Rolando McClain Rolando Marquise McClain ( born July 14 , 1989 ) is a American football linebacker who currently plays for the Baltimore Ravens . He played college football for the University of Alabama , he was recognized as a unanimous All - American and the best college linebacker in the nation , and helped Alabama win the 2010 BCS National Championship . Drafted eight overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2010 , McClain played three seasons in the NFL , leading the Raiders in tackles in 2011 . After various off - the - field incidents , however , he was cut by the Raiders in April 2013 . Signed to one - year contract with the Baltimore Ravens , he surprisingly retired from football in May 2013 at the age of 23 . High school career . McClain attended Decatur High School in Decatur , Alabama , where he played linebacker and tight end for the Decatur Red Raiders high school football team . As a senior he was an " Orlando Sentinel " All - Southern team selection , Parade All - American , and was selected to play in the first Offense - Defense All - American Bowl in Fort Lauderdale , Florida . In high school , he was diagnosed with Crohn ' s disease , though recent tests seemed to indicate that was a misdiagnosis . College career . McClain received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Alabama , and played for coach Nick Saban ' s Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 2007 to 2009 . As a true freshman in 2007 , he started 8 of 13 games for the Crimson Tide , finishing fourth on the team in tackles with 75 . He also recorded two interceptions and a sack and was a freshmen All - Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) selection . During his sophomore season in 2008 , McClain compiled 95 tackles , three sacks , and an interception , earning Associated Press ( AP ) third - team All - American honors , and was a first - team All - SEC selection . For the 2009 season , McClain had 105 total tackles including 14 . 5 tackles for loss . He also had four sacks , fourteen quarterback hurries , two interceptions , three passes broken up , and a forced fumble . He was named Football Writers Association of America ( FWAA ) National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Kentucky Wildcats in early October . Following the SEC Championship Game , Rolando was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year , and a first - team All - SEC selection . On December 7 , 2009 , McClain was announced as the winner of the 2009 Lambert Award for the best collegiate linebacker . He is the first Alabama linebacker to win the Lambert Award since its inception in 1991 . A day later , he was also awarded the 2009 Dick Butkus Award , being only the second Crimson Tide player to do so ( along with Derrick Thomas in 1988 ) . He was recognized a unanimous first - team All - American , after being named to the first teams of the American Football Coaches Association , Associated Press , Football Writers Association of America , " Sporting News " , and Walter Camp Football Foundation . On January 11 , 2010 , several days after winning the BCS National Championship , McClain decided to forgo his senior year at Alabama and enter the NFL draft . Professional career . 2010 NFL Draft . McClain was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft . He was the highest drafted Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker since Keith McCants went 4th overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1990 NFL Draft . Oakland Raiders . McClain signed his contract with the Raiders on July 28 , 2010 , in time to make the first day of training camp . The contract is estimated to be for $ 40 million over 5 years . In week 2 of the 2010 season against the St . Louis Rams , McClain body slam med Danny Amendola , which drew an " unnecessary roughness " call and eventually a $ 5 , 000 fine by the NFL . He recorded his first career sack in week 7 against Kyle Orton of the Denver Broncos and his first career interception in week 12 against Chad Henne of the Miami Dolphins . McClain finished his first season with 85 tackles , 0 . 5 sacks , an interception , and 6 passes defended . During the 2012 NFL season , in which the Raiders ' defense struggled and was statistically the worst defense in the league , McClain saw his playing time decrease following a 37 - 6 rout by the division rival Denver Broncos . During a week 4 game against Denver , McClain played in 73 snaps , but following the bye , the Raiders made the decision to replace him with 4th round rookie Miles Burris in their nickel package , resulting in McClain playing only 17 snaps compared to Burris ' 55 in the week 6 game against the Atlanta Falcons . Head coach Dennis Allen was quoted as saying that he has been impressed with Burris ' ability to make corrections on the fly , saying the linebacker was not a " repeat offender " when it came to mistakes and a smart football player overall , indicating the coaching staff ' s belief that McClain was guilty of poor decision - making and too many errors . According to sources within the Raiders , it was reported by NFL . com ' s Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport that McClain had been kicked out of an official team practice session on November 29 due to an " incident " . McClain then took to social media outlet Facebook and released a series of comments stating that he was " . . . no longer an Oakland Raider ! ! " and that he was " . . . mentally done . " with the team , wishing " . . . to be anywhere besides here " . McClain had been drafted with the hopes that he could help improve the Raiders ' run defense , an area where the team had been consistently among the worst in the league . Following a string of poor first round picks by late owner / GM Al Davis , the selection of Rolando McClain was applauded by many analysts . Throughout his tenure however , McClain has not only failed to help bolster the defense against the run , but he has also shown to be a liability in pass coverage . McClain was released on April 5 , 2013 by the Oakland Raiders . Baltimore Ravens . McClain signed with the Baltimore Ravens on April 10 , 2013 . On May 15 , McClain announced his retirement . on March 10 he announced that he would return to the NFL after 1 year retired , the Ravens own his contract rights Personal . McClain was born in Decatur , Alabama to parents Roland McClain and Tonya Malone . He grew up in the projects of Decatur , Alabama . At 15 , Rolando received a restraining order against his mother after she beat him and threatened him with a knife . At 16 , she was arrested after she threatened his entire high school which resulted in a school lock down . During the trial she was diagnosed as bi - polar . His estranged father was granted custody but McClain left to return to Decatur to stay eligible for football . He lived with several families including the Tim Thomas family his junior year . Tim played on the same Ole Miss basketball team as Sean Tuohy , whose Memphis family took in Michael Oher , which is the subject of the book and movie " The Blind Side " . McClain could be considered to have been " on his own " since he was 15 . McClain ' s cousin Le ' Ron McClain also played football at the University of Alabama , and as of 2014 he plays for the San Diego Chargers . In January 2013 , McClain married Capri Knox and , with their 2 sons , moved to Madison , Alabama . McClain and Knox first met in 2007 at the University of Alabama where she was a member of the Alabama Track team . After his retirement , McClain moved to Tuscaloosa , where he re - enrolled at the University of Alabama in order to finish his bachelor ' s degree in family financial planning . Arrests . On December 1 , 2011 , McClain was arrested by Decatur police and charged with third - degree assault , menacing , reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm inside the city limits , all of which are misdemeanors , for a shooting incident that occurred the night before . On May 17 , 2012 , McClain was found guilty on all counts , ordered to pay a $ 500 fine for each charge , totaling $ 2 , 000 , and sentenced to spend 45 days in jail for each charge , 180 in total . He was freed on bond , and will begin serving his sentence on June 1 . On November 18 , 2012 , while the case was on appeal , the charges were dismissed by the Judge after the victim decided not to press charges . According to lawyers involved , a financial settlement was reached between McClain and the victim . On January 8 , 2013 McClain was arrested by Decatur Police in Morgan County after an officer pulled him over for a window tint violation . McClain provided the officer with a false name and he was arrested and booked into the Decatur City Jail . McClain bonded out of jail later that day . On April 21 , 2013 , McClain was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest .