Junior Galette
Junior Jovais Galette is a Haitian-American outside linebacker, activist and philanthropist who has not played a snap in the NFL since speaking out against racial pay discrimination in the league. Galette entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints where he was elected defensive team captain and awarded a $41.5M deal. After two consecutive seasons missed due to back-to-back torn Achilles tendons, Galette returned, playing for the Washington Redskins in 2017. He played college football at Temple and Stillman.
Early and college career
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Galette came from an impoverished background to rise to the pinnacle of the NFL. His parents left the Caribbean for the United States in search of a better life for him and his brothers when Galette was still an infant. After being raised by family members in Haiti, when Galette was 9 years old, his parents raised enough money to bring Galette and his two older brothers to join them in Spring Valley,New York. Galette arrived in America not speaking a word of English and having no experience with any non-Haitian Creole people. Galette has spoken about his experiences learning English upon his arrival and the harassment he received for not speaking the English language. One of Galette's formative impressions of America was at the beginning of his first year in school in America, in 4th grade, when a girl that didn't look like him in his class repeatedly called him a racial epithet. Galette did not know what the word meant, but his teacher overheard and intervened; not just reprimanding the classmate, but devoting the entire week's curriculum to the American Civil Rights Movement. Galette remembers learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks and going home each night to teach his parents about the Civil Rights Movement because as immigrants themselves, they had not learned the history behind America's systemic oppression and institutionalized racism, even as they endured it in their daily lives.Galette spent many hours at his local Salvation Army, on Main Street in Spring Valley, New York as a child, honing his athletic skills. He still recalls the day when “The Twins,” Super Bowl Champions of the New England Patriots, Devin and Jason McCourty, walked into Galette's Salvation Army and challenged him to a game of 16. Galette's competitive fire was stoked by the challenging newcomers, he refused to succumb to their opposing team and the game went to 26 points, a basketball battle of future NFL stars. Although he was the star of the local Salvation Army, Galette has spoken repeatedly about how at the time he could not afford a new basketball.
Galette graduated from Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey in 2006. On February 1, 2006, Galette committed to play football Temple University in Philadelphia, receiving a full scholarship. He played three seasons for the Owls. He received honorable mention on the 2006 Sporting News Freshman All-American team as a linebacker. He switched to defensive end for his next two years. After being suspended from the team during his junior year, he transferred to Division II Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for his final season, where he was named to the all-SIAC first team.
High School
Galette started at linebacker as a sophomore for Ramapo High School. Following his sophomore season, Galette transferred as a scholarship athlete to Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey in 2006, a storied all-boys school with a history of athletic success. Galette contributed to the school's athletic success on both the football and basketball teams his junior and senior seasons. During his first year at St. Joseph's as a junior, reunited with then St. Joseph seniors Devin and Jason McCourty, Galette led the football team to victory in its state Non-Public Group III title game, adding to the school's then-streak of six straight championship titles under head coach Tony Karcich. Galette continued to carry the St. Joseph football team, even without the graduated McCourty twins, in his senior season when Galette had 70 tackles and 12 sacks at linebacker and 10 touchdowns and 41 catches for 492 yards at wide receiver, capping the season with St. Joseph's seventh straight state Non-Public Group III championship title under head coach Tony Karcich. On February 1, 2006 Galette committed to play football for Temple University in Philadelphia, receiving a full scholarship.College
Freshman Year
Galette played in 11 games with nine starts as a true freshman at Temple, earning Freshman All-American recognition. That freshman season Galette made 52 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, and 1 block. In his college debut as a true freshman, Galette earned Defensive Player of the Game honors for his 9 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Galette was ranked No. 2 on ESPN's college football plays of the week for his acrobatic punt block that led to a touchdown against BGSU. Galette lettered his freshman year at Temple.Sophomore Year
In his sophomore year at Temple, Galette played in all 12 games with 4 starts at defensive end. Galette finished his sophomore season with 41 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 pass breakup, leading the Temple Owls in tackles for loss and sacks. His 7.5 sacks ranked 4th among all MAC players. Galette was named Defensive Player of the Game for Temple's win over Miami, in which he led the defense with 6 tackles, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble. Galette was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week. Galette lettered his sophomore year at Temple.Junior Year
Galette continued to lead Temple's defense in his junior year, starting at defensive end. Galette finished his junior season with 46 tackles, a team-best 10 tackles for loss, a team-best 7.5 sacks, three break-ups, a hurry, and a forced fumble. In Temple's win over Navy on November 1, 2008, Galette led the Owls with a career-high 11 tackles, including 6 solo takedowns and a break-up, holding Navy to its lowest point total in 4 years. Galette was named Defensive Player of the Game against Navy and Central Michigan. Galette earned Temple Athlete of the Week honors for his performance against Ohio. Galette was honored with Second-Team All-MAC in 2008. Galette lettered his junior year at Temple.Senior Year
Galette transferred to Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for his senior year. Galette was honored as a First Team All-American for his Stillman senior year performance and was invited to participate in the NFL's rookie combine.Professional career
New Orleans Saints
Galette was not drafted in the 2010 draft and signed with the Saints as a free agent. His energetic play made him a fan favorite during the preseason, and after he blocked a punt and registered two sacks in the Saints' final preseason game, Galette was selected for the Saints' 53-man regular season roster.In the 2013 season, Galette signed a 3-year deal worth up to 9 million dollars. Galette became the team's regular starter at outside linebacker under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and posted a breakout season with a team-high 12 sacks.
