Team physicians for the Philadelphia Eagles Peter DeLuca, MD, and Paul Marchetto, MD, performed surgery to repair the left tricep tendon of Eagles' defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, according to a Philadelphia Eagles report.

Mr. Dixon suffered the injury while playing last Sunday and has been placed on the injured reserve list. The surgery, performed by the two physicians from Rothman Institute, is complete and Mr. Dixon is now in the recovery process.


(beckersorthopedicandspine.com)

Antonio Dixon, a defensive tackle for the Eagles, landed on the injured list due to torn triceps. Dixon tore his triceps Oct. 2, playing against the 49ers. Dixon left Week 4 vs. the 49ers due to his injured triceps.

The triceps are on the back of the upper arm, opposite the biceps. Upon falling on your hands, it is possible to rupture the triceps tendon. You can also rupture the tendon by pushing something very heavy or by overworking during weight training.


(yahoo.com)

Eagles defensive tackle Antonio Dixon wears his loyalty to the University of Miami on his sleeve.

Or under his sleeve. Dixon has the university logo tattooed on his right arm.

Dixon, a Miami native, was among the Hurricane athletes mentioned last month in Yahoo! Sports' expose of the Miami program. Dixon was alleged to have received improper benefits, including VIP access to nightclubs and drinks at least twice, and a dinner at a Miami Beach restaurant. Yahoo! said one source corroborated the allegation about the nightclub access and the drinks.

Dixon told the Daily News today that he did not accept anything improper from Shapiro, most definitely not the things he is alleged to have accepted.

"Nevin Shapiro is a liar," Dixon, 26, said after the afternoon practice. "He's bringing down our program."

Dixon said Shapiro has dramatically overstated how close he was to players during the time Dixon played for Miami.

"I only met him one time -- I went to a barbecue at his house," Dixon said. "He's a male groupie."

Shapiro, 42, is in jail for running a $930 million Ponzi scheme. He has alleged providing cash, cars and prostitutes, among other things, for Miami athletes.


(philly.com)

Sinorice Moss is listed as the third string WR Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper.

Antonio Dixon is listed as the starting right defensive tackle.

Graig Cooper has made his way up the depth chart and is currently listed as the 3rd string running back. He is behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown and sharing the third spot with Dion Lewis. Many are surprised to see Cooper in front of Eldra Buckley.

Antonio Dixon, last year's surprise starter, went down with a knee sprain Thursday. (The team said it was "mild" and Dixon thought he'd be back "soon.




(philly.com)

First-team defense was Trent Cole and Juqua Parker at defensive end, Mike Patterson and Antonio Dixon at defensive tackle, Kurt Coleman and Nate Allen at safety and Trevard Lindley and Joselio Hanson at cornerback (with Lindley on the right). Allen, who is coming off a season-ending knee injury, did not participate fully in all drills, with Marlin Jackson stepping in for him when needed.


(philadelphiaeagles.com)

Updating a previous report, Philadelphia Eagles DT Antonio Dixon is expected to start at defensive tackle next season because of how well he played this season.





(kffl.com)

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

To read our rankings of players 25-16, click here.

15. Jon Vilma MLB New Orleans Saints: Vilma was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a solid 2010 season where he posted over 100 tackles for the third consecutive season and a career high four sacks. Though Vilma did post the fewest tackles of his seven-year career (105), besides his 2007 season where he only played in seven games, the Saints’ defense was riddled with injuries in 2010, and Vilma did not miss a game and anchored the defense. Look for Vilma to continue to be the quarterback of the Saints defense in 2011 and as that defense gets healthier and gains more experience, Vilma will continue to flourish.

14. Greg Olsen TE Chicago Bears: Coming into the 2010 season there were fears that Olsen would not be utilized in Mike Martz’s wide open offense and the Bears actually almost traded Olsen before the start of the 2010 season despite public comments by Head Coach Lovie Smith and Martz that Olsen would be used in the spread offense. Olsen statistically didn’t have a bad season as he posted 41 receptions for 404 yards, the lowest since his rookie season, but more concerning was the fact that in seven games Olsen had either only reception (5 games) or no receptions (2 games). Olsen had his best game of the season in the first round of the playoffs versus the Seahawks where he posted 113 yards receiving, 58 of those coming on one play, but it showed that he could be a threat in that offense if correctly utilized. With one season under his belt it will be interesting to see if Martz can figure out a way to incorporate or Olsen, though the trade rumors continue to persist.

13. Javarris James RB Indianpolis Colts: James was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts right after last year’s draft and by the time Week 5 rolled around he was signed to the Colts’ active roster. James had previously been on the Patriots and Redskins practice squads. Though James did not put up huge numbers, 112 yards rushing on 42 carries, the fact that he made the active roster of the Colts and scored six TDs last season, more than any other proCane runningback, merits him being ranked as a top 15 proCane performer for 2010. James will have an uphill battle to earn a roster spot on the Colts next season as he was inactive for the last two games of the regular season and playoff game, but he very well may be signed by another team due to his tough redzone running.

