NFL CAREER – A leader on the field and in the locker room, tireless in preparation and fierce while patrolling the middle, Vilma proved to be everything the Saints had hoped for in 2008 when the club traded for him prior to last season. Immediately inserted as a starter, he paced the club with 151 tackles – the most for a New Orleans defender since 1997. Vilma made an impact across the defensive stat chart, as he also recovered three fumbles, deflected eight passes, recovered a pair of fumbles, recorded a sack and intercepted a pass. Re-signing the sixth-year veteran was a priority for the Saints entering the offseason, and the club inked the 2005 Pro Bowl pick to a five-year deal hours after free agency opened. Vilma arrived in New Orleans after a four-year stint with the Jets, where he earned a reputation as one of the NFL’s top linebackers. After being selected 12th overall in 2004, he earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. After spending the previous two years working in a 3-4 defensive scheme with New York, last year he returned to his natural middle linebacker spot in the Saints’ 4-3 alignment. Though five seasons, Vilma has posted 611 tackles (412 solo), seven interceptions, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and 3.5 sacks. The former University of Miami standout has started 69 of 71 career games.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Re-signed by Saints to a five-year contract (UFA), 3/3/09; Acquired by Saints from New York Jets for a fourth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft (teams also exchanged conditional 2009 draft choices), 2/29/08; Placed on Injured Reserve, 10/27/07; Selected in first round by the Jets (12th overall) in 2004 NFL Draft.

HONORS – 2008: Ed Block Courage Award (vote by teammates); 2005: Pro Bowl; 2004: Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year; Football Digest Defensive Rookie of the Year; Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team; AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month (November).

2008 – Led or shared the team lead in tackles in 10 contests, and recorded double-digit tackle totals in eight games…With 151 stops (100 solo), had most tackles for a Saints defender since LB Winfred Tubbs had 160 in 1997…Set a career-high with two fumble recoveries, and added three forced fumbles, an interception, a sack and deflected a career-best eight passes…In Saints debut, had a team-high 12 tackles vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 7…Posted a season-high 17 tackles (12 solo) at Washington, Sept. 14, and two pass defenses, playing every defensive snap…Set up Saints’ first TD with a recovered fumble and notched eight stops vs. San Francisco, Sept. 28…In Weeks 5-7, would post 32 tackles and deflect a pair of passes…Oct. 26 vs. San Diego had 10 tackles (eight solo) and an interception with an eight-yard return. Interception at the New Orleans 10 ended a Chargers’ scoring opportunity…Had a dominating performance at Tampa Bay, Nov. 30, with seven stops (six solo), a sack, a tipped pass, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…Recovered a fumble and added nine tackles at Chicago, Dec. 11…Closed season with 13 stops (10 solo) vs. Carolina, Dec. 28. 2007 – Selected as a defensive captain by Jets teammates, he started seven games and made 39 tackles along with an interception before suffering a knee injury that landed him on injured reserve…Led the team with nine tackles at Buffalo, Sept. 30…Picked off an Eli Manning pass at NY Giants, Oct. 7…Placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, Oct. 27. 2006 – Started all 16 games at inside linebacker, recording 116 tackles, an interception and four pass defenses…Led the team in tackles with 12 at Tennessee, Sept. 10…Had 10 tackles and returned a fumble 12 yards Sept. 24 at Buffalo…Led team with 11 stops and had an interception in win vs. Detroit, Oct. 22…Forced a fumble and added nine tackles at Miami, Dec. 25. 2005 – Earned team MVP honors and a Pro Bowl berth as he led NFL with 187 tackles (143 solo), intercepted a pass, forced four fumbles, recovered a fumble and had four pass defenses…In Oct. 9 win vs. Tampa Bay, led team with 14 tackles and a forced fumble…Made nine stops and first INT of season at Atlanta, Oct. 24…Registered a career-high 18 tackles (14 solo), along with a forced fumble Nov. 20 at Denver…Notched a team-best 14 tackles and forced a fumble at New England, Dec. 4…His 17 tackles led team for the fourth straight week vs. Patriots, Dec. 26. 2004 – Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year with 118 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, four pass defenses, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery…Made first career start at Miami Oct. 3, tying for team-high with seven tackles…Recorded first career INT vs. San Francisco, Oct. 17, with 1:44 left to play to seal a victory…Recorded seven tackles, two pass defenses and returned an interception 38 yards for a TD in finale at St. Louis…Led team with 12 tackles and a sack in Wild Card victory at San Diego…Notched 17 tackles in the Divisional Playoff loss at Pittsburgh.

COLLEGE – Played in 47 games with 37 starts for the Hurricanes and recorded 371 tackles (234 solo), three sacks, seven fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and an interception…Three-time Academic All-Big East Conference and two-time Butkus Award nominee (semifinalist in 2002 and finalist in 2003)…Selected first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp as a senior, added second-team honors from the Associated Press...All-Big East and Academic All-Big East honors as a junior and senior…The University of Miami’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2002-03...All-Big East and Academic All-Big East as a sophomore.

PERSONAL – Two-year captain at Coral Gables (Fla.) HS, where he notched 138 tackles and 11 sacks as a senior, and was a Miami Herald Class 5A-6A All-Dade first-team selection…Majored in finance at Miami…Honored as a Hometown Hero and 2006 National United Way spokesman for NFL’s Lend a Hand campaign at United Way Gridiron Gala in 2007…Hosted a financial money management conference for NFL players called “Jonathan Vilma’s Financial 51”…Named Board Member of the National Football Foundation's “Play It Smart” program, designed to use football as a vehicle to foster academic, personal and career development of at-risk student athletes…Has given talks to numerous schools about success on the field and in the classroom, and the importance of a healthy lifestyle…Represented the Miami-Dade County Community Foundation and Jonathan Vilma Charitable Fund on an episode of Wheel of Fortune in 2006…Has his own website, www.jonvilma.com.