• Paris is called "Mike" by his family. His middle name is Michael and his family uses his middle name to distinguish him from his father and his grandfather, who are also named Paris.
• After being waived by the Carolina Panthers in 2000, Paris worked in the United States Postal Service automation department while waiting for his next chance to break into the NFL.

Paris Michael Lenon was born on Nov. 26, 1977 ... Garnered Western Virginia district "Defensive Player of the Year" honors as a senior at Heritage (Lynchburg, Va.) High School ... Earned two letters in football and basketball and one in baseball ... His father, Paris, played basketball at North Carolina Central from 1964 to 1968 ... Has volunteered along with his family to serve Christmas dinners to the needy in Lynchburg, Va. ... Speaks to different Lynchburg-area elementary and high schools, emphasizing the importance of education and goalsetting ... Has studied martial arts ... Paris and his wife, Heather, have a son, Paris Mason ... Graduated with a bachelor's degree in studio art from Richmond.
 

Lenon was a four-year letterman (1996-99) at Richmond, following a redshirt season in 1995 ... Played in all 45 games over his college career and made 24 starts ... Recorded 320 tackles, including 12 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss, plus four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 10 passes defensed and one interception ... Selected to the All-Atlantic 10 first team in 1998, followed by second-team honors in 1999 ... As a sophomore in 1997, tallied a careerhigh 104 tackles.
 

2008 Season

2008 (16/16 - Detroit): Started all 16 games at middle linebacker and led the Lions with 146 tackles (98 solo) ... Registered 1.5 sacks for a loss of six yards along with three passes defensed, two fumbles forced and two fumble recoveries ... Reached double-digits on five occasions during the 2008 season ... Recorded 10 tackles, including nine solo stops at San Francisco (9/21) ... Posted a then season-high 11 tackles (5 solo) versus Chicago (10/5) ... Recorded his first sack of the season at Minnesota (10/12) ... Led the team with 12 tackles (7 solo) versus Tennessee (11/27) ... Tallied a team-high 13 tackles (9 solo), forcing two fumbles and a half sack versus Minnesota (12/7) ... Notched a single-game career high 17 tackles at Indianapolis (12/14).
 

2007 Season

2007 (16/16 - Detroit): Started in all 16 games and finished second on the team with a single-season career high 161 tackles (101 solo), a tally that stands as the seventh highest posted by a Lions player in team history ... Had eight double-digit tackle games on the season ... Also posted two sacks for a loss of 16 yards, one interception for 61 yards and a touchdown, four passes defensed, two fumbles forced and two special teams tackles ... Tied a career high with 14 tackles (8 solo) versus Tampa Bay (10/21) ... Made a team-high 14 tackles (10 solo) to tie a career high at Chicago (10/28) ... Returned his second career interception 61 yards for his first career touchdown against Kansas City (12/23).
 

2006 Season

2006 (16/16 - Detroit): Started in all 16 games for the first time in his career, splitting time at strong-side and middle linebacker ... Finished second on the team with 97 tackles (60 solo), setting a single-season career high ... Made his first career interception as well as three passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and four special teams tackles ... Made his first start at strong-side linebacker and had one fumble recovery versus Green Bay (9/24) ... Tallied his first career interception, picking off a Brett Favre pass, and made eight tackles (6 solo) at Green Bay (12/17) ... Tied his season-best with nine tackles and had one fumble recovery at Dallas (12/31).
 

2005 Season

2005 (16/12 - Green Bay): Played in all 16 games while making 12 starts at outside linebacker on the NFL's seventh ranked defense ... Tallied 79 tackles (47 solo), including 1.5 sacks, five passes defensed and one fumble forced ... Combined with Grady Jackson to drop Daunte Culpepper for his first career sack at Minnesota (10/23) ... Collected a career-high three passes defensed at Philadelphia (11/27) ... Posted a season high eight tackles (7 solo) with one pass defensed versus Chicago (12/25).
 

2004 Season

2004 (16/4, 1/0 - Green Bay): Appeared in all 16 games, making four starts ... Tallied 28 tackles (17 solo) and one pass defensed ... Made his first career start in the seasonopener at Carolina (9/13) ... Started at Detroit (12/12) and tallied a career-high 12 tackles ... Played in the Packers' NFL Wild Card playoff game versus Minnesota (1/9), but did not register any stats.
 

2003 Season

2003 (16/0, 2/0 - Green Bay): Played in all 16 games, seeing time primarily on special teams ... Tied for second on the team with 16 special teams tackles ... Tallied eight tackles (5 solo) ... Recorded a season high three special teams tackles at San Diego (12/14) ... Appeared in both of Green Bay's playoff contests but did not record any stats.
 

