Jonathan Vilma
A cerebral and fiery defensive leader who anchored the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl-winning defense and became a key voice in the Bountygate scandal.
Born 1982 (age 44)·American football linebacker and analyst·Birthday: April 16·Millennials
Biography
Jonathan Vilma's football intelligence was as formidable as his tackles. Drafted by the New York Jets, the linebacker quickly won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, but his legacy was cemented after a trade to the New Orleans Saints. There, he became the defensive quarterback for coordinator Gregg Williams, calling plays for a unit that played with aggressive, turnover-forcing swagger. That style propelled the Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV victory. Vilma's career then became entangled in the NFL's 'Bountygate' investigation, which alleged a pay-for-performance system. He fought a season-long suspension fiercely, successfully appealing in court, and returned to play two more seasons. In retirement, his sharp analytical mind found a home in the broadcast booth, where he breaks down the game he helped define.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jonathan was born in 1982, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jonathan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Jonathan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Turned 21
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2012Turned 30
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 40
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 44 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004 with the New York Jets.
- Selected to three Pro Bowls (2005, 2009, 2010) and was a first-team All-Pro in 2009.
- Served as the starting middle linebacker for the New Orleans Saints when they won Super Bowl XLIV.
- Successfully appealed his season-long suspension in the 2012 Bountygate scandal in federal court.
Did You Know?
He was born in New York City to Haitian parents and is fluent in Haitian Creole.
He won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation's top collegiate defensive player at the University of Miami.
He was a standout high school running back in addition to playing linebacker.
“I saw the play before the snap; football is a game of solved puzzles.”
