Playmaking linebacker who returns to the lineup after missing last six regular season games and two playoff games with a broken hand … Ten-year veteran ranks among the elite middle linebackers in the league … Has started 117 of 120 games in nine seasons with career totals of 1,226 tackles (704 solo), 18.5 sacks, 15 interceptions, five forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries … Has collected 698 tackles with the Jaguars which ranks third in team history behind Donovin Darius (858) and Kevin Hardy (789) … Has double-digit tackles in 67 career games and 15-plus tackles in 20 games … Produced career-best numbers in 2005 with 190 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions … Ranked second among AFC linebackers and fourth among NFL linebackers for tackles in 2005 … Led the Jaguars in tackles for the first 10 games in 2005, surpassing the team record he set in 2004 … Recorded 11 takeaways as a Jaguar, tied for the sixth-most in team history … Signed with Jaguars as unrestricted free agent on March 13, 2003, starting at middle linebacker for the first time in his career … Spent four seasons at weakside linebacker with Indianapolis Colts from 1999-2002 … Has led his team's defense in tackles in five of nine seasons (3 in Jacksonville, 2 in Indianapolis) … Started all 16 games in 2000, 2002-'05 … Second-round draft choice (36th overall) of the Indianapolis Colts in 1999 draft … Recorded career-high 19 tackles (11 solo) against Indianapolis on Dec. 11, 2005 … Has recorded at least one interception in seven of nine seasons … Scored first career touchdown in 2005 on a 26-yard interception return against Baltimore on Nov. 13 … Has played against all 32 NFL teams … Has started 19 games as a Jaguar against AFC South opponents and has double-digit tackles in 13 of those games … Drafted in the second round, the 36th choice overall (and fifth linebacker selected after Chris Claiborne, Andy Katzenmoyer, Al Wilson and Barry Gardner) on a pick obtained in a trade with St. Louis for Marshall Faulk.

Started the first 10 games of the season at MLB before suffering a broken right hand against San Diego on Nov. 18 … Was inactive for the final six games of the regular season and both playoff contests after undergoing surgery on Nov. 27 … Finished third on the team with 116 tackles (71 solo) along with two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery … 9/9 vs. TEN: Led team with a season-high 16 tackles and forced one fumble … 9/16 vs. ATL: Set a career high with two sacks and led team with 12 tackles. Became the third player in team history to surpass 600 career tackles while starting his 55th career game in Jacksonville … 11/4 at NO: Collected a team-high tying 12 tackles and surpassed 1,200 career tackles in his 115th career start … 11/11 at TEN: Recorded a team-high 15 tackles and registered his first interception of the season off Vince Young and first fumble recovery of season. Surpassed 100 tackles in a season for the seventh time in nine NFL seasons. Tied Chris Hudson for fourth place in team history with eight interceptions and surpassed Hudson (12) for fifth in team history with 13 career takeaways … 11/18 vs. SD: Played in his 120th career game and led the team with eight tackles despite playing most of the second half with a broken hand …

Started five games before suffering a torn left pectoral muscle on Oct. 8 against the New York Jets … Was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 11 … 9/10 vs. DAL: Led team with 11 tackles (seven solo) and one interception in season-opening win … 9/18 vs. PIT: Followed with team-high 11 tackles (four solo) and one quarterback pressure, his 50th consecutive start with the Jaguars and 66th overall … 10/1 at WAS: Finished with 11 tackles (seven solo) … 10/8 vs. NYJ: Recorded five tackles, two for a loss before suffering an injury …

