Players

  Antonio Cromartie’s 10-interception season in 2007 was one of the NFL’s most amazing defensive performances of the decade and elevated him to regard as one of the most dangerous corners in the National Football League.

  Cromartie, the Chargers’ first-round draft choice in 2006 out of Florida State, became the first Charger to lead the league in interceptions since Charlie McNeil led the American Football League in 1961. Cromartie became an All-Pro, garnered several votes as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year and became the first Chargers cornerback to make the Pro Bowl since 2002.

  He started just eight games, but his impact was profound as he recorded at least one interception in each of the last three games and all 10 of his interceptions came in the team’s last nine contests.

  Cromartie’s coming-out party took place in a span of three weeks in late October and early November 2007. On Oct. 28 against Houston, Cromartie scored two touchdowns, recovering an errant punt snap in the end zone and returning an interception 70 yards for a score. They were his first NFL TDs. A week later in Minnesota, Cromartie set an NFL record that will never be broken when he returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half. The following week, Cromartie turned in his crown-jewel performance of the season in front of a national-television audience on NBC’s Sunday Night Football when he racked up a career-high three picks against Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Cromartie’s three picks off Manning, which all took place in the first half, included a one-handed leaping interception that made everyone’s highlight reel.

  Including the Indianapolis game, Cromartie had three multi-pick games during the 2007 season, one shy of the NFL single-season record. Cromartie added two more picks in the postseason and was one of only seven players to intercept multiple passes in the playoffs. He intercepted Manning once again in the Chargers-Colts Jan. 13 Divisional Playoff Game at the RCA Dome and added another a week later against Tom Brady in the AFC Championship Game.  

  Cromartie left Florida State after playing just two seasons in his native Tallahassee. His collegiate career started with great promise as he was one of only a handful of true freshmen to letter in 2003. He delivered another solid season in 2004, earning first-team All-ACC honors despite starting only one game.

  While preparing for his junior season during a voluntary workout, he injured his knee while defending a pass in a one-on-one drill. The injury required surgery, forcing him to sit out the entire season. After the injury, Cromartie worked diligently in his rehabilitation and exceeded the medical timetable that the doctors and trainers had set for him. He was planning to return to Florida State for the 2006 season, but days before his team played in the 2006 Orange Bowl, he got a phone call from his mom, Cassandra, informing him that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer. With his mom facing a life-threatening illness, and a young son at home, Cromartie decided it was best for his family if he were to leave Florida State and make himself available for the 2006 NFL Draft. The Chargers demonstrated that he made the right decision, selecting Cromartie with the 19th pick in the first round.

  As a way of giving back to the community in which he was raised, Cromartie started The Bam Bam 13 Foundation in 2008. The goal of the nonprofit foundation is to help youth reach their dreams by offering unique programs, resources and opportunities. Last April, Cromartie hosted a Celebrity Weekend, which included a youth football camp at his alma mater, Lincoln High School. The camp was attended by several of Cromartie’s Charger teammates, including Marcus McNeill and Cletis Gordon. In San Diego last October, he hosted a fundraiser to support Camp HOPE, a summer camp for children who are the victims of family violence, which was destroyed in the wildfires that ravaged Southern California in October 2007.

  Cromartie comes from a very athletic family. His brother T.J. played wide receiver at Michigan State. Their cousin is former Major League outfielder Warren Cromartie, a career .281 hitter who played 11 seasons with the Montreal Expos and Kansas City Royals. Another cousin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, was a first-round pick of the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals in 2008 and finished his rookie season as the Cardinals leader with four interceptions, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown.

  While Antonio’s superior speed and athleticism have tricked a few people into thinking that he could fly, he had the chance to take flight with some of the nation’s best in March ’08 when he received a special invitation to fly in an FA-18 Hornet with the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels. Cromartie stayed awake during the entire 45-minute flight, which saw his FA-18 exceed speeds of 800 mph while the gravitational pull neared 6 Gs.

  Cromartie enjoys spending time with his children, while his hobbies include playing basketball, watching movies and collecting trading cards. He estimates that his collection numbers around 2,000 pieces and one of his best cards is that of Chargers Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts. Cromartie also spends time looking after his four dogs: Noah, Bear, Serena and Diamond. 

  TRANSACTION HISTORY: First-round draft choice (19), April 29, 2006...signed five-year contract, July 26, 2006.

