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#56 Shawne Merriman | OLB

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Position: OLB

College: University of Maryland

Height: 6-4

Weight: 272

Age: 23

Experience: 4th NFL season

Acquired: Draft 1A - 2005 (12)

Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Career Stats

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Visit  Shawne Merriman's Official Website

In just three seasons, Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman has become one of the NFL’s preeminent superstars. In 2007 he earned his third Pro Bowl invitation in as many professional seasons and he continued to strike fear in opponents as one of the game’s most feared defenders.

While Merriman takes pride in all facets of his game, getting to the quarterback is his specialty. Despite regularly facing multiple blockers, Merriman still managed to finish tied for sixth in the NFL with 12.5 sacks, and among linebackers, only Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware (14) had more.
 
Merriman has recorded at least 10 sacks in each of his three NFL seasons and he’s already among the most prolific pass rushers in Chargers history. With 39.5 career sacks, including an NFL-leading and team record-tying 17 in 2006, Merriman enters the 2008 season with the eighth-most sacks in team annals. He needs just four more to move into a tie with Leroy Jones for seventh all time.
 
It is said that sacks come in bunches and Merriman certainly likes to collect them that way. In 42 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 at the Boxing Club of La Jolla. 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 16-1 and 11 wins by knockout. As part of Merriman’s offseason cardiovascular training, it is not uncommon to find him running the hills of the famed Mulholland Drive in 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. 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 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. His main devotion is toward the San Diego Salvation Army and the Alpha Project. Last summer, Merriman hosted a weekend of activities surrounding the Lights On Comedy Jam and in December he hosted the Lights On Bowl at the Poway Fun Bowl. The two events helped raise more than $200,000 for the Salvation Army and the Alpha Project. Both organizations paid tribute to Merriman in 2007 for his support of the homeless.
 
Merriman’s work in helping the homeless extends his native Maryland and around the country. He continues to host a coat collection drive at his collegiate alma mater, the University of Maryland. It benefits the Community for Creative Non-Violence Shelter in Washington D.C. Piggybacking off the success of his coat drive, last year Burlington Coat Factory asked Merriman to be a 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 last October’s 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 in 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 that he needed to know about what it’s like to lose 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 and Bar West nightclubs 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 now one of the NFL’s most recognizable celebrities. In February, he was invited to wave the green flag to signal the start of NASCAR’s Auto Club 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. And in March, 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.
 
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) by San Diego, April 23, 2005…signed five-year contract, Aug. 2, 2005.

