DeWayne Patmon DeWayne Nelson Patmon ( born April 25 , 1979 in San Diego , California ) is a former American football player . He played as a defensive back for University of Michigan from 1997 to 2000 where he won a national championship and three Big Ten Conference championships and for the New York Giants from 2001 to 2002 . He has also had small parts in a pair of Hollywood film productions . Early years . Patmon attended Patrick Henry High School in San Diego , California . In high school , he was a 6 - foot - 1 , 185 - pound free safety for Patrick Henry ' s football team and was selected as a first - team All - County player by the " San Diego Union - Tribune " . As a senior in high school , he received numerous scholarship officers and narrowed his choices to Notre Dame , Texas and Michigan . In the end , he said his final decision was easy : " I ' ve always been a Michigan fan . I really didn ' t like South Bend and , although I figured I ' d start right away at Texas , I decided I ' d rather start three years at a school like Michigan . " He later added , " As a kid , I wore all the Michigan stuff . " University of Michigan . Patmon enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1997 . He played four years with the Wolverines from 1997 to 2000 and recorded 186 tackles , including 137 solo tackles . He is tied for fourth all - time - time at the University of Michigan with 11 career pass interceptions . As a freshman , he played in seven games , and started one game at outside linebacker , for the undefeated national champion 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team ' s record - setting defense . He was credited by the " Associated Press " for having played a " key role " along with William Peterson and James Whitley in Michigan ' s 21 - 16 win over Washington State in the 1998 Rose Bowl . When Michigan ' s 1998 co - captain Marcus Ray was suspended by the NCAA for associating with a sports agent , Patmon started 10 games at strong safety for the 1998 team . After a 1998 victory over Michigan State , head coach Lloyd Carr singled out Patmon for praise : " In particular , DeWayne Patmon really stepped up and played the finest game of his collegiate career . Patmon ' s interception on the one - yard line was a big play late in that ballgame as were some of his hits on receivers over the middle . " Patmon continued to play at free safety for Michigan , starting eight games for the 1999 team and ten games for the 2000 team . The 1998 and 2000 teams were both Big Ten Conference co - champions . Patmon ' s final game for Michigan was the 2001 Citrus Bowl in which Michigan defeated Auburn 31 - 28 . In the Citrus Bowl , Patmon and sophomore safety Julius Curry each " made key interceptions to halt Auburn drives into Michigan territory . " New York Giants . Patmon went undrafted in the 2001 NFL Draft and signed the following week with the New York Giants of the National Football League as an undrafted free agent . During the 2001 pre - season , Patmon tried out with the Giants seeking a roster spot as " gunner " on punt coverage team . At the time , Patmon described the role of the " gunner " as follows : " The thing about it is , you ' ve got to forget that it ' s one - on - two and just pick out one guy and beat him . It ' s a 10 - second fight , one vs . two , and you ' re using your speed and strength to fight them off . You just try to get them off - balance , outrun them , and see if you can make a play on the ball . " He earned a spot on the Giants as a safety . After playing his first game for the Giants against the Denver Broncos , Patmon flew with the team to Newark on September 11 , 2001 , arriving at 6 : 00 a . m . , before the attack on the World Trade Center . Interviewed by the " San Diego Union - Tribune " , Patmon said , " You can still see all the smoke in the sky from here . . . Time is standing still right now . You don ' t think about the NFL or losing a game to the Broncos at a time like this . . . A lot of people are suffering right now . It puts everything else in perspective . " Patmon played for the Giants in 2001 and 2002 , but was waived in March 2003 . Motion pictures . Following his football career , Patmon appeared as a football player in both the 2004 film " Friday Night Lights " and the 2005 film " Two for the Money " .