Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...
Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...
Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
DominiC raioLa<br />
Center<br />
Nebraska 12th Year<br />
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 295<br />
Born: 12/30/78 Honolulu, Hawaii<br />
Draft: ‘01, R2 (50)-Det<br />
Complete biographical information available on <strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com.<br />
MANE FACTS<br />
¾ Donated home game tickets to the Children’s Center through CaTs<br />
(Caring athletes Ticket service) for Kids program.<br />
¾ regularly attends annual <strong>Detroit</strong> lions Courage House Dinner to help<br />
benefit HaVeN, oakland County’s premier center for the prevention<br />
and treatment of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.<br />
¾ a big fan of al Pacino, he owns most of the movies the actor is in<br />
including his favorite, Scarface, which he has watched repeatedly.<br />
TRANSACTIONS<br />
¾ re-signed by the <strong>Detroit</strong> lions June 25, 2009 to a four-year contract<br />
extension (through 2013).<br />
¾ re-signed by the <strong>Detroit</strong> lions March 13, 2005 to a five-year contract<br />
extension.<br />
¾ Drafted by the <strong>Detroit</strong> lions in the second round (50th overall) in the<br />
2001 Nfl Draft.<br />
PRO<br />
raiola is in his 12th season in the Nfl with the <strong>Detroit</strong> lions, and his 11th<br />
as the starting center. Utilizes tremendous quickness, tenacity and intelligence<br />
to anchor the team’s offensive front.<br />
¾ Named team captain six-straight seasons (2006-11).<br />
¾ Has played in 186 career games (170 starts). He is the 10th player in<br />
lions history to play 170 games for the club. He joins K Jason Hanson<br />
(325) and T Jeff Backus (189) as players on the lions current roster<br />
who have each played 170 career games for the club.<br />
¾ raiola passed fB Cory schlesinger (181) for sixth place on the lions<br />
career games played list with a start <strong>vs</strong>. Green Bay in Week 11 (11/18).<br />
To date, raiola has played in 186 of a possible 190 games during his<br />
12-year career. The only games he missed occurred during stretch of<br />
four games during the 2008 season.<br />
¾ With a start at Minnesota in Week 10 (11/11), raiola tied fB Cory<br />
schlesinger (181) for sixth place on the lions career games played list.<br />
¾ With a start at Chicago in Week 8 (10/22), raiola reached 178 games<br />
with the lions during his 12-year career. He passed with C Kevin Glover<br />
(177) for seventh place on the franchise’s all-time career game played<br />
list. raiola also passed Glover for the second-most games played by a<br />
lions offensive lineman. Both trail T Jeff Backus (184) in that category.<br />
¾ With the lions starting lineup of raiola, lT Jeff Backus, lG rob sims,<br />
rG stephen Peterman and rT Gosder Cherilus in the team’s season<br />
opener 27-23 win over st. louis (9/9), the offensive line became the<br />
unit that marked the first time a lions team has started the same offensive<br />
line combination for three consecutive years since 1980-82 (lT<br />
Karl Baldischeiler, lG Homer elias, C amos fowler, rG russ Bolinger<br />
and rT Keith Dorne). With starts by all five offensive linemen, they<br />
moved their collective total of regular season starts with the lions to<br />
494, the most starts by an offensive line unit with one team in the Nfl.<br />
¾ in 2008, a hand injury forced him to miss his first career game and start<br />
<strong>vs</strong>. Jacksonville (11/9/08).<br />
¾ He had the second most consecutive starts (104) behind Denver C<br />
Casey Wiegman (120) and atlanta C Todd McClure (120) since 2001.<br />
¾ in 2006, raiola emerged as one of the most effective all-around centers<br />
in the league with his ability to get outside and block on the perimeter<br />
and to get to the second level.<br />
¾ in 2004, he centered an offensive line that developed into one of the<br />
top run-blocking lines in the Nfl as the offensive line led the way for<br />
a rushing attack that ranked second in the Nfl over the final seven<br />
games of the season.<br />
<strong>2012</strong>:<br />
¾ Named team captain six-straight seasons (2006-11).<br />
¾ Has played in 183 career games (167 starts). He is the 10th player in<br />
lions history to play 170 games for the club. He joins K Jason Hanson<br />
(322) and T Jeff Backus (187) as players on the lions current roster<br />
who have each played 170 career games for the club.<br />
¾ raiola passed fB Cory schlesinger (181) for sixth place on the lions<br />
career games played list with a start <strong>vs</strong>. Green Bay in Week 11 (11/18).<br />
To date, raiola has played in 183 of a possible 187 games during his<br />
12-year career. The only games he missed occurred during stretch of<br />
four games during the 2008 season.<br />
¾ With a start at Minnesota in Week 10 (11/11), raiola tied fB Cory<br />
schlesinger (181) for sixth place on the lions career games played list.<br />
¾ With a start at Chicago in Week 8 (10/22), raiola reached 178 games<br />
