Later in the game, he also stripped and recovered a fumble by Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin a yard shy of the endzone. Then I told him, Tomorrow, Captain, you are to report to the defensive backs. . Just like that, Munnerlyn had become a cornerback. He posted his first sack as a Viking when he corralled Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 11. I know the things they're tearing down.' Some of those guys didn't grow up like I grew up [in a crime-ridden section of Mobile, Alabama]. Munnerlyn was nicknamed Miracle Baby because he survived after having been born more than three months premature and weighing just 3 pounds. 1 on Gil Brandt's list of the 10 most talented teams. I know the nature of the business.. mother. And she was like, Aw, man. And I was like, Its cool. Im not upset. Munnerlyn's illness is said to be contagious, so he is currently away from the team. Yet Munnerlyn was able to prove himself with the Panthers, becoming a starter and returning five interceptions for touchdowns in five seasons. Web358 posts. With two years remaining on his contract, he'll aim to keep his nickel position in 2019. iconic linebacker Thomas Davis to clean out his locker, announce his retirement a few weeks later. To be in the locker room with guys and talk about it and get different points of view, it's awesome. I tapped my wife and told her. When Munnerlyn was 6, his father, Larry Crear, was murdered in a bar by a cousin in a dispute over a woman. He played for the Panthers from 2009-2013, and then was brought back in 2017. Its one of my dreams to one day see him play in person, Moore said. Former Panthers Captain Munnerlyn was arrested at Miami International Airport on Friday after attempting to catch a flight to Cancun, Mexico per Andy Slater of Fox Sports Radio. Joe Person is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Carolina Panthers. In a Week 8 game against the Minnesota Vikings, he got his second sack of the season when he tackled Christian Ponder for a one-yard loss after he scrambled to the right to escape from pressure. [4] In 2006, he earned a second-place finish in the long jump event at the AHSAA State T&F Meet, recording a career-best leap of 6.85 meters (22ft, 4.75 in). Saints running back Mark Ingram, who practiced Wednesday, said that while he remains in the concussion protocol, he has no symptoms and plans to play Sunday. Hurney had a lot of business to attend to Monday as he continued taking steps to make the Panthers defense younger and faster. The linebacker played a role in getting Munnerlyn to sign. In Week 7, he set the second fastest touchdown to start a game in team history after he intercepted a pass by Rams quarterback Sam Bradford on the first offensive play of the game and returned it 45 yards for the score, coming 21 seconds into the game; later in the game, he also recovered a fumble by wide receiver Tavon Austin that set up a field goal for the Panthers. Munnerlyn eventually said of the conversion and his mother's prayers that he would stay out of trouble, "Without her prayers, I don't think I could be here in the NFL right now".[2]. It's kind of chaos down there right now. Munnerlyn (illness) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, David Newton of ESPN.com reports. I got clothes made with the Minnesota Vikings logos and stuff, so everybody is pulling for Captain.. [18] Munnerlyn did not play the following week's game against the Buccaneers as he was inactive but returned the next week to play against the 8-5 New England Patriots; in the game, he recovered a fumble by running back Sammy Morris. Player stats at NFL.com. Captain Munnerlyn (born April 10, 1988) is an American football cornerback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Carolina for three years. In th It was a bad decision. February 25, 2019: The Carolina Panthers released CB Captain Munnerlyn. Munnerlyn has experience with the current Buffalo brass dating back to his Carolina days, but the team decided to go with younger players that offer more versatility. In Week 10, he started the game at Oakland and posted a season-best 7 tackles against the Raiders. endstream endobj 19 0 obj <>/Pages 16 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 20 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 21 0 obj <>stream hb```"aB;8800 @R"|Z)6_xA.s20m9 $ Munnerlyn played his first full campaign since 2015, starting five contests along the way. 0 He was with this other guy and they shot at the guy, and when they shot at the guy, they ended up shooting the other guy. Munnerlyn slots in as