London Fletcher
Encyclopedia
London Levi Fletcher-Baker (born May 19, 1975) is an American football
linebacker
who has played for the Washington Redskins
of the National Football League
since 2007. Undrafted in 1998, he was signed by the St. Louis Rams
as a rookie free agent, where he spent four seasons. In 2002, he was signed to the Buffalo Bills
roster, where he stayed for five seasons. Fletcher is currently in his fifth year of his original 5-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins, where he also earned a $10 million signing bonus. Fletcher has never missed a game in his career.
in Cleveland, Ohio, and won varsity letters in football and basketball. He played on two state championship basketball teams.
(Blue Streaks), Fletcher played both basketball and football. As a senior, he had 202 tackles (a school-record) and was named the Division III National Linebacker of the Year. Fletcher also attended St. Francis University of Pennsylvania prior to transferring to John Carroll University. He was on the Men's Basketball Team at St. Francis.
as an undrafted free agent. He was one of the two rookie free agents to make Rams’ opening day roster, playing in all 16 regular season games, including the season finale at San Francisco. Fletcher earned the Rams Rookie of the Year Award.
In 1999, Fletcher led the Rams in tackles after winning the starting middle linebacker position during training camp. His 138 tackles for the season were the most by a Ram since Roman Phifer
collected 149 in the 1995 season. He also started at linebacker for the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV
, in which the Rams defeated the Titans 23-16. He also was named to the All-Madden team. In 2000, he again led the team with 193 tackles, eclipsing the old franchise mark of 185 set by LB Jim Collins in 1984. Fletcher earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career after making 14 tackles (9 solo) and tying a career-high with two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings
on November 10. He established season and career highs in sacks (5.5), interceptions (4) and quarterback pressures (9), along with a forced fumble.
In 2001, Fletcher earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. In a game against the San Francisco 49ers
on September 23, he led the team with a career-high 21 tackles, 15 solo. The second time was after his big performance against the New England Patriots
on November 18 as he led the team with 17 tackles with one pass deflection. He forced a fumble on the Rams’ three-yard line that led to a 97-yard scoring drive to end the first half and intercepted a Tom Brady
pass with 5:18 left in the third quarter for an 18-yard return. This season the Rams made the Super Bowl XXXVI
but were defeated by the Patriots 20–17, after kicker Adam Vinatieri
made a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.
alternate eight times though he never was actually a Pro Bowler as a Bill. Since 2002, Fletcher started all 16 regular season games for the Bills until his last season in 2006, when he Recorded a team-high 157 tackles, including nine for loss, set a career high with 14 deflections and tied a career high with four interceptions. On September 10, in the first regular season game, Fletcher scored his first career touchdown after recovering a fumble by the Patriots' Tom Brady
and returning it five yards for a touchdown only 12 seconds into the game. Fletcher was named a 2007 Pro Bowl
alternate in his last season as a Bill.
for five years and $25 million. He currently serves as a captain for the defense. Fletcher was named to the NFC squad in the 2010 Pro Bowl
after Jonathan Vilma's New Orleans Saints
qualified for Super Bowl XLIV
, his first Pro Bowl selection in his career. Fletcher was also one of three candidates for the 2009 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
, which was ultimately won by the Kansas City Chiefs
's Brian Waters
Fletcher made the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive time in 2010 and an interception in the Pro Bowl which set up a touchdown for the NFC. Fletcher is currently second among active players with 164 consecutive starts behind Ronde Barber
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who has played for the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
since 2007. Undrafted in 1998, he was signed by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
as a rookie free agent, where he spent four seasons. In 2002, he was signed to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
roster, where he stayed for five seasons. Fletcher is currently in his fifth year of his original 5-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins, where he also earned a $10 million signing bonus. Fletcher has never missed a game in his career.
High school years
Fletcher attended Villa Angela-St. Joseph High SchoolVilla Angela-St. Joseph High School
Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School is a private Roman Catholic high school located in Cleveland, Ohio. It is commonly abbreviated VASJ. It was formed by the 1990 merger of Villa Angela Academy and St. Joseph High School . It is run by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. The two religious orders...
in Cleveland, Ohio, and won varsity letters in football and basketball. He played on two state championship basketball teams.
