Charles Woodson

Team Number:	21
Birth Date:	12/31/1969
Height:	3'1"
Weight:	200lbs.
Position:	Cornerback

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Charles Woodson was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an unrestricted free agent in May 2006, after spending the previous eight seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted by Oakland in the first round of the 1998 draft with the fourth pick overall. Woodson started all 16 games for the Packers in 2006 and ended the season tied for the NFC lead in interceptions, with 8. He led the Packers in passes defended and was the team’s punt returner for the first half of the season.

Entering the league in 1998 as a highly touted rookie, Woodson lived up to they hype by receiving the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 1998. He started every game for the Raiders for four consecutive seasons, until suffering an injury in 2002. Returning for the playoffs, Woodson intercepted an Elvis Grbac pass on the third play of the league championship, helping the Raiders to victory and a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII, which the Raiders lost.

Over the course of his career, Woodson has intercepted Elvis Grbac, Jon Kitna, and Kordell Stewart three times each, and has picked off Matt Hassellbeck and and Trent Green two times each. Woodson is a three time Pro Bowler, visiting Honolulu every year from 1999 to 2001.

Playing his college ball at the University of Michigan, Woodson started every game but one as a freshman and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. His freshman and sophomore seasons, he was named All-Big Ten First Team by coaches from the conference. His junior year, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, beating out runner-up Peyton Manning. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in the nation. Woodson led the Wolverines to a national championship that year, defeating the Washington State Cougars in the Rose Bowl. Though primarily a defensive back and punt returner, Woodson occasionally appeared in offensive sets.

Woodson was born in Fremont, Ohio, and played high school basketball and track, as well as football. He has participated in the Champions for Children’s Hearts celebrity golf tournament regularly, a fundraiser for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Woodson, a pro-bowl cornerback who is most respected, watched the Packers vs. Cowboys game from the sidelines. Having started in all but two games, he was most needed during that match up.

In his 14 games, he had 54 tackles, four interceptions and recovered a fumble. A tough nosed player, Woodson also returned over thirty punts. One of his interceptions and one of his fumbles were returned for touchdowns. His injuries for the year included a broken thumb, toe injury, and shoulder injury.

His play in the San Diego and Bears games where team highlights. He made defensive player of the week for his efforts on October 14th. As the years pass on, Woodson is coming close to breaking Packers records in the interception department. Signing Woodson for 2008 will be key to keeping the secondary to a top-notch level.

In the 2008 season, the 11 year NFL veteran continued to play hard for the Packers and earned the title of Pro Bowl starter, making it the fifth time in his career to play in Hawaii for the event. He started all 16 games of the season regardless of a toe injury he got during the season opener and posted seven interceptions throughout the season. He put down a career-high 79 tackles and was a team leader with 20 defensed passes. At the Detroit game in September, he made his third two-interception game of his NFL career even though he had missed the entire week of practice prior to the game due to injury. During the Dallas game, he stayed on fellow Pro Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens, only allowing him two receptions for under 20 yards, his lowest yardage output since November 2003. His great successes during this season make for an exciting 2009 season for Woodson.