Gamble's Career Stats With Red Raiders

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Shippensburg University football alum Joel Gamble '04, a four-year letterman at tight end, was officially signed on Wednesday to the Philadelphia Eagles official practice squad. Gamble replaces fullback Marcus Mailei, who was signed by the New Orleans Saints.

In his career at Shippensburg from 2001-04, Gamble totaled 41 receptions for 631 yards and five touchdowns while playing in the team's Wing-T offense alongside fellow tight end Brian Sekel who was a two-time All-PSAC Western Division selection. Gamble averaged 15.4 yards per reception.

As a senior in 2004, Gamble helped Shippensburg to its first PSAC Western Division championship since 1988 and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division II Football Championship, totaling nine catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Gamble's three scores were second on the team behind Patrick Ferguson's seven while he boasted an average of 18.4 yards per catch.

Against West Chester in the playoffs, Gamble had a 21-yard touchdown reception at the end of the third quarter for the first of three consecutive touchdowns for the Red Raiders to give them a 28-27 lead. Against Lock Haven, he hauled in a career-long 61-yard pass from Tony Gomez on second-and-1 at the Red Raider 27-yard line to set up a three-yard touchdown by John Kuhn three plays later.

Gamble was named first team All-PSAC Western Division as a junior in 2003. He was a superb blocker for the Red Raider running attack in addition to being a sure-handed receiver. Joel helped Shippensburg compile an 8-3 record by making 20 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns and established a streak of nine games in which he had one or more receptions.

As a sophomore, Gamble made his mark as a reliable performer. In 2002, he led the team in both receptions and receiving yards, hauling in 16 passes for 233 yards, an average of 14.6 per catch. He also ranked sixth on the team in all-purpose yards.

Gamble most recently played in 2009 for the DC Armor of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) and has also suited up for the Tennessee Valley Vipers (2007), Oklahama City Yard Dawgz (2007) and Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings (2008) of arenafootball2 (af2). With the Armor, Gamble played in five games and caught 13 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per catch.  

He is a graduate of Carver High School and is the son of Ricardo and Michelle Gamble of Baltimore, Maryland.

Gamble graduated from Shippensburg in 2004 with a degree in criminal justice.