the Panthers' No. According to a recent report from WSOCTV, the former Carolina Panthers star was arrested after he allegedly strangled a woman and kicked her in the face in Charlotte in early January. But he had a feisty attitude that has helped his game. For now, Munnerlyn will continue with an NFL career he said might not have happened had Moore not been convicted in a shooting incident that also involved another brother, Gregory Moore, who was acquitted of murder. endstream endobj startxref Capt. Should you play Dede Westbrook? Munnerlyn tied teammate Thomas Davis to lead the Panthers in total tackles. He also batted down six passes and was credited with two quarterback pressures, contributing to a unit that ranked 10th in the NFL in total defense. Munnerlyn had also been arrested back in 2020 at Miami International Airport for allegedly writing bad checks. 48.5K followers. Munnerlyn played high school football at Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama, where he was named All-region three times. The 2009 seventh-round draft pick out of the University of South Carolina appeared in a total of 107 games with the organizationtotaling 357 tackles and a franchise-record five interception returns for a touchdown. Davis Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala. The cruise ship was ready to pull out of Miamis port and Munnerlyn was looking forward to a week in the Caribbean with 60 of his family members (I didnt have to pay for everybody). And though Pro Football Focus had Munnerlyn ranked 169th among 229 defensive backs last season in pass coverage (Adams was at the bottom), Munnerlyn felt like he put his best foot forward. When asked why his name is Captain, Munnerlyn said, "My momma promised my grandmomma that she could name the last child. Munnerlyn is accused of assaulting a woman in Charlotte on Jan. 3. The alleged victim had difficulty breathing, bruises and scratches after she said he strangled her, according to the documents. The woman also claimed he kicked her in the face. Munnerlyn was charged with assaulting a female and assault by strangulation. of the British and Tories. He returned both interception for touchdowns, tying his own record from the previous season and becoming the new owner of the franchise record with five interception returns for touchdowns. en]{\:]M]g!W&~~LwWwg/\5|nV\)hb=:N&OV#:/_lNtW.&J\uf4iOiS{lUS In the beginning it was kind of rough. But Munnerlyn refused to say anything critical of the secondary coaches who replaced Wilks and Curtis Fuller (one of whom, Jeff Imamura, was fired in a December staff shakeup). Charles James Munnerlyn. Lee had just arrived at the school. The following week against the New Orleans Saints, he was credited with 1.5 sacks, one when he blitzed quarterback Drew Brees for a five-yard loss and the half combined with defensive end Greg Hardy to sack Brees for another five-yard loss. Munnerlyn signed a four-year contract with the Panthers in March 2017, and subsequently posted the lowest tackle total of his career and failed to record an interception. )Kj0 `] The Minnesota Vikings listed receiver Stefon Diggs as inactive for Thursday's tilt versus the Detroit Lions. We really appreciate how you came in, was a pro and didnt complain about playing time. The reason I say that is because Captain is experiencing firsthand how my situation has caused so much hurt and pain to our family and to others as well. When was Captain Munnerlyn born? Fans on Twitter reacted to the Munnerlyn news with a certain level of schadenfreude, pointing out Munnerlyns most glaring errors from the 2018 season (the Seattle game) and asking how much cap space the move created ($2 million). People wife. "We couldn't believe what was going on," he said. Munnerlyn has sought to do that. Assuming he suffers no recurrence of the symptoms during the week, he should settle back in as the Panthers' nickelback. We were getting accustomed to a new offense, and he came in and he said, Look, I didnt touch the ball enough (in practice) today. Davis, which is 200 miles south of Birmingham and 50 miles north of Mobile. CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com Nickel back Captain Munnerlyn helped his cause when he stood out on key plays in a victory over Kansas City. My brother was a drug dealer all his life. Carolina Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn intercepts Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. Find out everything else you need to know in this week's Cheat Sheet. Hes seen the end results of living the so-called street life, which always ends up in jail, prison or death. I know this area. On the next play quarterback Stephen Garcia completed a touchdown pass to Kenny McKinley. Playing in 16 games with five starts, Munnerlyn recorded 47 tackles and one forced fumble, tied for second on the team with three interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown) and ranked first with 10 passes defensed, contributing to a Panthers defense that ranked seventh in the NFL in average yards per play. Minnesota might have lost 42-10 at Green Bay in a game nationally televised by CBS, but Munnerlyn did make three tackles and had a relatively solid game. Records show the 33-year-old was arrested on Jan. 10 in Lincoln County, N.C. