Originally from Lanett, Ala., Marcus Pollard represents Bradley University in this year’s MVC Hall of Fame Class.
A two-year member of the Bradley Basketball team after transferring from Seward County Community College, Pollard helped turn around a program that was 7-23 (3-15 MVC) the year before his arrival to 23-8 (14-4 MVC) during his senior season, which culminated with a run to the third round of the 1994 NIT. During his two-year Bradley career, Pollard started 49 of 58 games, averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
More notably, despite not playing football since high school and after attending college at a school that does not sponsor the sport, Pollard went on to enjoy a 14-year career in the NFL as a tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots from 1995 to 2008. He played in 192 career regular-season games with 133 career starts, catching 349 passes for 4,280 yards and 40 TDs.
At the time Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre’s NFL record for career TD passes in 2014, Pollard was his fourth most-popular TD receiver as 34 of Pollard’s 40 career TD’s were thrown by Manning. He also played in 11 career playoff games, helping the Colts reach the AFC Championship Game in 2004. Of the more than 50 players from full MVC member schools to play in the NFL since 1985, former UNI offensive lineman Brad Meester (209 games) is the only player to appear in as many NFL games as Pollard’s 192. And among the players from full MVC member schools to play in the NFL since 1985, Pollard’s 349 pass receptions remain 128 more than the second-most (UNI’s Mike Furrey, 221); his 4280 receiving yards remain 1973 more than the second-most (UNI’s Dedric Ward, 2307); and his 40 TDs remain 25 more than the second-most (Illinois State’s Laurent Robinson, 15).
After coaching high school football the previous two years, Pollard is beginning his fourth year as the Director of Player Development and Youth Football for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.