Charles Woodson

Renowned defensive football player Charles Woodson was born, in Fremont, Ohio. Woodson received Ohio's prestigious Mr. Football Award in 1994, thanks in part to an impressive rushing and scoring record while playing on his high school team. He was recruited by the University of Michigan and played cornerback and wide receiver for the Michigan Wolverines. His outstanding performances in game after game earned him national recognition. In 1997, as a junior, he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Wolverines in an undefeated season. He followed this up by becoming a first-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft, going to the Oakland Raiders. After his debut season, he was named Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. He appeared in the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. In 2006, he signed a 7-year contract with the Green Bay Packers. He played in his first and only Super Bowl in 2011 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Almost halfway through the game, he broke his collar bone in a successful attempt to stop a pass by the opposing team. Although forced to sit out the rest of the game, Woodson made an impassioned speech to his teammates at halftime and the Packers eventually won, giving Woodson the only championship title of his professional career. He returned to the Raiders in 2013 and remained with them until he announced his retirement from the sport in 2015 at the age of 39. The following season, he became a football analyst for "Sunday NFL Countdown" (ESPN, 1985-).