2007: Named second-team All-Pro by Associated Press…named All-NFL by USA Today Sports Weekly...selected to AFC Pro Bowl squad…tied for sixth in NFL and ranked third among linebackers with 12.5 sacks…led team with two tackles for loss in season opener against Chicago…turned in outstanding individual defensive effort Week 2 against New England on NBC’s Sunday Night Football that included two sacks, forced fumble, tackle for loss and pass break-up that helped stall first quarter drive resulting in missed field goal by Patriots…Merriman’s tackle for loss, minus one-yard stop on 3rd-and-2 play at Chargers’ five-yard line in second quarter, helped hold N.E. to field goal instead of potential touchdown…he also had 6-yard sack and forced fumble on same drive…Merriman’s other sack for minus 10 yards led to N.E. three-and-out…turned in solid all-around effort Week 4 vs. Kansas City with sack, two tackles for loss and 10 total tackles…sack was 30th of career, tying him with Derrick Thomas as second-fastest player (31 games) in NFL history to record 30 sacks…Reggie White (28 games) was fastest…became second-youngest player to reach 30-sack mark, behind only Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs…also helped cause second quarter interception against Chiefs as Damon Huard pass caromed off Merriman’s helmet and was intercepted by Marlon McCree…Sports Illustrated.com Defensive Player of Week after ripping off 2.5 sacks Week 6 against Oakland, his 10th-career multi-sack game…in second quarter, stalled Oakland drive with five-yard sack on third-and-five play at Raiders 45 yard line…then late in second quarter as Oakland was on doorstep (one yard line) of scoring potential touchdown to tie game at 14-14, sacked Daunte Culpepper for six-yard loss back to seven…on very next play, linebacker-mate Shaun Phillips sacked Culpepper again and forced fumble which Bolts recovered, allowing them to preserve their seven point lead at half…at end of game, Merriman and defensive end Igor Olshansky shared two-yard sack on Raiders’ final offensive play of game…matched season high with 10 stops and batted down two passes Oct. 28 vs. Houston…Merriman’s pressure on second quarter third-and-three play led to Antonio Cromartie’s team-record-tying third interception during Nov. 11 game vs. defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts…later added one-yard tackle for loss at end of quarter…huge all-around game that included sack and forced fumble, two tackles for loss and nine total stops vs. Baltimore Nov. 25…three plays after Bolts scored TD to go up 9-7, sacked Ravens QB Kyle Boller and forced fumble that was recovered by Marques Harris…four plays later Nate Kaeding kicked 46-yard FG to extend lead to 12-7…AFC Defensive Player of Week and AP Player of Week after season-high three-sack performance in 24-10 win at K.C. Dec. 2…also recovered fumble and had tackle for loss…collected five-yard sack on second-and-seven play in second quarter and five and nine-yard sacks on second-down plays in fourth quarter…also had four-yard tackle for loss on another second quarter play…had fumble recovery on first play of fourth quarter after Shaun Phillips sack and forced fumble…biggest play of Chiefs game however may have been quarterback pressure to force incompletion and three-and-out early in fourth quarter…Chargers drove 80 yards for touchdown on ensuing drive to extend lead to 24-10…had two sacks Dec. 9 at Tennessee before leaving game in second quarter with knee injury…first sack for five-yard loss raised season total to 10.5, making him only sixth player in NFL history to begin career with three straight seasons with 10 or more sacks…joined late Reggie White (1985-93), Dwight Freeney (2002-05), late Derrick Thomas (1989-92), Jevon Kearse (1999-2001) and Anthony Smith (1991-93) on list…joins Leslie O’Neal (1992-95) as only players in team history with three-or-more consecutive seasons with 10+ sacks…both sacks against Titans took place on third down plays to end drives…five-yard sack on third-and-two play forced Tennessee FG attempt…later had key hand in second-quarter Tennessee three-and-out as he sacked and nearly stripped Kerry Collins on third-and-three play for fourth multi-sack game of season…with two sacks, increased career total to 38.5 to move into ninth place on team’s career sacks list…inactive for Detroit game Dec. 16 while recovering from knee injury suffered on questionable hit by Tennessee week prior…was first career game missed due to injury…recovered first-quarter fumble after sack and forced fumble by Igor Olshansky in Monday Night Football game vs. Denver Dec. 24…recorded team-leading 12.5 sack of season at Oakland Dec. 30…was 39.5 sack of career, moving him past Louie Kelcher and into eighth place on team’s all-time sacks list…wreaked havoc in Jan. 6 AFC Wild Card Playoff Game against Tennessee…early in second quarter, blew up Titans’ Chris Brown to force a fumble which was recovered by Shaun Phillips after Titans had driven to San Diego’s 11-yard line…turnover kept score 3-0, ending potential scoring drive…his four-yard sack in fourth quarter helped put the game on ice…collected team-leading two tackles for loss and helped clinch victory with late fourth-quarter QB pressure in Jan. 13 AFC Divisional Playoff win at Indianapolis...both tackles for loss came on opening series of game as he and Igor Olshansky teamed to stop Joseph Addai for one-yard loss on second play of game…two plays later, tackled Peyton Manning for six-yard loss on broken play…very late in fourth quarter, ended potential Colts’ game-winning drive by pressuring Manning into incompletion on fourth-and-goal play from Chargers’ seven-yard line with Bolts leading 28-24 and only 2:01 left in game…saw reserve action in Pro Bowl, finishing game with four tackles.

While Merriman takes pride in all facets of his game, getting to the quarterback is his specialty. Despite regularly facing multiple blockers, Merriman still managed to finish tied for sixth in the NFL with 12.5 sacks, and among linebackers, only Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware (14) had more.
 
