(regular season, playoffs) 2001 (15/0,1/0-TB), 2002 (16/2, 3/1-TB), 2003 (16/16-TB), 2004 (16/16-TB), 2005 (15/15-NO), 2006 (15/14). Total- 93/63, 4/1 (63/34-TB, 15/15-NO, 15/14-Minn.)
Veteran starter opened 61 of 62 he played from 2003-06…Part of the NFL’s #1-ranked defense in Tampa Bay in 2002 and never ranked below #6 in his 4 seasons with the Bucs…Opportunistic player has 14 interceptions over the past 4 seasons and 3 picks in playoff action over that span…Made name for himself in Super Bowl XXXVII with a pair of interceptions returned for TDs of 44 and 50 yards off former Vikings QB and current CBS analyst Rich Gannon…His 2 returns for TDs set a Super Bowl record…Started Super Bowl as a nickel back after starting 2 games as a nickel back during regular season…Grabbed opening 2 career interceptions at Atlanta (10/6/02)…Snared his 1st playoff interception in Divisional Playoff vs. San Francisco (1/12/03)…Posted career-best 5 interceptions in 2003 and had career-high 104 tackles in 2004…Played in Tampa Bay under Vikings assistant Joe Woods…Originally a 3rd-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2001 (#82 overall).
2006 Made a dramatic impact on the Vikings in his 1st season with the club…Played in 15 games and started 14 on the season…Signed as a free agent on July 26 after his release by New Orleans during the summer…Ranked 2nd on team with 98 tackles, the 2nd-highest tackle total of his career…Tied for the Vikings high with 4 interceptions and led the team with 81 return yards…The 4 interceptions are tied for the 2nd-most of his career…Played a key role in the Vikings that ranked #1 in the NFL against the run and ranked #8 overall, the highest total defense ranking since 1994 and only the 3rd time in team history ranking #1 against the run…Helped the Vikings rank #3 in the NFL with 36 takeaways…Had a season-best 2 interceptions vs. Arizona (11/26) when he picked off Matt Leinart twice, including the game-clinching pick in the end zone as the Cardinals drove on the final play of the game…Intercepted Jon Kitna at Detroit (12/10) and returned it 47 yards, the longest return of the season for the Vikings, and had his lone sack of the season when he caught Kitna…Grabbed his 1st INT of the season off Rex Grossman vs. Chicago (9/24) and returned the ball 30 yards to set up a Vikings FG…Set season-high with 11 tackles at Green Bay (12/21) and had a forced fumble…Recovered a fumble vs. New England (10/30) on Monday Night Football.
2005 Started all 14 games he played, starting 3 games at FS and 11 at SS…Part of a Saints defense that ranked 3rd in the NFL against the pass and 14th overall…Tied for lead among Saints DBs with 86 tackles and ranked 4th on team…Snared interceptions in consecutive games vs. Miami (10/30) and vs. Chicago (11/6) when he picked off Gus Frerotte and Kyle Orton…Returned his 2 interceptions 28 and 25 yards respectively…Had 1st career sack vs. Chicago (11/6) against Orton…Missed lone game of the season at St. Louis (10/23)…Part of the Saints’ tumultuous season that forced the team to be displaced to San Antonio, TX, as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
2004 Started all 16 games at SS…Ranked 5th on team with career-best 104 tackles…Tampa Bay ranked #5 in total defense in the NFL…Posted career-best 14 tackles vs. Carolina (12/26)…Notched interceptions vs. Kansas City (11/7) off Trent Green, vs. Atlanta (12/5) off Michael Vick and at Arizona (1/2/05) off Josh McCown…The game at Arizona (1/2/05) was his final game with the Bucs and he went out in style with 8 tackles, a pass defensed and an interception.
2003 Started all 16 games, opening 9 at FS, 6 at CB and 1 at SS…Bucs ranked #5 in the NFL in total defense…Led team with 5 interceptions on the season…Had a pair of interceptions at Atlanta (9/21) when he picked Doug Johnson twice…Notched 1st career start as a FS at Philadelphia (9/8) in the season opener…Recovered an onside kick vs. Atlanta (12/20).
2002 Started 2 and played in all 16 regular season games as team marched to Super Bowl XXXVII title…Helped Bucs to 12-4 mark and NFC South title…Started 1 of the 3 playoff games, opening Super Bowl at nickel back…Had 3 interceptions in the playoff run, including a Super Bowl record 2 for TDs of 44 and 50 yards in the Bucs win…Had INT against San Francisco in Divisional Playoffs…Part of Bucs’ #1-ranked defense in the NFL…Started 1st career game, at nickel back, in season opener vs. New Orleans (9/8)…Notched 1st and 2nd career interceptions in same game at Atlanta (10/6), picking off Falcons P Chris Mohr on a fake attempt and later in the game snared a pass away from Falcons QB Doug Johnson...His interception to preserve shutout at Chicago (12/29) at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IL was the 1st shutout against the Bears in a home game since 1982.
2001 Saw time in 15 games during his rookie season…Led team with 22 special teams tackles…Returned 16 kickoffs with a 22.2 avg…Had long KO return of 43 yards vs. Green Bay (10/7)…Had careerbest 4 special teams tackles vs. New Orleans (12/23) and posted 3 special teams stops and a fumble recovery on punt coverage at St. Louis (12/23).
Majored in business and organizational communications at Akron…Childhood friends with San Diego TE Antonio Gates...Interested in pursuing business career in real estate and trucking after football-playing days are over...Fan of Batman movies and has an extensive collection of movie memorabilia…Active in community outreach during his NFL career, working on the Student Advisory Board in Tampa Bay, pairing with Children’s Home of Tampa and the Make-A-Wish Foundation...Joined Vikings teammates at St. Paul’s American Indian Magnet School and helped students map out the playground the team built in June at the school.