LaVar Arrington

Infobox NFLretired
name=LaVar Arrington


width=
caption=
position=Linebacker
number=55, 56
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|6|20
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
deathdate=
debutyear=2000
finalyear=2006
draftyear=2000
draftround=1
draftpick=2
college=Penn State
teams=
* Washington Redskins (2000-2005)
* New York Giants (2006)
stat1label=Tackles
stat1value=415
stat2label=Sacks
stat2value=23.5
stat3label=Interceptions
stat3value=3
highlights=
* 2x All-American (1998-1999)
* Butkus Award (1999)
* Bednarik Award (1999)
* 3x All-Pro selection (2001, 2002, 2003)
* 3x Pro Bowl selection (2001, 2002, 2003)
nfl=ARR198645

LaVar RaShad Arrington (born June 20, 1978 in city-state|Pittsburgh|Pennsylvania) is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins second overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State.

A two-time All-American at Penn State, Arrington played six seasons for the Redskins and one season for the New York Giants. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro for the Redskins.

Early years

Arrington is widely considered one of the greatest high school football players ever to emerge from western Pennsylvania. As a senior linebacker and running back at North Hills Senior High School in Pittsburgh he was named the 1996 "Parade" National Player of the Year, the Bobby Dodd National Offensive Player of the Year, the Gatorade Player of the Year and "USA Today" Pennsylvania Player of the Year. He was only the second player in Pennsylvania Class 4-A history to rush for more than 4,000 career yards, with 4,357 on 711 carries (6.1-yard avg.) and 72 touchdowns. He played in the 1997 Big 33 Football Classic, the annual game between Pennsylvania and Ohio's best high school football players. cite web | url = http://www.big33.org/nflalumni.htm | title = NFL Alumni | publisher = Big33 website | accessdate = 2008-01-02 ]

Arrington was also a tremendous athlete in basketball and track and field. He was recruited to play basketball by Georgetown, UMass and North Carolina.http://www.psu.edu/sports/football/profiles/arrington.html]

College career

His career as a college football player at Penn State earned him numerous awards. He wore the number 11 in college. He was an All Big-Ten selection, twice a first team All-American, and he won the 1999 Chuck Bednarik and Dick Butkus awards for his defensive prowess. Among his many outstanding plays, he is most famous for a spectacular play that has come to be known as "The LaVar Leap". During a game against Illinois, Arrington anticipated the snap on a fourth-and-short play, leaping over the offensive line and tackling the runner in the backfield.

Highlight reel plays such as these, along with Arrington's appearance on the cover of the "Sports Illustrated 1999 College Football Preview Issue" led many to mention him as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate. cite web | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/news/1999/10/20/bigten_insider | title = Big Ten weaklings fighting back | publisher = CNN Sports Illustrated | last = Ambrogi | first = Mark | date = 1999-10-20 | accessdate = 2008-01-02] Arrington did finish 9th in the Heisman balloting that year. Arrington left Penn State after his junior season to enter the NFL draft.

Professional career

Washington Redskins

Arrington was drafted as the second pick overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins behind Penn State teammate Courtney Brown, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. Penn State is one of only two schools to ever have teammates go 1-2 overall in the NFL draft. The other is the University of Nebraska in 1984.

After four seasons with the Redskins, Arrington signed an eight-year, $68 million contract extension with his club. However, his agents, Carl and Kevin Poston, neglected to inspect the final revision of the contract, in which $6.5 million worth of bonuses contained in earlier drafts were missing. The ensuing battle over the mishandling of his contract, along with a tempestuous final two seasons in which he suffered from knee injuries and was benched by head coach Joe Gibbs and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for freelancing, created a rift between Arrington and the team. On March 5 2006, he asked to be released by the Redskins, in essence paying the Redskins over $4 million to buy his free agency.fact|date=March 2008 Carl Poston was given a two-year suspension by the players' union over the mishandling of Arrington's contract. fact|date=March 2008

New York Giants

In April 2006, Arrington agreed to a seven-year, $49 million contract with the New York Giants. Arrington suffered an injury in week 7 against the Cowboys and missed the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. On February 12 2007, he was released by the New York Giants. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-giants-arringtonreleased&prov=ap&type=lgns Yahoo! Sports - Sports News, Scores, Rumors, Fantasy Games, and more ] ]

Retirement

Initially Arrington's agent Kevin Poston insisted his client intended to play during the 2007 NFL season, saying "things could change at some point, but as of this moment LaVar is focused on playing."fact|date=March 2008 Rumor surfaced that Arrington was engaged in talks with the Redskins, but an April 18 2007, "The Washington Post" article by Jason LaCanfora reported that Arrington is rumored to be leaning strongly towards retirement. Arrington's serious motorcycle accident in June 2007, seemed to remove any doubt. A September 23 2007 "New York Daily News" article confirmed his retirement. [http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2007/09/23/2007-09-23_lavar_arrington_gives_first_interview_si.html LaVar Arrington gives first interview since near-fatal crash ] ]

As of September 19, 2008 LaVar Arrington appeared on Washington Post Live, a local newspaper television program in the D.C. area, and was told many emails were being sent to them each week asking if Arrington had thought about returning to the Redskins. When asked he mentioned at times he does get the urge to play again since he is only 30 years old. He also indicated he has not retired officially since he never filed retirement papers to the NFL.

