Richardson on Arena Football Champs

David Richardson, a native of Inglewood and a 1999 graduate of St. Bernard High, contributed to the Jacksonville Sharks' first Arena Football League championship this season.

In one of the most exciting playoff games in league history, the Sharks defeated the Arizona Rattlers 73-70 to win ArenaBowl XXIV on Friday in Phoenix when 17-year veteran quarterback Aaron Garcia completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jeron Harvey on the game's final play.

Jacksonville went 14-4 to win the Southern Division, then beat the Orlando Predators 63-48 and Georgia Force 64-55 to win the American Conference and earn a rematch against Arizona, which had defeated the Sharks 55-52 in the season opener and was riding an 11-game win streak.

Richardson, 29, signed as a rookie with Jacksonville on April 20 and had three tackles in the Sharks' 79-27 home victory over the Iowa Barnstormers on May 13. The 6-foot-2, 205-lb. cornerback was placed on injured reserve June 9. 

Richardson played 13 games in three seasons in the National Football League with the Jacksonville Jaguars (200-4-06), at cornerback, safety and on special teams. He had seven tackles and one pass breakup. 

As a senior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Richardson won AFCA All-American honors, starting all 11 games for the Mustangs with 50 tackles, five interceptions, seven pass deflections, two touchdowns and one sack.