Brandon Meriweather facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brandon Meriweather

Meriweather with the Washington Redskins in 2012
No. 31, 22
Position:	Safety
Personal information
Born:	(1984-01-14) January 14, 1984 (age 41) Apopka, Florida, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	197 lb (89 kg)
Career information
High school:	Apopka
College:	Miami (FL) (2002–2006)
NFL Draft:	2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24
Career history
New England Patriots (2007–2010) Chicago Bears (2011) Washington Redskins (2012–2014) New York Giants (2015)
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl (2009, 2010) First-team All-American (2005) 2× Second-team All-ACC (2005, 2006)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 414 Sacks: 6.0 Forced fumbles: 9 Fumble recoveries: 3 Interceptions: 17 Defensive touchdowns: 1
Player stats at PFR

Brandon Meriweather (born January 14, 1984) is a former professional football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). Brandon played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. The New England Patriots chose him in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants.

Early Life and High School Football

Brandon Meriweather was born on January 14, 1984. He started living with his adopted parents when he was 11 years old. He went to Apopka High School in Apopka, Florida. There, he played high school football.

As a senior in 2001, he helped his school win the Florida Class 6A state championship. He was a great kick returner, scoring four touchdowns from kick returns that year. Brandon also played track and basketball in high school.

College Football Career

Brandon Meriweather earned a sports scholarship to the University of Miami. He played for the Miami Hurricanes football team.

Starting His College Journey

In 2002, he played in three games and made three tackles. He then hurt his ankle and was given a medical redshirt by the NCAA. This meant he could play another year later. In 2003, Brandon mostly played on special teams. He also played in specific defensive formations. He started his first game against West Virginia. He finished the year with 22 tackles, one interception, and five pass break-ups.

Key Seasons and Awards

In 2004, Brandon played in all 12 games. He started seven games despite a shoulder injury. He made 62 tackles, forced two fumbles, and had two interceptions. He also broke up five passes. The team gave him the Hard Hitter Award for his strong tackles.

Brandon was named to the All-America team in 2005. This was voted by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). He was also chosen for the first-team All-ACC. He was a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He led his team with 115 tackles, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He received the Hard Hitter Award again.

In 2006, Brandon was on the Thorpe Award watch list for the second year. He played in 12 games. He recorded 91 tackles, one sack, and one interception. He was voted first-team All-ACC and All-American. He left Miami with a record for most tackles by a defensive back, with 293. After the season, he was invited to the Senior Bowl.

College Incidents

During the Miami-FIU brawl on October 14, 2006, Meriweather was involved in a game incident. He was suspended by the ACC and Miami for his actions. It is thought that this incident may have affected his chances in the NFL draft.

Professional Football Career

New England Patriots

Meriweather with the Patriots, 2010

The New England Patriots picked Brandon Meriweather in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He was the 24th player chosen overall. In his first year, he mostly played on special teams. He finished the season with 28 tackles. He played in Super Bowl XLII as a safety for the Patriots.

In his second season in 2008, Brandon got his first interception. This happened in Week 2 against New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre. After another safety, Rodney Harrison, got injured, Brandon started the last 11 games. He finished the season with 83 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions.

In Week 7 of 2009, Brandon had two interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One of these he returned 39 yards for a touchdown. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He started all 16 games that year. He finished with 83 tackles and five interceptions. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.

At the start of the 2010, Brandon was not a main starter. He said this was because he was not following the team's defense plans in practice. He returned to his starting role in Week 4.

In Week 6, Brandon was penalized for a helmet-to-helmet hit. This hit was on Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap. The NFL fined Brandon $50,000 for this hit. The league also announced it would start suspending players for dangerous hits.

In 16 games (13 starts), Brandon made 68 tackles and three interceptions. He was chosen for his second Pro Bowl after the season. The Patriots released Brandon Meriweather on September 3, 2011.

Chicago Bears

Brandon signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears on September 4, 2011. After Week 4 of the 2011 NFL season, he was fined $20,000. This was for a helmet-to-helmet hit against Steve Smith. The next week, he was fined $25,000 for a late hit against the Detroit Lions.

Washington Redskins

Meriweather with the Washington Redskins, 2012

Meriweather with the Redskins, 2014

Brandon Meriweather signed a two-year contract with the Washington Redskins on March 15, 2012. In practice on September 3, he sprained his left knee. He missed the first three games of the 2012 NFL season. He was expected to play in Week 4. However, he re-injured his knee during warmups and could not play.

He finally played for the Redskins on November 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had a big impact early in the game. He made an interception and several strong tackles. But he left in the second half with a right knee injury. It was confirmed he tore his right ACL and would miss the rest of the 2012 season.

In his 2013 debut, Brandon had a helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy. This caused Lacy to get a concussion. Brandon later got a concussion himself from another hit. He was fined $42,000 for the hit on Lacy. In Week 7, he was penalized for two illegal hits on receivers. On October 21, 2013, he was suspended for two games. This was because of repeated rule violations about helmet-to-helmet hits. Two days later, his suspension was reduced to one game.

The Redskins re-signed Brandon for one year on March 17, 2014. On August 25, 2014, he was suspended for two games. This was due to an illegal hit on Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith. In a Week 8 win against the Dallas Cowboys, he played very well. He had two sacks, forced two fumbles, and recovered one fumble. He was placed on injured reserve on December 19, 2014.

New York Giants

Brandon Meriweather joined the New York Giants on August 16, 2015. He was released by the Giants on December 16, 2015. A week later, on December 23, 2015, the Giants re-signed him.

NFL Career Statistics