Shawne Merriman life and biography

Shawne DeAndre Merriman (born May 25, 1984 in Washington, D.C.) is an American football outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the NFL.

Merriman returned to the field in 2009 following major knee surgery and while he continued to recover and also fight through new injuries, he continued to provide his usual strong effort and leadership.

Merriman was forced to deal with foot and groin problems that plagued him for most of the '09 season. On top of that, teams elected to either double-team or chip him when he rushed the passer, or they chose to run away from him when keeping the ball on the ground. Merriman found other ways to disrupt opponents’ offenses. He led the team with 20 quarterback pressures and helped 16 different players record sacks for the Bolts.

Loved in San Diego and loathed throughout the rest of the NFL, Merriman is best known for his "Lights Out" nickname and dance that follows sacks and big plays. It’s a moniker he was given during his sophomore year in high school after he knocked four players out of a single game during the first half. Merriman was such a ferocious hitter in high school that his own coaches wouldn't let him participate in contact drills with his teammates in practice. On his right forearm is a tattoo of a light switch in the off position and the words "Lights Out."

Merriman is a workout fanatic who spends countless hours in the gym and his regimen incorporates boxing and martial arts skills. Merriman’s uncle, Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan, is a professional super middleweight fighter who owns a professional record of 19-2 with 12 wins by knockout. Merriman spends part of his offseason living in Los Angeles, where he's been known to work out at the world-famous Muscle Beach at Venice Beach, or run the hills of the famed Mulholland Drive above L.A.

While Merriman is one of the NFL's most feared players on the field, he's one of the most caring off of it. Even though coaches relegated him to a side field during prep practices, Merriman still maintains close ties with his alma mater, Douglass High School. He bought the school new uniforms and personally purchased a whirlpool and other equipment for the football program. He also speaks to Eagles Head Coach J.C. Pinkney on a regular basis. Douglass High retired Merriman’s No. 44 in 2006.

After the Witch Creek fire devastated San Diego in 2007, Merriman helped a local couplethat lost their home to get back on their feet. Merriman and his Lights Out Development construction company rebuilt the home of Josh and Kristy Mellow in just 56 days. Three months after the fires were extinguished, Merriman joined the Mellows for a tour of their new two-story home. Having lost his own home to fires twice during his childhood, Merriman was sympathetic to the Mellows' plight.

Fire was one of many hardships Merriman endured as a youth. Merriman and his mother spent many nights in homeless shelters in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Because of that, Merriman has contributed from his own earnings to support homeless shelters in San Diego and Los Angeles. He’s also hosted events that have raised more than $200,000 for the Salvation Army and the Alpha Project. Both organizations later paid tribute to Merriman for his support of the homeless. Other organizations that have benefitted from his generosity include Feeding America and Stand Up For Kids.

Another element of Merriman’s work with the homeless is a coat collection drive at the University of Maryland. He started the drive while a student-athlete at the College Park, Maryland campus. Every year Merriman attends a Terrapins basketball game where he collects thousands of donated coats for the homeless. The Community for Creative Non-Violence Shelter in Washington D.C. has been one of the main beneficiaries of the coat drive.

In recent years, Merriman has visited wounded U.S. soldiers at the Bethesda and Walter Reed Hospitals in Washington D.C., and in 2006 he helped Habitat for Humanity rebuild homes in and around New Orleans that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: First-round pick (12), April 23, 2005…signed five-year contract, Aug. 2, 2005.

2009: Selected to Chargers 50th Anniversary All-Time Team...Game Ball after season-high two sacks Nov. 1 vs. Oakland, including one on Raiders’ final drive...Game Ball week later at NY Giants after two 4Q sacks, including one to seal victory on game’s final play.

2008: Placed on IR Sept. 10 (knee).

2007: Pro Bowl...second-team AP All-Pro…All-NFL by USA Today Sports Weekly…two sacks, FF, TFL and PBU Wk 2 vs. NE on NBC SNF…30th-career sack Wk 4 vs. KC...second-youngest to 30(Terrell Suggs) and second-fastest (tied,Derrick Thomas, 31 games)…SI.com Defensive POW for 2.5 sacks Wk 6 vs. Oakland...AFC Defensive POW and AP POW for season-high three sacks, along with FR and TFL, in 24-10 win at KC Dec. 2…two sacks Dec. 9 at Tennessee to become sixth player in NFL history with three straight 10-sack seasons to open career (Reggie White, Dwight Freeney, Thomas,Jevon Kearse and Anthony Smith...joined Leslie O’Neal as only Chargers with three-plus 10-sack seasons...left Titans’ game in 2Q (knee)…INA (knee)Dec. 16 vs. Detroit…12.5 sack at Oakland Dec. 30 was 39.5 of career for eighth on team’s all-time sack…early 2Q of Jan. 6 Wild Card vs. Tennessee, blew up Chris Brown at SD 11 for tackle and FF…team-high two TFLs in Jan. 13 Divisional Playoff win at IND...late 4Q, ended Colts’ potential GW drive by pressuring Manning into INC on 4th-and-goal from seven and Bolts leading 28-24.

2006: Pro Bowl…first-team All-Pro by AP, SI, Sporting News, USA Today Sports Weekly, PFW and PFWA, and ESPN.com PFW & PFWA All-AFC…Chargers Defensive POY…NFL.com All-Interview...Chargers Alumni POW for three sacks and TFL Sept. 11 at Oakland…first-career INT Wk 2 vs. Tennessee…Defensive POW by USA Today and SI.com for three sacks Oct. 29 vs. St. Louis…suspended Wks 8-11 for violating NFL substance SI.com Defensive POW abuse policy…two sacks, two FF and PBU in Dec. 3 return at Buffalo for …two sacks, two FF and own FR vs. Denver Dec. 10...late 4Q sack, FF and FR at Broncos' seven led to LaDainian Tomlinson’s NFL-record 29th TD on following play…AFC Defensive POW for 3.5-sacks in 27-20 win at Seattle Dec. 24…17th sack of season Dec. 31 vs. Arizona clinches NFL sack title…4Q sack in Divisional Playoffs vs. NE…started Pro Bowl.

2005: Pro Bowl…NFL Defensive ROY by AP, SI.com, PFW and PFWA and SD Union-Tribune…NFL ROY and All-Pro by Sporting News…SI and SI.com All-Pro…All-Rookie by PFW and PFWA and NFL.com…Fox Sports Howie Long Tough Guy...INA Wk 1 vs. Dallas (knee)…sack in move into starting lineup at Philadelphia Oct. 23…Diet Pepsi NFL ROW for two sacks in 48-10 win vs. Buffalo Nov. 20…Defensive POW by AFC and SI.com, ESPN NFL Prime Time Game Ball and FOXSports.com Rookie of Week for hand in three sacks and three TFLs in 26-17 win Dec. 18 vs. 13-0 IND.

COLLEGE: All-America and All-ACC as junior...ACC POW following Clemson game in ’04…ACC Rookie of Week after '02 UNC game…finished career with 189 TT, 22 sacks, 32.5 TFLs, 27 pressures, 10 PBUs, four FFs and three FRs…played at Maryland from 2002-04…criminal justice major.

PERSONAL: Born in Washington, D.C.…all-time leader at Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland with 443 TT…Maryland Defensive POY, All-America and allstate
as senior...started three years on basketball team.

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