Louisville football: The 50 greatest Cardinals of all time
If you are talking about iconic moments in Louisville football history, the first play in the 2013 Sugar Bowl has to be on the list.
The Cardinals came into their first BCS bowl game in six years as massive underdogs to a Florida Gators squad that was seen as a national championship game snub in the days of the old BCS system.
Most remember Terell Floyd’s pick-six as one of the most exciting moments in one of the more electrifying games in school history. However, what stuck out to me was the play from freshman linebacker James Burgess Jr.
On a defense that was one of the strongest in school history, Burgess broke through to earn the start as a true freshman. He applied the pressure that forced Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel to guide his opening pass wide and right into the hands of Floyd.
As someone who is always trying to find little things to appreciate in underappreciated moments, this is an all-timer for me. And, to a degree, that play was a microcosm of James Burgess’ career as a Cardinal.
On defenses that featured players like Keith Kelsey, Josh Harvey-Clemons and Lorenzo Mauldin rotating in and out of his position, Burgess cemented himself as a three-year starter who was irreplaceable after his departure.
Burgess was a hard-hitter and a special talent from day one, but it was the extra effort plays that put him on this list.
Burgess finished his career with 260 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, four sacks, seven interceptions, 13 passes defended and three fumble recoveries.
However, after an insane career for the Cardinals, Burgess went undrafted in 2016. He signed with the Miami Dolphins out of college as an undrafted free agent, then bounced around to three different practice squads before getting shot for the Cleveland Browns.
In 2017, Burgess did not disappoint in Cleveland. He was fourth on the team with 70 tackles and led the Browns in tackles for loss with 12.
Since then, Burgess struggled with injuries to his knee and hamstring during the 2018 NFL season. He has not gotten an opportunity to see much playing time. After his injuries last year, he is now hoping to make a similar impact with the New York Jets, where he is currently listed as a third-string linebacker.