Junior Galette

Junior Jovais Galette (born March 27, 1988) is an American football linebacker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League.^[1] He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Saints in 2010. He played college football at Temple University and Stillman College.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Galette came from an impoverished background.^[2] His parents left the Caribbean for the United States when he was still an infant in search of a better life. They eventually raised enough money to bring Galette and his two older brothers over to New York.^[3]

Galette graduated from Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey in 2006, then attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he played three seasons for the Owls. He received honorable mention on the 2006 Sporting News Freshman All-American team as a linebacker. He switched to defensive end for his next two years. After being suspended from the team during his junior year,^[2] he transferred to Division II Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for his final season, where he was named to the all-SIAC first team.

Galette was not drafted in the 2010 draft and signed with the Saints as a free agent. His energetic play made him a fan favorite during the preseason, and after he blocked a punt and registered a sack in the Saints' final preseason game, Galette was selected for the Saints' 53-man regular season roster.^[5][6] From the 2010 to 2012 season he served mostly as back-up for Jonathan Vilma, Scott Shanle and Jonathan Casillas.

In the 2013 season, with Vilma injured and Shanle and Casillas let go and traded respectively, Galette became the team's regular starter at outside linebacker under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.^[7]

On September 3, 2014, Galette signed a four-year contract extension worth $41.5 million.^[3][8] He was selected by teammates as one of the defensive team captains for the 2014 season