By Eric Stock
WASHINGTON – Former Redbird football All-American Colton Underwood is already with his third NFL team as he begins in third season in the league.
The Washington, Illinois native defensive end signed with the Oakland Raiders in December after an injury cut short his second stint with the San Diego Chargers.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with Underwood on WJBC.
“It’s something I wasn’t as familiar with in my career but it’s helped me grow as a player and as a person,” Underwood said. “It’s something I am going to value and I’m going to get better from.”
Underwood is hosting a dinner gala on June 24 at Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria to raise money to fight cystic fibrosis through his foundation and is hosting a youth football came the next day in his hometown.
Underwood said cystic fibrosis is important to him because he has a cousin who was diagnosed at birth.
“I always said if I reached a platform where I could help children with CF or people with CF, I am going to,” Underwood said. “That’s exactly why I started (the Colton Underwood Foundation).”
Registration for the June 25 camp will begin on April 4 for grades one through and April 5 for grades five through eight.
Underwood said he feels more and more at home as he sees some of his former college teammates make the NFL.
“You can tell with the number of players who are now currently in the NFL, James O’Shaughnessy, Cameron Meredith, Michael Liedtke, the list is growing,” Underwood said.
Underwood, who starred as a defensive end at ISU but has played linebacker in the NFL, signed as a free agent by the San Diego Chargers in 2014. He’s been with the Chargers twice and has been on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad.
The Raiders signed him last season after he recovered from a hamstring injury.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
