Shawne Merriman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shawne Merriman

Merriman in 2023
No. 56
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1984-05-25) May 25, 1984 (age 41) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	261 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school:	Douglass (Upper Marlboro, Maryland)
College:	Maryland (2002–2004)
NFL Draft:	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12
Career history
San Diego Chargers (2005) Buffalo Bills (2010)
Career highlights and awards
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2005) First-team All-Pro (2006) Second-team All-Pro (2007) 3× Pro Bowl (2005–2007) NFL sacks leader (2006) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2005) San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team First-team All-ACC (2004)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 258 Sacks: 45.5 Forced fumbles: 8 Fumble recoveries: 4 Pass deflections: 20 Interceptions: 1
Player stats at PFR

Shawne DeAndre Merriman (born May 25, 1984) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). People called him "Lights Out" because of his powerful plays.

He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. The San Diego Chargers picked him 12th overall in the 2005 NFL draft. In his first year, he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He made 39.5 quarterback sacks in his first three seasons. He was also chosen for three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams.

Later in his career, injuries made it hard for him to play. The Chargers released him in 2010. The Buffalo Bills then signed him, but injuries continued to limit his playing time. He retired from football at the end of the 2012 season.

Early Life and High School Football

Shawne Merriman grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He got his famous nickname "Lights Out" while playing at Frederick Douglass High School. This was because he was known for making very strong tackles.

He played three years on both the football and basketball teams. In basketball, he was one of the top defenders in the D.C. area. For football, he was named the Maryland Defensive Player of the Year in his senior year. He also played a little bit of tight end in high school.

College Football Career

Merriman celebrates a sack during a 2004 game.

Merriman chose to stay in Maryland for college. He played for the University of Maryland's football team, the Maryland Terrapins. In his first year in 2002, he played in 13 games. He finished third on the team with 5 sacks.

He dealt with some injuries during his second year. However, he still played in every game. In his junior year, he became a national star. He was named to the ACC All-Conference team. He also won the "Iron Terp" award for being the strongest player on the team.

Playing in the NFL

Joining the San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers picked Merriman in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He was the 12th player chosen overall. The Chargers got this pick from the New York Giants in a trade.

On August 1, Merriman signed a five-year contract with the Chargers.

First Season: 2005

Merriman started his 2005 rookie year on the inactive list. He joined the starting lineup in week 7. He quickly recorded 6 sacks in his first four games as a starter. He was voted into the Pro Bowl as an outside linebacker.

One of his best games was in week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Chargers gave the Colts their first loss of the season. Merriman had 2 sacks and stopped Peyton Manning for a big loss. This game helped him get a lot of attention.

On January 4, 2006, Merriman won the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He played in the 2006 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. He made 3 tackles and forced a fumble.

Second Season: 2006

Merriman during the 2006 season.

In October 2006, it was reported that Merriman would be suspended for four games. This was for violating the NFL's policy on certain substances. This incident led to a new rule. The rule states that a player who tests positive cannot be chosen for the Pro Bowl or win awards in that year. This rule is sometimes called the "Merriman Rule."

After his suspension, Merriman continued to play well. He recorded 3 sacks and an interception in his first two games back. In the 2006 regular season, Merriman led the entire league in sacks with 17.5. He did this while playing in only 12 games. He also forced 4 fumbles.

Merriman finished third in voting for the 2006 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. He was known for a special dance he did to celebrate his sacks. After the Chargers lost in the playoffs, some opposing players did his dance. Merriman's teammate, LaDainian Tomlinson, said this was disrespectful.

Third Season: 2007

In 2007, Merriman said he would no longer do his sack celebration dance. However, in week 4, he did the dance again. He said his teammates wanted him to do it to help cheer up the fans.

Merriman finished the season with 68 total tackles and 12.5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row. By this point, he had 39.5 sacks in just three seasons. This was more than any other player from 2005 to 2007.

Injuries and Later Seasons with Chargers

Merriman sat out most of the 2008 NFL season due to injury.

During the 2008 training camp, Merriman had a knee injury. Doctors told him he might need surgery. Merriman decided to try and play through the injury at first. However, on September 9, he decided to have knee surgery. This meant he missed the rest of the 2008 NFL Season.

In the 2009 season, Merriman had a painful foot injury and continued knee problems. He only had four sacks that season.

In 2010, the Chargers kept Merriman on their team. However, he re-injured his calf early in the season. On October 13, the Chargers placed him on injured reserve. He was later released by the Chargers on November 2, 2010. He had only four sacks in his last three seasons with San Diego.

Time with the Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills signed Merriman after he was released by the Chargers. On November 10, Merriman hurt his Achilles tendon during his first practice with the Bills. He was placed on injured reserve for the rest of that season.

He signed a new contract with the Bills in January 2011. However, on October 25, 2011, Merriman was again placed on the Injured Reserve list. This was for another Achilles tendon injury. He finished that season with nine tackles and one sack in five games.

In 2012, Merriman changed positions from outside linebacker to defensive end. The Bills released him on August 20. However, they signed him again on October 15, 2012.

Retirement from Football

On March 5, 2013, Shawne Merriman announced that he was retiring from professional football.

NFL Career Statistics

Other Activities and Appearances

Shawne Merriman has appeared in various media and pursued other interests. He was on an episode of MTV Exposed. In 2007, he was chosen as the cover athlete for the NFL Tour video game.

He also made appearances in WWE wrestling events. He was a pre-show analyst for WrestleMania XXX in 2014. Merriman also appeared on Cartoon Network's Destroy Build Destroy. He was also part of PETA's "Ink Not Mink" campaign. This campaign encourages people not to wear animal furs.

In 2017, he was on MTV's The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros. He played to support his charity, the Lights On Foundation. In 2018, he appeared as an NFL analyst on FS1. He also started his own mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion called Lights Out Xtreme Fighting in 2019.