Cornell Rodney Burbage (born February 22, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats.
He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Kentucky, but had few opportunities to prove his true worth in the Wildcats run-oriented offense. As a junior, he tallied 25 receptions (second on the team) for 418 yards (led the team). Including 7 receptions for 131 yards against Mississippi State University.
In his last year in 1986, he led the team in receiving with only 24 receptions for 331 yards. He ranked third in the SEC in kickoff returns with a 23.1-yard average and fifth in punt returns with 6.7-yard average. He finished his college career with 64 receptions for 988 yards and no .
After the players went on a strike on the third week of the 1987 season, those games were canceled (reducing the 16-game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. Burbage was signed to be a part of the Dallas Cowboys replacement team, that was given the mock name "Rhinestone Cowboys" by the media. He had 3 receptions for 110 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was cut on October 26, after the strike ended.
In 1988, he was signed during the offseason and was cut on August 29. Burbage was re-signed on October 12 to provide depth after the team suffered many injuries on the wide receiver corps. He finished the year ranked second in kickoff-return average (22.4 yards) in the National Football Conference.
On September 19, 1989, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a shoulder injury.
Burbage served three years as the offensive coordinator, before taking over as the 27th head football coach at Kentucky State University on an interim basis for the 2004 season. His record at Kentucky State was 7–4. Kentucky State University coaching records
In 2006, he was named the head coach at West Jessamine High School. Cornell is currently an assistant coach at his former high school, Bryan Station High School, in Lexington.
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