NFL Top Player - Charles Tillman

Charles Tillman 
#33 CB
Chicago Bears
Height: 6-2   Weight: 198   Age: 33
Born: 2/23/1981 Chicago , IL
College: Louisiana-Lafayette
Experience: 12th season
High School: Copperas Cove HS [TX]

Charles "Peanut" Tillman (born February 23, 1981) is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Tillman is known for his cover skills as well as his ability to force fumbles by stripping or "punching" the ball away from players.

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

Tillman attended eleven different schools during his youth, but eventually graduated from Copperas Cove High School in Texas. 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, where his teammates included future Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor. He started for all four years as a left cornerback despite being a wide receiver in high school.

COLLEGE: Four-year starter at LCB at Louisiana-Lafayette (1999-2002) was 2-time all-Sun Belt selection who started 39-of-45 career games played and totaled 284 career tackles, including 2 sacks and 9 TFLs, along with 12 INTs, 31 PBUs, 7 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries and 3 blocked punts… Earned All-America honors and named first-team all-Sun Belt as a senior after moving to starting free safety for the second half of the campaign after playing strictly at CB previously… Secondteam all-Sun Belt as a junior… Majored in health and physical education.

Professional career
Chicago Bears
Tillman was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. 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 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 in his third year, recording 93 tackles and five interceptions. His efforts helped the Bears establish the league's best defense in 2005.

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. Tillman was involved in a notable incident with Plaxico Burress before a prime-time game against the New York Giants. Days before the game, Giants' receiver Plaxico Burress claimed that the Bears' secondary was "average" and "very beatable". Tillman responded by holding Burress to only eleven yards and even intercepting a pass during the game. 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.

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

On November 22, 2009, during a Sunday Night Football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tillman forced 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. 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. After the 2011 NFL season, Tillman was voted to his first Pro Bowl.

In Week 5 of the 2012 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tillman passed free safety Mike Brown by setting the Bears franchise record for the most defensive touchdowns in a career with 8 when he returned a Blaine Gabbert interception for a touchdown. Tillman is tied with Donnell Woolford for the most interceptions by a cornerback in team history, trailing only safeties Gary Fencik and Richie Petitbon. He also has forced 36 fumbles, which is the most by a defensive back in the league since 2003.

On November 4, 2012, Tillman forced four fumbles against the Tennessee Titans offense, the most in a game by a single player in league history since the stat began being tracked in 1991. Tillman was considered by various sources as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, competing with Houston Texans defensive end J. J. Watt. Tillman was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl on December 26, making him the first Bears defensive back to be named to back-to-back Pro Bowls since Mark Carrier. He was later named to his first All-Pro team, placed on the first team. Tillman finished the season with ten forced fumbles, which led the league, and his three interceptions returned for touchdowns is tied for the lead league with St. Louis Rams' Janoris Jenkins.

In the 2013 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tillman recorded two interceptions, the second time in his career he had two picks, after 2006 against the New England Patriots. Against the Detroit Lions in Week 10, Tillman tore his right triceps, and was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return, and could return by the playoffs. However, on December 16, Bears head coach Marc Trestman reported that Tillman will miss the entire season, playoffs included. Tillman concluded 2013 with 52.5 tackles, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. In February 2014, the NFL awarded Tillman the Walter Payton Man of the Year to acknowledge his charitable efforts and community outreach programs.

Personal life

 Two-time all-district 8-5A and all-area team selection at Copperas Cove (TX) High School… Named to Super Cen-Tex team by the Austin American-Statesman… All-state Class 5A honorable mention… Named Bears nominee for NFL's Walter Payton "Man of the Year" award in 2007 and 2011… One of three finalists for the NFL's Walter Payton "Man of the Year" award in 2011… Shifted focus of his foundation, Charles Tillman's Cornerstone Foundation founded in 2005, to improve the lives of critically and chronically ill children throughout greater Chicago by providing daily support and life-changing experiences… Born in Chicago and attended kindergarten at Horace Mann Elementary on the South Side… Parents are native Chicagoans Arbria and Donald Tillman… The son of an Army sergeant, he attended 11 schools from kindergarten to 12th grade… He and wife, Jackie, have 3 daughters and a son.