with the lions during his 12-year career. He passed with C Kevin Glover<br />
(177) for seventh place on the franchise’s all-time career game played<br />
list. raiola also passed Glover for the second-most games played by a<br />
lions offensive lineman. Both trail T Jeff Backus (184) in that category.<br />
¾ With the lions starting lineup of raiola, lT Jeff Backus, lG rob sims,<br />
rG stephen Peterman and rT Gosder Cherilus in the team’s season<br />
PLayer ProfiLes<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Media.<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
opener 27-23 win over st. louis (9/9), the offensive line became the<br />
unit that marked the first time a lions team has started the same offensive<br />
line combination for three consecutive years since 1980-82 (lT<br />
Karl Baldischeiler, lG Homer elias, C amos fowler, rG russ Bolinger<br />
and rT Keith Dorne). With starts by all five offensive linemen, they<br />
moved their collective total of regular season starts with the lions to<br />
494, the most starts by an offensive line unit with one team in the Nfl.<br />
¾ in 2008, a hand injury forced him to miss his first career game and start<br />
<strong>vs</strong>. Jacksonville (11/9/08).<br />
¾ He had the second most consecutive starts (104) behind Denver C<br />
Casey Wiegman (120) and atlanta C Todd McClure (120) since 2001.<br />
¾ in 2006, raiola emerged as one of the most effective all-around centers<br />
in the league with his ability to get outside and block on the perimeter<br />
and to get to the second level.<br />
¾ in 2004, he centered an offensive line that developed into one of the<br />
top run-blocking lines in the Nfl as the offensive line led the way for<br />
a rushing attack that ranked second in the Nfl over the final seven<br />
games of the season.<br />
¾ Helped the lions ground game to two rushing touchdowns from rBs<br />
Mikel leshoure and Joique Bell, respectively, in Week 12 <strong>vs</strong>. Houston<br />
on Thanksgiving Day (11/22).<br />
¾ Contributed to an offensive line effort that allowed zero sacks against<br />
the Colts’ pass rush in Week 13 <strong>vs</strong>. indianapolis (12/2).<br />
2011: Team’s starting center and offensive captain for sixth consecutive<br />
year. offense was 10th in Nfl in sacks per pass play (5.1 pct) yielding 36<br />
sacks on 702 pass plays.<br />
¾ The lions’ season opener at Tampa Bay marked the first time since<br />
1981-82 that the lions have started the same offensive line (same<br />
personnel at same positions) in consecutive years on opening day.<br />
raiola, lT Jeff Backus, lB rob sims, G stephen Peterman and T Gosder<br />
Cherilus was the team’s regular starting offensive line last year for the<br />
lions, including on opening day. The last offensive group to start in<br />
consecutive years was lT Karl Baldischeiler, lG Homer elias, C amos<br />
fowler, rG russ Bolinger and rT Keith Dorne. That group started on<br />
opening day in that lineup three consecutive years (1980-92).<br />
COLLEGE<br />
Turned pro after playing three seasons at Nebraska, but was a four-year<br />
collegian (redshirted in 1997).<br />
¾ Cornhuskers’ first freshman offensive lineman to start a game since<br />
rob Zatechka in 1991.<br />
¾ The two-time Nebraska lifter of the year finalist set a school record<br />
with 140 knockdown blocks (11.67 per game) as a sophomore in 1999,<br />
only to better that mark as a junior in 2000 with 145 (13.2 per game).<br />
¾ Besides on-field accolades, he garnered academic all-Big 12 Conference<br />
honors the last two years while making the conference’s honor<br />
roll three times.<br />
¾ in 2000, he was an all-american first-team selection by the football<br />
Writers association, Walter Camp, associated Press and american<br />
football Coaches association, rated the best center in the country<br />
by The sports Xchange, a finalist for both the outland Trophy and the<br />
lombardi award, given to the nation’s top lineman and a consensus<br />
all-Big 12 first-team selection.<br />
¾ Junior year was first full year as starter and was named a consensus<br />
all-Big 12 first-team selection, the first sophomore Nebraska offensive<br />
lineman to earn such honors since Dave rimington in 1980 and was a<br />
member of sports illustrated’s all-Bowl Team.<br />
PERSONAL<br />
Three-year starter on the offensive line for st. louis High school in Honolulu.<br />
¾ Team went undefeated in each of his last three years and ranked<br />
15th nationally in 1996, winning its 11th straight state championship.<br />
¾ earned first-team all-state honors as a junior in 1995 and as a senior<br />
in 1996.<br />
¾ also a National Honor society member, a three-year scholar-athlete<br />
and ranked sixth in his class of 180.<br />
RAIOLA’S CAREER STATISTICS<br />
Year Tm G S<br />
2001 Det 16 0<br />
2002 Det 16 16<br />
2003 Det 16 16<br />
2004 Det 16 16<br />
2005 Det 16 16<br />
2006 Det 16 16<br />
2007 Det 16 16<br />
2008 Det 12 12<br />
2009 Det 16 16<br />
2010 Det 16 16<br />
2011 Det 16 16<br />
<strong>2012</strong> Det 14 14<br />
Totals 186 170<br />
POSTSEASON<br />
Year Tm G S<br />
2011 Det 1 1