Shawne Merriman: From the NFL Gridiron to the MMA cage

If NFL fans blinked, they might have missed Shawne Merriman, figuratively and literally. His dynamic athleticism made him one of the most feared linebackers in the league for a few years. However, his “Lights Out” nickname also describes the brevity of his career, which only lasted eight seasons. Since retiring, Merriman has focused his attention on mixed martial arts.

Shawne DeAndre Merriman’s story begins in Upper Marlborough, Maryland in the 1980’s. His family home was lost not once, but twice to fires, making stability hard to come by as a boy.

He had no choice but to get a job as a teenager to help support his household, but managed to find enjoyment playing sports.

Merriman began to make a name for himself at Frederick Douglass High School, as he zeroed in on ballcarriers thunderously. His physicality got him noticed around the country, but he was insecure about his living situation.

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Merriman was nervous about having college coaches visit him at home due to the financial troubles his family faced, even though his stock was soaring.

Merriman was a nightmare assignment for offensive linemen, as he was too quick for larger players to stay in front of, and too strong for more nimble players to contain. It became pretty clear that Merriman had a bright future ahead of him, and would be the anchor of someone’s front seven in the NFL.

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The San Diego Chargers selected Merriman with the 12^th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and he was a stud from day one.

He took home Defensive Rookie Of The Year honors in his first season, and recorded 39.5 sacks in his first three seasons with the team. Merriman was on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

Merriman's rising stock did not excuse him from traditional duties as a rookie NFL player. In an appearance on the "NFL Players, Second Acts" podcast in October 2023, the former linebacker claimed that he had to pay $32,000 to settle a dinner bill for his veteran teammates. The stunning figure has received a lot of attention from NFL fans.

At the time, no one would have believed that Merriman would only post six more sacks for the rest of his career. He dealt with knee ligament issues that hampered his effectiveness in subsequent years.

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The league also suspended him for four games in 2006 for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Merriman spent the final two years of his career with the Buffalo Bills.

Even though his playing days ended in 2012, Merriman’s competitive desire remained fueled by watching others in different arenas. He came up with the idea to help develop and promote mixed martial arts fighters through a startup venture.

Merriman said that he’s always had a passion for boxing, and wanted to help athletes looking for a different avenue to success.

As a business owner, Merriman has been exposed to different responsibilities than the ones he had as an NFL player. It’s been a crash course in logistics, marketing and operations, but the former NFL linebacker has welcomed the new challenge.

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He is hopeful that UFC will look favorably upon his brand and give some of his fighters opportunities down the road.

Despite being out of the NFL for over a decade, Merriman still follows the league closely. Naturally, he spends a lot of time focused on the progress of the Chargers, and hopes they can contend in the near future. Some of Merriman’s fighters have actually been former football players looking to cut their teeth in the MMA world.