Started all 16 games for the fourth consecutive season, fifth season overall … Put together the best season of his career with a career-high 190 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions … Led the team in tackles in 13 games, including double-digit tackles in 12 games … Ranked tied for third with three interceptions and had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, four passes defensed, three tackles for loss and four quarterback pressures … Led the team in tackles for first 10 games which was a team record, surpassing his own mark of nine games in 2004 … Named to USA Today's All-Joe Team, which goes to players and coaches who overachieve … 9/11 vs. SEA: Led team with seven tackles, one tackle for loss, and recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter … 9/18 at IND: Posted one of his top career games with 16 tackles (11 solo) and one interception. Picked off Peyton Manning pass in the red zone and returned it 14 yards … 10/2 vs. DEN: Led team with 15 tackles … 10/16 at PIT: Had second interception of the season with a pick of Tommy Maddox and added 10 tackles … 10/30 at STL: Did not miss a snap and finished with 13 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss … 11/6 vs. HOU: Collected 14 tackles along with one sack and one forced fumble. Sacked and forced a fumble on David Carr on third down on the Texans final drive for a seven-yard loss … 11/13 vs. BAL: Intercepted Kyle Boller and returned it 26 yards for his first career touchdown. Posted a sack for the third consecutive game and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance … 11/27 at ARZ: Surpassed 1,000 career tackles (1,005) in his 100th game with eight tackles … 12/4 at CLE: Made team-high 18 tackles along with one sack … 12/11 vs. IND: Collected a season-high 19 tackles, the sixth-most tackles in a game in team history. Surpassed 500 tackles with Jacksonville and joined Donovin Darius (798) and Kevin Hardy (789) as the only Jaguars with 500-plus tackles … 12/18 vs. SF: Started his 100th game … 12/24 at HOU: Had 11 tackles and one sack, setting a career-high for tackles and sacks … 1/2 vs. TEN: Left game after 11 plays with a sprained right wrist … 1/7 at NE: Started at MLB in AFC Wild Card Game and tied for team-lead with 10 tackles. Added a sack of Tom Brady and a forced fumble while playing the entire game with a cast on his right wrist …

Started all 16 games for the Jaguars at middle linebacker for the second consecutive season … Led the team with 178 tackles (102 solo) and five sacks. The five sacks marked only the second time in Jaguars history that a linebacker had five or more sacks, joining Kevin Hardy, and the 178 tackles ranked fourth in team history … Started all 16 games for the fourth time in career … Totaled 10 or more tackles 10 times … Named defensive captain by teammates … 9/12 at BUF: Began season with a 15-tackle performance … 9/26 at TEN: Recorded 14 tackles and a sack of Steve McNair … 10/17 vs. KC: Received defensive game ball with 15 tackles, one sack of Trent Green, one forced fumble and a pass defensed. … 11/14 vs. DET: Broke Jaguars record for most consecutive games leading the team in tackles (nine) with 12 tackles and one sack of Joey Harrington. The previous record was eight straight games by Hardy Nickerson … 12/26 vs. HOU: Had season-high of 18 tackles along with a sack of David Carr …

Started all 16 games for the Jaguars at middle linebacker after signing as an unrestricted free agent from Indianapolis … Led team with 167 tackles (87 solo) and three interceptions … Had five total takeaways (three interceptions and two fumbles) which ranked third in team history … Started all 16 games for the third time in career … 11/23 at NYJ and 11/30 vs. TB: Had back-to-back games with an interception … 12/14 at NE: Finished with a team-high 18 tackles and a sack (first as a Jaguar) … Totaled 10 or more tackles nine times …

Started all 16 games at outside linebacker in his final season with the Colts … Made team-leading 173 tackles (99 solo) … Added three interceptions (returned for 96 yards, with a long of 53) and seven passes defensed … Also played special teams, making 16 tackles … Led team in tackles in nine games and had at least 10 tackles in nine games … In two games against Jaguars, made 24 tackles (12 in each game) … 10/13 vs. BAL: Got fifth career interception and also led team with 10 tackles … 10/21 at PIT: Grabbed second interception in two games, returning it 31 yards … 11/24 at DEN: Made third interception of the season and returned it 53 yards to set up a touchdown. Also led team with 10 tackles … 12/8 at TEN: Registered a season- and career-high 18 tackles … 1/4 at NYJ: Started in AFC Wild Card Game, making eight tackles …

