{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Austin Walter | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | current_team = | number = | position = Running back | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|8|17}} | birth_place = Crosby, Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 8 | weight_lb = 202 | high_school = Crosby | college = Rice | undraftedyear = 2019 | pastteams = * San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|2019}})* * New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2019}}) * Dallas Renegades ({{XFL Year|2020}}) * San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|2020}}) * New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2021}}) * Las Vegas Raiders ({{NFL Year|2022|2023}}) | status = | statseason = 2023 | statweek = | statlabel1 = Rushing attempts | statvalue1 = 27 | statlabel2 = Rushing yards | statvalue2 = 104 | statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns | statvalue3 = 1 | statlabel4 = Receptions | statvalue4 = 3 | statlabel5 = Receiving yards | statvalue5 = 36 | statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue6 = | pfr = WaltAu00 | highlights = * Mid Season All-XFL (2020) }} '''Austin Rashad Walter''' (born August 17, 1996) is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the Rice Owls.
== College career == Walter played college football at Rice, where he rushed for 1,744 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry; he also had 79 receptions for 803 yards, and in his senior season, averaged 27.3 yards on 18 kickoff returns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=49ers sign undrafted Rice running back Austin Walter after tryout |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-sign-undrafted-rice-running-153130779.html |access-date=June 4, 2019 |website=sports.yahoo.com |archive-date=June 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604145955/https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-sign-undrafted-rice-running-153130779.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Professional career == ===San Francisco 49ers (first stint)=== Walter went undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers on May 4, 2019, after a tryout with the team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin Walter on Instagram: "I've been playing this game since I was 3 years old and today I finally made my dreams come true. I reached the highest level of…" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDgSwjhsd3/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BxDgSwjhsd3 |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |url-access=registration|access-date=June 4, 2019 |website=Instagram |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2019 |title=49ers sign undrafted Rice RB Austin Walter after tryout |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/49ers-sign-undrafted-rice-running-back-austin-walter-after-tryout |access-date=June 4, 2019 |website=NBCS Bay Area}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Posey |first=Kyle |date=May 5, 2019 |title=49ers sign RB Austin Walter after tryout |url=https://www.ninersnation.com/2019/5/5/18530355/49ers-sign-rb-austin-walter-after-tryout-rookie-minicamp |access-date=June 4, 2019 |website=Niners Nation}}</ref> He was waived by the 49ers on August 31, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2019 |title=49ers Announce 53-man Roster |url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-53-man-roster |website=49ers.com}}</ref>
===New York Giants=== On September 18, 2019, Walter was signed to the practice squad of the New York Giants.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2019 |title=Giants sign RB Austin Walter to practice squad, release TE C.J. Conrad |url=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2019/09/18/new-york-giants-sign-austin-walter-practice-squad-release-cj-conrad/ |website=Giants Wire |publisher=USA Today}}</ref> Following injuries to starting running back Saquon Barkley and backup Wayne Gallman, Walter was promoted to the 53-man roster on October 10, 2019, but then waived the next day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 10, 2019 |title=Giants waive QB Alex Tanney, promote RB Austin Walter before TNF matchup with Patriots |url=https://www.sny.tv/giants/news/giants-waive-qb-alex-tanney-promote-rb-austin-walter-before-tnf-matchup-with-patriots/311122660 |website=SNY}}</ref>
===Dallas Renegades=== On November 22, 2019, Walter was drafted by the Dallas Renegades in the 2020 XFL Supplemental Draft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 22, 2019 |title=SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT RESULTS |url=https://www.xfl.com/en-US/articles/supplemental-draft-results |website=XFL.com}}</ref> He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Condotta, Bob |date=April 10, 2020 |title=XFL suspends operations, terminates all employees, but Jim Zorn says he has hopes league will continue |work=SeattleTimes.com |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/xfl-suspends-operations-terminates-all-employees/ |access-date=July 17, 2020}}</ref> He returned a 97-yard kickoff for a touchdown, the longest in XFL franchise history.
