{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1961)}} {{For|the former Minnesota Golden Gophers football quarterback|Craig Curry (quarterback)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Craig Curry | number = 31, 45 | position = Defensive back | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|7|20}} | birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lb = 187 | high_school = Kashmere (Houston) | college = Texas | draftyear = 1984 | draftround = 4 | draftpick = 93 | pastteams = * Indianapolis Colts (1984)* * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1984|1986}}) * Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|1987}}) | highlights = * 1981 Cotton Bowl Classic Champion * 1983 Southwest Conference Champion | statlabel1 = Interceptions | statvalue1 = 3 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = 1.0 | pfr = CurrCr20 }}

'''Craig Anthony Curry''' (born July 20, 1961) is an American former professional football defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Steele|first1=David|title=Curry, Mallory sign with Bucs|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19860719&id=MgIMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dFkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3990,1099694|work=The Evening Independent (St. Petersburg, Florida)|date=19 July 1986}}</ref> Prior to that he played college football for the Texas Longhorns where he fumbled a punt in the 1984 Cotton Bowl that led to Georgia's game winning TD and Texas losing out on the National Championship, which instead went to Miami.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/texas-longhorns/20120124-archive-texas-craig-curry-knows-what-49ers-kyle-williams-is-going-through.ece| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140103062152/http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/texas-longhorns/20120124-archive-texas-craig-curry-knows-what-49ers-kyle-williams-is-going-through.ece| archive-date = 2014-01-03| title = Archive: Texas' Craig Curry knows what 49ers' Kyle Williams is going through {{!}} Dallas Morning News}}</ref>

==Early life== Curry went to Houston Kashmere High School where he played football, ran track and graduated 5th in a class of 500. In football he was a defensive back.<ref>{{cite news |title=Where Recruits Are Going |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nyJIAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q&f=false |access-date=22 December 2025 |work=The Victoria Advocate |date=12 February 1980}}</ref> In track, he was on the 4x100 team.<ref name="kashmere">{{cite web |title=Craig Curry |url=https://kashmerefaa.com/craig-curry-2/ |access-date=24 December 2025}}</ref>

==College Career== Curry played football at Texas from 1980-1983 and graduated in 1984 with a BBA in Engineering Route to Management.<ref name="Honors">{{cite web |title=Texas Football History and Honors |url=https://texaslonghorns.com/documents/2024/8/8/Football_History___Honors.pdf |access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref><ref name="kashmere"/>

In his freshman year, he played in 3 games in which he had 12 tackles, an interception and a broken up pass.<ref>{{cite web |title=1980 University of Texas Football Curry |url=https://stats.texassports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/80/plyr_5.htm |access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref> The team finished 7-4 and lost the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl.

In his sophomore year, he played in 9 games, amassing 34 tackles, 4 Tackles for Loss (TFLs), 2 interceptions and 3 broken up passes, including one that was intercepted by Mossy Cade.<ref>{{cite web |title=1981 Craig Curry Texas Stats |url=https://stats.texassports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/81/plyr_5.htm |access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref> The Longhorns went 10-1-1, beat Alabama in the Cotton Bowl Classic and finished the season ranked #2.

In his junior year, he played in all 11 games, racking up 50 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles (FF), a team-leading 4 fumble recoveries (FR),<ref name="Records">{{cite web |title=Texas Football Record Book |url=https://texaslonghorns.com/documents/2024/8/8/Football_Record_Book.pdf |access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref> 2 interceptions, 5 Quarterback Hits (QBH) and 9 broken up passes. Against Utah, he tipped the potentially game-tying 2 point conversion pass attempt.<ref>{{cite news |title=Texas, Arizona State Triumph |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BiwdAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA18#v=onepage&q&f=false |access-date=22 December 2025 |work=The Tuscaloosa News |date=19 September 1982}}</ref> Against Oklahoma, he slipped on the wet turf and gave up a 1st quarter 63-yard touchdown as the Sooners upset the Longhorns, but he also had key turnovers against Houston and Texas A&M.<ref>{{cite news |title=Akers Refuses to Criticize |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ATVfAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA7&article_id=3977,1761829&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjukIPg2tGRAxX2GFkFHdwWPBYQ6AF6BAgKEAM#v=onepage&f=false |access-date=22 December 2025 |work=The Bonham Daily Favorite |date=12 October 1982}}</ref> The Longhorns went 9-3, lost the 1982 Sun Bowl to North Carolina and finished ranked #17/#18.<ref>{{cite web |title=1982 Craig Curry Texas Stats |url=https://stats.texassports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/82/plyr_5.htm |access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref>

