Brandon Siler life and biography

Brandon T. Siler (born December 5, 1985) is an American football linebacker for the San Diego Chargers in the NFL.

Siler made a lot of noise in 2009, turning in the best season of his career with a ferocious and bone-jarring style. He tallied career-highs in virtually every statistical category and asserted himself as a force in the Chargers' goal-line defense. This was no more evident than in the Bolts' December win in Dallas where Siler made the pivotal fourth-down stop to cap a goal-line stand in a game that San Diego would go on to win by three points

His stat line from the '09 season included 67 tackles, seven stops for loss, the first two sacks of his career and his first interception. He also continued his reign as one of the
Chargers’ top special teams players, racking up 11 stops.

It is often said that a young player can earn a spot on an NFL roster by excelling on special teams. As a seventh round pick, that was Siler's ticket. As a rookie, he led the
squad with 21 special teams tackles, seven more than the team’s second-leading tackler. In his second year, the only player with more tackles than Siler went to the Pro Bowl.

A three-time All-SEC choice at Florida, the Chargers may have made the steal of the 2007 NFL Draft when they selected Siler in the seventh round. A leader and team captain on the Gators' 2007 BCS national championship team, he elected to leave school early and make himself available for the NFL Draft following his junior season. An academic honoree for his work in the classroom, Siler studied criminology in Gainesville.

To get himself ready for the draft, Siler spent several weeks training with Baltimore Ravens All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis. And when draft day rolled around and Siler slipped to the seventh round, it was Lewis who called to offer words of encouragement. Lewis is a native of Lakeland, Florida, and attended the University of Miami, while Siler is from Orlando, less than an hour drive from Lakeland.

Siler also drew inspiration that day from his parents, Annette and Gerald Robinson. He credits them with giving him the strength to endure through difficult times like then one that he endured on draft day.

Siler and his wife, Pamela, had their first child, a son named Zion, in February.

Siler's grandfather, Herbert Siler, was a professional heavyweight boxer, who fought and lost to Muhammad Ali in a fourth-round knockout on Dec. 27, 1960 in Miami. The Ali bout was Siler's third career pro fight and Ali’s second. Siler, whose nickname was "Bolegs," finished his professional career with a record of 15-12.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Seventh-round pick (240th overall), April 29, 2007...signed four-year contract, July 25, 2007.

2009: Season-high four STTs Oct. 25 at KC...season-high 10 TTs, including TFL, in first-career start Nov. 8 at NYG... first-career sack Nov. 15 vs. PHI...Game Ball after 20-17 win Dec. 13 at DAL...10-yard sack sets up FG for 10-3 lead...one series later, keys four-down goal-line stand with stops at the one on first and fourth-down...Game Ball after first-career INT Dec. 25 at TEN.

2008: Chargers Alumni Special Teams POM for November…two-yard TFL in late 4Q goal-line stand in Nov. 9 win vs. KC…4th-and-goal TFL at one late in 1Q Nov. 16 at PIT…Nov. 30 vs. ATL, led late 2Q goal-line stand with 3rd and 4th-down tackles for NG…inj. foot pregame Dec. 21 at TB...played but DNF…INA Dec. 28 vs. DEN and Wild Card (foot)…stalled late 3Q drive in Divisional Playoffs at PIT with stops for NG on 3rd and 4th-and-goal from one.

2007: Special Teams All-Rookie special teams from PFW and PFWA…Oct. 7 at DEN, returns fumbled KOR 23 yards for TD…season-high four STTs Dec. 9 vs. TEN.

COLLEGE: Second-team All-SEC as junior and third-team as soph…Academic All-District III in ’05…SEC Frosh of Year by in ’04…only second true frosh at Florida to lead squad in tackles
(77)…first-team frosh All-America…SEC Frosh Academic Honor Roll…played at Florida from 2004-06…criminology major.

PERSONAL: Born in Daytona Beach, Florida…second-team all-state and 4.2 student at Evans HS in Orlando, Fla....MVP of 2003 California-Florida All-Star Game with two INTs.

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