Charles Gabriel Grant (born September 3, 1978) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He was selected by the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

in the first round of the

2002 NFL draft The 2002 NFL draft was the 67th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible professional football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted ...

. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The offic ...

. Grant was also a member of the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...

Omaha Nighthawks The Omaha Nighthawks were a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which played in the United Football League (2009–2012), United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010 UFL season, 2010. During ...

and

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

Early years

Played for Miller County High School in Colquitt, Georgia in 1998, where he was both an offensive and defensive player. He later played both offense and defense at

Hargrave Military Academy Hargrave Military Academy (HMA) is a private school, private, all-male, Military school, military boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia. Hargrave is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Chr ...

in 1998. Was a Parade Magazine 1997 All-American. He tied Herschel Walker's state single-season touchdown record with 45 in 1997 and added 3,472 all-purpose yards. Totaled 101 touchdowns in his three-year career at Miller County (Ga.) HS.

College career

Three-year letterman and two-year starter at the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

. Ended career with 136 tackles, 27 tackles-for-loss and 15 sacks. Sack total ranks sixth on the school's all-time list. Totaled 63 tackles and six sacks as a junior in 2001. As a freshman, recorded 33 tackles and seven sacks, while also seeing duty in offensive backfield, rushing for 79 yards and three touchdowns at fullback. Majored in arts and sciences

Professional career

New Orleans Saints

Grant was drafted by the Saints with the 25th pick overall in the

. The Saints acquired the pick that was used to draft Grant through a trade with the

that sent

Ricky Williams Errick Miron (born Errick Lynne Williams Jr.; May 21, 1977), known professionally as Ricky Williams, is an American former professional football running back who played for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one season in the ...

to Miami. Grant's seven sacks in 2002 were the fourth-highest total for a Saints rookie, and he recorded 20.5 sacks from 2003 to 2004. He was the second of two first-round picks (25th overall) for New Orleans in 2002, following wide receiver Donte' Stallworth (13th overall). He finished second with seven sacks for minus-40 yards, 36 tackles (32 solo), two passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Appeared in 16 games and started six at LDE. Finished tied for 20th in the NFC with seven sack total. Grant got a six-year extension with the Saints on July 27, 2002. After showing glimpses of his vast potential as a rookie, Grant came through with a big season and started all 16 games in 2003. He led the team with 10 sacks and three forced fumbles, and led the defensive line with 53 tackles (39 solo). He started all 16 contests for the second-straight season in 2004 and paced the defensive line with 113 tackles (69 solo) while posting a career-high 10.5 sacks. He also posted his first career interception. In 2005, he appeared in all 16 contests, starting 14 games at RDE, recording 62 tackles (44 solo), 2.5 sacks, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery. He bounced back from a relatively subpar season in 2006 with 6 sacks and 64 tackles (49 solo) in 16 games. He also collected 3 forced fumbles with 2 recoveries and 6 passes defensed. 2007 was Grant's worst season as a pro statistically, as he appeared in 14 of 16 games and compiled only 2.5 sacks to go along with 48 tackles (39 solo). He also chipped in with 2 passes defensed. Grant underwent surgery on a torn

ligament A ligament is a type of fibrous connective tissue in the body that connects bones to other bones. It also connects flight feathers to bones, in dinosaurs and birds. All 30,000 species of amniotes (land animals with internal bones) have liga ...

in his left ankle the 2007-2008 offseason. Grant apparently injured his ankle on October 28, 2007, but was able to return after missing two games. The severity of the injury was known by the Saints, but never discussed with the media, and Grant admitted that he was not as sharp after the injury. On December 2, 2008, he received a four-game suspension for use of a

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics ...

, which can be used a

masking agent A masking agent is a reagent used in chemical analysis which reacts with chemical species that may interfere in the analysis. In sports a masking agent is used to hide or prevent detection of a banned substance or illegal drug like anabolic ster ...

for

steroid A steroid is an organic compound with four fused compound, fused rings (designated A, B, C, and D) arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes t ...

use. It is believed that the diuretic was found in a weight-loss supplement that he had been taking. Charles Grant was due to be suspended for the first 4 games of the Saints' 2009 season, but the league has delayed suspension pending the outcome of a filed

litigation A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. ...

by Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

, who were also accused for using the same diuretic. After starting at left defensive end throughout the regular season, he went on injured reserve for the playoffs with a torn triceps. (He nevertheless received a

Super Bowl ring The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the team members of the winning team of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl ring offers a collectible memento for the actual players and t ...

in recognition of his role in the Saints' championship season.) Grant was released by the Saints on March 5, 2010.

Miami Dolphins

After he left the Saints, Grant briefly appeared on the roster of the

of the United Football League, but he did not actually join the team once it appeared that he could continue with an NFL career. Grant signed a two-year contract with the

on July 28, 2010. The Dolphins cut Grant on September 5, 2010.

Omaha Nighthawks

Grant signed with the

of the United Football League on September 21, 2010.

Chicago Bears

Grant signed with the

of the

on October 5, 2010. He was released on October 19.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Legal troubles

Grant was indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter stemming from a February 2008 altercation at a nightclub in which a pregnant woman was shot to death outside a

Blakely, Georgia Blakely is a city in and the county seat of Early County, Georgia, United States. As of 2020, its population was 5,371. It is located approximately halfway between Columbus, Georgia, Columbus and Tallahassee, Florida on U.S. Route 27 in Georgia, ...

nightclub. Korynda Reed, 23, and her unborn fetus died after being taken to the Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan after the fight early in the morning of February 3, 2008. Grant has said that he was neither an instigator nor a participant in the fight. Grant was arraigned on August 15, 2008. The criminal case was resolved in May 2010 when Grant pleaded guilty to a charge of public affray, he was assessed a $1,000 fine and a year's probation, and ordered to pay $20,000 for the cost of the investigation by the sheriff's office; the more serious involuntary murder charge was dismissed. Grant still faced a civil suit by the family of the victim."Ex-Miller, UGA, NFL star Grant reaches resolution in Early County involuntary manslaughter case"
''

The Albany Herald ''The Albany Herald'' is the daily newspaper for metro Albany in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is distributed in metro Albany and in southwest Georgia. The newspaper was founded in 1891. Offices for the paper were previously housed in the hist ...

'', May 8, 2010.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, Charles 1978 births Living people People from Colquitt, Georgia Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state) American football defensive ends Georgia Bulldogs football players New Orleans Saints players Miami Dolphins players Omaha Nighthawks players Chicago Bears players Hargrave Military Academy alumni