Damon Mason

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1974)}}

{{Infobox NFL player

|name=Damon Mason

|number=9

|current_team=

|position=Defensive back

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1974|4|21}}

|birth_place=LaPlace, Louisiana, U.S.

||height_ft = 5

|height_in = 9

|weight_lbs = 175

|high_school = Destrehan (LA)

|college=Southwestern Louisiana

|undraftedyear=1997

|pastteams=

Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|1998}}–{{AFL Year|2001}})
New Jersey/Las Vegas Gladiators ({{AFL Year|2002}}–{{AFL Year|2003}})
Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|2004}})
Carolina Cobras ({{AFL Year|2004}})
Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|2005}})
Grand Rapids Rampage ({{AFL Year|2005}})
Austin Wranglers ({{AFL Year|2006}}–{{AFL Year|2007}})
Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|2008}})
Utah Blaze ({{AFL Year|2008}})
Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|2010}})
New Orleans VooDoo ({{AFL Year|2011}})

|pastcoaching=

New Orleans VooDoo (DB) ({{AFL Year|2014}})
Dunwoody HS (GA) (assistant) (2015)
Jacksonville Sharks (DC/ST) ({{NAL Year|2017}})
Jacksonville Sharks (assistant) (2018)

|highlights=

NAL champion ({{NAL Year|2017}})
3× Second Team All-Arena (2000, 2001, 2002)
AFL career tackle leader

|aflstatlabel1=Tackles

|aflstatvalue1=1009

|aflstatlabel2=Pass Breakups

|aflstatvalue2=173

|aflstatlabel3=Forced Fumbles

|aflstatvalue3=21

|aflstatlabel4=Fumble Recoveries

|aflstatvalue4=10

|aflstatlabel5=Interceptions

|aflstatvalue5=44

|afl=1021

}}

Damon Mason (born April 21, 1974) is a former American football defensive back.

Playing career

=High school=

Mason played high school football at Destrehan High School.{{cite web|last=Aymond|first=Brady|url=http://athleticnetwork.net/site.php?pageID=37&newsID=10777|title=Former Football: Damon Mason still going strong|publisher=Daily Advertiser|date=July 7, 2011|access-date=February 15, 2015}} He spent 1992 as redshirt freshman at Southwestern Louisiana before transferring to Jones County for the 1993 season. In 1994, Mason returned to Southwestern Louisiana and played through 1996. He finished his career at Southwestern Louisiana with 243 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, four sacks and six interceptions and had his number was retired by the school.{{cite web|url=http://www.ragincajuns.com/custompages/MediaGuidepdfs/Football/2012/FB%20Guide%20Entire%20(1-108).pdf|title=Damon Mason|publisher=ragincajuns.com|page=87|access-date=February 15, 2015}} In 2018, he was inducted into the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly Southwestern Louisiana) Athletics Hall of Fame.{{cite web| last=Clay|first=Andrew|url=https://katc.com/sports/ul-sports/2018/09/12/girouard-hebert-headline-2018-louisiana-athletics-hall-of-fame-class/ |title=Girouard, Hebert headline 2018 Louisiana athletics Hall of Fame class|work=KATC (TV)|date=September 12, 2018|access-date=October 2, 2018}}

=Professional career=

Mason played in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Orlando Predators, New Jersey/Las Vegas Gladiators,{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/dallas-ready-for-expansion-draft/n-2708635|title=AFL Signings|work=oursportscentral.com|date=December 1, 2001|access-date=July 20, 2017}} Carolina Cobras, Grand Rapids Rampage, Austin Wranglers, Utah Blaze and New Orleans VooDoo.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/1021/|title=Damon Mason|publisher=arenafan.com|access-date=February 15, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/061411aaf.html|title=VooDoo Make Roster Move, Sign DB Damon Mason|publisher=arenafootball.com|access-date=February 16, 2015|archive-date=February 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216075023/http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/061411aaf.html|url-status=usurped}} He retired as the AFL career tackle leader.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/defensive-records.html|title=Defensive Records-Tackles: Tackles Career Leaders|publisher=arenafootball.com|access-date=February 16, 2015|archive-date=February 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210063304/http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/defensive-records.html|url-status=usurped}}

Coaching career

In 2014, Mason was hired as the defensive backs coach with the AFL's, New Orleans VooDoo. In 2015, he was an assistant coach at Dunwoody High School in Dunwoody, Georgia. In June 2017, Mason was named defensive coordinator and special teams coach of the Jacksonville Sharks in the National Arena League and in 2018, he was a part-time assistant coach with the team.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news-m/292-shark-hire-damon-mason-as-defensive-coordinator.html|title=Shark hire Damon Mason as Defensive Coordinator|publisher=nationalarenaleague.com|date=June 20, 2017|access-date=July 10, 2017|author=Shotola, Steven|url-status=bot: unknown| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711030230/http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/news-m/292-shark-hire-damon-mason-as-defensive-coordinator.html| archive-date=July 11, 2017}} In 2018, he was announced as head coach of the Louisiana Red Sticks in the National Gridiron League,{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalgridiron.com/news/afl-legend-joins-the-ngl |title=AFL Legend Joins The League|website=NationalGridiron.com |date=August 24, 2018}} however, the league did not play that season and he is no longer listed as the coach of the proposed team.