Career statistics

Broadcasting career

Arrington debuted on Comcast SportsNet's September 23, 2007, pregame and postgame show, before the Redskins' week 3 loss to the Giants. He became a permanent member of the Comcast team on October 14 for the Green Bay Packers game.

He returned to Comcast SportsNet's on-air lineup for week 3 of the 2008 NFL season, appearing on the pregame and postgame shows, and on "Washington Post Live". Comcast will also feature a segment entitled “Life on the Sidelines with LaVar Arrington” during its "Redskins Kickoff" program on game days. cite web | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/09/15/daily81.html | title = Former Washington Redskins find new positions | publisher = Washington Business Journal | last = Plumb | first = Tierney | date = 2008-09-19 | accessdate = 2008-09-22 ]

Personal

Arrington lives in Anne Arundel County, Maryland with his wife Trishia. The couple has three children: daughter Marlee, born in December 2005, and twins, LaVar and Laila, born May 2007. cite web | url = http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070924/SPORTS01/109240071/1005/SPORTS | title = LaVar does guest shot at old digs | publisher = The Washington Times | last = Elfin | first = David | date = 2007-09-24 | accessdate 2008-01-02]

Arrington was named in honor of LeVar Burton, following his portrayal of Kunta Kinte in the 1977 television miniseries "Roots". He has an older brother, Michael, who played basketball at Slippery Rock University and a younger brother, Eric. His father, Michael, is an ordained minister retired from the military while his mother, Carolyn, is a special education teacher in the Pittsburgh public school system.

Arrington's 7,500 square-foot restaurant, The Sideline, in Landover, Maryland opened on January 30, 2008. cite web | url = http://www.pgchic.com/2008/02/02/lavar-arringtons-sideline-sports-bar-finally-open-in-largo-md-at-the-blvd/ | title = Lavar Arrington’s Sideline Sports Bar - Finally Open in Largo, Md. at The Blvd. | publisher = PG Chic (Prince George's County,MD) | date = 2008-02-02 | accessdate = 2008-02-02] On December 22, 2007, Arrington previewed the restaurant for 1,000 underprivileged children, who were treated to a holiday meal and donated toys. The event was the inaugural event of the Grand Destiny Foundation, a charity founded by Arrington with fellow NFL linebacker Ray Lewis. cite web | url = http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1990/04/04-20-90 cm/04-20-90 cm-2.asp | title = Lavar Arrington Kicks Off the Launch of Grand Destiny Foundation With a Holiday Toy Giveaway at His New Restaurant The Sideline | publisher = United Business Media | date = 2007-12-21 | accessdate = 2008-01-02 ]

Arrington appears in several televisions commercials for Eastern Motors with fellow athletes Carmelo Anthony, Clinton Portis, the late Sean Taylor, and Antawn Jamison. cite web | url = http://deadspin.com/sports/nfl/redskins-surprisingly-effective-car-salesmen-147412.php | title = Redskins Surprisingly Effective Car Salesmen | publisher = Deadspin (Gawker Media) | date = 2006-01-09 | accessdate = 2008-01-02 ] He also appeared on a 2002 episode of the TLC program "While You Were Out", where he helped redesign a room for his brother, Michael. Arrington was also a judge in ESPN's Dream Job.

Motorcycle accident

On June 18, 2007, Arrington was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in suburban Maryland. He was on the Route 50 offramp to the Capital Beltway. Arrington was rushed to Prince George's Medical Center, where he was in serious but stable condition. cite web |url=http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=59841 |title= Arrington Staying In Hospital After Motorcycle Crash | accessdate = 2008-01-02 | date =2007-06-18 | publisher = WUSA (TV), Washington, DC] Arrington sustained a broken right forearm, broken lower vertebrae, and deep cuts to his leg.

Arrington was issued two citations, one for failure to control speed to avoid a collision, the other for operating a vehicle without a class license that contributed to a crash.

References

External links

* [http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/187383 Official NFL Player Page]
* [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5031/career Lavar Arrington's Career Statistics @ sports.yahoo.com]
* [http://www.newyorkgiants.com/news/eisen/story.asp?story_id=15228 Giants Sign LB LaVar Arrington] New York Giants website, April 22, 2006
* [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/football/3813611.html "Arrington Supports His Agent in Court"] "The Houston Chronicle" April 23, 2006
* [http://www.pafootballnews.com/AllCenturyTeams.htm The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Team]
* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/ArriLa00.htm Lavar Arrington Stats]
* [http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2007/09/23/2007-09-23_lavar_arrington_gives_first_interview_si.html "Arrington gives first interview after near-fatal crash"] , "New York Daily News", September 23, 2007
* [http://www.thesidelineonline.com The Sideline] , Arrington's Landover, MD restaurant.
* [http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/684453.html Linebacker U] , Arrington's State College, PA restaurant.