Charles Tillman

This article is about American football player Charles Tillman. For the pioneer of southern gospel music, see Charles Davis Tillman.

Charles Tillman

No. 33     Chicago Bears
Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth: February 23, 1981 (1981-02-23) (age 30)
Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	Weight: 198 lb (90 kg)
Career information
College: University of Louisiana
NFL Draft: 2003 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35
Debuted in 2003 for the Chicago Bears
Career history
Chicago Bears (2003-Present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Ed Block Courage Award (2009)[1]
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2011
Tackles	675
Sacks	2.0
INTs	28
Stats at NFL.com

Charles "Peanut"^[2] Tillman (born February 23, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was selected with the 35th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.

Early years

Tillman was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent a majority of his youth traveling around the world. His father, a sergeant in the United States Army, was frequently stationed in different locations, ranging from Ohio to Germany.

Tillman attended eleven different schools during his youth, but eventually graduated from Copperas Cove High School in Texas.^[2] During his time at the school, Tillman was a two-time All-District 8-5A and all-area team selection. The Austin American-Statesman and All-State Class 5A honorable mention named him to the Super Cen-Tex team.

He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He started for all four years as a left cornerback.

Professional career

The Chicago Bears selected Tillman in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, making him the draft’s 35th overall pick. He became a starter after working very hard, and recorded 83 tackles and four interceptions during his first year with the Bears. However, an injury during his sophomore year temporarily grounded his career. Tillman rebounded the following year, recording 93 tackles and five interceptions. His efforts helped the Bears establish the league's best defense in 2005.^[2]

In 2006, Tillman was the Bears’ leading tackler among defensive backs, recording eighty tackles. He also intercepted five passes (tying for a team high with Ricky Manning Jr) and forced one fumble. One of the low notes for his season came when he missed the team’s final games due to a back injury.^[2] Tillman was involved in a notable incident with Plaxico Burress before a prime-time game against the New York Giants. Days before the game, Giant's receiver Plaxico Burress claimed that the Bears' secondary was "average" and "very beatable".^[3] Tillman responded by holding Burress to only eleven yards and even intercepting a pass during the game.^[4] Many Bears' fans believe that Tillman should have been voted to the 2007 Pro Bowl, as he recorded more interceptions and tackles than DeAngelo Hall and Ronde Barber.^[5]

The Bears signed Tillman to a six-year deal on July 24, 2007.^[6] On December 8, 2007, Tillman was nominated as finalist for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes players who have performed extensive charity work.^[7]

On November 22, 2009, during a Sunday Night Football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tillman forced a career-high three fumbles in one game, two of which were recovered by the Bears.

During the 2009 season, Tillman recorded two interceptions, including one that was returned for a defensive touchdown. He recorded six forced fumbles, the second most in the League.[1] During a Monday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 28, 2009, Tillman collided with Bears safety Craig Steltz while attempting to tackle Visanthe Shiancoe. The impact of the collision cracked some of Tillman's ribs and bruised one of his lungs. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, and released two days later.^[8]

Personal life

Tillman often makes appearances on Fox Chicago Sports shows. Many followers of the network may be familiar with his comical antics and segments. He also organizes, runs, and advocates numerous charitable functions. Tillman's aunt nicknamed him "Peanut", since his body resembled the shape of a peanut during infancy. Fellow defensive back Mike Brown spread the nickname after meeting Tillman during his rookie year.^[2] He and his wife, Jackie, have two daughters and a son. Tillman's Cornerstone Foundation mission is to help improve the lives of critically and chronically ill children throughout Chicago. Tillman created the foundation after his youngest daughter was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.^[9]

References

1. ^ Mayer, Larry (2009-03-10). "Tillman to be honored at Ed Block luncheon in Des Plaines". chicagobears.com. http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5641. Retrieved 2009-07-07. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Donnelly, Mike, Charles Tillman - Not Your Typical 'Peanut' (January 18, 2007), nflplayers.com, Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
3. ^ ESPN, Giants' Burress says Bears CBs 'very beatable' (November 9, 2006), espn.com, Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
4. ^ Canavan, Tom, Chicago 38, NY Giants 20 (November 13, 2006), Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
5. ^ Mayer, Larry, Chalk Talk Story - Did Peanut get shelled in Pro Bowl voting? (December 22, 2006), chicagobears.com, Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
6. ^ Mayer, Larry, Tillman agrees to six-year contract extension (July 24, 2007), chicagobears.com, Retrieved on July 24, 2007.
7. ^ Mayer, Larry, Tillman named Bears' nominee for Man of Year honor (December 8, 2007), chicagobears.com, Retrieved on December 8, 2007.
8. ^ McClure, Vaughn (2009-12-30). "Bears' Tillman released from hospital". chicagobreakingsports.com. http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2009/12/bears-tillman-released-from-hospital.html. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
9. ^ Mayer, Larry (2009-04-09). "Tillman humbly accepts award on daughter Tiana's behalf". chicagobears.com. http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5717. Retrieved 2009-04-08. 

External links

• Official Website
• Chicago Bears Profile
• Charles Tillman's Cornerstone Foundation Website