Brandon Meriweather
Brandon Meriweather was born in Apopka, Florida, United States on January 14th, 1984 and is the Football Player. At the age of 40, Brandon Meriweather biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 40 years old, Brandon Meriweather has this physical status:
Brandon Meriweather (born January 14, 1984) is a former American football free safety.
He played college football at the University of Miami, and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Meriweather has also played for the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants.
Early years
Meriweather's mother gave birth to him when she was 13 years old. Meriweather started living with his adopted parents at age 11. He attended Apopka High School in Apopka, Florida, where he played high school football. He helped lead his school to the Florida Class 6A state championship as a senior in 2001. He started as a kick returner, returning four kicks for touchdowns as a senior. He also lettered in track and basketball.
College career
Meriweather earned an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Miami and spent with the Miami Hurricanes football team. He appeared in three games and had three total tackles before injuring his ankle, and was given a medical redshirt by the NCAA in 2002. Meriweather spent the majority of the season on special teams and in different nickel and dime boxes. He made his first appearance against West Virginia as a nickel back. He had 22 tackles, one interceptor, and five pass break-ups through the year.
Meriweather appeared in all 12 games of the 2004 season but only started seven due to a nagging shoulder injury. He had 62 tackles, a half-sack, two unforced fumbles, five pass break-ups, and two interceptions. He received the team's 2004 Hard Hitter Award.
Meriweather was named to the All-America squad by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 2005 and was also named first-team All-ACC in 2005. He was also a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He led the team with a career-high 115 tackles, seven pass break-ups, one dismissal, one football return, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions. For the second season in a row, he was named the team's Hard Hitter Award.
Meriweather was a member of the Playboy Preseason All-America Team in 2006 and was also on the Thorpe Award watch list for the second year in a row. Meriweather recorded 91 tackles, one arrest, eight pass break-ups, and one intercept. He was also a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, and was named first-team All-ACC and All-American. With 293, he left Miami with the most tackles by a defensive back.
Meriweather was called to the Senior Bowl at the end of the season.
Meriweather was a member of the 7th Floor Crew, a rap group made up of several members of the Miami Hurricanes football team, including Greg Olsen, Jon Beason, and Tavares Gooden. The group caused controversy when it was revealed that their sexually explicit rap songs had been criticized as misogynistic and profane.
On July 21, 2006, Meriweather was involved in a shooting incident when teammate Willie Cooper was fired in the buttocks. He returned fire and shot at the unidentified shooters three times in self-defense. He was not charged with a felony because his weapon was lawfully owned.
Meriweather was seen stomping on several Florida International players on the ground several times during the Miami-FIU brawl on October 14, 2006. Meriweather's participation in the incident was ultimately suspended by the ACC and Miami. He is said that his behavior during the brawl and the shooting incident may have caused his draft stock to fall.
Professional career
The New England Patriots selected Meriweather in the first round (24th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks traded Meriweather for Deion Branch, so the pick was used to select Meriweather. During his rookie year, the bulk of his time was spent on special teams, and he finished the season with 28 tackles. He appeared in Super Bowl XLII as the Patriots' fourth safety, alongside Rodney Harrison, James Sanders, and Eugene Wilson. Meriweather made his first career interception in Week 2 off New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre during his second season in 2008. Rodney Harrison, who started strong safety against the Denver Broncos in Week 7, has been playing in the final 11 games. Meriweather's first sacking in Week 14 caused him to stifle a late-game Seattle Seahawks rally and win the Patriots. He finished the season with 83 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions.
Meriweather had two interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of which was returned 39 yards for a touchdown, and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 7. He appeared in all 16 games and finished the 2009 season with 83 tackles and five interceptions, and was named to his first Pro Bowl as a replacement for the injured Jairus Byrd.
Meriweather did not join the Patriots base defense in the 2010 season, something Meriweather described as a coaching call as a result of his freelancing in the defense during training camp. Meriweather returned to his starting role in Week 4 after being dropped as a starter by James Sanders in Weeks 2 and 3.