On September 3, 2014, Galette signed a four-year contract extension worth $41.5 million. He was selected by teammates as one of the defensive team captains for the 2014 season and played all 16 of the Saints' games that season and ended up getting 45 total tackles, 10 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. On July 24, 2015, Galette was officially released from the team.
Washington Redskins
On July 31, 2015, Galette signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins. On August 26, after completing training camp, it was announced that he tore his left Achilles tendon a week prior to the first game of the season and would spend the entire 2015 season on IR. He was officially placed on injured reserve on August 31. On November 16, 2015, Galette was suspended for two weeks for violating the league's personal conduct policy, coming from the domestic violence incident back in January.Galette rehabbed the left Achilles and signed a one-year, up to $4M deal for the upcoming 2016 season on March 15, 2016. It was announced on July 25 that Galette tore his right Achilles tendon and missed the entire 2016 season. Galette rehabbed again, and signed another deal with Washington, agreeing to play in 2017 for the veterans minimum. Galette outperformed the minimum deal, recording 3 sacks and ranking 3rd in the NFL in quarterback pressure rate, as a sub-rusher appearing in all 16 games.
On February 1, 2017, Galette re-signed with the Redskins on another one-year contract. Galette did not appear on Washington's injury list at all during the 2017 season. Following the 2017 season, Washington withdrew its offer to Galette after Galette spoke out on racial pay discrimination in the NFL. Galette has not played a snap in the NFL since drawing attention to the racial discrimination in NFL player play.
NFL statistics
Key to Abbreviations- GP: games played
- COMB: combined tackles
- TOTAL: total tackles
- AST: assisted tackles
- SACK: sacks
- FF: forced fumbles
- FR: fumble recoveries
- FR YDS: fumble return yards
- INT: interceptions
- IR YDS: interception return yards
- AVG IR: average interception return
- LNG: longest interception return
- TD: interceptions returned for touchdown
- PD: passes defensed
Alleged pay discrimination in the NFL
Speaking Out Against Pay Discrimination in the NFL in 2017
After receiving an offer with 500% less guaranteed money than that received by his white teammate who did not play in 2017, Galette called out racial pay discrimination in the NFL. Although ranked by PFF as a Top Ten Free Agent Signing in 2017, and multiple media outlets reporting Galette was signed by the Los Angeles Rams, Galette has not played in the NFL since the 2017 season, with Rams Head Coach Sean McVay publicly saying “It just didn’t work out for reasons that we will keep inside.”Although unsigned for the 2018 -2019 seasons, Galette continued working out and stayed in contact with NFL coaches, constantly seeking an opportunity to get back on a team.
Open Letter in 2020
On June 8, 2020, Galette published an Open Letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL seeking equitable treatment of Black players and an end to policies that blackball players who speak out against racism in the league.Galette's letter applauds the NFL's recent statement acknowledging systemic racism and the inequitable treatment of Black people in America. But Galette asks that the NFL go beyond mere words of support for the Black Lives Matter movement; instituting policies that bring about real change.
Galette noted in his Open Letter that Black men in America are seven times more likely to have encounters with law enforcement than their white counterparts; a startling statistic experts attribute in part to institutionalized racism. Black NFL players are not immune from such adverse interaction with police officers, but under current NFL policies a player accused of a crime can be suspended from playing even before having the opportunity to appear in court and exercise his constitutional right to prove his innocence.