A Brief History of D.J. Swearinger’s On-Field Incidents

Last night wasn't the first time D.J. Swearinger made someone lose his cool. Here's a look at some of his other incidents.

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Complex Original

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Last night, Houston Texans safety D.J. Swearinger made headlines when he concussed Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker with a questionable hit, eliciting the first taunting penalty of Peyton Manning’s career. It takes a special kind of person to make No. 18 lose his cool, and Swearinger certainly has a penchant for provocation.

A second round pick in 2013 out of the University of South Carolina, Swearinger took over the starting strong safety spot last season when Danieal Manning went down with an injury during the Texans' Week 6 game against the Rams. Swearinger held down the starting job the rest of the season, finishing with 71 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble, and looks to start again this year with Manning out of the picture.

In terms of his behavior, he actually handled himself on the field pretty well in 2013. Per Pro Football Reference, he received only four penalties all season long, with three of them coming in one game. He relishes hard hits, as proven by both his suspensions as well as his mixtape that contains the aptly-named track "Hard Hitta."

Fledgling rap career aside, Swearinger has been involved in a number of plays that have drawn the ire of opponents dating back to his college days. Here’s a brief look at his major on-field incidents, including last night:

9/15/12: Illegal Hit vs. UAB

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11/24/12: Taunting vs. Clemson

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8/17/13: Breaks Dustin Keller's Leg in Preseason Game

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8/17/14: Starts Fight with Harry Douglas in Joint Practice with Falcons

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8/23/14: Concusses Wes Welker with Shoulder and Forearm to the Head

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