D.J. Swearinger

NFL CAREER – Swearinger signed with New Orleans in Week 16 of the 2019 season to contribute on defense and special teams and will look to contribute on defensive packages and on special teams again in 2020.

NFL CAREER – Swearinger signed with New Orleans in Week 16 of the 2019 season to contribute on defense and special teams and will look to contribute on defensive packages and on special teams again in 2020. Originally a second round pick by Houston in 2013, Swearinger spent two seasons with the Texans has since made stops with Tampa Bay (2015), Arizona (2015-16, 2019), Washington (2017-18), Oakland (2019) and New Orleans (2019). Over his seven-year career, he has appeared in 99 contests and made 73 starts, compiling 398 tackles (308 solo), 4.5 sacks, 14 interceptions, 42 passes defensed, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and eight special teams stops. Most recently with Arizona, Oakland and New Orleans in 2019, Swearinger appeared in nine games with seven starts and collected 44 tackles (32 solo), three passes defensed and one assisted special teams stop.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Agreed to terms with the New Orleans Saints on a one-year contract, 3/23/20; Signed by the New Orleans Saints, 12/18/19; Waived by the Oakland Raiders, 12/10/19; Signed by the Oakland Raiders 11/9/19, 3/22/17; Released by the Cardinals, 9/30/19; Claimed by Cardinals via waivers from Washington, 12/25/18; Waived by Washington, 12/24/18; Signed by Washington (UFA-Arz.), 3/10/17; Signed by Cardinals (RFA), 4/18/16; Signed to active roster by the Arizona Cardinals, 12/18/15; Signed to practice squad by the Arizona Cardinals, 12/1/15; Waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11/17/15; Claimed via waivers by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 5/12/15; Waived by the Houston Texans, 5/11/15; Signed by the Houston Texans to a four-year contract, 7/25/13; Selected in the second round (57th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft by Houston Texans.