Started first eight games of the season before suffering a knee injury in eighth game … Despite limited playing time, finished fifth on team in tackles with 85 (51 solo), adding 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, two interceptions, four passes defensed and four QB pressures … Had three games with 10 or more tackles … Led team in tackles in four games … 9/23 vs. BUF: Recorded team-high 16 tackles and a half-sack … 10/25 at KC: Totaled team-high 12 tackles, one QB pressure and one interception (13 yards) … 11/4 at BUF: Had nine tackles, one sack, one QB pressure, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery … 11/11 vs. MIA: Led team in tackles before suffering a knee injury … Was not placed on injured reserve, but listed as inactive seven of the next eight games, starting only on Dec. 30 at St. Louis …

Started all 16 games at right linebacker … Led team with then-career-high 160 tackles (95 solo) … Added six QB pressures, two interceptions, three passes defensed and three special teams tackles … Recorded double-digit tackles in eight games … 9/25 vs. JAX: Recorded first career interception in Sept. 25 Monday night game (off Mark Brunell), along with six tackles … 10/1 at BUF: Tallied then-career-high 16 tackles … 10/22 vs. NE: Added 15 more tackles … 11/19 at GB: Recorded 14 tackles and two QB pressures … 12/3 at NYJ: Recorded fourth consecutive double-digit tackle outing with 15 tackles … 12/24 vs. MIN: Made one interception and seven tackles ... 12/30 at MIA: Started AFC Wild Card Game, making 14 tackles and deflecting two passes …

Named to All-Rookie teams chosen by Pro Football Writers of America/Pro Football Weekly, Football News and Football Digest … Played in all 16 games, starting the final 13 contests (played only on special teams in first three games) … Ranked second on team with 110 tackles (68 solo) … Tied for fourth on team with three sacks … Added seven QB pressures, one pass defensed, one fumble recovery and 15 special teams tackles … 10/10 vs. MIA: Earned first career start at right linebacker, making 11 tackles … 10/17 at NYJ: Posted 10 tackles, two QB pressures and two special teams tackles … 10/24 vs. CIN: Made first career sack, adding seven tackles … 11/7 vs. KC: Had season-high 14 tackles … 11/28 vs. NYJ: Made team-high 10 tackles and one sack … 12/5 at MIA: Recorded 10 tackles, one first NFL fumble recovery and one pass defensed … 12/12 vs. NE: Made six tackles, one sack and three QB pressures … 1/6 vs. TEN: In Divisional Playoff game, started at right linebacker and made 10 tackles.

Started 24 of 42 games … Helped school to four consecutive bowl games, including 1999 Orange Bowl … Career totals included 249 tackles (141 solo), three forced fumbles, 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks … Named to Associated Press All-SEC first-team as a senior … Majored in sociology.

Married (Chantal) with son, Mike Jr. … Lives in Gainesville, Fla. … Attended Santa Fe (Fla.) High, where he was a two-time All-State selection and member of Blue Chip Illustrated All-Southeast regional team as a defensive back … Started the Mike Peterson Foundation in 2005 to benefit Gainesville and Jacksonville children … Started the “Just Read It” Star of the Month program in 2007, an incentive and recognition program designed to award outstanding students at the elementary and middle school levels in Duval County Public Schools ... Hosted a free football clinic for more than 300 children in 2007 and 2008 at Ribault High School ... Hosted a free football clinic in 2008 at Citizens Field in Gainesville ... Brother, Adrian, played running back at Georgia Southern where he received the Walter Payton Award in 1999 … Adrian was drafted by Chicago Bears in 2002 … Cousin, Freddie Solomon played wide receiver for Philadelphia Eagles (1995-99) … Hosts special events for inner-city kids through his foundation from his hometown of Alachua … Hosted the Health & Family Fun Weekend in June of 2008 along with the city of Alachua and the St. Luke AMEC Women in Ministry ... Collaborated with Dick's Sporting Goods for the Peterson's MVP Shopping Spree with DICK'S Sporting Goods for children from Jacksonville and Alachua … Served Christmas morning breakfast with a couple of his teammates at the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless … Actively supports and attends team sponsored events including Jaguars Taste of the NFL dinner and the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation Playbooks reading initiative … Participates in the charitable efforts of his teammates … Participated in Children’s Miracle Network fundraiser as a celebrity waiter ... Full name: Porter Michael Peterson.