Jeremiah Trotter
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Jeremiah Trotter (born January 20, 1977 in Hooks, Texas) is an American football linebacker in the NFL. According to WIP (AM), on August 21, 2007, he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles, making him a free agent. According to a league source, the sudden move came after local officials informed the Eagles front office that Trotter was caught by NBC's Chris Hansen while filming an upcoming episode of To Catch a Predator. Head Coach Andy Reid issued an official statement where he said "...this is not the man I grew to call a friend over the years. I can only pray for him and his family while he battles whatever demons he has inside."
High School Years
Trotter attended Hooks High School in Hooks, Texas and was a letterman in football. In football, he was a three-time all district honoree and was named the District MVP as a senior.
National Football League Years
He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL Draft. In his first year with the Eagles as a backup, he recorded only 6 tackles. After that year he got a starting job at middle linebacker. In the 1999 season he recorded a total of 174 tackles to lead the team. The next year he recorded 164 tackles and again led the team. After four years with the Eagles he had 361 tackles, 9 sacks, 5 interceptions and 4 forced fumbles.
Trotter was signed by the Washington Redskins in 2002 and played two seasons there. He returned to the Eagles for the 2004 season.
Prior to resigning Trotter, the Eagles run defense was amongst the worst in the NFL. Trotter's presence immediately improved the defense and he was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2006.
Trotter also played for the Philadelphia Benjamins on Extreme Dodgeball, using the nickname "The Axeman." With throws usually at 95 mph, he was considered the most dangerous player in the league, unfortunately, he "showed off too much" and was forced to nurture a shoulder injury.
Jeremiah is now forever in NFL lore for being thrown out of a game before it even started. On September 12, 2005, about 40 minutes before kickoff, Trotter and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Kevin Mathis got into a fight during pregame warmups. After officials reviewed video to see who instigated the fight, both Trotter and Mathis were ejected before kickoff. The game was a rematch of their NFC Championship Game back in January 2005, in which the Eagles defeated the Falcons to get to Super Bowl XXXIX, where they would lose to the New England Patriots. The game, in which the Falcons got payback with a 14-10 victory, was also a Monday Night Football telecast. The fight led to an NFL rules change where non-kickers cannot enter a neutral zone between the 45-yard-lines prior to the game.
On August 21, 2007, the Philadephia Eagles parted ways with the veteran linebacker, releasing him from the remainder of his second contract.
When reached for comment, Trotter said, "I kind of saw this coming. I am getting older. I am glad I didn't buy a Trex Deck to go with my new house in Moorestown. I kind of got the feeling I would have to move soon. Looks like I'll be going back home to Texas for a while. Maybe I'll buy a Trex Deck there."
Business Ventures
Trotter has been involved in various business ventures in addition to his football career. In 2000, he opened a salon called T&I Unisex Salon, located in Willingboro, New Jersey. In 2003, Trotter opened a car wash business called Trott's Spot Car Wash, located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and also owns two car washes in neighboring Voorhees. Trotter also has a shorehouse on the famous Ocean City boardwalk between 6th and 7th streets near the Wonderland Pier.
Name in Music
In 2007, On the first single entitled "Uh-Oh feat. Lil Wayne" off Ja Rule's new album, Trotter was mentioned in Wayne's verse saying "Run and I will hit you like Jeremiah Trotter"