Stephen Cooper life and biography

Stephen Cooper (born June 19, 1979 in Wareham, Massachusetts) is an American football player who plays inside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers.

Cooper's Career

Cooper was the Chargers’ Ironman in 2009. He played more snaps (940) than any other player on the team, and led the squad in tackles (119) for the third-consecutive season. Late in the year, teammates selected him as their Most Inspirational Player. Cooper’s inspiration to lead extends well beyond the field. More than two years ago, he opened the doors of his San Diego home to his nephew, Mark Williams, who had also grown up in Cooper’s hometown of Wareham, Mass. Williams was struggling in school, straying from athletics, and according to his mother, spending too much time with the wrong crowd. His mother sent him to San Diego to live with Cooper, who in turn enrolled Williams at Mt. Carmel High School. After a rocky start in San Diego, Williams settled into his new environment and improved his grades. He also made a significant impact on the football field helping lead the Sundevils to the playoffs in 2009.

A former undrafted rookie and one of just a handful of players to make it to the NFL from the University of Maine, Cooper was the first member of his family to graduate from college. He had enrolled at Maine as a quarterback, but later switched to defense and went on to become the Atlantic-10 Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year at his new and current position, linebacker. Cooper would like to become a teacher and a coach when his playing career comes to a close.

Cooper has two sons, Koby and Kye King, and a daughter, Karis. The middle of five children, he often returns to Wareham to spend time with his family. Cooper is still a local legend in his hometown for quarterbacking Wareham HS to a Super Bowl championship in 1995. In 2006, the school retired his former No. 4 jersey during the Chargers’ bye week and Cooper was able to attend the ceremony.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed with Chargers, May 2, 2003…re-signed April 1, 2005 and March 23, 2006...signed five-year contract, Aug. 25, 2006.

2009: Chargers Most Inspirational Player....led team in tackles (119) and snaps played (940)...Game Ball for season-high 16-tackle effort Week 1 at OAK...set up first TD of game with 2Q tackle, FF and FR vs. Darren McFadden just one play after tackling him for two-yard TFL...early vs. CLE Dec. 6, broke up 3rd down pass with Browns leading 7-3 and driving to force 43-yard FGA that went WR...very next play, Chargers scored TD on 66-yard play for 10-7 lead they would not relinquish... another Game Ball Dec. 13 at DAL for huge 4Q tackle and FF that led to three-and-out and game-clinching FG on ensuing offensive possession...set up first TD for 7-0 lead in Wild Card playoffs vs. NYJ by forcing three-and-out with four-yard TFL on 3rd down.

2008: USA Today All-Joe...suspended Wks 1-4...season-high 16 TTs, including sack in Wk 6 NBC SNF win over NE…Chargers Alumni Defensive POM for November... INT career-high two passes, both in 2Q, during NFL Network Thursday Night game vs. OAK Dec. 4…first Chargers LB since Donnie Edwards (12/12/04 vs. TB) to INT two passes in game …helped hold OAK QBs to season-low 27.6 passer rating…2Q INT in end zone Wk 14 at KC to prevent potential score would loom large later as Chargers would overcome 21-3 deficit to rally and win 22-21 with two TDs in final 4:55 of 4Q…INT fourth pass in three games with 4Q pick at TB Dec. 21…pick came with Bolts up 27-24…led team with 10 TT in Jan. 3 Wild Card Playoffs vs. IND…game-high 13 TT in Jan. 11 Divisional Playoffs at PIT.

2007: Career-high 19 TT Wk 9 vs. IND on NBC’s SNF…16 TTs and FF at OAK Dec. 30…led team with 12 TTs in Wild Card win over TEN Jan. 6…paced squad with 18 TTs in Jan. 13 Divisional Playoff win over IND…led team with nine TTs and shared sack in 4Q of Jan. 20 AFC Championship Game at NE.

2006: Wk 3 at BAL, tackle and FF at one-yard line prevented TD...led team in TTs Dec. 10 at DEN, adding sack and two PBUs in open field…lone stop was 4Q TFL in AFC Playoffs vs. NE.

2005: Made critical play that didn’t show up on stat sheets in 26-17 win at IND Dec. 18…with Bolts hanging on to 19-17 lead in 4Q, pressured Peyton Manning into intentional grounding penalty at Chargers’ 23…on following play, Manning was sacked, moving Colts out of FG range and forcing punt… after punt, 83-yard TD run put game away for Bolts.

2004: Spelled injured Randall Godfrey vs. NYJ Sept. 19 and led team with nine TT including TFL, earning Chargers Alumni POW honors.

2003: First-career INT and 25-yard return Dec. 14 off Brett Favre...first-career sack at PIT Dec. 21.

COLLEGE: Atlantic-10 Defensive POY in 2002…George H. “Bulger” Lowe award from Gridiron Club of Greater Boston as top defensive football player in NE …All-America as junior and senior…Atl-10 Defensive POW after 3.5 sacks and five TFLs vs. Rhode Island…A-10 Co-Defensive POY as junior…school’s Roger Ellis Rookie of Year in ’99…A-10 Rookie of Week after James Madison game…finished career with 374 TTs, 57 TFL, seven INT and 25 sacks…played at Maine from 1999-02… mass communications graduate.

PERSONAL: Born in Wareham, Massachusetts…linebacker and quarterback at Wareham HS…Boston Globe and Boston Herald all-scholastic…school scoring record in basketball…lettered in track.

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