Dexter McCleon
Date of birth: | October 9, 1973 |
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Place of birth: | Meridian, MS |
Career information | |
Position(s): |
Safety Cornerback |
College: | Clemson |
NFL Draft: | 1997 / Round: 2 / Pick 10 |
Organizations | |
As player: | |
1997-2002 2003-2005 2006 |
St. Louis Rams Kansas City Chiefs Houston Texans |
Career stats | |
Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com |
Dexter Keith McCleon (born October 9, 1973 in Meridian, Mississippi) is an American football safety who currently is a free agent of the National Football League. He also played for the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs in his ten-year career that started in 1997. In addition to free-agency in the NFL, McCleon also is a volunteer assistant football coach at Meridian High School in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi.
Early years
McCleon was an All-American quarterback at Meridian High School in Meridian, Mississippi and was also a star baseball player there and got drafted in the 13th-round by the Minnesota Twins in the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft but decided to play college football in Clemson University as a cornerback.
College career
At Clemson, McCleon was a First-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference as a senior and got drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 1997 NFL Draft.
Professional career
St. Louis Rams
McCleon played with the Rams for six seasons, helping them reach Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 in which McCleon had seven tackles.
Kansas City Chiefs
McCleon signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in 2003 and started for two seasons. In 2005, McCleon played in eleven games as a nickleback, making twenty-one tackles and two interceptions. On March 10, 2006 the Chiefs cut McCleon in a salary cap cut move.
Houston Texans
McCleon was signed by the Houston Texans on April 1, 2006. There he had a good season as a corner for the Texans. He was released on May 24, 2007.
Personal
McCleon is somewhat remembered for referring to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots as "overrated" just before losing to them in the closing moments of Super Bowl XXXVI. Brady would end up being named Super Bowl MVP, and the Patriots would go on to win two additional Super Bowls in the next three years. Now he coaches for the Meridian Wildcats. They were the team to end the Longest Streak in history, that was held by the South Panola Tigers at 89-1.