A five-star recruit out of Stephenson High School in 2003, Kregg Lumpkin was the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect, according to a major recruiting service, trailing only eventual Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. Although often injured, while constantly competing with a full stable of Bulldog backs, Lumpkin still managed to rush for 1,700 yards, make 38 receptions, and score 17 touchdowns for his Georgia career.
An undrafted free agent, Lumpkin played for four different teams in five years in the NFL. Since 2016, he has worked as a fireman and currently serves as a training captain with the Newton County Fire Service.
UGASports caught up with Lumpkin from his home in the Conyers, Georgia area.
UGASports: As one of the nation’s most sought-after prospects in 2003, briefly describe your recruiting process. And why did you ultimately decide on Georgia?
Lumpkin: “My recruiting experience was exciting—but, at the same time, it could be kind of nerve-racking. There were several programs wanting me to attend their university to play football. And I was happy for that, but I knew, more than anything, I had to take care of my grades to make sure I got a scholarship and kept it. Besides Georgia, I looked at Miami (FL), Florida State, and Auburn—but those schools were loaded at running back. Not that Georgia wasn’t. It was loaded at running back, too. However, by attending Georgia, I’d be close to home, closer to family—and my mom and dad could travel just right up the road to see me play.”
UGASports: Besides proximity to home, were there any other factors that directly influenced your decision to attend Georgia?
Lumpkin: “Probably the biggest deciding factor for me was Coach [Mark] Richt coming to my house and being truthful to me and my family. I had a lot of schools give me a ‘cookie-cutter’ message on how I would play immediately. But Coach Richt’s message was that I’d have the opportunity to compete to play. Although I was the only running back Georgia was recruiting that year (2003), Coach Richt and other Georgia coaches informed me that there would be several running backs in front of me. If I was to come to Georgia, I’d have to compete for playing time.”
UGASports: Speaking of Mark Richt, in brief, what are your thoughts on him—as a coach and a man?
Lumpkin: “Coach Richt is like a second father. He’s going to push you to be the best you can be. He’s going to treat you like a son—not baby you—make sure you’re doing your schoolwork and performing on the field.”
UGASports: Kregg, talk about your determination while playing at Georgia. You were often injured, including missing the entire 2004 season and most of the 2007 campaign—and even played injured.
Lumpkin: “I had gotten hurt my senior year at Stephenson, and missed the last few games of the [2002] season. If I would’ve played, maybe we could’ve advanced further in the playoffs (Stephenson was a perfect 12-0 before losing to Shaw in the state’s quarterfinals). So, when I got to Georgia, my mentality was, even if I was injured, if I’m not out there showing I can compete, I might fall by the wayside. I had to have that ‘dog’ in me. I was going to fight until I was told I couldn’t fight anymore. And I had to keep fighting, because every year Georgia was going to bring in a new big-time running back. That running back room was going to continue to be stacked.”
UGASports: Speaking of which, besides often being injured, you had to compete with the likes of running backs Michael Cooper, Danny Ware, Thomas Brown, and Knowshon Moreno. Still, you managed to rush for 1,700 yards for your Bulldog career.
Lumpkin: “I’ll also add, we had Tony Milton, Ronnie Powell, Chris Burgett, Albert Hollis, Tyson Browning, and others in the running-back room when I was at Georgia. So, we were really loaded in the backfield. But at the same time, we had a mutual, fun competition amongst ourselves to compete to get playing time. For me, it was just about wanting to be out there and wanting to play—a personal drive and motivation. It was a dream and passion of mine to play for a major university. So, I didn’t care how I helped on the field at Georgia, whether running the ball, catching it out of the backfield, as a blocking back, or even playing special teams. Whatever I had to do, I just wanted to help and contribute.”
UGASports: We read you received two undergraduate degrees. What were they in? And we’re guessing schoolwork was a major focus of yours while at Georgia.
Lumpkin: “Me degrees were in Consumer Economics and Housing. And, yes, school was always placed first, because someone can be talented in football; however, if they cannot produce the grades, they’re a good waste of talent. I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity I got. I was given a scholarship, so my main focus was to maintain my GPA so I could keep that scholarship. If I didn’t maintain my scholarship, someone else would have taken advantage of that opportunity.”
UGASports: What is your most memorable moment—both a personal moment, and a team-related moment—while playing football at Georgia?
