George Hegamin

George Hegamin

No. 69
Position:	Tackle
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1973-02-14) February 14, 1973
Place of birth:	Camden, New Jersey
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Camden (NJ)
College:	North Carolina State
NFL draft:	1994 / Round: 3 / Pick: 102
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (1994–1997) Philadelphia Eagles (1998) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1999–2000)
Career highlights and awards
Freshman All-American (1992) Second-team All-ACC (1993) Super Bowl champion (XXX)
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

George Russell Hegamin (born February 14, 1973) is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at North Carolina State University.

Early years

Hegamin started to play organized football as a junior at Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey, receiving All-America honorable mention and first team All-state honors, as a senior defensive tackle.

He attended North Carolina State University where he was converted to offensive tackle. As a redshirt freshman in 1992, he won the right tackle starting job and received freshman All-American and second team All-ACC honors. In 1993, he was part of a platoon at right tackle. At the end of the season, he bypassed his final two years of college to enter the NFL Draft, in order to help his mother that was diagnosed with cancer.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Hegamin was a third-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1994 NFL Draft. In his first years in the league, he saw little action as a backup of arguably some of the best offensive lines in NFL history.

In 1996 with the departure of Ron Stone in free agency, he was used as the Cowboys top backup for the offensive line. He had his first start, while filling in for an injured Mark Tuinei against the Washington Redskins.

In 1997, with the offensive line beginning to show its age, he started a total of nine games while replacing injured starters. Seven starts in place of Mark Tuinei at left tackle and two at left guard in place of Nate Newton. Although he was solid at run blocking, he didn't have the agility needed for pass blocking, so the Cowboys replaced him at left tackle with Larry Allen in passing downs situations.

Hegamin spent four seasons with the Cowboys and was part of the Super Bowl XXX championship team, before leaving as a free agent.

Philadelphia Eagles

In 1998, he signed a four-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles used him at right guard, where he started six games.

The next year, with the arrival of new head coach Andy Reid, he walked out of training camp for one day, after being told of his demotion in favor of rookie Doug Brzezinski. When he came back, Reid made him push a blocking sled the length of a practice field under the heat, in front of some players, coaches, executives and the media. He eventually was cut before the season started.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 1999, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and backed up both offensive tackle positions for two seasons. He made two starts during his time with the team, including the 2000 Wild-Card playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was overmatched at left tackle playing against Pro Bowler Hugh Douglas. He was released before the start of the 2001 season.

Personal life

Hegamin was a football coach at Carrollton Christian Academy in Carrollton, Texas and also coaches Under Armor Combines. He is now Coaching at Shelton School in Dallas.