London Fletcher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
London Fletcher

Fletcher in 2022
No. 59
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1975-05-19) May 19, 1975 (age 50) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	242 lb (110 kg)
Career information
High school:	Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland)
College:	John Carroll (1995–1997)
Undrafted:	1998
Career history
St. Louis Rams (1998) Buffalo Bills (2002) Washington Redskins (2007)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XXXIV) 2× Second-team All-Pro (2011, 2012) 4× Pro Bowl (2009–2012) Bart Starr Award (2012) Washington Commanders Ring of Fame 90 Greatest Commanders
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: 2,032 Sacks: 39.0 Forced fumbles: 19 Fumble recoveries: 12 Interceptions: 23 Touchdowns: 3
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

London Levi Fletcher-Baker, born on May 19, 1975, is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Fletcher played college football for the John Carroll Blue Streaks. He joined the St. Louis Rams in 1998 as an undrafted free agent.

After four seasons with the Rams, he played for the Buffalo Bills for five seasons. He spent his last seven seasons with the Washington Redskins. Fletcher won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams in 1999. He was also selected for four Pro Bowls during his time with the Redskins.

Fletcher was incredibly tough and never missed a game due to injury. He is one of only five players in NFL history to play in over 250 games in a row. He also holds the record for the most consecutive starts at linebacker. He started 215 games in a row, which ties him for seventh all-time. In 2019, he was added to Washington's Ring of Fame. Since 2022, he has been a radio commentator for the Washington Commanders.

Early Life and High School Sports

London Fletcher grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He went to Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School. There, he was a star in both football and basketball. He even helped his basketball team win two state championships.

College Football Career

Fletcher first attended Saint Francis University of Pennsylvania. He played on their men's basketball team. Later, he transferred to John Carroll University. At John Carroll, he played both basketball and football.

During his senior year in football, he set a school record with 202 tackles. He was named the best Division III National Linebacker of the Year.

Starting His NFL Journey

Fletcher showed his amazing speed at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.38 seconds. Experts thought he would be picked early in the 1998 NFL draft. However, he was not one of the 30 linebackers chosen that year.

Joining the St. Louis Rams

1998: Rookie Season Highlights

On April 28, 1998, the St. Louis Rams signed London Fletcher. He joined as an undrafted free agent with a one-year contract. He played his first regular season game in the Rams' opening loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Fletcher got his first start on December 27, 1998. This happened after another player, Eric Hill, got injured. In that game, Fletcher made eight solo tackles. He also had seven special teams tackles. He was named the Rams Rookie of the Year. He finished his first season playing in all 16 games, with one start.

1999: Super Bowl Champion

Before the 1999 season, Fletcher competed to become the starting middle linebacker. He won the spot and became a key player. On October 3, 1999, he had 11 tackles and his first career sack. He tackled Bengals' quarterback Jeff Blake.

In Week 9, Fletcher made his first career safety. He tackled a running back in the endzone. Fletcher started all 16 games in 1999. He led the team with 138 combined tackles. He also had three sacks and one safety.

The St. Louis Rams had a great season, finishing 13–3. They earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Fletcher started his first playoff game on January 16, 2000. He had 11 tackles and one sack in a win against the Minnesota Vikings. The next week, the Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to reach the Super Bowl.

On January 30, 2000, Fletcher started in Super Bowl XXXIV. He recorded 11 tackles as the Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 23–16. He was also named to the All-Madden team.

2000: Leading the Defense

After their Super Bowl win, the Rams promoted Mike Martz to head coach. Fletcher remained a starting linebacker. In the first game of the 2000 season, he had 14 tackles and two sacks. On November 12, 2000, Fletcher made his first career interception. He intercepted a pass from Giants' quarterback Kerry Collins.

In Week 13, he had two interceptions in one game. He picked off passes from Saints' quarterback Aaron Brooks. In Week 15, he had ten tackles and two sacks. This performance earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He led the team with 193 total tackles that season.

