Antonio Garay - Biography

Antonio Garay (born November 30, 1979, in Rahway, New Jersey) is an American football defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League.

He played college football at Boston College. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

Garay has also been a member of the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.

He is notable for his outrageous hairstyles. He also drives a Antonio Garay in Hello Kitty Smart Car.

Early years

Garay is Jewish. Garay's mother is Jewish and his father is a Catholic of Jamaican, Costa Rican, and Puerto Rican descent. He was exposed to both parents' faiths. He attended Rahway High School in Rahway, New Jersey, and was a standout offensive and defensive lineman. He was also the NJSIAA . state and national wrestling champion in 1998.

Professional career

---Hustlers--- During his college summer breaks, Garay occasionally played left center for the Hustlers, a Union County Softfball summer team in Rahway River Park.

Chicago Bears

Garay spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears and was a member of the 2006 NFC Championship team. In a December 2007 game against the Washington Redskins, Garay was injured by an illegal block. He was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the 2007 season. On March 8, 2008, the Chicago Bears announced that they would part ways with the defensive tackle, and he became an unrestricted free agent on February 29, 2008.

New York Jets

On October 20, 2009, the New York Jets announced that they had signed Garay to their practice squad.

San Diego Chargers

Garay was signed off of the New York Jets practice squad on December 9, 2009, by the San Diego Chargers. He was re-signed to a two-year deal on March 6, 2010. Garay was able to earn the starting job at nose tackle for the bulk of the 2010 season, and he finished 2010 with 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks, leading all San Diego defensive linemen in both categories.

See also

• List of select Jewish football players

External links

• San Diego Chargers bio