12. Jon Beason LB Carolina Panthers: Beason had started at MLB for the Panthers the last 3 seasons and coming into 2010 put the team first and agreed to start at the RLB spot. Beason who has yet to miss a game in his four-year career took some time to get acclimated to his new position and was not having as large of an impact defensively for the Panthers. In Week 10, Beason moved back to the middle and 2 weeks later made his presence felt with an interception versus the Cleveland Browns. Beason is too good to not be the starting MLB and it seems like the Panthers have realized that, and he should resume his duties in the middle of the defense in 2011.

11. Kellen Winslow TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Winslow finished the 2010 by playing all 16 games for the second consecutive season and though his numbers weren’t as good as his 2009 numbers, his first season in Tampa, Winslow was still a threat down the middle of the field for the Bucs. Winslow had a career high 5 TDs to go along with his 730 yards receiving and as the season progressed became a more consistent option for Tampa QB Josh Freeman culminating in a 7 reception for 98 yards and 2 TDs performance in Week 15. Winslow has already said he expects big numbers in 2011, and though at times he was not able to practice due to injury, he didn’t miss a game and played with his usual fire all season long.

10. Antonio Dixon DL Philadelphia Eagles: Dixon was a surprise contributor to the Eagles’ defensive line in 2009 as an undrafted rookie free agent signing. He suited up for 16 games and became a vital cog in the Eagles’ defensive line versus the run that year. In 2010, due to injury Dixon received extensive playing time in Week 5 versus the 49ers where he recorded his first sack of the season and ended up starting the rest of the way for Eagles totaling 30 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections. Dixon has been a very pleasant surprise for the Eagles and a great personal story as well, overcoming learning disabilities and controlling his weight. Look for Dixon to start for the Eagles next season and continue to excel versus the run and improve his game on passing downs.

9. DJ Williams LB Denver Broncos: Playing in the 3-4 for his second consecutive season DJ Williams looked even more comfortable totaling 119 tackles. Williams also became much more involved in the passing game as he had a career high 9 pass deflections and more impressively 5.5 sacks. The Broncos began to blitz Williams more in passing situations and as a result he led the Broncos in sacks last season as well as tackles by a wide margin. The only knock on Williams is his off the field problems where he was accused of a DUI for the second time in his career and lost his captaincy as a result as well as his driver’s license for a year. Rumors have circulated that Williams is on the trading block but if he isn’t traded he will have to get used to playing in the 4-3 defense at the weak-side linebacker spot as the Broncos are changing their defense, again.


Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 8th through 1st!

There were numerous questions surrounding DT Antonio Dixon when he came out of college. The Miami product had serious concerns about his weight as well as some personal life issues stemming from a horrid childhood. His father served 17 years for drug trafficking, his mother’s addiction lead to him entering foster care, and he spent time living in a homeless shelter as well. On top of that, Dixon has a speech impediment and finds it difficult to talk to the media.

All of this factored into him going undrafted in 2009. He was initially signed by the Redskins and later claimed off waivers by their rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.

It is testament to the belief Eagles’ coaches have had in Dixon that he has became the premier player in a defensive tackle group that boasts three players drafted in rounds one and two (Bunkley, Mike Patterson and Trevor Laws.) It’s also easy to see why Antonio Dixon is the Eagles’ Secret Superstar.

Clogging the Middle
Dixon flashed during his rookie year. As a run defender, he accumulated a +3.9 grade in 119 snaps. He wasn’t making a lot of plays, with just ten stops, but he’d more than shown he deserved a roster spot already.

With an expanded role in 2010 – a torn bicep for incumbent Brodrick Bunkley against San Francisco gave Dixon a chance to start in Week 6 – he did not disappoint. He ended the year ranked 8th overall in our run defense grades for interior defensive linemen, surrounded by players like Antonio Garay, Haloti Ngata and Kevin Williams. His playmaking was once again lacking (just 21 stops), but this is understandable considering the 2-gap scheme that asks Eagle defensive tackles to eat up blocks.

Dixon put in one of the most memorable run defending performances we saw all year against Chicago. His day was highlighted by three tackles for a loss and he gave Olin Kreutz fits throughout the game. The Titans’ interior can’t have been happy to see him either in Week 7 as neither Eugene Amano nor Leroy Harris had an answer.

Not Yet a Pocket-Collapser
While against the run he was sometimes supreme, he has failed to match that level when rushing the passer. In 229 pass rushes in 2010, he put up just seven quarterback disruptions, two of which were sacks. This was worse production than his rookie year where he had six combined pressures in just 120 snaps. Considering he only plays in the base package (the Eagles use their defensive ends inside in the nickel,) his opportunities have thus far been limited, however, if his recent performances are anything to go by, that’s no bad thing.

