Luis Castillo

After visiting the New England Patriots, he resigned with the Chargers on a 1-year deal on April 4, 2012.

However, Castillo was released by the San Diego Chargers on July 19, 2012.

During Week 1 of the 2011 season, Castillo suffered a broken leg and it prematurely ended his 2011 season. He became a free agent after the season in which he played in only one game.

Castillo started all 16 games in 2010 with 2.5 sacks and 26 total tackles.

Castillo signed a five-year, $43.1 million extension in July 2008. His statistics for the season were 16 games played, 15 starts, 39 tackles, 1½ sacks, a pass defensed and an interception (the second of his career).

On November 6, 2007, it was announced that Castillo would miss at least 6 weeks after having surgery on one of his knees. For the 2007 season he again played in 10 games and started nine. He totaled 33 tackles, 2½ sacks and one deflected pass. In 2008, following a tackle of Vince Young, Castillo performed a salsa dance for the crowd. Castillo started in all three playoff appearances for the Chargers, including the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots where he sacked Tom Brady.

Castillo has also emerged as a community leader in San Diego. In December 2007, he hosted "Shop with a Charger" for abused and neglected children, some of whom were homeless as well. Each child who participated in the event enjoyed dinner with Luis and his teammates and received a holiday gift card from Walmart.

In the 2006 opening game at the Oakland Raiders ESPN commentator Dick Vermeil called Castillo one of the best young defensive linemen he's seen in a long time. Castillo was a second alternate to the 2006 Pro Bowl. His season totals included playing in 10 games (9 starts) 37 tackles, 7 sacks, and an interception.

Castillo was selected with the 28th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Castillo made headlines at the 2005 NFL Combine when he sent a letter to all 32 NFL teams admitting to using androstenedione, a steroid hormone which increased the amount of testosterone his body produced, promoting muscle growth and healing in an effort to quicken the rehab process of a slow-healing injury so he could perform in all the drills at the 2005 NFL Combine. He claimed he used the steroids in an attempt to fully recover from an elbow injury suffered in the very first game of his senior year at Northwestern. Castillo hyper-extended his elbow, damaging the ulnar collateral ligament, basically preventing him from using one of his arms. Being the team captain, he felt an obligation to fight through the pain and finish the year.

In 2005 Castillo was named an All-Rookie Team selection by NFL.com, Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America. Castillo has emerged as a play maker alongside Jamal Williams and Igor Olshansky, creating havoc in opposing backfields. He ended his rookie season with 49 tackles, 3½ sacks, and 3 pass deflections.

Castillo is fluent in Spanish. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to the Dominican Republic with his mother, Maria, when he was a child. They returned to the United States when he was 5, and the family settled in New Jersey. Luis returns to the Dominican Republic every offseason where he is revered as a national icon. During his trips to the Dominican, Castillo hosts a youth football clinic and does many community appearances. In 2005, he was honored with the Youth of the Year Award for excellence outside of the Dominican Republic.

He attended Northwestern University, where he lived in Elder Hall for his freshman year. He was a 2004 Pro Football Weekly All-American selection, a Second-team All-Big Ten, Academic All-American by ESPN and Second-team Academic All-Big Ten. In 2003, he was a First-team Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten. Again, a Second-team Academic All-District by CoSIDA and Academic All-Big Ten in 2002. Castillo finished career with 251 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 19.5 tackles for loss.

Luis Alberto Castillo (born August 4, 1983), is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chargers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northwestern.