Players

  In 2008, the Chargers and the NFL lost one of its most dominant stars for the season, when outside linebacker Shawne Merriman underwent left knee surgery after the season opener. Originally injured during the 2007 season, Merriman had hoped that he could make it through 2008 on the injured knee. The surgery to repair torn posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments was performed Sept. 15 in Coral Gables, Florida. After months and months of rehab, the man known as “Lights Out” is ready to turn the lights back on and step out onto the field for the 2009 season.

  Without a doubt, Merriman was missed, as the team’s sack total fell from 42 in 2007 to just 28 in 2008.  Merriman will begin the ’09 season with 39.5 career sacks, eighth in team history.

  Prior to the injury, Merriman had an outstanding year in 2007, recording a career-best 96 tackles, 12.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He became just the sixth player in NFL history to begin a career with three straight seasons of 10-or-more sacks, joining the late Reggie White (1985-93), Dwight Freeney (2002-05), the late Derrick Thomas (1989-92), Jevon Kearse (1999-2001) and Anthony Smith (1991-93). He also joined Leslie O’Neal (1992-95) as only players in team history with three-or-more consecutive seasons with 10+ sacks. In ’06, he led the NFL with 17 sacks and as a rookie put up 10 in 2005. His 17-sack season in 2006 tied for the second-most prolific season in team history.

  It is said that sacks come in bunches and Merriman certainly likes to collect them that way. In 43 career games, the Maryland product has recorded two or more sacks 11 times and the Chargers have gone 10-1 when he does.

  Merriman is a workout fanatic who spends countless hours in the gym. He has incorporated boxing into his exercise regimen and trains regularly. Shawne’s uncle, Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan, boxes professionally and is one of the nation’s top up-and-coming super middleweight fighters with a professional record of 17-2 with 12 wins by knockout. Merriman also owns a home in Los Angeles and as part of his offseason training regimen, it is not uncommon to find him pumping iron at the world-famous Muscle Beach in Venice Beach, Calif. or running the hills of the famed Mulholland Drive above Los Angeles.

  The question Merriman is most often asked is where the nickname “Lights Out” originated. He was given that moniker during his sophomore season in high school after knocking out four players in the first half of a game. Merriman was such a ferocious hitter in high school that his coaches didn’t even allow him to participate in contact drills with his teammates in practice. On his right forearm is a tattoo of a light switch in the off position and the words “Lights Out,” and his Mercedes G500 has the “Lights Out” logo emblazoned on its headrests and floor mats.

  Merriman still maintains close ties with his alma mater. He bought new uniforms, a whirlpool and other equipment for the Douglass HS football program after he signed with the Chargers. He also speaks regularly to Eagles’ Head Coach J.C. Pinkney, who was an assistant coach when Merriman played at the school. In 2006 during the Chargers’ bye week, Douglass High School retired Merriman’s No. 44 and he attended the ceremony.

  Despite all of the notoriety that comes with being a first-round draft choice and a Pro Bowler, Merriman has not let go of his past and the tough upbringing that he endured as a child. Several times when money was tight for the family, Merriman found himself living in one of the many homeless shelters in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He knows how important those shelters can be and has contributed his own earnings to support homeless shelters in San Diego and Los Angeles. In 2007, Merriman hosted a Comedy Jam and a celebrity bowling tournament that raised more than $200,000 for the Salvation Army and the Alpha Project. Both organizations later paid tribute to Merriman for his support of the homeless. And last December, Merriman hosted another celebrity bowling event, this one at Hollywood’s Lucky Strike Lanes that benefitted Feeding America and Stand Up For Kids.

  Merriman’s work in helping the homeless extends to his native Maryland and around the country. He continues to host a coat collection drive at his collegiate alma mater, the University of Maryland. The coat drive started when he was in college and continues even into his professional career. Merriman returns to the College Park, Md. campus every year and collects on average 6,000-8,000 coats for the homeless. The Community for Creative Non-Violence Shelter in Washington D.C. is one of the main beneficiaries of the coat drive. A couple of years ago, the Burlington Coat Factory Co. asked Merriman to be its national spokesperson for their “One Warm Coat Drive.”

  In recent years, Merriman has visited wounded U.S. soldiers at the Bethesda and Walter Reed Hospitals in Washington D.C., and in 2006 while serving a four-game suspension from the NFL, he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, helping to rebuild homes in and around New Orleans that were still in disrepair following Hurricane Katrina, which struck in 2005.

  More recently, Merriman had the privilege of helping a San Diego couple get back on its feet after they lost their Rancho Bernardo home in the October 2007 Witch Creek wildfire. Through Lights Out Development, a construction company of which Merriman is part-owner, he helped make sure that Josh and Kristy Mellow would be among the first residents to move into a new home. Lights Out Development completed the work in just 56 days and last January, Merriman joined the Mellows as they toured their new two-story home for the first time. Losing his own home twice to fires during his childhood years in Maryland taught Merriman all he needed to know about losing everything. He remembers the helplessness and leaned on that experience as added motivation to help the Mellows.

  Aside from his work with Lights Out Development, Merriman is a part-owner of the Stingaree nightclub in San Diego, as well as the owner of the Lights Out clothing line. He also owns a Lights Out nightclub in Maryland and is planning to open a similar club in San Diego.

  Merriman is one of the NFL’s most recognizable players and he’s among the cadre of sports and entertainment celebrities making a name for himself on the social media website, Twitter.com. This offseason, Merriman gained quite a following with his “Tweets” from Europe during a nine-day tour to promote VeMMA Energy Drinks, for which he is a spokesman. Merriman also has his own website, www.shawnemerriman.com.

