Leon Washington

Leon Washington was born on August 29, 1982, in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended Andrew Jackson High School, where he excelled as an all-around athlete in football, playing running back, cornerback, and wide receiver. In his senior year, he recorded 2,437 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns, along with three punt return touchdowns and one kickoff return touchdown. He also contributed defensively with 88 tackles and three interceptions. His outstanding performance earned him the “Mr. Florida” football title in 2002 and the Florida Times-Union Player of the Year honor, solidifying his reputation as a top prospect in the state and nationally. Washington continued his academic and athletic career at Florida State University, where he played for the Florida State Seminoles football team from 2002 to 2005. Beginning as a cornerback, he transitioned to running back in his freshman year, showcasing his versatility by leading the team in return yardage and scoring a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown against Clemson.

Washington’s professional career began when he was selected in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He quickly made an impact, recording his first 100-yard rushing game in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and scoring two touchdowns with 129 rushing yards against the Detroit Lions in Week 7 of his rookie season. Over his tenure with the Jets (2006–2009), he became a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2008) and a First-team All-Pro (2008), leading the league in all-purpose yards in 2008 with 1606 yards. He holds New York Jets franchise records for most career kickoff return touchdowns (4) and most all-purpose yards in a single season (2,337 in 2008). Following his time with the Jets, Washington played for the Seattle Seahawks (2010–2012), where he set a Seahawks record with two kickoff return touchdowns in a single game in 2010. He also played for the New England Patriots (2013) and the Tennessee Titans (2013–2014) before retiring as a player.

After his playing career, Washington transitioned into coaching, serving on the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016) and Atlanta Falcons (2017). He later became a WCF minority coaching assistantship for the Detroit Lions (2019–2020) and returned to the New York Jets as a special teams assistant coach (2021–2023). Moving forward, he has been appointed as the Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks for the Central State Marauders, beginning in 2025. Outside of football, Washington established the Leon Washington Foundation in 2013, dedicated to assisting low-income families in Jacksonville, Florida, through educational, sports, and life skills programs, including an annual free football camp for youth.