Merriman has recorded at least 10 sacks in each of his three NFL seasons and he’s already among the most prolific pass rushers in Chargers history. With 39.5 career sacks, including an NFL-leading and team record-tying 17 in 2006, Merriman enters the 2008 season with the eighth-most sacks in team annals. He needs just four more to move into a tie with Leroy Jones for seventh all time.
 
It is said that sacks come in bunches and Merriman certainly likes to collect them that way. In 42 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 at the Boxing Club of La Jolla. 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 16-1 and 11 wins by knockout. As part of Merriman’s offseason cardiovascular training, it is not uncommon to find him running the hills of the famed Mulholland Drive in 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. 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 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. His main devotion is toward the San Diego Salvation Army and the Alpha Project. Last summer, Merriman hosted a weekend of activities surrounding the Lights On Comedy Jam and in December he hosted the Lights On Bowl at the Poway Fun Bowl. The two events helped raise more than $200,000 for the Salvation Army and the Alpha Project. Both organizations paid tribute to Merriman in 2007 for his support of the homeless.
 
Merriman’s work in helping the homeless extends his native Maryland and around the country. He continues to host a coat collection drive at his collegiate alma mater, the University of Maryland. It benefits the Community for Creative Non-Violence Shelter in Washington D.C. Piggybacking off the success of his coat drive, last year Burlington Coat Factory asked Merriman to be a 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 last October’s 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 in 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 that he needed to know about what it’s like to lose 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 and Bar West nightclubs 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 now one of the NFL’s most recognizable celebrities. In February, he was invited to wave the green flag to signal the start of NASCAR’s Auto Club 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. And in March, 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.
 
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:

