Early years

Solomon attended Madison High School but he didn't play football until his junior year when he started on the defensive line. He was not allowed to play in his senior season because of differences with the school administration. He later moved on to North Florida Junior College where he played intramural football.

He walked on at Florida State University and spent a year with the scout team, before being a backup linebacker and playing on special teams as a senior.

Professional career

Minnesota Vikings

After a private workout with scout Ralph Kohl and being rated very high for his athletic abilities, the Minnesota Vikings selected Solomon in the twelfth round (318th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. In his second season he became a full-time starter at left outside linebacker and led the team in tackles after Chris Doleman was moved to defensive end.

In 1988, he led the top-ranked Vikings defense with 121 tackles (95 solo) and returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown. On October 12, 1989, he was sent to the Dallas Cowboys as part of the Herschel Walker trade.

Dallas Cowboys

In 1989, he didn't start because there were conditional draft picks attached to the Vikings traded players and the Dallas Cowboys wanted the selections instead of keeping Solomon and the others. Head coach Jimmy Johnson eventually had second thoughts on the February 1 deadline and traded three future draft choices (third-round and tenth-round in 1990 and a third-round in 1991) to the Vikings for the right to retain the original full package of draft choices, plus Solomon, Issiac Holt and David Howard.

In 1990, he missed all of training camp in a contract holdout and reported to the team after the seventh game of the regular season.

When told of his demotion to the second team on August 21, 1991, he walked out of the Cowboys' training camp and would eventually be traded to the New England Patriots in exchange for a sixth round draft choice on September 15.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On September 18, 1991, the New England Patriots traded Solomon to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fifth round draft choice. It has been speculated that the Patriots were used as a bridge team, because of a clause in the Herschel Walker trade that forbid the Dallas Cowboys from sending any of the players involved to a team in the NFC Central division.

Reunited with his former Vikings defensive coordinator Floyd Peters, Solomon went on to record 128 tackles (91 solo) in just 12 starts. On August 21, 1992, a contract holdout caused him to be released.

Atlanta Falcons

In 1992, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons and when he played against his former team the Buccaneers, he persuaded head coach Jerry Glanville to let him carry the ball as a running back after the Falcons had run up the score. He finished with 147 tackles as the starter at inside linebacker.

In 1993, the team changed to a 4-3 defense and he was moved to middle linebacker. He wasn't re-signed at the end of the year.

Miami Dolphins

On September 14, 1994, he signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins. He only made one tackle in two stints with the team, even though the Dolphins reached the AFC Divisional Playoff game.

Personal life

Solomon earned a coaching certificate and degree from Florida State University and was the head coach for Forest Hill High School in West Palm Beach, Florida between 2001 and 2003.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]