2019 – With Arizona, Oakland and New Orleans in 2019, Swearinger appeared in nine games with seven starts and collected 44 tackles (32 solo), three passes defensed and one assisted special teams stop....Made two consecutive starts beginning Nov. 17 vs. Cincinnati, where he led team with seven tackles (five) in his Raiders debut... Nov. 24 at New York Jets, recorded four tackles (three) and one pass defensed...Dec. 1 vs. Kansas City, registered four tackles…Made Saints debut in regular season finale at Carolina, Dec. 29, recording one assisted tackle, one pass defensed and one assisted coverage stop. 2018 – Started all 15 games in which he played for Washington, totaling 53 tackles and matching career-highs with two sacks, four interceptions, ten passes defensed and three forced fumbles…Sept. 16, vs. Indianapolis, picked off two Andrew Luck passes, which Washington converted into two scoring drives, for second-career multi-interception game...Oct. 14, vs. Carolina, strip-sacked Cam Newton and collected a season-high seven tackles...Oct. 21 vs. Dallas, forced and recovered a Dak Prescott fumble and had four tackles...Oct. 28 at New York Giants, Posted five tackles, had a season-high three passes defensed and added two interceptions...Nov. 18 vs. Houston, recorded his second sack and third forced fumble of season. 2017 – Named a defensive team captain in his first season with Washington...Started all 16 games for the first time in his National Football League career and set career-highs in total tackles (79), solo tackles (61), passes defensed (10) and interceptions (four)...Sept. 10, vs. Philadelphia, logged five tackles and one pass defensed in his Washington debut...Oct. 2, at Kansas City, recorded five tackles and a split-sack...Oct. 15, vs. San Francisco, registered six tackles (three solo) and a pass defense...Nov. 15, at Seattle, had three tackles and two passes defensed...Nov. 12, vs. Minnesota, picked off an attempted two-point conversion and nearly returned it for a score. Also collected five tackles, a career-high two interceptions and two passes defensed, his first multi-pick game...Nov. 19, at New Orleans, tallied six tackles, an interception and a pass defensed...Dec. 31, at N.Y. Giants, set career-highs in total tackles (11) and solo tackles (nine) and had his first forced fumble of season. 2016 – Played in every game in first full season in Arizona and started final 12, recording 63 tackles, three interceptions, eight passes defensed, two sacks, four tackles for loss, two QB hits and two special teams stops...Sept. 18, vs. Tampa Bay Picked off Jameis Winston on final play...Sept. 25, at Buffalo, collected three tackles on defense and two stops on special teams...Oct. 6, at San Francisco, had seven tackles, one sack and one pass defensed...Oct. 17, at N.Y. Jets, recorded four tackles, an interception and two passes defensed...Oct. 30, at Carolina, tallied a season-high seven solo tackles...Nov. 27, at Atlanta posted an interception to help set up a field goal before halftime...Tied a season best with seven solo tackles, one for loss and two passes defensed...Dec. 18, vs. New Orleans, notched three tackles, including one for loss...At L.A. Rams, 1/1/17, logged a 13-yard sack of Jared Goff in the fourth quarter and added five solo tackles, including one for loss. 2015 – Played in 11 games with the Buccaneers and Cardinals, finishing the season with 19 tackles, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a pass defensed…Totaled 11 tackles, one fumble recovery and a special teams tackle in seven games with Tampa Bay before being waived on Nov. 17...Signed to Cardinals practice squad on Dec. 1 and was elevated to active roster on Dec. 8...Played in last four games and both playoff contests…Dec. 10, vs. Minnesota, made Cardinals debut...Dec. 20, at Philadelphia, started as part of the nickel defense and had three tackles and a pass defensed...Recovered a fumble in the third quarter that led to a TD on the ensuing possession...Dec. 27, vs. Green Bay, forced a James Starks fumble on the first play of the third quarter that helped set up a Cardinals TD two plays later. 2014 – Played 16 games (12 starts) for Houston and collected 73 tackles, two interceptions, six passes defensed, one sack, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery...Sept. 7, vs. Washington, collected first career sack in opener and added eight tackles and a forced fumble…Sept. 14, at Oakland, notched a forced fumble and a fumble recovery...Sept. 28, vs. Buffalo, logged third forced fumble in the first four games...Oct. 26, at Tennessee, notched his first interception of season and returned it 25 yards to set up a field goal...Nov. 2, vs. Philadelphia, matched season-high with eight tackles…Dec. 7, at Jacksonville, posted second interception. 2013 – Played all 16 games and started final 10 as rookie for Houston, finishing with 67 tackles, an interception, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and four special teams stops...Sept. 9, at San Diego, had a tackle on defense and special teams in his NFL debut...Oct. 20, at Kansas City, collected five tackles in first career start...Nov. 10, at Arizona, recorded his first career interception...Dec. 29, at Tennessee, had a season-high 10 tackles and his first-career forced fumble.

COLLEGE – During his college career at the University of South Carolina, Started 33 of 52 games played and finished career with 244 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 16 passes defensed, six interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…Earned All-SEC as a senior in 2012 after starting 12 games and recorded 79 tackles, two interceptions (one TD return), two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery…Had career-high 80 tackles as a junior. Added three interceptions, three passes defensed and a forced fumble…Tallied 66 tackles, five passes defensed, one interception returned for a TD and one forced fumble as sophomore…Appeared in all 13 games and had 19 tackles as freshman...Majored in retailing business.

PERSONAL – Attended Greenwood (S.C.) HS...Played run-option quarterback, wide receiver and safety…Earned second-team All-State as senior with 904 yards and 12 TDs on the ground and 20 catches for 201 yards…Had 77 tackles, eight passes defensed and two forced fumbles…In April of 2019, hosted the first-annual D.J. Swearinger Celebrity Charity Basketball Game in his home state of South Carolina with proceeds from the event benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands. In April, donated lunches on Fridays throughout the month for youth in Greenwood to provide support during the coronavirus pandemic…Full name is Dayario Jamal Swearinger