It will be interesting to see the effect of the new system under recently hired defensive line coach Jim Washburn. The shift will be towards a more disruptive and aggressive 1-gap scheme in contrast to the gap control of previous years. Washburn also used his defensive tackles in the nickel during his time in Tennessee so Dixon may find himself with more of an opportunity in the coming year.

A new scheme fit?
Dixon’s size leads many to believe he’s a prototypical 4-3 two gap player but he’s surprisingly agile for a man that goes about 330 lbs. While he hasn’t yet produced while rushing the passer, he has shown some explosion and block-shedding ability many times against the run. If anything, the new plan may fit Dixon better than the last.

Talented players usually find ways to thrive in different schemes. Dixon is certainly that. However, a quick glance through his grades shows he still has a lot of work to do. Against weak competition, he was simply dominant, but when he came up against good run blocking teams like Houston (LG Wade Smith and C Chris Myers,) he struggled. It’s his performances against top opponents that will dictate whether Dixon can take the next step.

Dixon is much more than a feel-good story. He’s got the skills to produce in the NFL and we’ve only had a glimpse of what he’s capable of.



(profootballfocus.com)

Eagles defensive tackle Antonio Dixon and running back LeSean McCoy have been named to the 19th annual “All-Joe Team,” which honors unsung, underrated and overlooked NFL players for their accomplishments.

The team, selected by USAToday, was announced Wednesday morning. All players picked to the Pro Bowl team are ineligible for the All-Joe team.

Dixon became a first-time starter after Brodrick Bunkley suffered an elbow injury and started the last 11 games of the season for the Eagles. He had a couple sacks and provided solid run defense in place of Bunkley, who never regained his starting job even though he did eventually return to action.

Dixon went undrafted 2009 and was released by the Redskins after spending the summer in their training camp.



(csnphilly.com)

6 proCanes made early exits out of the NFL playoffs after he wildcard round this weekend.

Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles) all lost their respective games and will start their offseason.

Below are the remaining proCanes in the NFL playoffs.

AFC: Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).

17 proCanes will participate in the 2010 NFL playoffs. 8 from the AFC and 9 from the NFC. Below is a list of the players.

AFC: Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is going to be the runaway winner of Comeback Player of the Year honors and may well win Most Valuable Player acclaim as well. But one of Vick's fellow starters on the 10-4 likely NFC East champion has been through much worse than the convicted felon/dog-killer.

Consider what defensive tackle Antonio Dixon endured before he even reached high school:

• Before he turned four, Dixon's father, Frazier Hawkins, a high school wrestling coach in Miami, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking.

• Without a high school diploma, Dixon's mother, Corenthia, was unable to secure steady employment that would have allowed her and her five children to afford to rent an apartment. So they shuttled for years between homeless shelters and between relatives in Miami and Atlanta.

• When Dixon was 11, his mother became so hooked on drugs that a social worker took the children from her and placed them in foster homes for nine months.

• Dixon attended what he believes were 15 elementary schools without learning how to read. It wasn't until he was in sixth grade that his dyslexia was discovered. He also had a severe stutter -- one that is only slightly better now that he's 25 -- that often caused other kids to tease him.

And yet, Dixon persevered. While he was attending Miami's Booker T. Washington High School, he re-established a relationship with his father and began speaking to him regularly and visiting him when possible. His mother had kicked her drug habit and found work in the kitchen of a shelter in the downtrodden Overtown neighborhood where the family had lived on and off during their worst struggles. And Dixon, who was always a big child, discovered organized football and finally learned to read. After a year at a prep school in New York following high school, Dixon enrolled at the University of Miami.

Dixon started just 10 games during his four years with the Hurricanes, but he would spend 20 hours a week in study hall in order to become the first member of his family to graduate from college. And in the spring of 2009, Dixon walked across the stage in cap and gown, a feat he topped when he was named as one of just six student-athletes nationwide to win the Wilma Rudolph Award for persistence in overcoming hurdles on and off the field.

After being bypassed in the NFL draft, Dixon signed with Washington as a rookie free agent. Although he debuted with five tackles, four for losses, in a preseason game against Baltimore, he was not in great shape even before suffering a back injury. Dixon couldn't beat the long odds of winning a job at the Redskins' deepest position and when the team cut him with the idea of grooming him on the practice squad, Philadelphia pounced and signed him to its roster.

"He was playing good for us in the preseason," said Redskins co-captain London Fletcher. "You saw him as a guy who should have made your football team and eventually work into your rotation. And we just gave him away."

To a division rival, no less. Dixon played in every game for the Eagles last year, recording 17 tackles and a sack.

"I think he's always had the ability," said Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. "He was very raw. It was really a matter of sculpting him. Sculpting his body, sculpting his technique, and really just trying to train him. It's a good story -- a very good-hearted kid who's made it from nothing, basically, and now he's a starter."

Indeed, when three-year starter Brodrick Bunkley injured an elbow during the first quarter in Week 6 at San Francisco, Dixon took over and although Bunkley was back within four weeks, Dixon has remained the starter.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity and I've just been busting my tail," said Dixon, still fighting his stutter. "I'm a way better player, technique-wise just from learning the system for a whole year. My penetration has been my best thing. Teams are using two blockers on me on almost every down because of my strength.