In his senior year - 1983 - he played in all 11 games again and recorded 37 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 interceptions for 37 yards, 8 QBH, and 10 broken up passes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Craig Curry 1983 Stats |url=https://stats.texassports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/83/plyr_5.htm |access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref> He helped the Longhorns win the 1983 Southwest Conference Championship and, going into the bowl games, the #2 ranking. A win in the Cotton Bowl would have won them the National Championship, but late in the 4th quarter, with Texas up 9-3, Curry muffed a punt which Georgia recovered and turned into the game winning touchdown drive. Texas finished the season ranked 5th.

After his college playing career was over, he played in the 1984 East–West Shrine Bowl where he had a 39 yard interception return that set up a touchdown.<ref name="Honors"/><ref>{{cite news |title=East Wins Shrine Game 27-19 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H11GAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA10&dq=%22Craig+Curry%22+Texas&article_id=3059,546077&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSnqa-pNSRAxX0F1kFHfbDGkoQ6AF6BAgIEAM#v=onepage&q=%22Craig%20Curry%22%20Texas&f=false |access-date=23 December 2025 |date=8 January 1984}}</ref>

==Pro Career== In January he was selected by the San Antonio Gunslingers in the 1984 USFL territorial draft. In May he was selected by the Colts in the fourth round of the 1984 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1984 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1984/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He signed with the Colts later that month, but was cut by them near the end of camp that year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Colts Cut 10 Players from the Team |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P7VJAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA7#v=onepage&q&f=false |access-date=19 December 2025 |work=The Madison Courier |date=21 August 1984}}</ref>

In November he was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played in 5 games with them during the 1984 season, despite a midseason hand injury.<ref name="CCxactions">{{cite web |title=Craig Curry Transactions |url=https://profootballarchives.com/players/c/curr02000.html |access-date=23 December 2025}}</ref>

Following an injury to Paul Dombroski, he made his first start for Tampa in November 1985 in a game where he had a sack, a pass deflection and 9 tackles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Flanagan |first1=Mike |title=Injuries Continue to Hit Bucs with Bell Out for the Season |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H11GAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA10&dq=%22Craig+Curry%22+Texas&article_id=3059,546077&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSnqa-pNSRAxX0F1kFHfbDGkoQ6AF6BAgIEAM#v=onepage&q=%22Craig%20Curry%22%20Texas&f=false |access-date=23 December 2025 |date=5 November 1985}}</ref> He played in 16 games that season, and started 7, as the Buccaneers finished a 2-14 season.

A free agent at the end of the 1985 season, he signed a new contract with the Buccaneers before the 1986 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bucs Sign Curry, Malory |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA25&dq=%22Craig+Curry%22+Buccaneers&article_id=a&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiF_vPs4daRAxWOFFkFHfyVIj8Q6AF6BAgHEAM#v=onepage&q=%22Craig%20Curry%22%20Buccaneers&f=false |access-date=24 December 2025 |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=19 July 1986}}</ref> He again played in 16 games, starting 10, with 2 interceptions and a 6 yard kickoff return, as the Buccaneers again went 2-14.

After the 1986 season the Buccaneers did not exercise their option to retain Curry who again became a free agent. He was re-signed by the Bucs on the eve of training camp, but was then released on August 18th. A few weeks later, during the player's strike he was signed by the Colts. He played in all 3 scab games recording an interception. He was released when the strike ended.<ref name="CCxactions"/>

==Later life== After retiring from football, Curry became a stockbroker for Shearson Lehman Brothers/American Express. He left that to start a financial planning company called Opulent Management. He retired from financial planning in 2011 and moved back to Houston.<ref name="kashmere"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Indianapolis Colts 1984 draft navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curry, Craig}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Houston Category:American football defensive backs Category:Texas Longhorns football players Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Category:Indianapolis Colts players Category:NFL replacement players Category:20th-century American sportsmen