Mario Edwards
Age: 48
Mario L. Edwards (born December 1, 1975) is a retired American Football cornerback. He was drafted in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Florida State University. He also has a son Mario Edwards, Jr. who is a defensive end for the Oakland Raiders.
In his career, he has played for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Miami Dolphins of the NFL. Edwards went to Florida State where he starred early at cornerback.
Early years
Edwards attended Pascagoula High School, before moving on to play cornerback for Florida State University. After missing the 1997 season, he became a two-year starter and helped the Seminoles win a national championship in 1999.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Edwards was drafted in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, after he dropped because of a poor performance in the 1998 Fiesta Bowl, combined with injuries and inconsistent play in his senior season.
After playing mainly on special teams as a rookie, he became the team's starting right cornerback in 2001 and remained there for three years. While with the Cowboys, he started 47 games, registered 178 tackles, 4 interceptions, 28 passes defensed and was part of the statistically ranked number one overall defense in 2003.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On April 9, 2004, Edwards signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent. He spent only one season with the team, playing in 15 games and receiving 3 starts when the team opened in a nickel defense. He was released on March 1, 2005.
Miami Dolphins
On April 4, 2005, he signed with the Miami Dolphins in case Patrick Surtain was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, which eventually happened. He was waived prior to the beginning of the season on September 4, 2005.
Personal life
His son, Mario Jr., also played for Florida State University now plays for the Oakland Raiders, and like Sr., has won a national championship with the Seminoles. He is also the father of Dalen, Angel, and Gianni Edwards