View source for O. J. Santiago

{{Short description|Canadian football player and coach (born 1974)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name          = O.J. Santiago
| number        = 88, 80, 87, 83
| position      = [[Tight end]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1974|4|4}}
| birth_place   = [[Whitby, Ontario]], Canada
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 7
| weight_lb     = 265
| high_school   = [[St. Michael's College School]] {{nowrap|([[Toronto, Ontario]])}}
| college       = [[Kent State Golden Flashes football|Kent State]]
| draftyear     = 1997
| draftround    = 3
| draftpick     = 70
| cfldraftyear  = 1997
| cfldraftround = 5
| cfldraftpick  = 40
| pastteams     =
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|1997|1999}})
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|2000}})
* [[Cleveland Browns]] (2000–{{NFL Year|2001}})
* [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|2002}})*
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ({{NFL Year|2003}})
* [[Denver Broncos]] ({{NFL Year|2004}})*
* Oakland Raiders (2006)*
* [[New England Patriots]] ({{NFL Year|2006}})
* Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2007}})*
* [[Montreal Alouettes]] ({{CFL Year|2010}})
| pastcoaching  =
* [[Kent State University|Kent State]] (2016)<br />Student assistant
* Kent State (2017–present)<br />Tight ends coach
| highlights    =
* [[Mid-American Conference|All-MAC]] (1996)
| statlabel1    = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue1    = 81
| statlabel2    = Receiving yards
| statvalue2    = 1,041
| statlabel3    = Receiving [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3    = 9
| pfr           = S/SantO.00
| cfl-archive   = https://web.archive.org/web/20111112205655/http://cfl.ca/roster/show?id=3271 
}}

'''Otis Jason Santiago''' (born April 4, 1974) is a Canadian former professional [[gridiron football|football]] player who was a [[tight end]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Atlanta Falcons]], [[Dallas Cowboys]], [[Oakland Raiders]] and [[Cleveland Browns]]. He also was a member of the [[Montreal Alouettes]] in the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Kent State Golden Flashes football|Kent State Golden Flashes]].

==Early life==
Santiago who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/sports/football/victor-cruz-giants-receiver-mixes-cultures-and-catches-touchdowns.html|title=Victor Cruz, Giants Receiver, Mixes Cultures and Scores Touchdowns|first=Sam|last=Borden|newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 5, 2011}}</ref> attended [[St. Michael's College School]] in [[Toronto]], where he was an All-Canadian first-team [[tight end]]. He played both ways also starting on the [[defensive line]], while returning kickoffs and punts as well. He helped his school win 2 district titles. As a senior, he was named to the ''[[Toronto Sun]]'' and ''[[Toronto Star]]'' All-star football teams.

He contributed to the school winning a pair of district championships in [[basketball]]. He competed in [[track and field|track]] in the [[shot put]] and [[discus throw]].

==College career==
Santiago accepted a football scholarship from [[Kent State University]]. As a junior, he was named the starter at [[tight end]], registering 28 receptions for 297 yards and 2 [[touchdown]]s. As a senior, he posted 26 receptions for 339 yards and 2 [[touchdown]]s.

He started 22 of 33 career games and was named to the [[Mid-American Conference|MAC]] All-Academic first-team for three straight seasons. He finished his college career with 62 receptions for 730 yards with an 11.8-yard average and 4 [[touchdown]]s.

==Professional career==
Santiago was selected by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in the third round (70th overall) of the [[1997 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1997/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He also was selected by the [[Edmonton Eskimos]] in the fifth round (40th overall) of the [[1997 CFL draft]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.apnews.com/de0065ec0dea143350479a0a47b7efe1 | title=Falcons choose cornerback Michael Booker of Nebraska in first round | website=[[Associated Press]] | access-date=February 19, 2018 | archive-date=August 3, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803014217/https://www.apnews.com/de0065ec0dea143350479a0a47b7efe1 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

As a rookie, the team was moving from a [[Run and shoot offense|run and shoot]] to a traditional offense and he earned the starter job over [[Brian Kozlowski]]. He was placed on the [[injured reserve list]], after fracturing his fibula in the twelfth game of the season against the [[St. Louis Rams]]. He started 11 games, totaling 17 receptions for 217 yards and 2 [[touchdown]]s, for an average of 12.8 yards per catch.

In 1998, Santiago contributed to the team reaching [[Super Bowl XXXIII]], posting 27 receptions for 478 yards and 5 [[touchdown]]s in 16 games, for an average of 15.9 yards per catch. He is famously known for popularizing a dance to celebrate a touchdown in which he flapped his arms as if they were wings and rhythmically bouncing side-to-side in the crowd's direction,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19990129&id=KQhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PAgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3266,7767202&hl=es | title = Dirty Bird' All The Rage | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19981112&id=0IwNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rG8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3760,750483&hl=es | title = Those Dirty Birds | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref> that would later become known as the "Dirty Bird".

