Muhammad Wilkerson facts for kids
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Wilkerson with the Green Bay Packers in 2018
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| No. 96 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | October 22, 1989 Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 315 lb (143 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Linden (Linden, New Jersey) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Temple (2008–2010) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Muhammad Hassan "Mo" Wilkerson (born October 22, 1989) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). A defensive end is a player who tries to stop the other team's offense. He played college football for the Temple Owls. The New York Jets picked him in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Wilkerson played for the Jets for seven seasons. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2015. He was also named a Second-team All-Pro twice, in 2013 and 2015. Being All-Pro means you are one of the best players in your position. In 2017, he had some problems with team rules. This led to him leaving the Jets. He then joined the Green Bay Packers in 2018. However, he missed most of that season because of an injury.
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Early Life and High School Football
Muhammad Wilkerson grew up in Linden, New Jersey. He went to Linden High School there. In his last year of high school, he made 78 tackles. He also had five sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback. He was named to the All-Watchung Conference first-team in his junior year.
He also helped his high school basketball team win state titles. This happened during his junior and senior years.
College Football Days
After high school, Wilkerson spent a year at Hargrave Military Academy. Then, he went to Temple University. He played football for the Temple Owls football team. As a freshman in 2008, he played in 11 games. He recorded 13 tackles and one sack.
In 2009, as a sophomore, he started all 13 games. He made 58 tackles and six sacks. As a junior in 2010, Wilkerson had 68 tackles and 10 sacks. After this great season, he was named to the first-team All-MAC. He was also named the team's best defensive player.
Professional Football Career
Before the NFL Draft, experts thought Wilkerson was a hidden talent. After doing well at the NFL Combine, his chances of being drafted high went up. The NFL Combine is where college players show off their skills to professional teams.
Joining the NFL: New York Jets
The New York Jets picked Muhammad Wilkerson in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was the 30th player chosen overall. He was the highest player drafted from Temple University since 1987. On July 31, 2011, he signed a four-year contract with the Jets.
First Season: 2011
Wilkerson played his first NFL game on September 11, 2011. It was against the Dallas Cowboys. A week later, he got his first career sack. He tackled the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback in the end zone. This play resulted in a safety for his team. In 2011, Wilkerson started all 16 games. He had 49 tackles and 3 sacks.
2012 Season
On November 11, 2012, Wilkerson made a big play. He picked up a fumbled ball from Russell Wilson. He then ran it all the way for a touchdown. In 2012, he played in 16 games and started 15. He finished with 69 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles.
2013 Season
Wilkerson had a fantastic 2013 season. He recorded 63 tackles and 10.5 sacks. He was chosen for the second All-Pro team. This showed he was one of the best defensive players in the league.
2014 Season
In 2014, the Jets decided to keep Wilkerson for another year. During a game against the Green Bay Packers, he got into a scuffle. He was removed from the game. The NFL later fined him for his part in the fight. He played in 13 games that year. He finished with 56 tackles and 6 sacks.
2015 Season
In the last game of the 2015 season, Wilkerson got a broken leg. This happened against the Buffalo Bills. He had to leave the field. Even though the Jets did not make the playoffs, Wilkerson had a great year. He made 64 tackles and 12 sacks. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the first time. He was also ranked among the top 100 players in the NFL by his fellow players.
2016 Season
On July 15, 2016, Wilkerson signed a big new contract with the Jets. It was worth $86 million over five years. He played in 15 games in 2016. He finished with 58 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
2017 Season
In 2017, Wilkerson started having problems with the Jets. He was late for team meetings several times. Because of this, the Jets decided not to play him in some games. He was inactive for the last three games of the season. He finished the year with 46 tackles and 3.5 sacks. On February 28, 2018, the Jets released him from the team.
Time with the Green Bay Packers
On March 15, 2018, Wilkerson signed a one-year contract with the Green Bay Packers. This deal was worth $5 million.
On September 23, 2018, he suffered a serious ankle injury. This happened during a game against the Washington Redskins. A teammate accidentally hit his leg while trying to make a tackle. Wilkerson had surgery that same night. This injury ended his season early. He had five tackles before his injury.
Wilkerson became a free agent in March 2019. He was suspended for a short time in September 2020.
Personal Life
Muhammad Wilkerson is a Muslim.