College years
While attending John Carroll UniversityJohn Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
(Blue Streaks), Fletcher played both basketball and football. As a senior, he had 202 tackles (a school-record) and was named the Division III National Linebacker of the Year. Fletcher also attended St. Francis University of Pennsylvania prior to transferring to John Carroll University. He was on the Men's Basketball Team at St. Francis.
St. Louis Rams
Fletcher began his professional career with the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
as an undrafted free agent. He was one of the two rookie free agents to make Rams’ opening day roster, playing in all 16 regular season games, including the season finale at San Francisco. Fletcher earned the Rams Rookie of the Year Award.
In 1999, Fletcher led the Rams in tackles after winning the starting middle linebacker position during training camp. His 138 tackles for the season were the most by a Ram since Roman Phifer
Roman Phifer
Roman Zubinsky Phifer is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He is currently the assistant linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Phifer's documentary film Blood Equity was released in November, 2009.Phifer played for the New...
collected 149 in the 1995 season. He also started at linebacker for the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
, in which the Rams defeated the Titans 23-16. He also was named to the All-Madden team. In 2000, he again led the team with 193 tackles, eclipsing the old franchise mark of 185 set by LB Jim Collins in 1984. Fletcher earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career after making 14 tackles (9 solo) and tying a career-high with two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on November 10. He established season and career highs in sacks (5.5), interceptions (4) and quarterback pressures (9), along with a forced fumble.
In 2001, Fletcher earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. In a game against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
on September 23, he led the team with a career-high 21 tackles, 15 solo. The second time was after his big performance against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on November 18 as he led the team with 17 tackles with one pass deflection. He forced a fumble on the Rams’ three-yard line that led to a 97-yard scoring drive to end the first half and intercepted a Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
pass with 5:18 left in the third quarter for an 18-yard return. This season the Rams made the Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
but were defeated by the Patriots 20–17, after kicker Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
made a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.
Buffalo Bills
He also was selected as a Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
alternate eight times though he never was actually a Pro Bowler as a Bill. Since 2002, Fletcher started all 16 regular season games for the Bills until his last season in 2006, when he Recorded a team-high 157 tackles, including nine for loss, set a career high with 14 deflections and tied a career high with four interceptions. On September 10, in the first regular season game, Fletcher scored his first career touchdown after recovering a fumble by the Patriots' Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
and returning it five yards for a touchdown only 12 seconds into the game. Fletcher was named a 2007 Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
alternate in his last season as a Bill.
Washington Redskins
On March 2, 2007, he signed with the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
for five years and $25 million. He currently serves as a captain for the defense. Fletcher was named to the NFC squad in the 2010 Pro Bowl
2010 Pro Bowl
The 2010 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV...
after Jonathan Vilma's New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
qualified for Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, his first Pro Bowl selection in his career. Fletcher was also one of three candidates for the 2009 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
, which was ultimately won by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
's Brian Waters
Brian Waters
Brian Demond Waters is an American football guard for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1999 out of the University of North Texas...
Fletcher made the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive time in 2010 and an interception in the Pro Bowl which set up a touchdown for the NFC. Fletcher is currently second among active players with 164 consecutive starts behind Ronde Barber
Ronde Barber
Jamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
.
Personal
- Prior to the 2006 season, he adopted the "Baker" to his last name to honor his late grandmother.
- Fletcher and his wife Charne have two children, a daughter, Paige, who was born during the 2007 offseason and a son, Cortland Steele, who was born July 22, 2008.
- in 2008, the Redskins nominated Fletcher as their Walter Payton Man of the Year AwardWalter Payton Man of the Year AwardThe Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
representative. - In 2007, he was named co-winner of the B.J. Blanchard Award, along with quarterback Jason CampbellJason CampbellJason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, an honor given annually to a Redskins player who best helps the local media do their jobs. - Has been named a Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
Alternate nine times. He made his first Pro Bowl after the 2009 season via replacing Jonathan Vilma, due to prepping for the Super BowlSuper Bowl XLIVSuper Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
. Fletcher once considered himself the NFL version of Susan LucciSusan LucciSusan Victoria Lucci is an American actress and entrepreneur, best known for portraying Erica Kane on the daytime drama All My Children. The character is considered an icon, and Lucci has been called "Daytime's Leading Lady" by TV Guide, with New York Times and Los Angeles Times citing her as the...
, who won a Daytime Emmy in 1999 in her 19th attempt.