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Former Carolina Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn is accused of assaulting a woman and strangling her. The Panthers are also parting ways with 37-year-old safety Mike Adams, attempting to get younger and faster in the secondary after they allowed 32 passing touchdowns and 7.7 yards per attempt in 2018. If he's unable to play, expect Kevon Seymour to play extra defensive snaps. Her great grandfather was named Captain, so I got named after my great-great grandfather. Design highlights: The Munnerlyn family wanted a transitional design a blend of modern, classic and contemporary styles. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Munnerlyn (illness) is expected to be available for the Panthers' Week 13 game against the Saints, David Newton of ESPN.com reports. Before coming to Minnesota, he covered the Miami Heat and Dolphins for Fox Sports. As Munnerlyn was growing up, he realized he was one of the fastest kids in Happy Hill, and he was able to channel that into sports. Yet, hes managed to stick around for 10 years, with a pair of Panthers stints sandwiched around a three-year hitch in Minnesota. You'll now receive the top Panthers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. According to a report on Thursday from WSOC-TV, former Carolina Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn has been accused of assaulting and strangling a woman. [13], Munnerlyn declared for the NFL Draft following the 2008 season.[14]. Sam Bradford will be without his top target on Thanksgiving. I know what area they're in. Capt. Partner of iONE Digital Network. Its now for sale and hits the market Friday, asking $3,230,500. When they called me, Marty was like, Aw, shit. Ive just got a little fire in me now. 1 goal." The pugnacious cornerback looked forward to seeing old teammates, lining up across from players he practiced against and hopefully leaving as part of the first visiting team to win at Bank of America Stadium since Nov. 16, 2014. But as I look back on it, it was truly a blessing. He also accounted for six special teams tackles. Did Bill Belichick's wheeling and dealing with the Patriots top the Browns' Myles Garrett-centered rebuilding efforts? Her great grandfather was named Captain, so I got named after my great-great grandfather. Gil Brandt ranks the teams that have enjoyed the best offseasons of 2017. Munnerlyn has made 85 starts in 154 career games with the Vikings and Panthers, primarily manning the slot in nickel formations the past four seasons. Munnerlyn (chest) finished with eight tackles (four solo) and half a sack in Week 9's win over the Buccaneers. For his second season, Munnerlyn moved up to starting right cornerback after Richard Marshall was not re-signed. I said, Sit down, Captain. He was in another murder case when he was younger. Munnerlyn (coach's decision) is listed as inactive for Sunday's game against the Packers, Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer reports. [9] In the same game, South Carolina wide receiver Kenny McKinley fielded a punt and flipped it to Munnerlyn who gained eightyards. Sign up for the Panthers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Ben Roethlisberger's working with a stacked Steelers offense, while Matt Ryan's Falcons boast top-level players across the roster -- but neither is No. If the 10-year veteran is unable to get healthy in time for Sunday's tilt against the Falcons, expect Lorenzo Doss to see a slight uptick in snaps. "Hopefully they get it under wraps, and the city can move on and build back up," he said. I hate to do this, Munnerlyn told The Athletic. Not long after he showed up, he found himself going toe to toe in practice with 6-4 Gamecocks star wide receiver Sidney Rice, who later made a Pro Bowl with the Vikings. 