Meriweather was suspended for a helmet-to-helmet collision against Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap in Week 6. Although Heap walked off the field and returned later this week, the blow, along with other helmet-to-helmet hits on defenseless receivers from NFL players this week, sparked controversies about player safety. When Meriweather was fined $50,000 for the assault, the NFL took action the following Tuesday. Following the game, the league announced that it would begin suspending players for serious hits, particularly those involving helmet to helmet strikes on defenseless receivers.
Meriweather played 68 tackles, three interceptions, and six passes blocked in 16 games (13 starts). Following the season, he was named to his second Pro Bowl.
Meriweather was fired by the New England Patriots after final cuts on September 3, 2011.
Meriweather signed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears on September 4, 2011. He was fined $20,000 for a helmet-to-helmet foul against Steve Smith in Week 4 of 2011 NFL season. He was suspended $25,000 for an unnecessary roughness penalty after a late game against the Detroit Lions this week. Tom Waddle, a former Bears wide receiver, has sluggishly chastised Meriweather's attacking tactic, saying that it does not have any concern for other players' safety.
On March 15, 2012, Meriweather agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Washington Redskins. He sustained a sprain in the medial collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in practice on September 3. He was supposed to make his 2012 season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4 after missing the first three games. During pre-game warmups, he was collaborating with Aldrick Robinson, and both were inactive for the game due to Meriweather's re-injuring his knee and Robinson's concussion.
In his game against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 18, he would make his Redskins debut in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, gaining one interception and several hard hitting tackles early in the game, but he was forced to leave early in the game due to a right knee injury in the second half. Meriweather sustained a right ACL tear on the first day and will miss the remainder of the 2012 season on injured reserve, which was confirmed on the next day.
Meriweather hit running back Eddie Lacy with a helmet to helmet collision in his 2013 debut against the Green Bay Packers, giving him a concussion after another helmet-to-helmet collision in his 2013 debut against the Green Bay Packers, as well as a concussion. He was fined $42,000 for the helmet-to-helmet collision on Lacy during the week two games. Meriweather was suspended for two unlawful hits on receivers, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, during a Week 7 match against the Chicago Bears. He was suspended for two games because of regular breaches of the league's helmet-to-helmet policy on October 21, 2013. His suspension was cut to one game two days later. Meriweather's $70,588 salary for that season was withheld as a result of his one-game suspension.
Meriweather made a remark to the public in late October 2013 that he would have to change his style of play. "I guess I just have to take people's knees out." That's the only way. I would hate to end a man's career due to a rule, but I suspect it's better for others than me to be suspended for longer. You only have to go low now, man. You've got to end people's lives. You've got to tear people's ACLs and messe up people's knees. You can't get them high anymore." Brandon Marshall's words against him being kicked out of the league were also criticized: "He seems like I need to be kicked out of the league." You know, I'm sure people who beat their girlfriends should be kicked out of the league, too. So, tell me who you'd rather have: Somebody who plays aggressive on the field or someone who beat up their girlfriend? You know, everybody has their own opinion, so here's mine, not his." Meriweather's remarks prompted the NFL to avoid disciplining him.
On March 17, the Redskins re-signed him to a one-year deal. The year is 2014. Meriweather was suspended for two games after the Redskins' third preseason game was called off for two days on August 25, 2014, a few days after the Redskins' third preseason game, due to an unlawful tackle on Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith. He had a good showing against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, which was a victory. He had two sacks, two compelled fumbles, and a fumble recovery after cornerback Bashaud Breeland stripped DeMarco Murray in overtime. On December 19, 2014, he was placed on injured reserve.
Meriweather and the New York Giants came to an agreement on August 16, 2015. He was released by the Giants on December 16, 2015. Meriweather was fired by the Giants on December 23, 2015.