Brandon Meriweather was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (24th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft ... Signed by the Patriots (7/28/07).
View Brandon Meriweather's Career Statistics >>
GP/GS (Playoffs): 40/19 (3/1)
- Meriweather played in all 32 games with 11 starts over his first two NFL seasons with the Patriots (2007-08) and totaled 95 tackles (70 solo), four interceptions, 12 passes defensed and 29 special teams tackles entering 2009.
- Meriweather led the Patriots with four interceptions in 2008, tying the highest total for a Patriots safety in a decade, dating back to when Lawyer Milloy had six interceptions in 1998.
- Meriweather finished third on the Patriots with 79 tackles (57 solo) in 2008, a total that led all of the team's defensive backs.
- Meriweather's nine passes defensed in 2008 ranked second on the team and his 11 special teams tackles tied for third.
- Meriweather was one of just four NFL defensive backs with at least two interceptions, two sacks and two forced fumbles in 2008, joining Arizona's Adrian Wilson, Minnesota's Antoine Winfield and Philadelphia's Quintin Mikell.
- As a rookie in 2007, Meriweather played in every game and tied for second on the team with 18 special teams tackles.
- Meriweather made his first career start in Super Bowl XLII, opening the game as the Patriots' fifth defensive back.
2009 (8/8/0/0): Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his two-interception performance in Week Seven action versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium (10/25) ... Led the team in tackles twice (vs. BUF, vs. BAL) and tied for the team lead twice (vs. ATL, at DEN) ... Established a single-game career high with 12 tackles at the Denver Broncos (10/11) ... Set a single-game career high with two interceptions, while also registering his first career touchdown off of a pick in the Patriots' 35-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10/25).
Buffalo (9/14): Started at strong safety and led the team in tackles with eight in the Patriots' 25-24 comeback victory over the Bills ... Dropped Fred Jackson for a 4-yard loss in the third quarter ... Made initial contact, disrupting Leodis McKelvin's fourth-quarter kickoff return, allowing Pierre Woods to force a fumble that would be recovered by Stephen Gostkowski and set up the Patriots' game-winning touchdown drive ... Led the team with nine tackles (6 solo). at N.Y. Jets (9/20): Started at strong safety versus the Jets ... Dropped Leon Washington for a 3-yard loss in the fourth quarter ... Tallied three tackles in coverage. Atlanta (9/27): Started at strong safety and tied for the team lead in tackles in the Patriots' 26-10 win over the Falcons ... Led the secondary with six tackles (4 solo) ... Registered one special teams tackle. Baltimore (10/4): Started at strong safety in the Patriots' 27-21 victory over the Ravens ... Disrupted a Joe Flacco pass intended for Derrick Mason in the end zone during the second quarter, preventing a Ravens touchdown ... Broke up a Flacco pass intended for Kelley Washington in the third quarter ... Tied a single-game career high with two passes defensed ... Led the team in tackles with nine stops (5 solo). at Denver (10/11): Started at strong safety and tied for the team lead with 12 tackles (6 solo), setting a single-game career high ... Dropped Knowshon Moreno for a 1-yard loss on a first-quarter carry ... Tallied one special teams tackle. Tennessee (10/18): Made the start at strong safety as the Patriots tied the largest margin of victory by any team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger in a 59-0 shutout over the Titans ... Stood up LenDale White to force a fumble on a second-quarter carry that was recovered by Jonathan Wilhite, setting up a Patriots touchdown drive ... Registered four tackles (2 solo) while notching his third pass defensed of the season. at Tampa Bay (10/25): Started at strong safety and registered his first career touchdown while picking off two passes in the Patriots' 35-7 victory over the Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium ... Read the eyes of Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson and stepped in front of his intended pass for Sammie Stroughter for his first interception before racing 39 yards up-field for his first career touchdown during the first series of the game ... Picked off Johnson a second time on the following series, nabbing a pass intended for Michael Clayton with a 31-yard return ... Became the first Patriots defender to register two interceptions in a game since Asante Samuel did so versus Philadelphia (11/25/07) ... Made four tackles (2 solo). Miami (11/8): Started at strong safety in the Patriots' 27-17 win over the Dolphins ... Teamed with Adalius Thomas to drag down Pat White for a 1-yard loss on a third-quarter rush ... Registered two tackles in coverage along with two special teams tackles, tying for the team lead.
2008 (16/11): Led the Patriots with four interceptions, tying the highest total by a Patriots safety since Lawyer Milloy had six interceptions in 1998 ... Ranked third on the team with 79 tackles (57 solo), a total that led all Patriots defensive backs ... Finished second on the team with nine passes defensed ... Tied for third on the team with 11 special teams tackles ... Played in every game and started the final 11 games of the season at safety after opening-day starter Rodney Harrison was placed on injured reserve ... Collected his first NFL interception at the N.Y. Jets (9/14), picking off a Brett Favre pass ... Played in reserve as the nickel back at San Francisco (10/5) and pulled down his second interception of the season with an acrobatic catch on his back, grabbing a J.T. O'Sullivan pass intended for Delanie Walker ... Made his first regular-season NFL start at San Diego (10/12) ... Started at safety and collected his team-leading third interception of the season, picking off a Jay Cutler pass intended for Darrell Jackson against Denver (10/20) ... Led the secondary with six tackles while starting at strong safety at Indianapolis (11/2) ... Started at strong safety and led the secondary with a career high 11 tackles (7 solo) against the N.Y. Jets (11/13) ... Snared his fourth interception of the season, picking off a Chad Pennington pass intended for Anthony Fasano at Miami (11/23) ... Led the secondary with eight tackles against Pittsburgh (11/30) ... Started at strong safety at Seattle (12/7) and ensured the Patriots' victory with his first career sack and forcing a fumble on a 7-yard sack of Seneca Wallace ... Tied for the team lead in tackles with nine and tied a season high with two passes defensed ... Twice stopped Maurice Morris for a 3-yard loss ... Blindsided Matt Leinart on a 12-yard sack, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jarvis Green, for his second strip-sack in three weeks against Arizona (12/21) ... Started at strong safety and contributed five solo tackles in the Patriots' shutout win over Buffalo (12/28).