"I'm proud of myself, but I can't let it go to my head. I've gotta keep on working hard so I can reach my full potential. I know I've still got a long way to go. I had some problems in my life, but I never gave up. I kept on working hard and it paid off."

For the Eagles that is. One of Washington's starting tackles from 2009, Cornelius Griffin, was cut in March as was backup Anthony Montgomery. The other, Albert Haynesworth, was suspended for the rest of the season 16 days ago. Reserves Lorenzo Alexander and Kedric Golston have switched to outside linebacker and defensive end, respectively, in the Redskins' new 3-4 scheme which really could use a space-eater like Dixon at nose tackle where Ma'ake Kemoeatu came up short this year. Washington is last in overall defense, 27th against the run and headed toward at oblivion at 5-9 after going 4-12 last season.

"I don't think Dixon should have ever gotten off this roster," said Redskins center Casey Rabach who has battled him the last two seasons and raved about his playing with leverage and his bull rush. "We knew he was going to be good. Every time he was out there in preseason, it seemed like he was making plays."

Still listed at 6-foot-3 and 322 pounds, Dixon doesn't look as good as 2006 first-rounder Bunkley and he doesn't shine that often in practice, but he has 36 tackles and two sacks to Bunkley's 28 and zero.

"If you watch the film, you'd think he was a high draft pick," Golston said. "Dix was always a hard worker and he was coachable and with the ability that he had, he's thriving up in Philly. It's just a testament to the character that he has. I'm proud of him."

The Eagles, 2-2 in Bunkley's four full starts, are 7-2 with Dixon in lineup. And their defense, in the bottom third of the league in September, is 13th overall and 11th against the run.

"He hasn't that imposing, but he is tough to move," McDermott said of Dixon.

"I've always been better in games than in practice," Dixon said. "I don't know why, but when the lights come on, I'm just a different person."

And a man who has overcome so much to attain the success that he has achieved.

Click here to order Antonio Dixon’s proCane Rookie Card.



(fanhouse.com)

When young Antonio Dixon spoke, he did so with his fists.

Because when he did open his mouth, the words just wouldn't come out. Or a long, laborious struggle to get through a sentence would ensue, and that only worsened the plight for Dixon as his peers — as youngsters are wont to do — taunted him unmercifully for his stuttering.

Since he couldn't respond with a quick comeback or even a "Shut up!" he took matters into his own hands.

"I got into so many fights," Dixon said recently. "I wouldn't cry. But I'd fight and then I would cry. I got so many suspensions. I got into so many fights because people were picking on me. Because kids will keep picking and keep picking and keep picking, and I ain't the type to take it for too long."

Eventually — probably in high school, Dixon said, when football saved his life — the taunting ended. But the speech impediment remains.

Dixon has overcome a lot in his 25 years — poverty, homelessness, illiteracy and the drug problems of his parents — to get where he is as a starting defensive tackle for the Eagles. But the stutter he said he's had "ever since I was born" is a constant reminder of his past.

Though the taunting has stopped, the teasing has not.

"Whenever I meet new people, they make fun of me a few times," Dixon said. "But once they get to know me, they don't do it as much because they know I'm a cool person. It happened during college ... and when I came to the Redskins, and here (with the Eagles) it was also the same way.

"But I got used to it and I don't get mad because I would probably laugh, too, a couple of times."

Dixon's stutter is at its worst when he is nervous, and he's especially anxious when he is being interviewed. So the answers take some time to get out and are interrupted with chest-pounding, hand-clapping, and foot-stomping as he spits out the words.

But through it all, Dixon flashes a wide smile without showing a hint of self-consciousness.

"I know he knows he does it, but he's in a good place with it," Eagles safety Quintin Mikell said. "We do kind of joke around with him about it, but I've never seen anybody overly joke with him about it.

"I know that he'd rather not, but it's not like he gets mad, which is impressive. Not a lot of people can do that. Some people are real sensitive."

Dixon's life would be a success story even if he hadn't reached the NFL. He was born into poverty in Miami, his father sent to prison for 17 years for selling crack, his mother addicted to cocaine and sent to rehab.

Dixon and his siblings were sent to an orphanage, and then spent time in homeless shelters after his mother, Corenthia "Peaches" Dixon, kicked her addiction.

"Antonio's had to overcome some things just in his life," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He has a speech impediment, and so on, and he's worked through that and he's one of the team favorites, just as far as being a person."

Catching the coach's eye

Personality and a good story can keep you around only for so long.

Reid has acknowledged taking a liking to Dixon. He always has his pet projects. When the Eagles acquired the undrafted rookie off waivers from Washington last August, the 6-foot-3 Dixon weighed 325 pounds. But it was a chubby 325.