2002 Season

2002 (16/0, 1/0 - Green Bay): Saw special teams action in all 16 regular-season games in addition to one playoff game ... Led the team in special teams tackles with 22, the fourth highest total in Packers history ... Registered a career high four special teams tackles at Detroit (9/22).
 

2002 (10/10 - Amsterdam Admirals): Allocated to the Admirals by Green Bay and started all 10 games ... Led the team with 50 tackles while also recording two interceptions and deflecting seven passes.
 

2001 Season

2001: Signed by the Green Bay Packers as a free agent (4/26), then waived (7/24) ... Signed with Seattle (8/16), then waived (8/27) ... Signed to the Packers practice squad (12/27) and spent the balance of the regular season and the playoffs with the team ... Played the 2001 XFL season with the Memphis Maniax and saw action in four games, making 14 tackles (2 solo).
 

2000 Season

2000: Signed by the Carolina Panthers (4/26), then waived (6/9) ... Spent the remainder of the season out of football.
 

GP/GS (Playoffs): 112/64 (4/0)

• Lenon joins the Patriots in 2009 as a veteran of seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2002-05) and Detroit Lions (2006-08).
• Lenon enters the 2009 season having not missed a game in his seven-year NFL career while starting 63 consecutive games, including all 16 contests in each of the last three seasons (2006-08).
• Over his three seasons with the Lions (2006-08), Lenon averaged 135 tackles per season.
• In 2008, led the Lions with 146 tackles (98 solo) which included a single-game career high 17-tackle performance at Indianapolis (12/14).
• In 2007, tallied a career high 161 tackles, a figure that ranks as the seventh highest total in Lions history.
• Lenon returned an interception 61 yards for his first career touchdown in 2007.
• In 2005, Lenon became a regular starter for Green Bay, starting 12 of 16 games, including the season's final 11 contests while totaling 79 tackles (47 solo), including 1.5 sacks.
• With the Green Bay Packers in 2002, Lenon led the team with 22 special teams tackles while completing his first NFL season.
• After being released following training camps in 2000 and 2001, Lenon joined the XFL's Memphis Maniax and played in four games for Memphis in the fall of 2001. He joined the Packers' practice squad late in the 2001 NFL season.

Paris Lenon was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on May 27, 2009 ... Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers (4/26/00) ... Released by Carolina (6/9/00) ... Signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers (4/26/01) ... Released by Green Bay (7/24/01) ... Signed as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks (8/16/01) ... Released by Seattle (8/27/01) ... Signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad (12/27/01) ... Signed by Green Bay to a future contract (1/25/2002) ... Allocated by Green Bay to Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe (2/8/2002) ... Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Detroit Lions (3/22/06).
 

Lenon, 31, has played in 112 games with 64 starts over seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2002-05) and Detroit Lions (2006-08). The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pound linebacker has recorded 523 career tackles (331 solo), 5.0 sacks, two interceptions for 61 yards and a touchdown, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 58 special teams tackles. Lenon enters the 2009 season having not missed a game in his seven-year NFL career and has started 63 consecutive games, including all 16 contests in each of the last three seasons. Over his three seasons with the Lions (2006-08), Lenon averaged 135 tackles per season and led Detroit with 146 tackles in 2008.

Lenon signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent on March 22, 2006, beginning a three-year stint with the Lions in which he started all 48 games. In his first season in Detroit, Lenon finished second on the team with 97 tackles (60 solo) and also snared his first career interception. In 2007, he again finished second on the club with a career-high 161 tackles (101 solo), including a career-best two sacks, and also had a 61-yard interception return for a touchdown. His 161 tackles for Detroit in 2007 were the seventh-highest total in Lions team history. Last season, Lenon led Detroit with 146 tackles (98 solo), including 1.5 sacks, and also forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

Lenon was originally signed by the Carolina Panthers as a rookie free agent from the University of Richmond on April 26, 2000. He was released by the Panthers before training camp and spent the 2000 season out of football. He was with the Green Bay Packers in the offseason prior to the 2001 campaign and spent 10 days with the Seattle Seahawks during the 2001 preseason. He played in four games in the fall of 2001 for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL and was later signed to Packers practice squad for the 2001 regular-season finale and the 2001 playoffs. In 2002, he made his NFL debut and played in all 16 games for the Packers, leading the club with 22 special teams tackles. In 2003, Lenon again played in every game and finished second on the Packers with 16 special teams stops. He saw his first extensive action at linebacker in 2004, playing in every game with four starts for the Packers and recording 28 tackles (17 solo). In 2005, Lenon became a regular starter for Green Bay, starting 12 of 16 games, including the season’s final 11 contests while totaling 79 tackles (47 solo), including 1.5 sacks.