Chuck Levy: Been There, Done That
Tom Ando
Monday June 11, 2001
From 1991 to 1993, Levy starred at the University Of Arizona, handling quarterback, running back, kick return, and punt return duties. In his sophomore season, he rushed for 505 yards and seven touchdowns; caught 19 passes for 289 yards and three scores and completed 26 of 52 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns averaging 146.7 all purpose yards. As a junior, he averaged 129 all-purpose yards per game. He closed out his college career with 17 carries for 142 yards and a 68-yard touchdown against Miami in the 1994 Fiesta Bowl. He totaled 1493 yards on 358 rushing attempts for 19 touchdowns. He twice earned first team All-Pac 10 honors
With these impressive credentials, the Arizona Cardinals drafted Levy in the second round of the NFL Draft. Levy played sparingly with the Cardinals, totaling 513 yards on 25 kickoff returns, 15 yards on three carries, and 35 yards on four receptions.
In 1997, Chuck played in 14 games with San Francisco as a running back, kick returner and punt returner. He carried the ball 16 times for 90 yards, averaging a team high 5.6 yards per carry. He had five receptions for 68 yards, but the return game is where he made a difference. He returned 36 kickoffs for a team high 793 yards and had six punt returns for 109 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. His all-purpose yardage total of 1060 would rank second only to Garrison Hearst.
In 1998, Levy would score his only career rushing touchdown, a 21-yard rumble against the Washington Redskins, again on Monday Night Football. In the playoffs, however is when Levy says his favorite football moment occurred. “My favorite football moment would have be getting drafted, but that’s not really a football moment so it would have to be in the playoffs in 1998 when Terrell Owens made that catch with three seconds left to finally lift us over Green Bay,” said Levy.
Although that would be Levy’s last season in the NFL, he says the players were just great. “Jerry Rice and Steve Young are just true professionals,” said Levy. “They are the best of the best, and that’s where everybody wants to be.
Levy would be out of football once again in 1999, and played with the British Columbia Lions of the CFL in 2000, before coming to the AFL’s Detroit Fury this season. He had a chance at the XFL, but he picked the indoor game. “I had a couple of (XFL) teams that were interested,” said Levy, “I think I bring a little bit of experience and leadership to this ball club,” said Levy.
The league however was no walk in the park for Levy. “It’s a lot more challenging than I thought it would be,” said Levy. “With the walls and the nets (it was tough), but I think I got used to it pretty quick. They have some guys out here with real talent that can get the job done.”
So far this season, Levy has been an impact player for the rush with 28 receptions for 317 yards and five touchdowns, best for second on the team. Defensively he has 20 tackles and one interception, which of course came on national television, where he always seems to shine.
Now 29, Levy still has time to make it back to the NFL, but doesn’t worry much about it. “If it happens, it happens,” says Levy. “With the NFL becoming more involved in this league, it’s made out to give players opportunities (to make it back to the NFL). Right now I’m just enjoying what I’m doing here in Detroit.”
"Touchdown" Tom Ando is a free lance writer from South Buffalo, NY and has been covering the Arena Football League in one capacity or another since the 2000 season, when he was 17 years old. Tom Currently writes for Sports & Leisure Magazine in Buffalo covering the NLL's Buffalo Bandits and NCAA Division I football. In 2001, Tom was the only writer in the country to cover the Houston "Travelin' " Thunderbears, where he befriended his mentor John F. "Hondo" Hahn.