2006: Selected as starter in 2007 Pro Bowl...named first-team All-Pro by Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, USA Today Sports Weekly, Pro Football Weekly and the Professional Football Writers of America (also earning All-AFC honors from PFW & PFWA)  and ESPN.com...voted by teammates to receive David Griggs Memorial Award as team’s 2006 Defensive Player of Year...named to NFL.com’s All-Interview Team...led NFL and team with 17 sacks, tied for second-most in season in team history...led squad with 21 quarterback hits...tied for team lead with four forced fumbles...started Weeks 1-7...Chargers Alumni Player of Week after leading team with three sacks and six tackles, including one for loss, in Sept. 11 season opener at Oakland...tackled LaMont Jordan for four-yard loss in first quarter and after defense held to force punt, offense drove five plays for touchdown and 10-0 lead on ensuing possession...started Oakland’s next series with eight-yard sack against Aaron Brooks on first play of drive...after forcing thee-and-out, Bolts offense drove for field goal and 13-0 edge on following drive...sacked Brooks again for another eight-yard loss on third-and-17 play right before two-minute warning in second quarter...logged final sack of night, this one for three yards, on first down play at end of third quarter...once again, defense forced three-and-out and offense answered with touchdown for 20-0 advantage on next possession...logged his first-career interception Week 2 against Tennessee...pick and 10-yard return led to field goal and 26-0 lead on ensuing drive...also tied for team lead with two passes defensed against Titans...collected five-yard sack and led team with two quarterback hits Week 3 at Baltimore...credited with sack against Ravens on final play of third quarter as Steve McNair fell while pulling away from center and Merriman was first to make contact...collected half-sack and tackle for loss in Sunday Night Football victory over Pittsburgh Oct. 8 despite facing barrage of double teams...shared eight-yard sack with Derrick Robinson in second quarter and tackled Willie Parker for three-yard loss in fourth quarter...delivered another big game with sack, tackle for loss and six stops at San Francisco Oct. 15...had six-yard sack on third-down play to force three-and-out on San Francisco’s first possession of third quarter...Bolts kicked field goal on next drive to stretch lead to 38-19...on first play of 49ers next drive, tackled running back Frank Gore for one-yard loss and he hit Gore so hard that his own helmet came off...of course he followed hit with his patented “Lights Out” celebration...collected tackle for loss among seven stops at Kansas City Oct. 22...named Defensive Player of Week by USA Today and SportsIllustrated.com after matching career high with three sacks Oct. 29 against St. Louis...first sack of day, seven-yard sack against Marc Bulger on Rams first offensive series of game, helped force three-and-out and Chargers scored touchdown on ensuing drive to go up 14-0 in first quarter...later ended St. Louis’ first drive of third quarter with five-yard sack on third down...also ended late third-quarter drive with pressure on Bulger to force incompletion...Bolts scored touchdown on ensuing drive to take 31-10 lead...suspended Weeks 8-11 after testing positive for banned substance in violation of NFL’s substance abuse policy...returned to starting lineup Weeks 12-16...in first game back Dec. 3 at Buffalo, racked up two sacks, two forced fumbles and pass broken up at line of scrimmage en route to earning honors as Defensive Player of Week by SportsIllustrated.com...also had quarterback pressure which led to interception by Quentin Jammer on first series of game...midway through second quarter, sacked JP Losman for seven-yard sack and forced fumble which Igor Olshansky recovered on third-and-10 play...on last play of first half, stripped Roscoe Parrish after catch and had fumble recovered by Clinton Hart...then in fourth quarter, sacked Losman again for 12-yard loss on first-and-10 play...recorded two sacks against Denver Dec. 10...was second straight game with two sacks and fourth multi-sack game of year...late in first quarter, sacked Jay Cutler and forced fumble on third-and-14 play at Denver’s 14-yard line...after Broncos recovered and punted, Chargers drove 54 yards for TD and 14-0 lead...had even bigger sack on his second go-around...late in fourth quarter, sacked Cutler again and forced another fumble which he recovered by himself at Broncos’ own seven-yard line...on very next play, LT scored his record-breaking 29th touchdown of season on seven-yard run...he also ended another early fourth-quarter drive by breaking up pass at line of scrimmage on fourth-and-two play...Chargers converted stop into field goal that allowed them to take 34-20 lead...AFC Defensive Player of Week after racking up career-high 3.5-sacks in 27-20 win at Seattle Dec. 24...was his fifth-multi sack and third three-sack game of season, moving him into league lead with 16 sacks on season...Chargers improved to 5-0 this season and 8-0 in his career when Merriman has more than one sack in game...sacked Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck for four-yard loss on first play of game, sacked him for five-yard loss during second series of game, shared six-yard sack with Jacques Cesaire on third-and-10 play in second quarter and added one for no yards on Seahawks’ last series of fourth quarter...his 16 sacks are second-most in season in team history...also comes up with two key passes defensed in Seattle game...closes out season Dec. 31 against Arizona with 17th sack of season to put away NFL sack title...10-yard sack on third-down play in third quarter forced three-and-out by Cardinals at time when Bolts led 24-7...on drive after Cards punted, Bolts added another field goal to stretch lead to 27-7...later in the contest with Chargers up 27-17, Merriman broke up pass on third-and-goal play at two-yard line to force field goal try instead of a potential touchdown...started AFC Playoff game vs. New England and ended their second offensive series with pressure and quarterback hit on third down play to force incompletion and three-and-out...later collected sack for no yards on third down play in fourth quarter...recorded four tackles and forced fumble in Pro Bowl.

