The Florida Gators announced their UF Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023 on Wednesday, enshrining eight letter winners from the program’s history into immortality. Headlining that list is former Gators wide receiver, Jabar Gaffney.
Jabar Gaffney Headlines Florida Gators Hall of Fame Class of 2023
Gaffney, who played for Florida from 1999 to 2001, leads a distinguished class of former Gators into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame. With records aplenty from his time in Orange and Blue, some of Gaffney’s most impressive feats still stand as Gator-bests today.
From the UF Athletics press release on Gaffney:
“He is the only player in school history to register back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons (2000-01) and is the last player to have a 1,000-yard receiving season,” the release stated. “Gaffney ranks first in 100-yard games (15), consecutive 100-yard games (6), second all-time in receiving yards (2,274) and fourth in receiving touchdowns (27).”
That list of accomplishments headlines Gaffney’s 24-game career with the Gators, in which he finished with 138 receptions, 2,274 yards, and 27 touchdowns. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch and caught passes from notable quarterbacks Jessie Palmer, Rex Grossman, and even Brock Berlin.
Gaffney led the Gators in receiving in both seasons of action after redshirting during his true freshman season of 1999. He earned first-team All-SEC nominations and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2000.
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Capping his Hall of Fame enshrinement is the fact that Gaffney set freshmen records nationally for touchdown receptions (14) at the time. He was the first Gator freshman receiver to earn All-American honors.
Following his Florida career, Gaffney was drafted in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft with the 33rd overall selection by the Houston Texans. He played 10 seasons in the NFL and finished his professional career with the Miami Dolphins in 2012 after amassing 447 receptions, 5,690 receiving yards, and 24 receiving touchdowns.
Gaffney joins seven other former Gator athletes entering the UF Athletic Hall of Fame that are chosen on a strict criterion.
“UF Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are chosen by the F Club Committee based on three categories: Gator Greats, Distinguished Letterwinners, and Honorary Letterwinners,” the release from the University of Florida Communications Department read.
