Pat Swilling

NFLretired
|caption=
position=Linebacker
number=56
birthdate=birth date and age|1964|10|25
Toccoa, Georgia
debutyear=1986
finalyear=1998
draftyear=1986
draftround=3
draftpick=60
college=Georgia Tech
teams=
* New Orleans Saints (1986-1992)
* Detroit Lions (1993-1994)
* Oakland Raiders (1995-1998)
stat1label=Sacks
stat1value=107.5
stat2label=Interceptions
stat2value=6
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=1
nfl=SWI355962
highlights=
* 5x Pro Bowl selection (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
* 6x All-Pro selection (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995)
* 1991 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
HOF=
CollegeHOF=

Patrick Travis Swilling (born October 25, 1964 in Toccoa, Georgia) is a former American football linebacker in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and a delegate in the Louisiana House of Representatives. A Democrat, Swilling is no longer a legislator. He had stated an interest in seeking the position of sheriff of Orleans Parish. He earned five Pro Bowl appearances.

New Orleans fielded fierce defenses in 1991 and 1992, led by one of the best linebacker units in the league. In 1991 Swilling had 17 sacks and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. In 1992 linebackers Rickey Jackson, Vaughan Johnson, Sam Mills, and Swilling, also known as the Dome Patrol, all played in the Pro Bowl, and the Saints led the league in quarterback sacks. Despite its tenacious defense, the team lost in the first round each time it made the playoffs.

Swilling was traded to the Detroit Lions in 1993 for draft picks. In his first year with Detroit he made it to his fifth and final Pro Bowl. The Detroit Lions qualified for the playoffs in both of Swilling's seasons with the team, being eliminated each time, in the first round, by the Green Bay Packers. Swilling finished his career with 107.5 sacks. [http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SWILLPAT01]

Facts

*Swilling left Georgia Tech as the all time sack leader and now ranks 5th. [http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/geot/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/RECORDS2]
*Was a member of a defensive unit nicknamed "The Dome Patrol."
*In order to sign Swilling Detroit had to "unretire" the legendary Joe Schmidt’s number.

External links

* [http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SWILLPAT01 Career Statistics]
* [http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33994 Pat Swilling article on theonion.com]