Ricky Manning, Jr.

Infobox NFLactive


caption=Ricky Manning Jr. at the Chicago Bears 2007 Training Camp.
currentteam=St. Louis Rams
currentnumber=27
currentposition=Cornerback
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|11|18
birthplace=Fresno, California
heightft=5
heightin=9
weight=193
debutyear=2003
debutteam=Carolina Panthers
college=UCLA
draftyear=2003
draftround=3
draftpick=82
pastteams=
* Carolina Panthers (2003-2005)
* Chicago Bears (2006-2007)
* St. Louis Rams (2008-present)
status=Active
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Tackles
statvalue1=261
statlabel2=Sacks
statvalue2=3.0
statlabel3=INTs
statvalue3=14
nfl=MAN517093

Richard "Ricky" Manning, Jr. (born November 18, 1980 in city-state|Fresno|California) is an American football cornerback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.

Manning has also played for the Chicago Bears.

Early years

Manning played high school football at Edison High School in Fresno. [Fontana, Cyndee. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-112847027.html "Patriotic Exercise Fresno coach cheers his former player in defeat"] , "The Fresno Bee", February 2, 2004. Accessed November 15, 2007. "It's the ring that eluded Ricky Manning Jr. in 1998, when his Edison High School Tigers lost to Sanger in the championship game."]

College career

Manning started 45 consecutive games for UCLA, which ranks as the second longest streak in school history. His 13 interceptions tie him for seventh all-time among Bruin players. In addition, he made first-team All-Pac-10 for his last three years.

Professional career

Carolina Panthers

Manning was taken in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft by Carolina. His first pick came in only his second game, as he intercepted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Doug Johnson. With injuries to the secondary, Manning eventually took over a starting role. His first interception to be returned for a touchdown came against the New York Giants. But he will be forever remembered by Panther fans for his performance during the 2003-04 NFL playoffs. In the NFC Divisional game against the St. Louis Rams, Manning's timely interception of Marc Bulger set up the game-winning touchdown to propel the Panthers into the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. There, Manning made a permanent mark on Panther history by intercepting Donovan McNabb three times en route to the Panthers' victory. Manning became the first rookie to win Defensive Player of the Week honors twice in the same postseason, and the first player since Antonio Freeman in 1995.

During the Panthers' injury-riddled 2004 season, Manning helped anchor a defense that ranked first in the league in interceptions. Against the Rams, Manning and teammate Dan Morgan picked off two passes each, the first game where a pair of teammates had a pair of interceptions in three years.

Chicago Bears

Ricky became a restricted free agent in the following offseason, and the Bears signed him to an offer sheet on April 21. The Panthers declined to match the offer, so they will receive a third round pick from the Bears in the 2006 NFL Draft. Manning intercepted five passes during the 2006 season. He intercepted two passes from Matt Hasselbeck, and later returned an interception for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during week thirteen. He also had an interception during the Divisional Playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/gamelog?playerId=4540]

Manning saw minimal playtime during the 2007 season, and was used a nickleback. He has since been working with the team's third string defense, and tutored Danieal Manning, who was set to replace him as the team's nickleback. [http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=4940] [http://www.chicagobears.com/news/ChalkTalkStory.asp?story_id=4936] On 26 August 2008, the Chicago Bears released Ricky after a two-year career, [ [http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5050 "Bears release veteran cornerback Ricky Manning Jr."] , "ChicagoBears.com", 26 August, 2008. Accessed 26 August, 2008.] and much speculation that Manning would be cut or traded during the 2008 offseason. [ [http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1127642,manning082608.article "Bears release Ricky Manning, Jr."] , "Chicago Sun-Times", 26 August, 2008. Accessed 26 August, 2008.]

t. Louis Rams

On August 31, 2008, Manning agreed to terms with the St. Louis Rams. He officially signed the following day.

Personal

Arrests

On April 23, 2006, Manning attacked a man, Soroush Sabzi [http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=37279] , in a Denny's restaurant after teasing him for working on a laptop computer. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2419713] He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly fighting a man and eventually pled no contest to felony assault. Manning faced up to four years in prison because of a previous assault charge in 2002, for which he received probation.

According to the police report, Manning and former UCLA teammates, Tyler Ebell and Maurice Jones-Drew bullied a student sitting at another table. Manning confronted the student with "Are you a faggot?", "You f---ing Jew," and then called him "an ugly f---ing Jew" and a "faggot." The student asked to be left alone and the football players beat him unconscious. [http://www.nypost.com/seven/10012006/sports/the_story_that_tv_wont_dare_touch_sports_phil_mushnick.htm]

Two days before the incident the Bears had signed Manning to an offer sheet. In light of the assault charges, the Panthers declined to match Chicago's offer and so Manning signed a $21 million deal with the Bears two days later. In September 2006, Manning pled no contest to felony assault in exchange for another probation deal. Later, Manning proclaimed his innocence. He acknowledged having words with the victim then pushing him in the head—but after that, according to him, his former UCLA teammates did the damage. "Yeah, I did it" explained Manning (AP report). "If I don't plea to this I have to go through trial. We're in season now. Then I'd have to put it in the hands of a jury. There are tons of things that can happen with a jury... I just can't risk that."

Manning's previous 2002 assault charge resulted from a fight between Manning and bodybuilders Brian Herbert and Seth Spiker outside a Westwood bar. Originally charged with two counts of felony assault, Manning pled innocent to one count after the other was dropped. [http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=24264]

The NFL suspended him for one game for this incidentfact|date=August 2008.

References

External links

* [http://manning24.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player54.html Chicago Bears bio]
* [http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/players/68433/ St. Louis Rams bio]