Free agent defensive back Charles Woodson has rejoined the Oakland Raiders, the team with which he began his professional career in 1998, General Manager Reggie McKenzie announced Tuesday.
Woodson, a veteran of 15 NFL seasons, is an eight-time Pro Bowler, including selections each of his first four seasons in Oakland and four of his last five seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound defensive back has played in 206 career games with 203 starts, and ranks second among active players with 55 interceptions. His career totals also include 17 sacks, 24 forced fumbles and 11 interceptions returned for touchdowns, which is second-most in NFL history.
The Raiders made Woodson the fourth overall selection in the 1998 NFL Draft following a record-setting career at Michigan. He was the recipient of the 1997 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first predominantly defensive player to win the award.
Woodson played in 106 games with 103 starts with the Raiders from 1998-2005. He totaled 17 interceptions during his time in Oakland, and was named the 1998 Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording five interceptions and earning his first Pro Bowl selection in his first professional campaign. Woodson led the Raiders to three straight AFC West titles from 2000-02, and started for the Silver and Black and notched an interception in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Woodson signed with the Packers as an unrestricted free agent in 2006, and started 100 games in seven seasons in Green Bay. He recorded 38 interceptions and returned nine picks for touchdowns during his time with the Packers, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2009 and 2011. Woodson was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after tying for the NFL lead with nine interceptions and returning a career-high three picks for touchdowns.
In 2012, Woodson moved from cornerback to safety but had his season cut short to seven games due to a broken collarbone suffered at St. Louis on Oct. 21. Prior to his injury, Woodson had started at least 14 games in 10 of his previous 12 seasons.
