Phillippi Sparks

{{Short description|American football player (born 1969)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{BLP sources|date=October 2021}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| image =

| position = Cornerback

| number = 22, 20.

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1969|4|15}}

| birth_place = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

| death_date =

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lbs = 195

| draftyear = 1992

| draftround = 2

| draftpick = 41

| high_school = Maryvale (Phoenix, Arizona)

| college = Arizona State

| teams =

• New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1992}}–{{NFL Year|1999}})
• Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2000}})

| highlights =

• First-team All-Pac-10 (1991)
• Second-team All-Pac-10 (1990)

| statlabel1 = Tackles

| statvalue1 = 492

| statlabel2 = Interceptions

| statvalue2 = 27

| statlabel3 = Pass deflections

| statvalue3 = 19

}}

Phillippi Dwain Sparks (born April 15, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Sparks graduated from Maryvale High School in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1987. He attended and played football for

Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona, from 1987 through 1989. Sparks played a key role on Glendale Community College's 1988 National Junior College Athletic Association national championship football team.

He then attended Arizona State University, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} He was selected by the New York Giants as the 13th pick in the second round of the 1992 NFL draft.{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Mike |title=Giants' Sparks has a new attitude |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hq5HAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Phillippi+Sparks%22&pg=PA10&article_id=1398,481549 |access-date=11 October 2021 |work=New York Times |date=4 August 1995}}{{Cite web |title=1992 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1992/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He played left cornerback opposite Jason Sehorn for six years and formed a talented defensive backfield tandem. He played for the Giants until 1999. In 2000, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys.{{cite news |last1=Aron |first1=Jaime |title=Ex-Giant Sparks ready to tackle NY |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kaJJAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Phillippi+Sparks%22&pg=PA52&article_id=1340,3228060 |access-date=11 October 2021 |work=Bangor Daily News |date=12 October 2000}} Sparks announced his retirement on August 28, 2001, having played for nine seasons.

He now resides in San Diego. Sparks has a son and a daughter. His daughter, Jordin, is a Grammy nominated singer who won the sixth season of American Idol in 2007.{{cite news |last1=Elber |first1=Lynn |title=17-year-old Jordin Sparks claims 'Idol' title |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8V9WAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Phillippi+Sparks%22&pg=PA16&article_id=6582,5608567 |access-date=11 October 2021 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |date=24 May 2007}}