LaVar Arrington LaVar RaShad Arrington ( born June 20 , 1978 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League ( NFL ) for seven seasons . He played college football at Penn State University , where he was a two - time All - American . He was drafted second overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2000 NFL Draft , and played professionally for six seasons for the Redskins and one season for the New York Giants . He was a three - time Pro Bowl selection and three - time All - Pro selection . Early years . Arrington was born in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . He played linebacker and running back at North Hills Senior High School in Pittsburgh . After his senior year , he was named the 1996 " Parade " National Player of the Year , the Bobby Dodd National Offensive Player of the Year , the Gatorade Player of the Year and " USA Today " Pennsylvania Player of the Year . He became the second player in Pennsylvania Class 4 - A history to rush for more than 4 , 000 career yards , with 4 , 357 on 711 carries and 72 touchdowns . He played in the 1997 Big 33 Football Classic , the annual game between Pennsylvania and Ohio ' s best high school football players . Arrington also played basketball and track and field . He was recruited to play basketball for Georgetown , UMass , and North Carolina . He was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame on June 24 , 2011 . College career . While attending Pennsylvania State University , Arrington played for coach Joe Paterno ' s Penn State Nittany Lions football team 1997 to 1999 . His signature play with the Nittany Lions came during a game against Illinois . On a fourth and short play , Arrington anticipated the snap count and jumped over the offensive line to tackle the runner in the backfield . The play became known as " The LaVar Leap " . Arrington ' s tendency for spectacular plays and his cover appearance on the " Sports Illustrated " 1999 College Football Preview Issue led many to mention him as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate . Arrington received several honors during his college career , including the Chuck Bednarik Award , Dick Butkus Award , and Lambert Award in 1999 . He was an All - Big - Ten selection , a first - team All - American in 1998 , and a consensus first - team All - American in 1999 . Arrington finished ninth in balloting for the 1999 Heisman Trophy . He left Penn State after his junior season to enter the NFL draft . Professional career . Washington Redskins . The Washington Redskins chose Arrington with the second overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft , and he played for the Redskins from to . After four seasons with the Redskins , Arrington signed an eight - year , $ 68 million contract extension . His agent Carl Poston was accused of neglecting to inspect the final revision of the contract , in which $ 6 . 5 million worth of bonuses contained in earlier drafts were missing . Poston was eventually suspended for two years by the National Football League Players ' Association ( NFLPA ) over the mishandling of Arrington ' s contract ; Arrington did not support the NFLPA ' s decision . Arrington ' s final two seasons with the Redskins were marred by knee injuries and conflicts with coaches Joe Gibbs and Gregg Williams . In March 2006 Arrington paid the Redskins $ 4 . 4 million to buy his free agency . New York Giants . In April 2006 , Arrington agreed to a seven - year , $ 49 million contract with the New York Giants . He was injured in week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys and missed the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon . On February 12 , 2007 , he was released by the New York Giants . Retirement . Arrington ' s agent Kevin Poston initially stated that his client intended to play during the 2007 NFL season , saying " things could change at some point , but as of this moment LaVar is focused on playing . " On April 18 , 2007 , a " Washington Post " article by Jason LaCanfora reported that Arrington was rumored to be leaning strongly towards retirement . A September 23 , 2007 , " New York Daily News " article confirmed his retirement . After football . Broadcasting career . Arrington started working on pregame and postgame shows for Comcast SportsNet before the Redskins ' 2007 season week 3 loss to the Giants . He became a permanent member of the Comcast team on October 14 for the Green Bay Packers game . He returned to Comcast SportsNet ' s on - air lineup for week 3 of the 2008 NFL season , appearing on the pregame and postgame shows , and on " Washington Post Live " . Comcast also featured a segment entitled “ Life on the Sidelines with LaVar Arrington ” during its " Redskins Kickoff " program on game days . Arrington now does a weekday afternoon radio talk show in Washington , DC with DJ Chad Dukes , titled " The LaVar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes . " The inaugural show aired on July 20 , 2009 , on 106 . 7 The Fan . He also hosts his own weekly sports show titled " SportsWeek with Lavar Arrington " on local Washington television station DC50 . Sports management . Arrington formed a sport management firm , Leap Management , LLC , in 2008 . The firm ' s first clients were 2009 NFL Draft prospects Aaron Maybin , Derrick Williams , Josh Gaines , and Tyrell Sales . Personal . LaVar Arrington was named after LeVar Burton , following the actor ' s portrayal of Kunta Kinte in the 1977 television miniseries " Roots " . He has an older brother , Michael , who played basketball at Slippery Rock University and a younger brother , Eric . His father , Michael , became an ordained minister after he retired from the military . His mother , Carolyn , is a special education teacher in the Pittsburgh public school system . Arrington lives in Anne Arundel County , Maryland with his wife Trishia . The couple has three children : daughter Marlee , born in December 2005 , and twins , LaVar and Laila , born May 2007 . LaVar dated professional tennis player Serena Williams in the early 2000s . Arrington opened a restaurant named The Sideline in Landover , Maryland on January 30 , 2008 . In March 2009 one man was killed and six other people were injured after an argument ended in a burst of gunfire just outside the main entrance to the restaurant . The restaurant went bankrupt and closed in December 2009 . Arrington appeared in several television commercials for Eastern Motors with fellow athletes Carmelo Anthony , Clinton Portis , Sean Taylor , and Antawn Jamison . He appeared on a 2002 episode of the TLC program " While You Were Out " , where he helped redesign a room for his brother , Michael . Arrington served as a judge for ESPN ' s " Dream Job " . Motorcycle accident . On June 18 , 2007 , Arrington was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in suburban Maryland . He was on the Route 50 off - ramp of the Capital Beltway when he lost control of his 2007 Kawasaki Ninja ZX - 14 , striking a guardrail . Arrington was rushed to Prince George ' s Medical Center , in serious but stable condition . Arrington sustained a broken right forearm , broken lower vertebrae , and deep cuts to his leg . He was issued two citations , one for failure to control speed to avoid a collision , the other for operating a vehicle without a class license that contributed to a crash .