"The first time I came here, the first thing (Reid) told me was to keep my weight under control and not try to prove anything," said Dixon, who once weighed 370 pounds in college at Miami. "He was real hard on me during practices, but I knew that was a good thing, because a coach doesn't have to say nothing to you. But when he tells you something to do, it might be because he sees something in you."

Dixon had a few moments as a reserve a year ago, but it wasn't as if he had earned a roster spot for 2010. The Eagles like their defensive tackles on the leaner, quicker side, and Dixon went to work on his transformation.

"He really worked in the off-season about keeping his weight down and kind of reforming his body," Reid said, "and it's paying off for him."
Dixon started the season in the reserve defensive tackle rotation. But when Brodrick Bunkley injured his elbow at San Francisco, Dixon got more playing time. In the three-plus games since he's been the team's anchor against the run, he has recorded 15 tackles and two sacks.

Even though Bunkley returned Sunday against the Colts, Dixon remained the starter.

The defensive starters have adopted him as one of their own.

"He's a lovable guy — you know what I mean?" linebacker Moise Fokou said. "He's like a big teddy bear."

A reminder

Dixon isn't the only Eagle with a speech impediment. Fokou said he stammers occasionally when he gets excited. Winston Justice said a stutter kept him from barely speaking as a youngster. He used to watch his father, Gary Justice, give rousing speeches as the pastor of a church.

"I just used to envy all the people that got in front of crowds," the Eagles tackle said. "For instance, my dad used to give a lot of speeches. I wasn't really that close with him, but I always used to envy that about him."

Justice, who grew up in Southern California, said he would avoid being called on in school, stayed clear of large gatherings, and isolated himself.

"That's how I got into writing, because it's really a big problem," said Justice, who writes a weekly column for the Philadelphia Daily News. "People don't think it's a really big problem. But, really, when you can't communicate with other human beings normally, it kind of hurts."

Justice said that taking mandatory speech classes in high school made him realize that his problem had a cure. He continued to take private lessons when he went to Southern California for college, and still does to this day.

"I knew it was something I wanted to get better at, because I wanted to be able to speak in front of large crowds," said Justice, who recently became the Eagles' union representative. "I wanted to be able to go to schools and talk to kids, and I couldn't do that with a stutter."

When Dixon joined the Eagles, Justice noticed his speech problem immediately and said he offered words of encouragement. Dixon, though, stopped taking speech classes long ago and said he has no intention of resuming them.

"From third grade to my senior year, I had speech classes every day," said Dixon, whose dyslexia had something to do with his not learning to read until the sixth grade. "I hated it. I had to go, like, three, four hours a day. They used to come in and take me from my classroom so I could go to speech therapy. I hated speech therapy. But it helped me a lot because I couldn't say, like, two words."

Professional athletes are expected to be the best at their crafts, but they're also expected to naturally handle many off-the-field tasks — such as talking to the media.

"I used to be real quiet and reserved, but I was a communications major in college, and so I did a lot of speeches," Mikell said. "But even with all that, when I came to the NFL it was still weird for me because you have to talk in front of cameras."

Recently, Dixon was asked to appear on a local television station. He took his girlfriend, Vanessa Williams, along for the taping, and "she was like, 'I didn't know you stuttered like that.' "

It's one of the few reminders of his difficult childhood. His mother has been clean for years and now works at one of the Miami shelters where her family once lived. His father, Frazier Hawkins, was released from prison last year, and the two communicate daily.

Dixon, who is in the second year of a three-year contract he originally signed with the Washington Redskins, is homeless no more. He lives near Penn's Landing and plans to buy a house in South Jersey with Williams.

Did his stutter ever hinder his luck with girls?

"Yeah, a little, but it didn't affect me that much," Dixon said with a sly grin.



(newstimes.com)

Antonio Dixon’s first paycheck from the Eagles hangs proudly framed on his apartment wall. It is symbolic of a promise kept and poverty broken. A reminder that nothing further is guaranteed.

That paycheck got gobbled up pretty quick. His single mother, Corenthia – who goes by Peaches — along with his four siblings back in the Miami area had all their Christmas present requests in, ready to hand to Antonio when he walked through the door last year. He had told them to get a list together, and boy did they ever.

There were plenty of pressing needs to tend to as well. Antonio’s younger brother Jarvis had gone down the wrong path and stopped going to school, claiming he had no clothes or shoes to go in. So Antonio took him shopping, and said: “Now you have no excuses.”

And then there was the living situation…

This was all part of the plan that had been in the works for years. Peaches paints the picture of little Antonio at the homeless shelter, steadfast in his conviction that he was the key out.

“He would say, ‘Momma, I’m going to get us out of this situation. I’m going to play football and we’ll be rich one day.’ I used to laugh and say, ‘That’s so sweet,’ ” said Peaches.

Not that she dismissed what her son was saying, but being rich hardly seems within reach when you are homeless.

Peaches had her first child, Darrell, when she was 15, and Antonio two years later. In that time period Peaches’ mother died.