2005: 2006 Pro Bowl starter…NFL Defensive Rookie of Year by Associated Press, SportsIllustrated.com, Pro Football Weekly, Professional Football Writers of America and San Diego Union-Tribune…NFL Rookie of Year and All-Pro by Sporting News…Sports Illustrated and SI.com All-Pro…All-Rookie Team selection by Pro Football Weekly, Professional Football Writers of America and NFL.com…led team and all NFL rookies with 10 sacks…second on squad with seven tackles for loss and tied for fifth with 54 tackles…inactive for season opener against Dallas due to knee injury…collected special teams tackle on game’s opening kickoff of first-career game played at Denver Sept. 18…registered tackle for loss among two stops versus New York Giants Sept. 25…collected two special teams stops at New England Oct. 2…racked up sack and forced fumble which was recovered by Randall Godfrey in first quarter of Monday Night Football game against Pittsburgh Oct. 10…pressured Raiders quarterback Kerry Collins into first-quarter interception by Bhawoh Jue in Oct. 16 win at Oakland Coliseum…Chargers scored touchdown on ensuing drive to take 14-0 lead…moved into starting lineup and recorded 10-yard sack among five stops at Philadelphia Oct. 23…huge outing with two sacks, forced fumble and five stops against Kansas City Oct. 30…in first quarter, pressure caused incomplete pass on third down on Chiefs’ second offensive series…on ensuing drive, Bolts scored touchdown for 7-0 lead…came out of locker room strong in third quarter with pressure and four-yard sack on successive plays to force Chiefs punt…sack resulted in four-yard loss on third-and-11 play…later in third quarter, sacked Green again for nine-yard loss on third-and-12 play while also stripping ball that was recovered by Shaun Phillips…first Chargers rookie since Ben Leber in 2002 with at least two sacks in game…charted sack and led team with nine tackles in 31-26 win over New York Jets Nov. 6…sack went for eight-yard loss midway through fourth quarter on second-and-10 play…Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of Week after recording two sacks in 48-10 win over Buffalo Nov. 20…racked up four-yard sack on final play of first quarter…sacked Bills quarterback JP Losman for eight-yard loss on fourth-down-and-23 play in fourth quarter…Bolts scored touchdown on ensuing drive to cap victory…two-yard tackle for loss among six stops in 34-10 win over Oakland Dec. 4…shared three-yard tackle for loss with Luis Castillo in first quarter against Miami Dec. 11…helped force Dolphins punt two plays later and on ensuing drive, Chargers scored touchdown to take 7-0 lead…AFC Defensive Player of Week, recipient of ESPN NFL Prime Time Game Ball, Rookie of Week by FOXSports.com and Defensive Player of Week by SportsIllustrated.com following effort in 26-17 win Dec. 18 in Indianapolis that knocked 13-0 Colts from ranks of unbeaten…was involved in three sacks, recording one solo and two assists, and was also credited with three tackles for loss…on first play of Colts first three offensive series, all in first quarter, shared seven-yard sack with Igor Olshansky, shared three-yard tackle for loss with Jamal Williams and then shared another seven-yard sack with Olshansky…first and third drives ended in three-and-outs while second drive ended in interception…made two tackles for loss inside Chargers’ 12-yard line in second quarter...after two-yard tackle for loss against Edgerrin James at 10-yard line, made one of biggest plays of game on fourth-and-goal play at one-yard line, reading bootleg by Peyton Manning and tackling him at seven for a six-yard loss, turning ball back over to Bolts on downs as San Diego took 13-0 first half lead…on opening drive of third quarter, sacked Manning for five-yard loss on third-and-nine play to force punt…Chargers kicked field goal on ensuing possession to stretch lead to 16-0…closed out season with three-yard sack against Denver’s Jake Plummer...was 10th sack of year.

COLLEGE:  First-team All-America by NFL Draft Report, second-team by Sporting News and first-team All-ACC following junior season…led team in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (17) in 2004…tied for second in ACC in sacks and ranked third in tackles for loss…named ACC Player of Week following Clemson game in ’04…led team and ranked second in conference with 8.5 sacks in 2003…named ACC Rookie of Week following North Carolina game in 2002…finished collegiate career with 189 tackles, 22 sacks, 32.5 tackles for loss, 27 pressures, 10 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries…played in total of 38 games with 17 starts…played at Maryland from 2002-04…majored in criminology and criminal justice.

PERSONAL: Born May 25, 1984 in Washington, D.C.…all-time leader at Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro with 443 career tackles…Associated Press Maryland Defensive Player of Year and first-team all-state as senior…SuperPrep All-America, first-team all-metro by Washington Post, and Defensive Player of Year by PG Journal in 2001…all-county as junior and senior and all-league as senior…also played tight end and started for three years on school’s basketball team.


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