| No. 51 New Orleans Saints | |
| Linebacker | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: April 16, 1982 | |
| Place of birth: Coral Gables, Florida | |
| Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | Weight: 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: Miami | |
| NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12 | |
| Debuted in 2004 for the New York Jets | |
| Career history | |
As player:
|
|
| Roster status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2009 | |
| Tackles | 668 |
| Sacks | 5.5 |
| INTs | 10 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Jonathan Polynice Vilma (born April 16, 1982 in Coral Gables, Florida) is an American football linebacker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the New York Jets 12th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.
Contents |
Early years
Vilma attended Coral Gables High School where he was a teammate of Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore. During his dominant reign in high school, Vilma was offered scholarships to the University of Miami, Florida State, Florida, Pittsburgh and Iowa. He eventually chose the University of Miami.
University of Miami
2000 season
In 2000, Vilma played in all 11 games as a reserve middle linebacker and compiled 38 tackles (29 solo) and a pass deflection.
2001 season
After the graduation of Dan Morgan, Vilma stepped into the starting middle linebacker role and played an integral role on the Hurricanes' National Championship team. He led the team in tackles with 79 (54 solo) and compiled two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery for a 36-yard touchdown, three pass deflections and an interception. He started 11 of 12 games during the regular season and was selected on the First-Team All-Big East team.
2002 season
Vilma led the team in tackles with 133 (75 solo), and had two quarterback sacks, a forced fumble, recovered two fumbles, (returning one for a touchdown) and broke up five passes. He earned unanimous first-team All-Big East selection for the second time in his career and was semi-finalist for the Dick Butkus Award, along with teammate D.J. Williams.
2003 season
In his final year, Vilma led the team in tackles for a third time with 127 (81 solo), with one sack, forced one fumble, and recovered three fumbles. Vilma ended the year as a finalist for the Butkus Award.
Along with his success on the field, Vilma was a three-time Academic All-Big East Conference. He received a Bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Miami's School of Business Administration.
Professional career
Combine
- 4.54 40 Yard Dash
- 37 Inch Vertical
- 23 Bench Reps
- 6.67 Three-Cone Drill
- 4.20 Short Shuttle
- 10-foot-1 Broad Jump
New York Jets
Vilma was drafted by the Jets with the 12th selection in the 2004 NFL Draft.
2004
In 2004, Vilma was named as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. During his rookie campaign, he recorded 108 tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions, including one which was returned for his first NFL touchdown.
2005
In 2005, Vilma led the NFL in tackles with 173, forced four fumbles, notched one fumble recovery, half a sack, and one interception. Vilma also replaced Zach Thomas at the 2006 Pro Bowl.
2006
In 2006, Vilma put together another solid season. He compiled 114 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception.
2007
On October 27, 2007, Vilma was placed on injured reserve.He suffered a season ending knee injury during the New York Jets week 7 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.[1] Vilma was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in high school, a bone defect that can cause instability and loose particles in the joint, and this is a possible cause behind his season-ending injury in 2007.[2]
New Orleans Saints
On February 29, 2008 the Jets traded Vilma to the New Orleans Saints for a 4th round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and a conditional pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.[3] Jets then-head coach Eric Mangini stated that Vilma wouldn't fit in his defensive scheme, and instead decided to start linebackers Eric Barton and David Harris.
In his first season with the Saints, Vilma was a bright spot on a weak defensive unit. Vilma played in all 16 games, and recorded 132 tackles with one sack.
On January 16, 2009, Vilma was arrested for reckless driving and resisting arrest.[4] The charges were dropped by Miami prosecutors on February 25, 2009.[5]
On February 27, 2009, Vilma signed a 5 year, 34 million dollar contract with the New Orleans Saints.[6]
Career statistics
| Year | Team | G | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | INT | INT YDS | FF | FR | PD | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | NY Jets | 16 | 108 | 2 | 5.5 | 3 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 2005 | NY Jets | 16 | 173* | 0.5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 2006 | NY Jets | 16 | 114 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2007 | NY Jets | 7 | 43 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2008 | New Orleans Saints | 16 | 132 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0 | |
| Totals | 71 | 567 | 3.5 | 13 | 7 | 79 | 8 | 6 | 25 | 1 |
- *NFL Leader[7]
Personal Life
Vilma is a spokesman for Under Armour and WaterBank of America USA Inc.[8]
On March 31, 2009 two Liberian men were killed in a Long Island condominium owned by Vilma. Police believe that the victims may have been part of a black money scam, where the perpetrators claim that cash smuggled from overseas -- stained black to avoid detection -- can be purchased at a discount; in reality, what they offer is a trunk full of worthless paper. Vilma is not considered a suspect, and his connection to the two men is unknown.[9]
References
- ^ "Chicago Sun Times". http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/624331,CST-SPT-nflnt28.article. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
- ^ Litsky, Frank (2007-11-14). "Jets’ Vilma Speaks, a Little, About His Knee and Surgery". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/sports/football/14jets.html. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ny-spjets0229,0,4306016.story
- ^ http://www.fox8live.com/www/NewsItem.aspx?NewsID=6085
- ^ Miami Charges Dropped Against Vilma Yahoo Sports, February 25, 2009
- ^ http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/02/27/saints-reach-agreement-with-vilma/
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ 2 Slain in Vilma-Owned Condo ESPN, March 31, 2009
External links
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Terrell Suggs |
AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2004 |
Succeeded by Shawne Merriman |
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
||||||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
