From record-breaking interceptions to an NCAA-best return yardage, celebrate the ball-hawking brilliance of the Thorpe Award winner who defined the "shutdown corner" era under Bobby Bowden.
In honor of his 55th birthday (June 7), we take a look at a Florida State football legend, Terrell Buckley.
Buckley arrived at Florida State in 1989 as a high school star out of Pascagoula (MS) High School. He displayed elite speed and athleticism at the collegiate level, having played two years of baseball and participated in one year of track as a sprinter for the Seminoles.
As a three-year starter at cornerback under coach Bobby Bowden, Buckley made a name for himself almost immediately. In 1990, Buckley patrolled the Seminoles’ secondary and kept it locked down from opposing receivers by intercepting six passes, returning two for touchdowns. For that standout effort, Buckley earned second-team All-American honors.
Buckley doubled his efforts the next season as a junior by recording 12 interceptions, setting a team record, and was a unanimous All-American selection. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in college football.
On September 28, 1991, in an early-season matchup on the road at No. 3 Michigan, Buckley matched up against Wolverines receiver Desmond Howard, who would later go on to win the Heisman Trophy that season.
On a pass play, Buckley jumped Howard’s route, intercepted the pass from quarterback Elvis Grbac, and returned it 40-yards for a score. It was a message to the Michigan fans that Florida State would be in control of the game. Florida State won 51-31.
By the time Buckley left Florida State, he was the school’s all-time leader in interceptions with 21, and interception return yards with 501 in his collegiate career. Those 501 yards set an NCAA record.
In 1992, Buckley became the highest-drafted cornerback in franchise history when the Green Bay Packers selected him fifth overall. Buckley suited up for for multiple NFL teams over 14 seasons and won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2001. Over his pro career, Buckley recorded 50 interceptions. Ironically, Buckley never earned Pro Bowl honors.
With his passion for the game and skills at developing players, Buckley got the coaching bug. He served in the coaching ranks as a cornerbacks coach at Akron, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. Buckley was hired as the head coach at Mississippi Valley State in 2025 and, in his first season, posted a 2-10 record.
For his outstanding athletic career, Buckley was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame in 2003 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019. Buckley was part of a talented pipeline of defensive backs from that era at Florida State that also included Deion Sanders (1985-1988) and LeRoy Butler (1986-1989), a time of gridiron dominance in the storied history of Florida State football.
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