Woodson was drafted by the Oakland Raiders fourth overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. In his first season with Oakland, Woodson was selected as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. He was named to the Pro Bowl and earned All-Pro recognition three consecutive times (1999–2001). In a 2002 AFC playoff match against the New England Patriots, Woodson seemed to have clinched the game by forcing a fumble while sacking quarterback (and former Michigan teammate) Tom Brady, but the ruling was overturned. Woodson later battled several nagging injuries in consecutive seasons in Oakland, leading to his departure after the 2005 NFL season via free agency.
On April 26, 2006, Woodson signed a seven-year, $52 million contract with the Green Bay Packers. He would later win Super Bowl XLV with the team over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his first season in Green Bay, Woodson was also the team's punt returner and led the National Football Conference with eight interceptions, surpassing his previous career-high of five, in his rookie year. In his second season in Green Bay, the injury problems returned and Woodson was forced to sit out two games. He was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the 2009 NFL season. He returned to the Raiders in 2013, playing three more seasons and once more being voted to the Pro Bowl. Woodson is one of the few players in NFL history to play in a Pro Bowl in three decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s). He is currently tied for fifth on the all-time interceptions list with 65, and is tied with Rod Woodson (no relation) and Darren Sharper for most career defensive touchdowns with 13. He also is second all-time in interceptions returned for touchdowns, with 11. After he retired in 2015, he signed with ESPN in 2016. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Charles Cameron Woodson (born October 7, 1976) is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, where he led the team to a share of the national championship in 1997. Woodson, a "two-way player" who played both offense and defense, won the Heisman Trophy in the same year. To date, he is the only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman. Woodson went on to accomplish a storied career professionally with one of the most decorated professional football resumes of all time.
Super Bowl champion (XLV)
NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2009)
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1998)
4× First-team All-Pro (1999, 2001, 2009, 2011)
4× Second-team All-Pro (2000, 2008, 2010, 2015)
9× Pro Bowl (1998–2001, 2008–2011, 2015)
2× NFL interceptions leader (2009, 2011)
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.
