Players

Antoine Cason couldn’t get his hands on the football enough in 2010. He led the team with four interceptions and 11 passes defensed, and he became the team’s featured punt returner late in the season. And the former first round pick, who waited two years to crack the starting lineup, averaged 16.5 yards per punt return, which would’ve been the league’s second-highest had he accrued enough returns to qualify for the rankings. Cason finished just six returns shy of qualifying to rank among the league’s leaders.

A former Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back at Arizona, Cason returned to his alma mater in 2010 to have his jersey honored during the Wildcats’ nationallytelevised game against USC.

Cason is one of more than a dozen family members to play Division I college football. His father, Wendell, was a defensive back at the University of Oregon and went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons. His brother, Dione, ran track at Washington State and cousin, Ken-yon Rambo, was a receiver at Ohio State before playing for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. Another cousin, Aveion Cason, was an All-America tailback at Illinois State and played for the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams and Cowboys.

Cason is one of a number of Chargers who regularly volunteer for community service. In college, he joined forces with former Wildcat teammate, Matt Brooks, to create a campaign to fight cancer known as “Cason Cares.” Cason became involved after losing his grandfather, Royce Rambo, to cancer in Feb. 2006. The goal of Cason Cares was to raise money for cancer research. Cason and Brooks sold rubber wristbands for $3 apiece and the pair made a generous donation to the American Cancer Society before an Arizona men’s basketball game in December ’07.

Cason’s favorite hobby is bowling. He’s also a fan of American muscle cars, particularly the Mustang.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Chargers’ first-round pick (27), April 26, 2008...signed four-year contract, July 25, 2008.

2011: Game-high two passes defensed Week 1 against Minnesota...both came on third down plays to force Minnesota punts...the last gave the ball to the Chargers for the go-ahead touchdown drive...Made a huge play to break up a pass to Brandon Lloyd in the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt after Denver scored to get within 26-24 with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter in Week 5...Had an interception and career-long 64-yard return in the fourth quarter Week 11 against Chicago...it was the Chargers’ longest interception return since 2007...Cason led the team with three passes defensed Week 14 against Buffalo.

2010: Career-high two interceptions Sept. 19 vs. Jacksonville...both in first half...first Charger with two-or-more interceptions in game since 2008...interception, team-high three passes defensed and career-high nine tackles Nov. 22 vs. Denver...closed out Nov. 28 win at Indianapolis with team-leading fourth interception of season...42-yard punt return set up touchdown for final points in 31-0 win over Kansas City Dec. 12...season-long 62-yard punt return led to field goal in 33-28 win at Denver Jan. 2.

2009: Sealed season-opening ESPN Monday Night Football win in Oakland with late-game interception.

2008: First-career interception in end zone off Jay Cutler in fourth quarter Week 2 at Denver…iced Dec. 21 victory at Tampa Bay with 59-yard interception return for touchdown in late foruth quarter…season-high three special teams tackles in Dec. 28 AFC West-clinching win over Denver...paced squad with two special teams tacjkes in Jan. 5 Wild Card Playoffs vs. Indianapolis...first quarter sack of Ben Roethlisberger on 3rd-down play late in first quarter of Divisional Playoffs at Pittsubrgh Jan. 11.

COLLEGE: 2007 Jim Thorpe Award…finished career with 15 interceptions, fourth-most in school history...set school recordsfor return yards (349) and return average (23.3)…2007 Walter Camp first-team All-America…first-team All-Pac-10 in 2006-07...Pac-10 Player of Week following games against Oregon
(2007), Washington State (2006), Cal (2006) and Northern Arizona (2004)...NAU game was first of career...honorable mention all-conference as frosh and soph...Sporting News and Football Writers Association Frosh All-America and All-Pac- 10…played from 2004-07…ran track from 2006-07 (200 and 4x100 meter relay)…political science major…co-President of U of A Student-Athlete Advisory Board (2006-07).

PERSONAL: Born in Long Beach, California…All-CIF DB at Los Alamitos (Calif.) HS...Sunset League Defensive Back of Year as senior and first-team all-league as junior and senior…first-team all-county by Orange County Register…lettered in track.