2023 Cox Media Group. With his professional football career frozen in limbo by the NFL lockout, Munnerlyn spent the spring at Mobile's Murphy High School (his alma mater) as a volunteer assistant, and the experience opened his eyes to the possibilities of life after football. You could hold him in the palm of your hands, said his mother, Evelyn Munnerlyn, who at one point turned a shoe box into his crib. On special teams, Munnerlyn also averaged 9.0 yards on 31 punt returns with a long of 37 yards, returned one kickoff for 15 yards and was credited with four special teams tackles. Analytics expert Cynthia Frelund offers her rankings, projections, and five must-read stats for Week 11. Munnerlyn was charged with assaulting a female and assault by strangulation. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin). They said they want to get younger on that side of the ball, thats something they wanted to do, Munnerlyn said. That wasnt the first time. He also led the Panthers with a 10.9-yard punt return average on 30 returns for 327 yards with a long of 37 yards and returned two kickoffs for 87 yards. All Rights Reserved. Her account also alleges she had bruises, scratches and difficulty breathing following the encounter. When Munnerlyn became a free agent in March, his old roommate got on the phone. In Week 13 at the Miami Dolphins, he compiled a single-game career-high and team-leading 13 tackles as the Panthers won 2016. Captain Munnerlyn. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: profiles | She took a bullet but was not seriously hurt, while Munnerlyn was unharmed. He grew up in Happy Hills, which was a crime-infested part of Mobile. "You've got guys like Harrison [Smith], [Andrew] Sendejo and [Alex] Boone, we talk about things like that," Munnerlyn said. Its going to wake me up even more. Munnerlyn is ready to return to the NFL but hasnt thought about retirement since his charge for writing bad checks. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. It's speed that Munnerlyn hopes will prompt some NFL team to call his name this weekend during the draft. [8] Against Vanderbilt, to whom South Carolina lost 176, Munnerlyn returned a punt 46yards and also forced a fumble. Former NFL cornerback Captain Munnerlyn was arrested in January for allegedly assaulting a woman, according to a report from TMZ Sports. A native of Williamsport, Pa., Joe is a graduate of William & Mary, known for producing presidents and NFL head coaches. [21] The Vikings wanted a four-year deal, but Munnerlyn signed a three-year deal so he could receive his third contract before turning 30. He was then released in 2019, two years into his 4-year $21 million contract. [23] Munnerlyn recorded 55 tackles, a sack, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, two interceptions, and four pass deflections in his second season in Minnesota. He collected two interceptions and led the team with a career-high 13 passes defensed. Since joining the Pioneer Press, Chris has won 11 awards in Pro Football Writers of America contests and been named a national top-10 beat writer by the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) for the years of 2020, 2021 and 2022. With the amount of time Captain spends bowling, even this lower level entertainment area is a heavily utilized space. "Football definitely is an escape. Last year, he was the keynote speaker for a Boys and Girls Clubs of South Alabama event. video. You know how I am Im a guy who likes stuff like this. That's my No. Follow Chris Tomasson at twitter.com/christomasson. Munnerlyn suffered a hamstring strain during Carolina's 36-21 win over the Ravens on Sunday, and appears to have fully recovered from the injury. Chris joined the Pioneer Press in 2013 to cover the Vikings. For the 2006 season, he recorded 36 tackles with his seasonhigh of five coming against Tennessee and Houston. Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency Wednesday, and though the NFL said Thursday it planned to keep the Vikings-Panthers game in Charlotte as scheduled Sunday, Munnerlyn admitted some uneasiness about the trip, and the fact his wife is already on the way there. He has covered the team since 2010, previously for the Charlotte Observer. After his high school career, Munnerlyn was recruited by South Carolina, West Virginia, and Kansas State. Captain Munnerlyn was entering his third NFL season when new Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera approached him with a challenge. After working out with Packers stars Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews in Los Angeles last offseason, Munnerlyn reported to camp 16 pounds lighter and in a better frame of mind.