Players

  After patiently waiting his turn, Kris Wilson took advantage of an opportunity to help out the Chargers during the team’s 2008 playoff run. He was used primarily as an extra blocking tight end, but also made a contribution to the Chargers’ special teams. Wilson was signed by the Chargers prior to the opening of the ’08 season.

  Wilson is a student of cultural studies and has an extensive international travel background. He’s fluent in Portuguese and has spent a great deal of time traveling in Europe and South America. He’s been to Spain, Brazil and a host of Caribbean Islands. Wilson learned to speak Portuguese on his own and would like to learn Spanish as well. His brother, Avery, teaches Spanish in their native Pennsylvania.

  Wilson’s mother, Deborah, is a social worker who worked multiple jobs to support the family, while also going back to school and earning two master’s degrees. Traveling has taught Wilson to not take his good fortune for granted, especially when he sees the happiness of people who don’t base success or failure on material possessions.

  Understanding the fragility of an NFL career, Wilson has taken steps to prepare for life after football. In February, he attended the NFL’s Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program at the Harvard Business School. An economics major at Pitt, Wilson completed an internship with the Legacy Financial Group in Kansas City in 2005 and he has aspirations of returning to school to complete his MBA after his NFL career comes to an end.

  In 2008, Wilson created the Kris Wilson Foundation, which focuses on learning, reading and literacy for disadvantaged youth throughout Pennsylvania. Each July, he hosts a foundation weekend in Lancaster that includes a football camp and black-tie gala, and he’s currently in the process of implementing the first phase of a literacy program for neighborhood community centers.

  TRANSACTION HISTORY: Second-round pick (61l) by KC, April 24, 2004…signed four-year contract, July 20, 2004…signed three-year contract with Philadelphia, March 26, 2008…released, Aug. 30, 2008… signed with Chargers, Sept. 1, 2008.

  2009: Received game ball in week 1 form coach Norv Turner for great special teams play.Scored first touchdown reception as a Charger against the Giants in week 9. It was his first touchdown reception since 2007. Forced a fumble in week 17 vs the Redskins.

  2008: Started Jan. 3 AFC Wild Card Playoffs vs. Indianapolis and Jan. 11 AFC Divisional Playoffs at Pittsburgh.

 2007: Season-high four catches for personal-best 34 yards at Chicago Sept. 16…nine-yard TD catch vs. Tennessee Dec. 16.

 2006: Started first-career game and caught first-career TD pass (11 yards) vs. SD Oct. 22…scored on two-point conversion in Jan. 6 AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Indy.

 2005: Season-high three STTs vs. Denver Dec. 4…INA vs. SD Dec. 24 (right quad strain) and placed on “Reserve-Injured” Dec. 30.

 2004: INA Wks 1-12 (broken left fibula)...injured in preseason game at Dallas Sept. 2…played first career game vs. Denver Dec. 19.

  COLLEGE: Second-team All-Big East as senior…also All-Big East academic selection as soph and junior… four-year starter racked up 43 career starts, including final 42 games…finalist for John Mackey Award as nation’s top TE…finished career with 88 catches for 1,431 yards and 15 TDs…redshirted in 1999…played at Pittsburgh from 1999-03…majored in economics.  PERSONAL: Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania… attended J.P. McCaskey HS in Lancaster, Pa….first-team All-Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 as LB and WR...also league WR of Year…selected to Big 33 Football Classic and Lancaster County All-Star Game… lettered twice in basketball and once in baseball.