AFL GAMES PLAYED (regular season, playoffs): (Regular season): 2006 (Kansas City – 14); 2005 (New Orleans – 15); 2004 (New Orleans – 12) Totals: 41.
CAREER: After being forced to miss the 2007 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, Spears returns to the VooDoo secondary. The veteran defender was a member of the Kansas City Brigade the season before and notched a career-best 51 stops. In 2004 was a member of the VooDoo’s inaugural squad, and also spent 2005 in New Orleans. Homegrown talent is a Baton Rouge native and former standout at Grambling State, where his uncle, Melvin Spears, is the head coach.
2007: Missed entire season with ruptured Achilles tendon suffered during offseason. 2006: Appeared in 14 games for Kansas City Brigade, starting eight, including the last six at defensive specialist...Had a career-high 51 stops (41 solo), a fumble recovery, two interceptions and nine pass defenses...Added 15 receptions for 152 yards with two touchdowns...At Dallas, 1/29, he had five catches for 56 yards with a touchdown, with an interception on defense...Named ADT Defensive Player of the Week vs. Los Angeles, 4/9, when he had 4.5 tackles (three solo), a tackle for a two-yard loss and four pass defenses...At Utah, 5/12, had a season-high seven tackles (six solo), and an interception. 2005: Appeared in 15 games for the VooDoo with two starts and had a rushing touchdown, 15 grabs for 146 yards with two TDs, 32.5 tackles (30 solo), a team-leading three interceptions, five pass defenses and a forced fumble...Posted two tackles and an 11-yard interception return at Dallas, 3/5...Had five receptions for a season-high 53 yards vs. Orlando, 3/13...Notched eight tackles (seven solo), and an interception, at Austin, 4/1. 2004: Appeared in 12 games for the VooDoo, starting seven and finished as New Orleans’ third leading receiver with 31 catches for 319 yards with five TDs, while adding 28.5 tackles (25 solo)...Placed on injured reserve, 4/5 with sprained right ankle...Started at WR at Tampa Bay, 5/23, and had seven receptions for 55 yards and two TDs.
OTHER PRO EXPERIENCE – Went to training camp in 2002 with the Cleveland Browns and in 2003 with the New York Giants.
COLLEGE – Four-time All-SWAC selection for Grambling, starting every game of his career and notching 188 tackles (137 solo), 16 interceptions, 44 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and three fumbles recovered...As a senior, had 51 tackles, two interceptions and 13 pass defenses...Added 59 tackles and led the team with six interceptions as a junior.
PERSONAL – Mathematics major and secondary education minor at Grambling...Attended Istrouma (La.) HS...Served as defensive backs coach at Grambling in 2005 offseason, working for his uncle, head coach Melvin Spears...Father, Calvin Nicholas, played wide receiver at Grambling and briefly for the San Francisco 49ers...Spent 2007 season serving as a color analyst for VooDoo radio and television broadcasts. |