“I was just a kid lost out in the world with nobody to help me. Everyone was saying they were going to do this and that. But once we buried my mom, we were on our own,” she said.

Antonio’s dad wasn’t an option. He was a drug dealer and served 17 years in prison for cocaine trafficking (he was just released last year). So Peaches took her family to Atlanta to stay with her sister. But there were quickly complaints that the house became overcrowded, and they were asked to leave. For the next seven or eight years, the family would be in and out of shelters between Atlanta and Miami.

All the while, Antonio was at work on his plan. And there was much work to do, as the boy was born not just impoverished but also impaired. He suffered from dyslexia, and was unable to read until he was in sixth grade. Plus, he had a significant stuttering problem. To this day when he is the least bit excited or nervous his mind will get stuck, and he’s forced to slap his arm or pound his chest to get the word out. He was often teased for how he spoke and would get in the occasional fight as a result.

He kept his focus, though. Even though he went to about 10 different middle schools between all the moving and was battling a learning disability, the mission to get rich never went off track. Even when Peaches went into rehab for drug abuse, and he was placed in foster care with the rest of his siblings for 11 months, the picture was still clear.

Antonio’s schedule went: School, then home. Once football was introduced, it went: School, then football, then home. He never went out with his friends, instead coming home to crack open books and will himself to read and learn. Antonio’s older brother and Peaches would assist, helping to do the homework to ensure Antonio would continue to advance from grade to grade.

Things stabilized in high school thanks in large part to football, as he spent all four years at Booker T. Washington in Miami. By his senior year he was around 350 pounds. After a successful year at the preparatory school Milford Academy he was heavily recruited, and ultimately chose the University of Miami.

Antonio had a pretty good collegiate career but was not drafted by the NFL. The Washington Redskins picked Dixon up as an undrafted free agent but then waived him on Sept. 5, 2009. On Sept. 6, the Eagles claimed him.

“He called and said, ‘Momma, I got signed by the Eagles,’ ” said Peaches. “Everyone in the house started screaming: ‘He did it, he did it! He said he was going to do it, and he did it!’ ”

Dixon got limited playing time last season, accruing 15 tackles and a sack for the Eagles. This season looks like it’s going to be a breakout year for him. After Brodrick Bunkley went down with an injured elbow in San Francisco, Dixon has taken over the starting defensive tackle role and was a big key to the defense’s success against a pair of strong running attacks in the Falcons and Titans. It looks like he has his coach’s attention, especially after a monster day against the Titans where he racked up six tackles, a sack and helped contain Chris Johnson.

“Dixon was a bright spot in this game [and] really the last few weeks. He’s played very well so he’ll continue to have opportunities,” said Andy Reid, who was asked to comment on the personal accomplishments of his newfound defensive tackle.
“I mean Antonio’s had to overcome some things just in his life. He has a speech impediment, and so on, and he’s worked through that and he’s one of the team favorites, just as far as being a person. He’s playing very good football right now and he works at it, he really worked in the offseason about keeping his weight down and kind of reforming his body and it’s paying off for him. He’s playing very good football [and he’s a] very, very strong player and really enjoys playing the game so I’m happy for him. He’s doing well.”

Antonio has been on the team long enough to string some paychecks together. Besides bringing Christmas to his mother and four siblings back in Miami, in February he took the whole family out for Peaches’ birthday. They went to the movies, out to eat, and he even bought his mom a gold necklace.

“Whatever I ask for, he gets it for me,” said Peaches.

Including a new home.

Back in Atlanta when they weren’t in a shelter, the whole family lived in a single room, sharing the bathroom and kitchen with three other families. The girls would sleep together in the bed, the boys on the floor. Thanks to Antonio, the family is now in a three-bedroom house in the Miami area, complete with a big back yard. They are renting for now.

“I’m real happy now,” said Antonio. “She’s secure, and has a place to lay their head and a place to call home. We’re happy about that.”

Antonio, meanwhile, is staying in a one-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia, with plans to upgrade mildly. His mom has continued to preach cautious spending, as the next hard moment might be right around the corner.

“I’m not getting a house until I sign another contract. I’m still grinding,” he said. “I’m still trying to make it. I haven’t made it yet. I can get hurt tomorrow and never play again, so I’m trying to be smart about it.”

But as he heads home to Miami during this bye week, he enters a house he helped pay for with a salary he gets from the National Football League. What were once just words spoken at a homeless shelter is now a family’s reality, however unimaginable.

“Whenever he said he’d do something he’d always do it,” said Peaches. “It may have taken a long time but he’d do it.”



(phillysportsdaily.com)

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon has a sack in both games he has started since Brodrick Bunkley suffered a serious elbow injury, so Andy Reid was asked yesterday whether Dixon might remain the starter when Bunkley returns.

"No. 1, I don't think [Bunkley] will be 100 percent here coming out of the bye week," Reid said. "So, Antonio will probably be in there a majority of the time anyways, and we'll just have to kind of spoonfeed [Bunkley] in and see how much he can do.

