellar tendon and was placed on injured reserve on August 21, 2023.[32]
Baltimore Ravens
[edit]On August 6, 2024, Gage signed with the Baltimore Ravens.[33]
NFL career statistics
[edit]Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
2018 | ATL | 15 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 63 | 10.5 | 22 | 0 |
2019 | ATL | 16 | 4 | 74 | 49 | 446 | 9.1 | 19 | 1 |
2020 | ATL | 16 | 8 | 110 | 72 | 786 | 10.9 | 35 | 4 |
2021 | ATL | 14 | 9 | 94 | 66 | 770 | 11.7 | 49 | 4 |
2022 | TB | 13 | 13 | 70 | 51 | 426 | 8.4 | 23 | 5 |
Total | 74 | 34 | 357 | 244 | 2,491 | 10.1 | 49 | 14 |
References
[edit]- ^ Dellenger, Ross (October 12, 2017). "A big hurdle: LSU's Gage helped family overcome flood, now leading Tigers on field as jet sweep man". The Advocate. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "Russell Gage, Redemptorist , Athlete". 247Sports. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Russell Gage College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "Derrius Guice runs for LSU-record 285 yards as Tigers roll". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 27, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Miller, Matt (April 28, 2018). "Russell Gage NFL Draft 2018: Scouting Report for Atlanta Falcons' Pick". Bleacher Report. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Russell Gage, LSU, WR, 2018 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
- ^ "Falcons Select Russell Gage in Sixth Round". AtlantaFalcons.com. April 28, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
- ^ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – October 14th, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "Russell Gage 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – November 28th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Russell Gage 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons – September 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ "Cowboys' rally stuns Falcons 40–39 in McCarthy's home debut". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ "Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Chargers – December 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
- ^ "Russell Gage 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – December 5th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – January 9th, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "2021 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Russell Gage 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Smith, Scott (March 18, 2022). "Bucs Land Former Falcons WR Russell Gage Jr". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – September 25th, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – December 18th, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Russell Gage 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Easterling, Luke (January 16, 2023). "Bucs WR Russell Gage carted off after scary injury". USA Today. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ Gordon, Grant (January 16, 2023). "Buccaneers WR Russell Gage set to be released from hospital; 'neck is fine' coach says". NFL.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Laine, Jenna (January 17, 2023). "Bucs' Gage in hospital for concussion after hit". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Buccaneers' Russell Gage: Suffers concussion Monday". CBSSports.com. January 17, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Owens, Jason (January 17, 2023). "Bucs' Russell Gage hospitalized overnight after sustaining concussion and neck injury". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Maaddi, Rob (January 17, 2023). "Bucs: Gage in hospital with neck injury, to have more tests". AP NEWS. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Benjamin, Cody (January 17, 2023). "Buccaneers' Russell Gage to be released from hospital after suffering concussion in loss to Cowboys". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Smith, Scott (August 21, 2023). "Bucs Claim CB Rodarius Williams, Place Russell Gage on IR". Buccaneers.com.
- ^ Brown, Clifton (August 6, 2024). "Ravens Sign Wide Receiver Russell Gage". BaltimoreRavens.com.
External links
[edit]- Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio
- LSU Tigers bio Archived July 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine