Shawn Springs Shawn Springs ( born March 11 , 1975 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League ( NFL ) for 13 seasons . He played college football for Ohio State University , and earned All - American honors . He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks third overall in the 1997 NFL Draft , he played professionally for the Seahawks , Washington Redskins and New England Patriots of the NFL , and was a Pro Bowl selection in 1998 . Early years . Springs was born in Williamsburg , Virginia , and largely raised in Silver Spring , Maryland . Prior to attending Springbrook High School in Silver Spring , he was a standout athlete at Orange High School in Orange , Ohio . He was an all - state selection in high school football at Springbrook High School where he played running back and cornerback . He is the son of former NFL running back Ron Springs . College career . After graduating from high school , Springs decided to attend The Ohio State University , where he played for The Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 1993 to 1996 . He started all 37 games after being redshirted his freshman year . Springs earned All - Big Ten honors as a sophomore and junior , as well as an All - Academic selection . He was recognized as a consensus first - team All - American and named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 . Professional career . Seattle Seahawks . Springs was drafted third overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1997 NFL Draft . He started 10 games in his rookie season , recording one interception . Springs was selected to the 1999 Pro Bowl in his second season in the NFL , after starting all sixteen games , and recorded 76 tackles , seven interceptions , and two defensive touchdown s . He started every game of his next two seasons in Seattle , recording five interceptions in 1999 and two in 2000 . Washington Redskins . Springs was signed as a free agent on March 4 , 2004 by the Washington Redskins . In his first season in Washington , he led the team in interceptions with five , and sacks with six , and was the first cornerback to lead his team in sacks and interceptions in NFL history . In the 2005 season , Springs played much of the season with a leg injury ; he finished the year with one interception and recorded 50 tackles in 15 starts . The 2006 season saw Springs on the bench for most of the year , battling nagging injuries while the Redskins compiled a 5 - 11 season . He was eventually placed on injured reserve on December 26 with a fractured scapula . Springs ended the 2007 season with 62 tackles and four interceptions , the latter in the last four regular - season games , as he helped the Redskins make the playoffs . Springs was released by the Redskins on February 27 , 2009 . New England Patriots . Springs signed a three - year contract with the New England Patriots on March 11 , 2009 . He started four of the first eight games of the 2009 season for the Patriots . In November , he missed a four - game stretch with a knee injury , despite being listed as probable on each week ' s injury report . After back - to - back losses , he returned to start the final four games of the season and the Patriots ' playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens . He finished the season with one interception , 40 tackles , and four passes defended . On May 18 , 2010 , the Patriots released Springs .