Luis Castillo life and biography

Luis Castillo born August 4, 1983 in Brooklyn, New York, is a Dominican American football defensive end for the San Diego Chargers of the NFL. He was the cover athlete for the Spanish language version of Madden NFL 08.

Castillo's Career

When injuries hit the Chargers’ defensive line hard in 2009, Castillo laid it on the line. He played 554 snaps, most among his peers on the defensive line. His 16 quarterback pressures and six hits on the opposing quarterback both paced the line.

Castillo is only the second Dominican player to be drafted and start in the National Football League. He has built an image that goes well beyond the United States and the Dominican Republic. In March ’08 he was one of three NFL players invited to spend a week visiting with U.S. troops stationed at military bases throughout the Persian Gulf. Castillo visited military bases in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. Castillo has also visited
Egypt, Greece and China among his travels.

Castillo is fluent in Spanish. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to the Dominican Republic with his mother, Maria, when he was a child. They returned to theStates when he was 5, and the family settled in New Jersey. Luis returns to the DominicanRepublic every offseason where he is revered as a national icon. During his trips to the Dominican, Castillo hosts a youth football clinic and does many community appearances. In 2005, he was honored with the Youth of the Year Award for excellence out-side of the Dominican Republic.

Castillo has also emerged as a community leader in San Diego. In July '08, he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award for Sports Excellence for his work in the Hispanic community. He hosts the annual "Shop with a Charger" holiday-season event for abused and neglected children, and in April 2010, he and San Diego Padres’ closer Heath Bell co-chaired the 10th Annual Celebrity Waiter Luncheon for STAR/PAL (Sports Training, Academics, Recreation/ Police Athletic League).

Castillo’s mother is his inspiration. She was raised in a small village in the Dominican that had no running water or electricity and few educational opportunities. Today, she runs a multimillion-dollar company in New York that imports hair-care products from herhomeland. Luis hopes that he too can emulate his mom's success in the business world. In'07, he returned to his alma mater and enrolled in the NFL’s Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The four-day program focused on developing and selling a brand and evaluating franchise opportunities. He attended the program with teammate Shaun Phillips.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: April 23, 2005…signed five-year contract, July 27...signed new seven-year contract, July 22, 2008. First-round pick (28) by Chargers,

2009: Key nine-yard sack late 4Q vs. BAL Sept. 20.

2008: 1.5 sacks at OAK Sept 28, including 3rd down sack on series after Chargers had taken lead in 4Q…inj. groin late Wk 10 at PIT and INA Wk 11 vs. IND…chased down Antonio Bryant for 1Q tackle and FF Week 15 at TB… later, strong pass rush led to 4Q intentional grounding call vs. Jeff Garcia, who was INT on next play…INT pass in Dec. 28 AFC West clinching win over DEN.

2007: Eight-yard sack late in 2Q Wk 8 at MIN forced FGA that Antonio Cromartie wouldreturn NFL-record 109 yards for TD…left Vikings game in 3Q (ankle)…INA Wks 9- 14…returned Week 15 vs. DEN on ESPN MNF Dec. 24 and collected 2Q sack on 3rd-and-9…sack and TFL in Wild Card win vs. TEN...helped ice game with 3rd-down sack in 4Q...sacked Tom Brady in AFC Championship Game at NE.

2006: Pro Bowl second-alternate…1.5 sacks Sept. 11 at OAK and vs. PIT Oct. 8…first-career INT at SF Oct. 15…FR late in 4Q Oct. 22 in KC set up game-tying TD...inj. ankle Nov. 5 vs. CLE and INA Wks 9-12…came back Wk 13 vs. DEN and was only going to see limited action, but pressed into duty when Jacques Cesaire left with neck injury…in 4Q, sacked Jay Cutler for eight-yard loss on 4th-and-2…five plays later, LaDainian Tomlinson scored NFL record-tying 28th TD…re-inj. ankle Wk. 14 vs. KC and INA Wks 15-16…returned to start Divisional Playoffs vs. NE and pressured Tom Brady into throwing 3Q INT.

2005: All-Rookie by NFL.com, PFW and PFWA…1.5 sacks in win over KC Oct. 30, including late 4Q sack on 3rd down at Chargers’ three…2Q sack and FF Nov. 20 vs. BUF…three-yard sack on 3rd-and-21 with 3:10 in 4Q at IND Dec. 18 moved Colts out of FG range and forced punt to preserve 19-17 lead…two plays after Colts’ punt, 83-yard TD runsealed victory…Chargers Alumni POW after three TFLs at KC Dec. 24.

COLLEGE: Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-District…recipient of All-America, Academic All-America, All-Big Ten All-America, Academic All-America, All-Big Ten All-America, Academic All-America, All-Big Ten school's Carnig Minasian Citizenship Award…UAW Lineman of Game after 2003 Motor City Bowl…finished career with 251 TT, 4.5 sacks, and 19.5 TFL…played at Northwestern from 2001-04… degree in economics.

PERSONAL: Born in Brooklyn, New York…SuperPrep All-America at Garfield (NJ) HS…all-state and all-county as junior and senior by AP and Newark Star-Ledger…three-time all-league…captain and team MVP as senior…lettered in track...state’s top heavyweight wrestler…member of Math Honor Society, National Honor Society and Honor Roll.

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