Lumpkin: “I had games when I had my moments, but the performance I had which particularly stands out to me is when we upset Auburn on the road in 2006. (Georgia, an 11½-point underdog, defeated the fifth-ranked Tigers, 37-15). I had a good number of touches in that game and played pretty well. (Lumpkin gained a career-high 105 rushing yards on 21 carries and a touchdown, while making two receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown.) As far as a team moment, our win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa my senior year (2007), when Mikey Henderson caught a touchdown thrown by Matthew Stafford in overtime, stands out. Both teams fought hard the entire game, and it came down to that one play (Stafford-to-Henderson) to settle it in overtime.” (Having to wear a cast on his hand following thumb surgery, Lumpkin was limited to only special-teams play at Alabama, “just trying to contribute any way I could,” according to him.)
UGASports: You were limited to only a dozen carries your entire senior season in 2007, and you didn’t get drafted that spring. Still, you wound up playing in the NFL. Briefly describe your professional football career.
Lumpkin: “After I didn’t get invited to any postseason all-star games, like the Senior Bowl, I knew I likely wasn’t going to get drafted. Still, I was invited to a rookie minicamp with the Green Bay Packers. It was an opportunity I knew I had to take advantage of. I ultimately did enough to impress the coaches and was placed on Green Bay’s 53-man active roster. I was there for two years, the second year as part of the practice squad. In 2010, I didn’t make Green Bay’s active roster, but Tampa Bay picked me up and I got placed on the Bucs’ 53-man roster. While in Tampa Bay, I was used primarily as a third-down back and on special teams. (In 2011, Lumpkin was third on the team in receiving and fourth in rushing.) I was also with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants [in 2012] before I got cut.”
UGASports: So, after getting cut by the Giants, what did you do professionally from there?
Lumpkin: “After the Giants cut me, and there seemed to be no interest from any teams in the Canadian Football League, life had to go on. I tried real estate. And then I was a leasing consultant for an apartment complex for close to two years. Still, trying to find my niche, I was a substitute teacher and then worked in the transportation department of the DeKalb County School System. Finally, I applied for the fire department in Clayton County in 2016.” (Lumpkin earned “top rung” in his training class.)
UGASports: We’re guessing you, as a UGA football standout-turned-NFL player, had a rather unique background when compared to others in the fire department?
Lumpkin: “When I started my training, I had people ask me, why was I there in the first place instead of trying to play football. But, again, life goes on. I had a wife and, at the time, two sons. I couldn’t just sit around and train while waiting for a team to call. What’s kind of ironic is Michael Cooper (a 2002 Georgia signee, who was a running back with the Bulldogs in 2003 and 2004) was a fireman in Clayton County when I applied there. So, just like he did when I got to Georgia in 2003, Michael took me under his wing when I first joined the fire department. He taught me a lot of things. To this day, I'm so grateful for him being a mentor to me both in football and the fire service.
UGASports: What does it mean to you to be a fireman? And what position/role did you currently have?
Lumpkin: “Well, since day one, I’ve treated it as a career—and not just a job—to save lives and save property. I liken it to playing football in that you put on a uniform for both. In football, you have film study, whereas you have training in the fire services. From there, you go on fire or EMS calls as a fireman—or get playing time in football. And, when doing that, you remember what you learned in film study—or fire training.
“I left Clayton County in 2019 and am now a Training Captain with Newton County Fire Service. I now have four boys and felt like I needed to be more hands-on at home, so I took more of an office, admin-type job. But I’m still able to put my gear on and train the recruits. I teach the recruits from the fire mission all the way to fire suppression and hazmat awareness.”
UGASports: Tell us more about your family.
Lumpkin: “My wife, Ember Lumpkin, and I were married in 2009. We met in study hall at UGA. At the time, she played softball for Georgia. We have four boys: 10-year-old Karter, seven-year-old Konnor, and two-year-old twins, Kason and Kooper.”
UGASports: Finally, what does it mean to you to have been characterized as someone who has often persevered?
Lumpkin: “I feel like I'm always fighting toward a certain goal. I had goals to graduate, to get to the NFL, have a family, and have an amazing professional career—and I’ve done all that. But I always want to be climbing the ladder, so to speak. I just want to keep going, striving for greatness.”