2001: Another Super Bowl Appearance

In 2001, Fletcher continued to excel. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. In a game against the San Francisco 49ers, he had a career-high 21 tackles. Later, against the New England Patriots, he had 17 tackles. He forced a fumble and intercepted a pass from Tom Brady.

The Rams reached Super Bowl XXXVI that season. However, they lost to the Patriots 20–17. The Patriots won with a last-second field goal.

Playing for the Buffalo Bills

On March 6, 2002, London Fletcher signed a five-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. From 2002 to 2006, he started all 16 regular season games for the Bills. In his last season with the team in 2006, he had 157 tackles. He also set a career-high with 14 pass deflections. He tied his career-high with four interceptions.

On September 10, 2006, Fletcher scored his first career touchdown. He recovered a fumble by Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady. He ran it five yards into the endzone. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate in his final season with the Bills.

Time with the Washington Redskins

Fletcher in 2012

On March 2, 2007, Fletcher signed a five-year contract with the Washington Redskins. He immediately became the team's starting middle linebacker. In his first season, he won the B.J. Blanchard Award. This award is given to a Redskins player who helps the local media.

Fletcher was a defensive co-captain for the Redskins from 2008 until he retired. In 2008, the Redskins nominated him for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. This award recognizes a player's community service and excellence on the field.

Pro Bowl Selections

Fletcher was chosen for the NFC team in the 2010 Pro Bowl. This was his first Pro Bowl selection. He was also a candidate for the 2009 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

For the 2010 season, the Redskins changed their defense. Fletcher moved to the left inside linebacker position. He made the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row. In that game, he had an interception that led to a touchdown for his team.

Even though he wasn't a starter for the 2012 Pro Bowl, Fletcher led the entire league in tackles in 2011. He had 166 tackles that season. He started all 16 games. He also had 1.5 sacks and two interceptions. On January 9, 2012, Fletcher was added to the NFC 2012 Pro Bowl roster. This happened after another player, Brian Urlacher, decided not to play.

On January 11, 2012, Fletcher won the Bart Starr Award. He was also named the Redskins' 2011 Defensive Player of the Year.

Fletcher on the sidelines at the 2013 Pro Bowl.

On April 13, 2012, Fletcher signed a new two-year contract with the Redskins. He was ranked 87th on the NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2012 list. In a game against the St. Louis Rams, Fletcher had a great performance. He intercepted a pass and forced a fumble.

In a Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys, he got his second interception of the season. This made him one of only three active NFL players at the time with 20 interceptions and 30 sacks. The others were Brian Urlacher and Ray Lewis. He finished the 2012 season with 139 tackles, three sacks, and a career-high five interceptions.

Retirement and Legacy

London Fletcher had surgery on his ankle and elbow in March 2013. This was to prepare for another season. On November 7, Fletcher started his 208th game in a row. This tied the record for most consecutive starts by a linebacker. The record was previously held by Derrick Brooks.

On December 18, 2013, London Fletcher announced his retirement from football. He finished his career having played in 256 consecutive games. He also started 215 consecutive games. This is the NFL all-time record for consecutive starts at the linebacker position.

In 2022, Fletcher joined Washington's radio broadcast team. On September 1, 2022, he was inducted into Washington's Greatest Players list. This honored the team's 90th anniversary.

Career Achievements and Awards

• Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)
• 4× Pro Bowl selection (2009–2012)
• 2× second-team All-Pro selection (2011, 2012)
• NFL combined tackles leader (2011)
• Bart Starr Man of the Year Award (2012)
• Redskins Ring of Fame (2019)

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats

Personal Life and Family

London Fletcher is married to Charne. They have three children: two daughters named Paige and Brooke, and a son named Steele. Sadly, Charne passed away from cancer in September 2024 at the age of 50.

Fletcher is a Christian. He has spoken about his faith. He said that chasing things like Super Bowl rings or money did not bring him lasting happiness. He found that happiness through his faith.

Fletcher was named a Pro Bowl alternate 11 times during his career. He did not play in his first Pro Bowl until 2010. This was when he replaced another player, Jonathan Vilma. Because of this, Fletcher joked that he was like Susan Lucci. She was an actress who won an Emmy after many nominations.