In 1999, he started 14 games, catching 15 receptions for 174 yards and no [[touchdown]]s. In 2000, he was passed on the depth chart by [[Reggie Kelly]]. On August 27, he was traded to the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in exchange for a 2001 fourth round selection (#102-[[Matt Stewart (American football)|Matt Stewart]]) and a 2002 seventh round selection (#217-Michael Coleman).<ref>{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=20000828&id=judPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lwgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3310,6808750&hl=es | title = Cowboys trade for Santiago | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref>

In 2000, the Cowboys acquired him to backup [[David LaFleur]] and [[Jackie Harris]]. He played mainly on [[special teams]], until being cut on November 21.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=20001122&id=ectOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cP0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4775,484882&hl=es | title = Cunningham Is Happy To Be A Cowboy | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref>

On November 22, he was claimed off waivers by the [[Cleveland Browns]] and was declared inactive for the final 4 games. In 2001, he started 12 games after [[Rickey Dudley]] was placed on the [[injured reserve list]] with a Lis Franc foot injury. His production fell to 17 receptions for 153 yards and 2 [[touchdown]]s and he wasn't re-signed after the season.

On July 15, 2002, he was signed as a [[free agent]] by the [[Minnesota Vikings]], but injured his foot and knee in [[Training camp (National Football League)|training camp]] and was waived injured on August 27.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1406128.html | title = Santiago hopes to rejuvenate career in Minnesota | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref>

On March 8, 2003, he signed with the [[Oakland Raiders]], where he played in 12 games (starts), with 5 receptions for 69 receiving yards, and averaging 13.8 yards per catch. Having already totaled 972 yards before joining the Raiders, he was able to reach the 1,000 yard milestone during his short tenure with the Northern [[California]] team.

On April 15, 2004, Santiago was signed by the [[Denver Broncos]] who released him at the end of [[Training camp (National Football League)|training camp]] on August 31.

On May 23, 2006, Santiago signed with the [[Oakland Raiders]] after not suiting up for the 2005 season,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2245&dat=20060525&id=a_A0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=SCEGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5267,2875686&hl=es | title = Raiders Re-sign TE Santiago | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref> but was waived with an injury settlement on September 9. On December 13, he signed with the [[New England Patriots]], who released him 2 days later after injuring his foot.

On August 7, 2007, the [[Oakland Raiders]] signed Santiago as a [[free agent]]. He was released before the season began on September 1. In his career in the [[NFL]], he played in 68 games, gaining a total of 1,041 yards for an average of 12.9 yards per catch and 9 touchdowns.

On May 14, 2010, after being 3 years out of football, he was signed as a [[free agent]] by the [[Montreal Alouettes]] of the [[Canadian Football League]], reuniting with [[Marc Trestman]], who was his offensive coordinator with the [[Oakland Raiders]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cfl.ca/2010/05/14/als-sign-former-nfler-oj-santiago/ | title = Als sign former NFLer OJ Santiago | date = May 14, 2010 | access-date = February 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/als-santiago-excited-to-play-in-toronto/article1376970/ | title = Als' Santiago excited to play in Toronto | newspaper = The Globe and Mail | date = August 13, 2010 | access-date = February 19, 2018| last1 = Gordon | first1 = Sean }}</ref> He was limited with a hamstring injury and was released on August 28.

==Personal life==
In 2016, he returned to Kent State as a student assistant coach and was promoted to [[tight end]]s coach and assistant [[special teams]] coordinator the following season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/former-falcon-santiago-named-tight-ends-coach-kent-state/odaqmgcRye4C1ESTwyZmnJ/ | title=Former Falcon OJ Santiago named tight ends coach at Kent State|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=August 7, 2017|last=Culpepper|first=JuliaKate E.| access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Football stats |nfl=o-j-santiago |cfl=<!--3271--> |cbs=1633 |espn=1235/oj-santiago |pfr=S/SantO.00 }}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112205655/http://cfl.ca/roster/show?id=3271 |title=O.J. Santiago at the Canadian Football League}}

{{Atlanta Falcons 1997 draft navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santiago, O.J.}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Whitby, Ontario]]
[[Category:Players of Canadian football from Ontario]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican players of American football]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Ontario]]
[[Category:American football tight ends]]
[[Category:Kent State Golden Flashes football players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons players]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Browns players]]
[[Category:Denver Broncos players]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders players]]
[[Category:Montreal Alouettes players]]
[[Category:Kent State Golden Flashes football coaches]]
[[Category:Canadian people of German descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Puerto Rican descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Puerto Rican descent]]
[[Category:Canadian sportspeople of Trinidad and Tobago descent]]