High school career

Washington attended Irving High School in Irving, Texas, where he was named all-district defensive player of the year after he totaled 168 tackles with four sacks as a senior. He was selected to play in the Texas-Oklahoma Oil Bowl All-Star Game.

College career

Washington attended Texas Christian University, where he played for the TCU Horned Frogs football team from 2006 to 2009. As a true freshman in 2006, he contributed at linebacker and on special teams. He recorded 16 tackles for the season (14 solo). In his sophomore year, he blocked a nation-best three punts, while also registering 32 tackles for the season (25 solo).

Although still primarily a back-up and special teams player, Washington was TCU's fourth-leading tackler with 63 stops in 2008. He started the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl and posted six tackles and three pass breakups in TCU's victory over Boise State. He started at middle linebacker in 2009 and established himself as one of the leaders TCU's defense, which was one of the best in the nation. He was named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2009 Butkus Award. He earned first-team All-MWC and All-American selections.

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

Projected a second-round selection by Sports Illustrated, Washington was ranked as the No. 4 outside linebacker available in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was selected 47th overall by the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals

In 2010, Washington had 78 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one interception that he fumbled.

Having started at inside linebacker since his rookie-season in 2010, Washington has emerged to become among the best linebackers in NFL, being named to the 2012 All-Pro Team as well as being selected to participate in the 2013 Pro Bowl as an alternate for the NFC roster.

Washington agreed to a six-year contract extension on September 6, 2012.

NFL stats

Year	Team	GP	COMB	TOTAL	AST	SACK	FF	FR	FR YDS	INT	IR YDS	AVG IR	LNG	TD	PD
2010	ARI	16	78	67	11	1.0	1	0	0	1	39	39	39	0	2
2011	ARI	15	107	95	12	5.0	0	0	0	2	16	8	16	0	7
2012	ARI	16	134	108	26	9.0	2	1	3	1	7	7	7	0	4
2013	ARI	12	75	59	16	3.0	0	1	0	2	49	25	41	0	11
Career		59	394	329	65	18.0	3	2	0	6	111	19	41	0	24

Key

• GP: games played
• COMB: combined tackles
• TOTAL: total tackles
• AST: assisted tackles
• SACK: sacks
• FF: forced fumbles
• FR: fumble recoveries
• FR YDS: fumble return yards
• INT: interceptions
• IR YDS: interception return yards
• AVG IR: average interception return
• LNG: longest interception return
• TD: interceptions returned for touchdown
• PD: passes defensed

Controversies

Banned substance abuse

On April 3, 2013, the NFL announced that Washington will be suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the league's substance policy.

On May 30, 2014, the NFL announced that Washington will be suspended for at least the 2014 season for once again violating the league's substance policy bringing his personal credibility and character into question after his statement from the 2013 violation: "I promise to work even harder and to not let you guys down anymore."

Assault

On May 3, 2013, Washington was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona on two counts of aggravated assault (and one count of criminal trespass in the first-degree) from an incident on May 1, 2013 involving his 27-year-old ex-girlfriend with whom he shares a daughter. The altercation concerns a custody dispute over the 5-month-old child. Phoenix Police accuse him of pushing her with two hands, causing her to fall and break her right collarbone. On March 24, 2014, he pleaded guilty to the crime of aggravated assault, a class 6 felony. Washington was sentenced to one-year of supervised probation on April 23, 2014.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]