  Beyond the virtual world, Merriman has become quite recognizable as well in the mainstream media. In 2008, Merriman signed on to co-host FOX Sports’ “Pro Football Preview” show, commuting to Los Angeles to tape the show every Thursday, even after his knee surgery. In 2007, NASCAR invited him to wave the green flag to signal the start of the Auto Club 500 race at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and earlier in ’07, ESPN invited him to Bristol, Connecticut to serve as a guest host on the network’s NFL Live show, while also making guest appearances on several other ESPN television and radio shows. Merriman was also asked to be a judge for the 2008 Miss USA Pageant Finals in Las Vegas.

  Shawne’s hobbies include riding Jet Skis, bowling, baseball and basketball. In April 2006, the San Diego Padres invited him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a game at PETCO Park and in March ’06, ESPN asked him to be a celebrity judge during the McDonald’s High School All-America game’s slam dunk contest at San Diego State’s Cox Arena. Merriman played basketball in high school and one of his teammates was Eric Arrington, the younger brother of former Washington Redskins and New York Giants linebacker LaVar Arrington.

  TRANSACTION HISTORY: First-round pick (12), April 23, 2005…signed five-year contract, Aug. 2, 2005.

  2009: Recorded his most productive game thus far in week 7 with five tackles against the Chiefs. Came away in week 8 with seven tackles and two quarterback sacks. It was the first sack of the season for Merriman and his first since the 2007 season. Recorded another two quarterback sacks in week 9 vs. the Giants, both in the fourth quarter.

   2008: Placed on IR Sept. 10 (knee).

  2007: Pro Bowl... second-team AP All-Pro…All-NFL by USA Today Sports Weekly…huge game with two sacks, FF, TFL and PBU Wk 2 vs. NE on NBC SNF…30th-career sack Wk 4 vs. KC, tying him with Derrick Thomas for second-fastest (31 games) to 30 and also became second-youngest to 30 (Terrell Suggs)…SI.com Defensive POW after 2.5 sacks Wk 6 vs. Oakland...AFC Defensive POW and AP POW following season-high three-sack performance, along with FR and TFL, in 24-10 win at KC Dec. 2…two sacks Dec. 9 at Tennessee before leaving game in 2Q with knee injury following questionable hit…INA and missed first-career game (knee) vs. Detroit Dec. 16…team-leading 12.5 sack of season at Oakland Dec. 30 was 39.5 of career, moving him into eighth on team’s all-time sacks list…early in 2Q of Jan. 6 AFC Wild Card Playoffs vs. Tennessee, blew up Chris Brown at SD 11-yard line with tackle and FF…team-leading two TFLs in Jan. 13 AFC Divisional Playoff win at Indianapolis...very late in 4Q, ended Colts’ potential GW drive by pressuring Manning into inc. on 4th-and-goal from Chargers’ seven with Bolts leading 28-24 and only 2:01 left in game…saw reserve action in Pro Bowl, finishing with four tackles.

 2006: Pro Bowl… first-team All-Pro by AP, SI, Sporting News, USA Today Sports Weekly, PFW and PFWA (also earning All-AFC honors from PFW & PFWA) and ESPN.com…team’s Defensive POY…NFL.com All-Interview Team...Chargers Alumni POW after three sacks and TFL in Sept. 11 season opener at Oakland…first-career INT Wk 2 vs. Tennessee…Defensive POW by USA Today and SI.com after three sacks Oct. 29 vs. St. Louis…suspended Wks 8-11 after testing positive for banned substance in violation of NFL’s substance abuse policy…returned Dec. 3 at Buffalo and racked up two sacks, two FF and PBU en route to selection as SI.com Defensive POW …two sacks, two FF and own FR vs. Denver Dec. 10...late 4Q sack, FF and FR at Broncos’ seven led to LT’s record-breaking 29th TD on following play…AFC Defensive POW after 3.5-sacks in 27-20 win at Seattle Dec. 24…closed out season Dec. 31 against Arizona with 17th sack of season to put away NFL sack title…4Q sack in AFC Playoff game vs. NE…four TT and FF as starter in Pro Bowl.

 2005: Pro Bowl…NFL Defensive ROY by AP, SI.com, PFW and PFWA and SD Union-Tribune…NFL ROY and All-Pro by Sporting News…SI and SI.com All-Pro…All-Rookie by PFW and PFWA and NFL.com…Fox Sports Howie Long Tough Guy...INA Wk 1 vs. Dallas (knee)…STT on opening KO of first-career game, at Denver Sept. 18…moved into starting lineup at Philadelphia Oct. 23 and recorded sack…Diet Pepsi NFL ROW after two sacks in 48-10 win over Buffalo Nov. 20…Defensive POW by AFC and SI.com, recipient of ESPN NFL Prime Time Game Ball and ROW by FOXSports.com after hand in three sacks and three TFLs during 26-17 win Dec. 18 in Indy to knock off 13-0 Colts.

  COLLEGE: All-America and All-ACC following junior and final season…led team in sacks (8.5) and TFLs (17) in 2004, tying for second in ACC in sacks and ranking third in TFLs…ACC POW following Clemson game in ’04…led team and second in ACC with 8.5 sacks in ’03…ACC ROW following UNC game in ’02…finished career with 189 TT, 22 sacks, 32.5 TFLs, 27 pressures, 10 PBUs, four FFs and three FRs…played at Maryland from 2002-04…criminology/criminal justice major.

  PERSONAL: Born in Washington, D.C.…all-time leader at Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland with 443 TT…Maryland Defensive POY, All-America and all-state as senior...started three years on basketball team.