===San Francisco 49ers (second stint)=== On September 23, 2020, Walter was signed to the 49ers' practice squad.<ref>{{Cite web|title=49ers Announce Roster Moves|url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-sign-ezekiel-ansah-dion-jordan-place-nick-bosa-solomon-thomas-ir|publisher=49ers.com|date=September 23, 2020|access-date=September 23, 2020}}</ref> He was elevated to the active roster on November 5 for the team's week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.<ref>{{cite news |title=49ers Announce Roster Moves |url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-place-jimmy-garoppolo-george-kittle-on-ir |website=49ers.com |date=November 5, 2020 |access-date=December 6, 2020}}</ref> He was promoted to the active roster on November 11, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=49ers Announce Roster Moves|url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-promote-walter-place-tartt-it-sign-johnson-practice-squad|website=49ers.com|date=November 11, 2020}}</ref> He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on December 17, 2020,<ref>{{cite news |title=49ers Announce Roster Moves |url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-givens-exemption-lifted-walter-reserve-covid |website=49ers.com |date=December 17, 2020 |access-date=February 3, 2021}}</ref> and activated on December 28.<ref>{{cite news |title=49ers Announce Roster Moves |url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-activate-walter-place-grasu-pepper-on-reserve-covid |website=49ers.com |date=December 28, 2020 |access-date=February 3, 2021}}</ref> On February 8, 2021, the 49ers signed him to a one-year contract extension.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Simmons|first=Myles|date=2021-02-08|title=49ers sign Josh Rosen, Austin Walter to one-year extensions|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/02/08/49ers-sign-josh-rosen-austin-walter-to-one-year-extensions/|access-date=2021-02-09|website=ProFootballTalk|language=en-US}}</ref> He was waived on May 12, 2021.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=49ers |title=The #49ers have waived RB Austin Walter. |number=1392556266258501632 |date=May 12, 2021 |access-date=May 12, 2021}}</ref>
===New York Jets=== Walter was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets on May 13, 2021.<ref>{{cite news |author=Greenberg, Ethan |title=Jets Claim RB Austin Walter, Waive RB Pete Guerriero |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-claim-rb-austin-walter-waive-rb-pete-guerriero |website=NewYorkJets.com |date=May 13, 2021 |access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref> He was waived/injured on August 17, 2021, and placed on injured reserve.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jets Waive Three; Place OL Cameron Clark on Injured Reserve|url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-waive-three-place-ol-cameron-clark-on-injured-reserve|author=Allen, Eric|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=August 17, 2021}}</ref> He was released on August 26. Walter was re-signed to the practice squad on October 5, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jets Place LB Hamsah Nasirildeen on IR, Sign OL Isaiah Williams|url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-place-lb-hamsah-nasirildeen-on-ir-sign-ol-isaiah-williams|author=Greenberg, Ethan|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=October 5, 2021}}</ref> Walter played his first game for the Jets against the Houston Texans on November 28, 2021, and rushed for 38 yards on 9 carries, including his first NFL touchdown.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ready for His Moment|author=Cannizzaro, Mark|pages=50–51|newspaper=New York Post|date=November 29, 2021|accessdate=2021-11-29|url=https://nypost.com/2021/11/29/journeyman-austin-walter-has-his-jets-prayers-answered/}}</ref> On December 4, 2021, Walter was elevated from the practice squad for the game against the Philadelphia Eagles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jets Sign K Alex Kessman to Active Roster, Release K Matt Ammendola|url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-sign-k-alex-kessman-to-active-roster-release-k-matt-ammendola|author=Greenberg, Ethan|website=newyorkjets.com|date=December 4, 2021|access-date=December 5, 2021|archive-date=December 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205003508/https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-sign-k-alex-kessman-to-active-roster-release-k-matt-ammendola|url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 7, 2021, Walter was promoted to the active roster.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jets Sign RB Austin Walter, Place WR Corey Davis on Injured Reserve|url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-place-wr-corey-davis-on-injured-reserve-release-s-jarrod-wilson|author= Greenberg, Ethan|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=December 7, 2021}}</ref> He was waived on May 6, 2022.
===Las Vegas Raiders=== On July 29, 2022, Walter signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.<ref>{{cite web|title=Raiders sign RB Austin Walter|url=https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-sign-running-back-austin-walter-2022-nfl-training-camp|website=Raiders.com|date=July 29, 2022|access-date=July 31, 2022|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731083008/https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-sign-running-back-austin-walter-2022-nfl-training-camp|url-status=dead}}</ref> A few days later, in the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame game, Walter scored a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401437964|title=Raiders give McDaniels happy homecoming, beat Jaguars 27-11 |author=AP |website=ESPN.com |date=August 5, 2022 |access-date=September 2, 2022}}</ref> On August 30, 2022, Walter was waived by the Raiders<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-finalize-initial-53-man-roster-2022-season-transactions-waive-release|title=Raiders finalize initial 53-man roster for the 2022 season|website=Raiders.com|date=August 30, 2022|access-date=August 30, 2022}}</ref> and then signed to the practice squad the next day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-announce-2022-practice-squad-additions-nfl-transactions-roster|title=Raiders announce practice squad additions|website=Raiders.com|date=August 31, 2022 |access-date=September 2, 2022}}</ref> He signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|title=Raiders sign 13 players to Reserve/Future contracts|url=https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-sign-13-players-to-reserve-future-contracts-nfl-transactions-2023|website=Raiders.com|date=January 9, 2023}}</ref> He was placed on injured reserve on August 3, 2023.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walter, Austin}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:American football running backs Category:Rice Owls football players Category:San Francisco 49ers players Category:New York Giants players Category:People from Crosby, Texas Category:Players of American football from Harris County, Texas Category:Dallas Renegades players Category:New York Jets players Category:Las Vegas Raiders players