"Dixon, again, he was a bright spot in this game, really the last few weeks. He's played very well, so he'll continue to have opportunities. But I think with [Bunkley's] injury, I think it's just going to be easing him back in, and I can't tell you how that's going to go until he gets out [on the field] and he has to really grab somebody and pull them."

Bunkley said yesterday he isn't sure whether he will need surgery on the elbow after the season.



(philly.com)

When Brodrick Bunkley suffered an elbow injury a couple weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles needed somebody to fill in on the defensive line. Antonio Dixon stepped up and played some good football.

Dixon, Eagles defensive tackle, picked up his first sack of the season when the Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers, which happened to be the game Bunkley got hurt.

Dixon also had three solo tackles in that game. He had a solid performance in his first pro start against the Atlanta Falcons last week. Dixon, a 6-foot-3, 322-pounder, knew the Eagles needed a lift and provided one.

“I’m just trying to help out,” Dixon said. “I learned a lot of things from coach Rory (Segrest, defensive line coach) in the offseason. He used to work with me all the time. He worked with my technique. He really helped my game. I tried to get better during the offseason. The whole D-line showed up every day. We just wanted to get better. Bunkley tells me how to use my hands. My teammates help me out. Actually, everybody helps each other out.”

The Eagles (4-2) will travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans (4-2) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

Chris Johnson, Titans running back, has rushed for 596 yards on 139 carries while scoring seven touchdowns. He averages 4.3 yards a game.  Johnson is the second leading rusher in the NFL.

“He’s fast,” Dixon said. “The defense has to do our part. We need gap control. We got to stay in our gap and make plays. We’ve faced Frank (Gore, 49ers running back) and Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons running back), too. But Chris Johnson is a lot faster. He can stretch the field. We have to be able to move laterally to stop the run. We have to go sideline to sideline. But we have some pretty good linebackers who can fill the gaps pretty fast That’s a good thing.”

Dixon contributed to the Eagles defensive line rotation last year. He had 17 total tackles. He played in every game after being claimed off waivers just days before the season opener. The Washington Redskins following the 2009 NFL draft originally signed him as a rookie free agent.

Dixon is a real inspiration to all people who need hope. He grew up in Miami, Fla., with four siblings spending most of their childhood living in homeless shelters while his single mother, Cornethia, worked hard to maintain a stable home life for her family

Dixon started playing football in ninth grade. He stayed in school although he had thought about quitting school to get a job to help his family. Dixon continued to play football and starred at Booker T. Washington High School. He had several scholarship offers, but decided to play his college football at the University of Miami.

Dixon had a fine career with the Hurricanes. He recorded 71 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In spite of these numbers, he went completely undrafted.

However, his efforts have not gone unnoticed this season. Andy Reid, Eagles head coach, has been very pleased with Dixon’s play on the field. Reid also recognizes his long journey to professional football.

“I mean Antonio’s had to overcome some things just in his life,” Reid said. “He has a speech impediment, and so on, and he’s worked through that and he’s one of the team favorites, just as far as being a person. He’s playing very good football right now and he works at it, he really worked in the offseason about keeping his weight down and kind of reforming his body and it’s paying off for him. He’s playing very good football (and he’s) very, very strong player and really enjoys playing the game. So, I’m happy for him. He’s doing well.”

He’s making an impact off the field as well. Two years ago, he was named Man of the Year by Miami’s athletic department for his community work. Dixon and a few of his teammates devoted their Saturdays in the offseason to playing football and other games with kids at a local homeless shelter.

“My family and coaches call me every day,” Dixon said. “They tell me how proud they are of me. It’s not easy. It’s been hard. I’m just trying to make the best of my opportunity.”



(phillytrib.com)

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, making his first career start, also won praise for his play against the Falcons' vaunted running game.

"Dixon really stepped up and solidified some things," Reid said.

It was a second straight solid performance by Dixon in place of Brodrick Bunkley. He and Cole dropped Turner for a 4-yard loss in the third. Dixon did a good job on a 3rd-and-2 in the first. And he tackled Turner after a gain of 4 in the second. Good hustle by Dixon to chase Jason Snelling down after a 7-yard reception in the first. He played just under 47 percent of the snaps.



(philly.com)

Eagles DT Brodrick Bunkley's elbow injury may not keep him out for the rest of the season after all, according to FoxSports.com's Adam Caplan.

Bunkley has already been ruled out for this week's game against the Falcons, but there's hope that the injury will leave him week-to-week as opposed to ending his season. Second-year DT Antonio Dixon will start in Bunkley's place this week, splitting snaps with Trevor Laws. It's a matchup upgrade for Michael Turner.

Antonio Dixon and Darryl Tapp got added time on the defensive line in place of Bunkley and Cole. Dixon notched a sack early in the third quarter. Juqua Parker got his first start of the year, playing defensive end ahead of rookie Brandon Graham.



