Hughley having eventful offseason.

It was seven years ago on Christmas Eve that Colorado Crush DB Delvin Hughley found out that he would be coming to play football in Denver. In 2001, Hughley was signed the Denver Broncos roster after he was released by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. After spending the rest of the season with the Broncos, the Jacksonville State graduate was released and found his way indoors the next season with the Crush.

 

In Colorado’s inaugural season in 2003, Hughley led the team in tackles with 71.5, yet found himself on the trading block because of the team’s dismal 2-14 record. After a difficult offseason that saw the firing of then head coach Bob Beers, Hughley along with Anthony Derricks and Chris Janek were all traded to the Indiana Firebirds for the coaching rights of AFL legend Mike Dailey.

 

The move sent Hughley to the struggling franchise in Indiana for one season before the team disbanded and he was left waiting to see what would happen next. Without the use of an ordinary college draft, AFL coaches have had to acquire the ability to evaluate talent on the fly in a game that so few players have come to master. That being the case, coach Dailey knew Hughley’s experience and talent level and drafted the then third-year veteran in the 2005 dispersal draft with the ninth overall pick.

 

Entering his seventh season in the AFL and the sixth with the Crush, Hughley is Colorado’s second all-time leading tackler and has continued to make Denver his home. He continues to be a personal trainer in the Boulder area and is even beginning his own business as an elite trainer for local schools and other professional athletes. Fans can check out his webpage at www.delvinhughley.com for more details.