![]() However, injuries once again limited Merriman (this time to his calf and Achilles), and in October the Chargers placed Merriman on injured reserve with a " minor-injury designation." In 2010, after Merriman expressed reservations about his future in San Diego, the Chargers placed a first and third-round tender on him that Merriman signed after a brief holdout. In 2009, Merriman returned to the field, but between the balky knee and a nagging foot injury he clearly wasn't the same player, managing only four sacks in 14 games. That's a theme that would resound through the rest of Merriman's playing days. However, Merriman made it through only one game before pulling the plug, undergoing surgery and being placed on season-ending injured reserve. Merriman at first tried to play through the injury, stating according to the Associated Press via ESPN that "If you give a football player a decision to play, you know, I'm going to play." Little did anyone know that Merriman would post only six more sacks over the rest of his career.īefore the 2008 season, tests revealed a pair of torn ligaments in Merriman's knee. Had he not been suspended that season Merriman all but certainly would have won Defensive Player of the Year honors, and after he once again hit double-digits in 2007 with 12.5 sacks it appeared that his suspension would be an unfortunate footnote in an otherwise stellar career. Merriman served his suspension, and despite only playing in 12 games in 2006 he paced the National Football League with 17 sacks. Both the initial A sample and backup B sample came back positive, Mortensen reported. ![]() Merriman's positive test was "definitely for steroids … not one of those supplement deals," said a source with knowledge of Merriman's suspension earlier Monday. Merriman claimed that the positive test was a result of a tainted nutritional supplement, but sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen at the time that the cause of Merriman's suspension was something entirely different. In October of 2006 it was announced that Merriman would be suspended for four games as a result of a violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy. It's at this point that the lights first started to flicker on Merriman's career. He also gained fame as "Lights Out", in reference to his high school nickname and the celebratory dance he performed after each sack. Merriman picked up right where he left off in 2006, racking up 5.5 sacks in the Chargers' first five games. Despite not cracking the starting the lineup until Week 7, Merriman finished his first NFL season with 57 tackles and 10 sacks, taking home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. When Merriman came into the NFL back in 2005, it appeared that he was set on a path that would one day end with enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Ī first-round pick of the San Diego Chargers out of the University of Maryland, Merriman wasted no time making an impact. I retire today not because I don’t feel I can go out there and still play the game at a very high level, I am retiring because I want to retire on my own terms and leave while I know I can still physically play the game.” “My retirement from the game I love so much and from the game that has brought me so many opportunities on and off the field has been decided with great thought for my future on and off the field. “After a lengthy discussion with my agent, family and team, I have officially decided to put in my retirement papers today,” Merriman wrote on his personal website. The 28-year-old Merriman made it official on his website, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Yet that's exactly what happened with outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, who announced his retirement on Tuesday after eight NFL seasons. The linebacker retired from the NFL in 2013.It's rare for a player in the National Football League to enter and instantly become a dominant force on defense, only to fade into obscurity nearly as quickly as he arrived. The filing also references a prior settlement between Merriman and Under Armour on March 11, 2015, that states the brand will “cease all use of, and will not register in the future, the term Lights Out as a trademark, service mark, or other source identifier to identify apparel products.” Under Armour plans to defend the case,” the brand said. Merriman’s claims and find them without merit. In an email to FN today, Under Armour responded to Merriman’s allegations. ![]() Merriman, according to the filing, acquired a series of trademarks for “Lights Out” in 2007. The suit states the “Hit the Lights” usage is confusingly similar to and infringes on the Lights Out trademark. The filing also alleges that Under Armour is marketing the Curry Lights Out Sneakers in other mediums, such as a mobile “Lights Out” game, and a line of shirts with the phrase “Hit the Lights” on them. NFL Releases First Pride Capsule in Collaboration With Kenzo’s Former Creative Director Humberto Leon
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