(rotoworld.com)

DT Antonio Dixon, who just returned to practice after suffering a concussion, has made his mark on the Eagles. He has gone from the sidelines back to the swing of things without missing a beat. He has been lining up with the second team defense alongside DT Trevor Laws on the inside. The two have been stuffing the run and getting some good pressure on a consistent basis. The Eagles defensive line could be one of the deepest in the league with Dixon and Laws stepping up.



(eaglesmix.com)

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, sidelined with a concussion, said he still isn't sure when he'll return.

Dixon went down Monday after being sandwiched between two blockers and seemed barely conscious as he was loaded into the cart.

"I just remember running a stunt. I think I fell, face first," Dixon said.

The next thing he recalls, he said, is the voice of head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder.

Dixon, the third tackle much of last season, is in much better shape now, having been persuaded by his girlfriend to eschew McDonald's double cheeseburgers, he said. At 6-3, 322, he is the Birds' heaviest d-lineman.

“He’s a big guy to handle inside, 320-some pounds and that’s tough to stop," coordinator Sean McDermott said. "So, he does give us a tremendous push inside.”

The defensive line rotation remains among the more intriguing story lines at camp, as the Eagles continue to try different combinations.

“We’re trying to find our best four out there, obviously, and you guys know that," McDermott said. "But the push up the middle, with our speed on the edge is important, where we can cut [DE] Trent [Cole] loose, or [DE] Brandon [Graham], or [DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim], whoever it is on the outside, [Darryl] Tapp, whoever it might be, but have a push inside, so when the quarterback does feel like he wants to step up, he’s got somebody in his face all the while.”



(philly.com)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Antonio Dixon ran back to the sidelines, leaned over and told one of his coaches, "I feel dizzy."

Moments later, Dixon was lying motionless on the grass at the Lehigh University practice fields being attended to by several trainers.

Dixon, who emerged last year as the Eagles' No. 3 defensive tackle after being claimed off waivers from the Redskins, had suffered a head injury on a routine play 75 minutes into the two-hour afternoon practice at training camp Monday.

"He got hit in the head," head coach Andy Reid said. "He got dinged."

Reid had no further information on Dixon after practice, and the Eagles did not release an update on Dixon's condition Monday evening.
Dixon, 25, played in all 16 games last year, finishing with 17 tackles, one sack and a blocked field goal in Chicago that led to the game-winning drive.

Dixon was on the ground for 10 minutes before trainers called for a cart. Because Dixon was so groggy and weighs 320 pounds, the trainers had difficulty lifting him into the back of the cart. Dixon appeared barely conscious as the cart took him to the Cuddey Fieldhouse, where the team's medical and training facilities are located.

He was held in place by a trainer on either side of him as the cart slowly made its way across the fields.



(phillyburbs.com)

Antonio Dixon hasn't even been an Eagle for 12 months, but he's our #3 DT and a player the coaches like. He got in better shape in the offseason, but didn't wither away. He was 327 pounds back in March. The big question on Dixon last year was conditioning. If he's in better shape now that could offer a nice boost to his game performance. Dixon got by last year on raw ability. If he's in better shape and starts to understand how to play he could become a very good #3 DT.



(igglesblog.com)

PLYMOUTH – Antonio Dixon was a soft-spoken giant of a defensive lineman trying to make it to big-time college football when he attended Milford Academy in New Berlin.

He spent a year at Milford in 2004 before moving on to play Division One ball for the Miami Hurricanes. Dixon was quiet young man when The Evening Sun interviewed him six years ago, and he had a good reason to use as few words as possible during his interview. Dixon’s struggles have since been well documented in the Florida media. That Dixon has now ascended to play in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles makes his story one of the most inspiring triumphs among Milford Academy graduates.

Growing up in a poor family, Dixon spent time in six homeless shelters living in Miami and Atlanta. His father was in prison for drug trafficking, and his mother abused drugs for a period of two years. During his mother’s drug use, Dixon and his siblings were pulled from their mother’s home to live in foster care.

It was a rough start to the young Dixon’s life. Add to it his issues with dyslexia and a pervasive stuttering problem. He was unable to read until the sixth grade, and was expelled from school two years later for fighting and belligerent behavior.

When Dixon returned to school as a freshman in high school, he found football and his life turned for the better. As a senior, he was ranked among the best college lineman prospects in Florida, but needed to get his grades up. He spent a year at Milford Academy honing his skills as a football player and gaining the tools to become a good student.

Through hard work and perseverance, he graduated from Miami with a degree in Liberal Arts. Not only that, he was among five other students in the nation to win the Wilma Rudolph Student Athlete Acheivement Award. The award is given annually to collegiate athletes who overcome great personal adversity to achieve academic success.

“College was tough,” Dixon said, who said it was an eye-opening the first three months, especially just getting into proper football shape. “I used to go to study hall sometimes 18 hours a week. Other people were going eight or 10 hours, but they had me on this ridiculous schedule. Seniors, they don’t have to go to study hall, and I was the only senior there. It was worth it; I was proud of graduating.”



(evesun.com)