Donnie Edwards
Encyclopedia
Donnie Edwards is a former American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft
. Edwards, who is of Mexican-American descent, played college football
at UCLA
.
Edwards has also played for the San Diego Chargers
.
, Donnie Edwards left school ranked third in tackles
for losses in school history with 38, and fifth in sacks
in the school's history, with 22.5 sacks. He also tied the school record for sacks in a game with 4.5 sacks versus Southern Methodist University
, and ranks second in school history for sacks in a single season, with 12.5 sacks. Following his junior year, he won third team All-America
honors. He also played baseball
as a junior at first base
and third base
.
Donnie is also a member of the Alpha Rho chapter of Zeta Beta Tau
fraternity at UCLA.
by the Kansas City Chiefs
.
with the Chargers. His first season with the squad, he made the 2003 Pro Bowl
as an alternate. He was a starter
for the Chargers since the time he joined the team. He averaged 157 tackles from 2003–2005, and has made 619 tackles from 1997-2005.
After recording half a sack against the Kansas City Chiefs in a week 7 game of the 2006 season
, Donnie Edwards became the 13th player in NFL history to become part of the 20/20 Club. He currently has 32.5 sacks and 361 interceptions. Edwards needs nine more interceptions to tie for the NFL record for most interceptions by a linebacker and ten to lead.
At the conclusion of the 2006 NFL season
, Edwards' contract was allowed to expire, making him a free agent.
Edwards was released by the Chiefs on February 24, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
. Edwards, who is of Mexican-American descent, played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
.
Edwards has also played for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
College career
At UCLAUCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, Donnie Edwards left school ranked third in tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
for losses in school history with 38, and fifth in sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
in the school's history, with 22.5 sacks. He also tied the school record for sacks in a game with 4.5 sacks versus Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, and ranks second in school history for sacks in a single season, with 12.5 sacks. Following his junior year, he won third team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors. He also played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
as a junior at first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
.
Donnie is also a member of the Alpha Rho chapter of Zeta Beta Tau
Zeta Beta Tau
Zeta Beta Tau was founded in 1898 as the nation's first Jewish fraternity, although it is no longer sectarian. Today the merged Zeta Beta Tau Brotherhood is one of the largest, numbering over 140,000 initiated Brothers, and over 90 chapter locations.-Founding:The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was...
fraternity at UCLA.
First stint with Chiefs
Edwards was drafted in the 4th round (98th overall) of the 1996 NFL Draft1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
San Diego Chargers
After leading the team in tackles for four seasons, he signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Chargers. His first season with the squad, he made the 2003 Pro Bowl
2003 Pro Bowl
The 2003 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 2003 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
as an alternate. He was a starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
for the Chargers since the time he joined the team. He averaged 157 tackles from 2003–2005, and has made 619 tackles from 1997-2005.
After recording half a sack against the Kansas City Chiefs in a week 7 game of the 2006 season
2006 San Diego Chargers season
The 2006 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. They finished the campaign as the #1 seed in the AFC ending the season at 14–2, best record in the NFL...
, Donnie Edwards became the 13th player in NFL history to become part of the 20/20 Club. He currently has 32.5 sacks and 361 interceptions. Edwards needs nine more interceptions to tie for the NFL record for most interceptions by a linebacker and ten to lead.
At the conclusion of the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, Edwards' contract was allowed to expire, making him a free agent.
Second stint with Chiefs
On March 10, 2007 Edwards re-signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after his five-year stint with the San Diego Chargers.Edwards was released by the Chiefs on February 24, 2009.