Peerless LeCross Price (born October 27, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
Price played college football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Price also played for the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys.
Early years
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Price's name was inspired by the name of a local moving company. His mother explained that he was given the name because she liked it, and also because she hoped that her son, growing up in a rough neighborhood, would avoid a life of crime.
Price was recruited heavily out of Meadowdale High School in Dayton. He was a high school All-American and was considered a major athlete when he enrolled at the University of Tennessee in 1995 because he was a three sport star in high school. Price played college football under head coach Phillip Fulmer.
College career
1995 season
As a freshman in the 1995 season, Price had six receptions for 71 receiving yards in a backup role in the Volunteers' 11–1 season.
1996 season
During his 1996 sophomore campaign, Price recorded 32 receptions for three touchdowns and 609 yards in Tennessee's 10–2 season. He excelled in a 35–29 loss to the Florida Gators with seven receptions for 161 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. In addition to gaining attention for his play on the field, Price was named to the Academic All-SEC team.
1997 season
When Joey Kent left following the 1996 season, Price stepped into the starting lineup full-time as a junior, where Peyton Manning found Price to be a dependable target. In the 1997 season, he started every game and emerged as a legitimate deep threat. He finished with 48 receptions, netting 698 yards and six touchdowns and helped guide the Volunteers to an SEC Championship. He was, for the second consecutive year, named an Academic All-SEC pick.
1998 season
After Marcus Nash graduated, Price stepped into the top spot on the Volunteers' receiving corps for the 1998 season. In a tight game against Alabama, Price tied a school record with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that sparked a Volunteers victory and continued their success. Tennessee finished the regular season 11–0 and faced Mississippi State in the SEC Championship Game. With the Vols trailing by four points in the fourth quarter, Price pulled in a pass over the shoulder for a 41-yard touchdown. Tennessee won the game by score of 24–14, and earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Florida State to decide the national champion for the 1998 season.
In the final game of his career with Tennessee, Price recorded four receptions for a total of 199 yards and the deciding 79-yard receiving touchdown en route to a 23–16 victory and the school's first consensus national championship in 47 years. For his performance, Price was named the game's co-MVP with cornerback Dwayne Goodrich.
Professional career
In spite of his successful career in college, Price still fell to the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft, where he was drafted 53rd overall by the Buffalo Bills. He was the fifth wide receiver to be selected in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Buffalo Bills
Price enjoyed his greatest success as the secondary receiver for the Buffalo Bills. He made his NFL debut in the Bills' 1999 regular season opener. He had three receptions for 51 receiving yards in the 31–14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 7, against the Seattle Seahawks, he had five receptions for 106 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 26–16 loss. In his rookie season, he appeared in all 16 games and had 31 receptions for 393 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
In the 2000 season, Price had his best game in the regular season finale against the Seattle Seahawks with eight receptions for 132 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 42–23 victory. He finished the 2000 season with 52 receptions for 762 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in 16 games, which were all starts.
In Week 7 of the 2001 season, Price had eight receptions for 151 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in the 27–24 loss to the San Diego Chargers. In Week 10, against the Seattle Seahawks, he had ten receptions for 138 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in the 23–20 loss. In the 2001 season, Price had 55 receptions for 895 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns in 16 games, all starts.