2007 (16/0/0/0): Played in all 16 regular-season games in his first pro season... Appeared in his first NFL game in the Patriots' 38-14 win over the Jets in the season opener on Sept. 9, 2007... Led the team with four special teams tackles in the Patriots' 38-35 win over the New York Giants on Dec. 29.
at N.Y. Jets (9/9): Made NFL debut in Patriots' 38-14 win over the Jets... Played in reserve at safety, making his first NFL tackle in the fourth quarter on Jets receiver Justin McCareins... Registered three special teams tackles on coverage units. San Diego (9/16): Played in a reserve role at safety and registered one solo tackle... Saw action on special teams coverage units and tallied one special teams tackle. Buffalo (9/23): Played in a reserve role as nickel back and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 38-7 victory... Registered three (1 solo) tackles. at Cincinnati (10/1): Played in a reserve role as nickel back and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 34-13 victory... Registered three solo tackles in addition to one special teams tackle... Stood up T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a loss of one yard helping to slow down a Bengals' fourth quarter drive that resulted in a field goal. Cleveland (10/7): Played in a reserve role on special teams coverage units and recorded one special teams tackle in the Patriots' 34-17 win over the Browns. at Dallas (10/14): Saw action at safety and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 48-27 victory over the Cowboys... Tied for the team lead with two solo special teams tackles. at Miami (10/21): Played in reserve as nickel back and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 49-28 victory over the Dolphins... Contributed two solo tackles in coverage and one special teams tackle. Washington (10/28): Saw action in reserve as the nickel back and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 52-7 victory over the Redskins... Did not record a tackle. at Indianapolis (11/4): Played in reserve as the nickelback and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 24-20 comeback victory over the Colts... Made one special teams tackle. at Buffalo (11/18): Played in reserve in nickel and dime packages and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 56-10 rout of the Bills... Contributed one solo tackle and one special teams tackle. Philadelphia (11/25): Played in reserve as the nickelback in the Patriots' 31-28 win. at Baltimore (12/3): Played in a reserve role as the nickel back in the Patriots' 27-24 comeback victory over the Ravens... Collected his first career pass defensed, knocking down a long Kyle Boller lob for Derrick Mason late in the fourth quarter... Tied for the team lead with two special teams tackles. Pittsburgh (12/9): Saw action on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 34-13 victory over the Steelers. N.Y. Jets (12/16): Played in reserve at cornerback and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 20-10 win over the Jets... Batted down a Chad Pennington pass intended for Brad Smith in the fourth quarter... Made one special teams tackle. Miami (12/23/07): Saw significant time as the nickel back in the Patriots' 28-7 victory over the Dolphins... Tallied two tackles in coverage with a pass defensed... Knocked down Cleo Lemon's deep lob intended for Marty Booker in the fourth quarter. at N.Y. Giants (12/29): Saw significant time as the nickel back and on special teams coverage units as the Patriots became the fourth team in NFL history to finish its regular-season undefeated with a 38-35 comeback victory over the Giants... Led the team with four special teams tackles... Made three tackles (2 solo) in coverage.
2007 Postseason (3/1/0/0): Jacksonville (1/12): Played in a reserve role as the nickel back and on special teams coverage and return units in the Patriots' 31-20 win over the Jaguars... Made one solo tackle in coverage along with a quarterback hit... Made one solo special teams tackle. San Diego (1/20): Played in reserve as the nickel back and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 21-12 win over the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game... Made four tackles (2 solo) and two special teams tackles... Dropped Darren Sproles after just a 1-yard gain in the open field on a swing pass from Philip Rivers in the second quarter. N.Y. Giants (2/3): Made his first NFL start as the fifth defensive back in the Patriots' nickel defense that opened up Super Bowl XLII... Made three solo tackles and registered a pass defensed... Broke up a pass intended for David Tyree in the fourth quarter.
Holds the Miami career-record for defensive backs with 293 tackles ... His 182 solo tackles broke the old Miami all-time record for safeties that was held by Bennie Blades (155, 1984-87) ... His 77 solo tackles in 2005 broke the old Miami season-record for safeties that was first set by Daryl Reeh (68 in 1971) ... Became the first defensive back to ever lead the Hurricanes in tackles in a season (115 in 2005) ... Started 21 games at strong safety, six at free safety, two at right cornerback, one at left cornerback and one at nickel back during his career.
Brandon Meriweather was born January 14, 1984 ... Attended Apopka (Fla.) High School ... Led his school to the Florida Class 6A state championship as a senior in 2001 ... As a kick returner, he scored four times as a senior and played sparingly at quarterback in the school's option offense ... On defense, he registered 115 tackles, six interceptions and four touchdowns ... Played in the Florida-Georgia All-Star game and was named captain of the defense ... Served as Apopka High's team captain ... In addition to football, he lettered in track and basketball ... Participated in the 2008 Salvation Army Holiday Party at Gillette Stadium with nearly 250 children from the Boston and Providence Salvation Army centers ... Was a liberal arts major at Miami ... Brandon has a daughter, Morgan.
- Brandon's hard-hitting style of play at the University of Miami earned him the colorful nicknames "The Hit Stick", "Hit-em-up", and "B-Ware."
- Brandon says that he would be a high school algebra teacher and football coach if he weren't playing in the NFL.
|