  2009:  Led the defense with two pass deflections during week 6 on Monday Night Football. Recorded first interception of the season early in week eight's contest against the Raiders. Sealed the game with an interception on a Donovan McNabb Hail Mary pass in week 10 against the Eagles. Closed out the first half of week 11 with a team-leading third interception against the Broncos. Had a key pass deflection in week 14 against the Cowboys which set up a Dallas punt that led to a Chargers drive to seal the game on a field goal.

  2008:  Pro Bowl second-alternate...AFC Defensive POW after two-INT performance on ESPN’s MNF Wk 3 vs. NY Jets...had 52-yard INT TD return and game-clinching INT in end zone very late in 4Q…team-leading four PBUs on night and had potential third INT early in game barely get away…on INT and TD return, made highlight-reel play by reaching around receiver Jerricho Cotchery to break up pass and tip it in air to self.

 2007: Pro Bowl...first-team All-Pro by AP and SI…All-NFL and All-AFC by PFW and PFWA…All-NFL by USA Today Sports Weekly…Chargers Defensive POY…Oct. 14 vs. Oakland, recorded first-career INT off Daunte Culpepper…AP NFL POW and SI.com Defensive POW after scoring first two TDs of career Oct. 28 vs. Houston...recovered errant punt snap in end zone for first TD and scored second on 70-yard INT return…only second defensive player in team history to score two return TDs in same game (“Speedy” Duncan, Oct. 15, 1967 vs. Kansas City)… added second INT to become first Chargers CB since 2003 with two picks in game…AFC, SI.com and USA Today.com Special Teams POW after NFL-record 109-yard missed FG TD return Nov. 4 at Minnesota…occurred on last play of first half as 57-yard FG fell short…also partially blocked Vikings’ punt… started first-career game in place of injured Quentin Jammer (hamstring) and named AFC, GMC, SI.com and PFW Defensive POW after tying team record with three INTs off  Peyton Manning Nov. 11 on NBC SNF vs. Indianapolis…11th time in team history player recorded three INTs in game…third INT was highlight-reel one-handed leaping pick…all three picks in first half, marking most INTs in one half of game since Stevon Moore (Cleveland) at Houston Oilers, Sept. 17, 1995...first Charger since Chris Fletcher (1975) to have six picks in four-week stretch…replaced Drayton Florence in starting lineup vs. Baltimore Nov. 25…AFC Defensive POM for December…seventh and eighth picks of season Dec. 2 at KC…picked off both passes in end zone to eliminate 14 potential points in game Bolts won by 14 points, 24-10…tied Charlie McNeil’s 46-year old team record (1961) with ninth INT of season, Dec. 9 at Tennessee…Titans only threw two passes in his direction, one was INT and second was PBU and nearly picked as well…INT team-record 10th pass of season on first play of 4Q Dec. 16 vs. Detroit...recorded all 10 of picks in nine-game stretch and only started last six…INT fourth pass of season off Manning late in 2Q of Jan. 13 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Indianapolis…returned pick 89 yards for apparent TD, but questionable penalty behind play negated score…earlier in contest, set up Chargers’ first TD of game with FF vs. Marvin Harrison…INT Tom Brady in end zone in AFC Championship Game at NE…tied Pro Bowl record with two INTs in Feb. 10 all-star contest…2Q INT and 56-yard return set up TD. 2006: Nov. 5 at Cleveland, chased down NFL’s leading punt returner, Dennis Northcutt, as he appeared on way to 91-yard TD return and forced him OB at 10…SD’s defense held Browns to FG…late in 3Q, downed punt at two…set up TD vs. Oakland Nov. 26 with 91-yard KOR, then tied for seventh-longest in team history.

  COLLEGE: First-team All-ACC in 2004…three career TDs on INT returns of 40 and 71 yards and FR of 61 yards…only start was 2004 Gator Bowl vs. WVA…redshirted in 2005 after knee injury during preseason voluntary workout…member of FSU’s 2004 ACC championship track team (sprints and hurdles)… played at Florida State from 2003-05…social science major.

  PERSONAL: Born in Tallahassee, Florida…2002 USA Today National Defensive POY and All-America at Lincoln HS in Tallahassee…Class 4A state title as junior and 12-1-1 as senior…saw time at DB, RB, WR and KOR…finished career with 10 INT and 27 TDs, including 22 on offense, four on special teams and one on defense…played in 2003 U.S. Army All-American Bowl…averaged 14 ppg and nine rpg on basketball team... ran 110-meters and 4x100 meter relay.