Jonathan attended Coral Gables High School in Coral Gables Florida where he was a teammate of Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore. While in high school, he received scholarship offers from a number of universities. He eventually chose the University of
Miami, and during his final year he led the team in tackles for a third time with 127 (81 solo) with one sack, one forced fumble, and three recovered fumbles and he ended the year as a finalist for the Butkus Award. Along with his success on the field,
Vilma excelled in academics and was a three-time Academic All-Big East Conference honoree. He received his Bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Miami's School of Business Administration.
In 2004, he was drafted by the New York Jets (selected 12th overall) and earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. In 2008, the Saints inked him to a five-year contract on his first day of free agency. The former University of Miami standout was
immediately elected defensive captain by his teammates, and he enjoyed his finest season as a key component to the club's Super Bowl XLIV champion squad. He's been the club's leading tackler, earning a reputation as one of the NFL's top linebackers. He
also became the first Saints linebacker to be selected to the Pro Bowl since 2000, recording 130 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions and eight pass defenses.
Jonathan's humanitarian efforts are many. He's helped raise funds for the Haiti Earthquake victims (both his parents are Haitian natives) by participating in a national PSA and producing and selling a t-shirt to benefit the cause. In addition, he
is a National United Way spokesman for the NFL's Lend a Hand campaign; he hosts a financial conference for NFL players called "Jonathan Vilma's Financial 51" to help players manage their money; and he's a Board Member of the National
Football Foundation's "Play It Smart" program, an educational program designed to use football as a vehicle to foster the academic, personal, and career development of at-risk student athletes.