The lone veteran free agent signed by the Chargers in 2006, Marlon McCree left an indelible mark on the Chargers’ secondary in his first year as the team’s starting free safety. McCree quickly showed that he was a leader both on the field and off. He took his secondary mates under his wing and the effects showed as the Chargers finished the year ranked 13th against the pass. It was a significant improvement from 2005 when San Diego’s pass defense had slipped to rank 28th among the league’s 32 teams. McCree set a physical tone early in the season. In the Chargers’ season opening win at Oakland, McCree delivered one of the biggest hits of the year when he dealt a bone-crushing blow to Oakland’s Courtney Anderson on the Chargers’ first defensive series of the game. McCree went on to finish the year with 80 tackles, the fifth-most on the team. In between, he made big plays throughout the year, including a game-clinching interception to seal a win over the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in an NBC Sunday Night Football game on Oct. 8, and a 79-yard fumble return three weeks later that helped lock up a win over the St. Louis Rams. Marlon’s hobbies include bowling, playing pool and watching movies. He also is a fan of boxing and has been to a couple of championship fights in Las Vegas. He enjoys different kinds of movies but says Forest Gump is his favorite. Marlon is the youngest child in the McCree family. He has four older brothers and three older sisters. As active as he is on the field, Marlon is just as active in the community. Last holiday season at the end of his first year in San Diego, Marlon provided Thanksgiving dinners for students from the Monarch School for homeless and at-risk teens. Then during the Christmas holidays, he hosted the Big Hit Holiday Toy Drive and Christmas Dinner for more than 250 local families. In 2005, Marlon started the non-profit foundation Help a Child Save a Dream, in his hometown of Orlando, Florida. One of the foundation’s basic principles is to help underprivileged kids obtain necessary school supplies including books and computers. In June 2006, the city’s mayor honored Marlon for his work in the community by presenting him with an honorary key to the city. Marlon hosts the Marlon McCree Celebrity Weekend in Orlando to raise money and awareness for the foundation. The weekend includes a free football camp for kids ages 10-17, a John Madden Football video game tournament featuring kids and NFL players, and a golf tournament at the Bay Hill Country Club. TRANSACTION HISTORY: Seventh-round pick (233) by Jacksonville, April 22, 2001waived by Jaguars, Sept. 16, 2003 claimed by Houston, Sept. 17, 2003 signed with Carolina, March 10, 2005 signed five-year contract with Chargers, March 13, 2006. 2006: Started Weeks 1-10 at free safety...delivered bone-jarring hit and pass break up on deep ball intended for Courtney Anderson on Oakland’s first offensive series of game in Sept. 11 season opener...was one of two pass breakups for McCree, tied with Shaun Phillips for team high...helped clinch win over Pittsburgh Oct. 8 on Sunday Night Football with fourth quarter interception off Ben Roethlisberger after he’d been pressured by Phillips...Bolts led game at time 20-13 and drove for field goal on ensuing possession that gave team 10 point lead with just over minute to play...helped close out 48-19 win at San Francisco Oct. 15 with six-yard sack of Alex Smith late in fourth quarter...led Bolts with eight stops against 49ers...Chargers Alumni Player of Week after making pivotal play in third quarter of Oct. 29 vs. St. Louis...recovered fumble and returned it 79 yards for touchdown to give Chargers 21-7 lead over Rams...was third-longest fumble return in team history...was McCree’s second-career touchdown, but first on fumble return...tallied seven stops against Rams, tied with Terrence Kiel for most among secondary...led secondary and ranked second on team with 12 tackles in Nov. 12 win at Cincinnati...inactive Weeks 11-12 due to calf injury...returned to starting lineup Week 13 vs. Denver...paced team with 11 tackles, including two for loss, in Dec. 17 win over Kansas City...teamed with Randall Godfrey to stop Tony Gonzalez for two-yard loss late in first quarter...then tackled Larry Johnson for four-yard loss on Kansas City’s first play of second quarter after Chiefs had taken over possession at San Diego’s 36-yard line following interception...intercepted pass and collected tackle for loss among four stops in AFC Playoff game vs. New England...helped force Patriots three-and-out early in second quarter by tackling Laurence Maroney for four-yard loss on second-and-five play...intercepted fourth-down pass off Tom Brady in fourth quarter. 2005: Second on Carolina defense with career-high 95 tackles…started final 15 games and all three playoff games…matched career high with two interceptions and paced defense with season-high 11 stops at Arizona Oct. 9…both interceptions were made after tipped passes by Ken Lucas in endzone…recovered fumble against New York Jets Nov. 13…led team with 10 stops at Chicago Nov. 20 recorded tackle for loss at Buffalo Nov. 27helped close out 24-6 win over Atlanta Dec. 4 with interception in waning moments of fourth quarter racked up two interceptions in first-career playoff game at New York Jets Jan. 8. 2004: Season-high 10 stops vs. Green Bay Nov. 21intercepted pass off Tennessee’s Steve McNair Nov. 28 made lone start of season Dec. 12 against Indianapolis. 2003: Played in two games with Jacksonville before being waived Sept. 16 claimed by Houston Sept. 17 and started 11 of final 13 games at free safety for Texans scored first-career touchdown off interception of Steve McNair and team-record 95-yard return against Tennessee Dec. 21 longest NFL interception return in 2003 longest play in Texans history. 2002: Led team and tied franchise single-season record with six interceptions tied for fifth in NFL in picks started every game at free safety set career-high with two interceptions off Trent Green at Kansas City Sept. 15 intercepted pass against Washington Nov. 10 intercepted pass for second consecutive week at Houston Nov. 17 recorded interception and 53-yard return against Pittsburgh Dec. 1for second time of season intercepted pass on consecutive weeks with pick against Cleveland Dec. 8. 2001: Started first-career game in season opener vs. Pittsburgh and recovered fumble season-high 11 stops at Seattle Oct. 7 sprained ankle against Baltimore Nov. 25 and missed games Dec. 3 vs. Green Bay, Dec. 9 at Cincinnati and Dec. 16 at Cleveland collected first-career interception off Spergon Wynn in return from injury at Minnesota Dec. 23 notched sack and forced fumble on same play at Chicago in Jan. 6 season finale. COLLEGE: Three-year starter at Kentucky finished career with 219 tackles and 14.5 sacks redshirted in 1996 played at Kentucky from 1996-2000 graduated with degree in finance. PERSONAL: Born March 17, 1977 in Orlando, Florida all-state safety and linebacker at Atlantic High School in Daytona Beach, Fla.also lettered in track and basketball. Standings Roster Depth Chart Team Stats Transactions Injury Reports Coaches Front Office Media Guide Career Stats