Remember Brandon Meriweather? The former first-round pick developed a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the NFL. Let’s check in to see where the former New England Patriots safety is now.
Where are former Patriots now? | Brandon Meriweather (2007-2010)
These days, the 41-year-old Meriweather lives in Orlando, Florida. After leaving the NFL, Meriweather was involved in multiple business ventures around his hometown of Apopka, Florida.
Meriweather owned multiple restaurants in the area, including a “chicken joint” called Wingz Wingzz Wingzzz. He also operated a food delivery service and runs a rental property company.
Talking to the Boston Sports Bros Pod in June, Meriweather said he sold all of his restaurants when he moved to Orlando, but still has the rental business. He’s currently focused on raising his kids and finding a new venture to sink his teeth into.
“Right now, I’m actually getting bored and looking for something to do, get into, so I can start back travelling,” he said.
The former safety also runs his own charity, the 31 ways foundation, which provides “economic assistance to children and families challenged by poverty, homelessness, low literacy, and major illnesses.” The organization recently held its third annual celebrity golf event in Orlando.
The organization will also host the “Catholics vs. Convicts Charity Golf Tournament” in August. The event will feature former players from both Notre Dame and Miami, drawing its name from the rivalry between the two schools.
The Patriots took Meriweather No. 24 overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. After a relatively quiet rookie season, he worked his way into the lineup and made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2009 and 2010.
However, Meriweather fell out of favor with Bill Belichick and the coaching staff at the time due to a reputation for bad practice habits and freelancing on defense. Despite coming off a Pro Bowl appearance, Meriweather was cut heading into the 2011 season.
Meriweather was quickly picked up by the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal. The safety then spent three seasons playing in Washington before ending his career with a one-year stint with the New York Giants in 2015.
Coming up through college and early in his career, Meriweather was celebrated for his vicious hits on opposing players. But when the NFL began to crack down on dangerous hits, Meriweather became a consistent target of league discipline.
Meriweather was hit with a long list of suspensions during his career. In 2013, he was suspended for two games (later reduced to one game) for repeated illegal hits on receivers.
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