Damien Woody life and biography

Damien Woody is an American football tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He has played every position on the offensive line except left tackle; he was originally drafted as a center by the New England Patriots in the first round, 17th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

◊ Played 144 regular season games in his career, starting 137, in addition to four postseason starts.
◊ Right tackle on 2008 Jets offensive line in which all five players started all 16 games and running game set franchise record gaining 4.7 yards per carry.
◊ Started games at center (76), right guard (40) and right tackle (21) in his career.
◊ Pro Bowl selection as a center in 2002.
◊ Played for two Super Bowl championship teams for NE (2001 and 2003), though he only played in one Super Bowl (XXVI vs. STL at NO), due to injury.

SEASON-BY-SEASON REVIEW

◊ 2008 (JETS) Part of an offensive line in which all five players started all 16 games...First-time Pro Bowler Thomas Jones led the AFC in rushing (1,312 yards) as the Jets finished ninth in rushing in the NFL (125.3 per game) and fifth in yards per carry (4.7). SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/14 vs. BUF)…Helped pave the way for the Jets 165 yards rushing and 6.5 yards per carry average, including a 47-yard touchdown run by Leon Washington. (11/30 vs. DEN)…Key to Jets ground game, which averaged 7.5 yards per carry, featuring 138 yards and two touchdowns by Thomas Jones. (11/23 at TEN)…Played a role in Jets 192-yard rushing performance in victory over previously unbeaten TEN, which included a 61-yard touchdown run by Leon Washington. (11/9 VS. STL)…Line led the way for the Jets 206-yard rushing performance on 43 carries, while allowing no sacks in victory. (10/19 at OAK)…Offensive line played key role in aiding Jets running backs to rush for season-high 242 yards on 33 carries (7.3 yards per carry).

◊ 2007 (DET) Started eight of the 13 games he played…Started the season at right guard, finished the season as the team’s starting right tackle. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/2 vs. MIN)…Started the first game of his career at right tackle. (11/4 vs. DEN)…Played both right guard and center. (9/9 at OAK)…Started the first of three games at right guard.

◊ 2006 (DET) Started the first five games of the season at right guard before he was lost for the season due to injury…Placed on injured reserve, 10/11.

◊ 2005 (DET) Played and started all 16 games at right guard for the second straight season…Helped the offensive line allow only 10 sacks the second half of the season, including one-or-less in seven of the last eight games, despite going back and forth between starting quarterbacks Joey Harrington (five starts) and Jeff Garcia (three starts). SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (10/9 vs. BAL)…Helped the Lions’ ground game rush for four touchdowns, which were the most rushing touchdowns the Ravens have allowed in a game in franchise history, including Shawn Bryson’s career long 77-yard touchdown run which was the longest run from scrimmage ever yielded by the Ravens.

◊ 2004 (DET) Started every game at right guard in his first season with DET…Voted Eric Andolsek Top Offensive Lineman and Offensive Team Captain by his teammates…Helped Kevin Jones become the fifth player in DET history to top 1,000-yards rushing in a single season. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/12 at GB)…Led the way for Kevin Jones to post over 150 yards rushing for the second consecutive week, the first DET rookie back to accomplish that. (12/5 vs. ARI)…Paved the way for Kevin Jones’ 196-yard effort, the second-highest single-game rushing total ever by a Lions rookie.

◊ 2003 (NE) Played and started in 14 games as a center, missing games for the first time in his five-year career…Placed on injured reserve, 1/17. POSTSEASON: (1/10 vs. TEN)…Team allowed no sacks in 41 pass attempts. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (11/30 at IND)…Recovered a key fumble on the goal line after Joe Andruzzi caught a deflected Tom Brady pass and was stripped of the ball. (11/3 at DEN)…Member of an offensive line that did not allow a sack on 35 pass attempts in a 30-26 come-from-behind victory…Supplied Tom Brady with time in the pocket, allowing him to throw for 350 passing yards. (10/5 vs. TEN)…Opened holes for NE rushers to gain 161 yards on 27 carries (6.0 avg) and three touchdowns, the most productive rushing output for NE in five years. 2002 (NE) Played in all 16 games, starting 15, earning a Pro Bowl selection as a center…Part of offensive line that allowed only 31 sacks. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (9/15 at NYJ)…Line allowed no sacks on 35 passing attempts and cleared the way for a season-high 163 yards rushing.

◊ 2001 (NE) Played in 16 games, starting 15 at center…Selected to Dr. Z’s All-Pro team in Sports Illustrated, as well as earning second-team All-Pro honors from Football Digest. POSTSEASON: Started all three games on the NE Super Bowl run. (2/3 vs. STL, Super Bowl XXXVI), Started at center and was part of an offensive line that led the way for a game-high 133 yards rushing on 25 attempts (5.3 avg) in the 20-17 victory. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/22 vs. MIA)…Powered NE offense to a season-high 196 yards rushing on 44 carries (4.5 avg) and their fourth 100-yard rusher of the season (Antowain Smith, 156 yards). (11/25 vs. NO)…Led the way for the offense to gain a season-high 432 yards of total offense, including 191 yards rushing on 38 carries (5.0 avg) and their third 100-yard rusher in four games (Antowain Smith, 111 yards).

◊ 2000 (NE) Started all 16 games at center, as NE runners had six 100-yard rushing games. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/17 vs. BUF)…Blocked for rushing attack which amassed a season-high 189 rushing yards. (10/22 vs. IND)…Cleared the way for 155 yards rushing and 11 rushing first-downs, while not surrendering a sack.

◊ 1999 (NE) Started every game at center and earned All-Rookie Team honors from Pro Football Weekly, College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Football News and Football Digest….Only the fourth offensive lineman to start every game as a rookie for NE since 1973…First center to be drafted in the first round (17th overall) since CLE selected Steve Everitt in the first round (14th overall) in 1992. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: (12/26 vs. BUF) …Compiled a season-high 158 yards rushing (4.6 avg). (12/5 vs. DAL)…Centered an offensive line which helped power the offense to over 100-yards rushing for the fifth time of the year, and sheltered Drew Bledsoe, allowing just one sack. (10/3 vs. CLE)…Helped NE post a season-high with 451 yards of total offense.

BEFORE THE NFL

◊ Three-year starter at Boston College (1996-98), who was responsible for making the offensive line blocking calls.

◊ Earned All-Big East Conference first team honors in 1998 as a junior, after starting every game at center, and opened holes for running back Mike Cloud, who led the Big East and ranked third in the country with 1,787 yards rushing (156.9 ypg).

◊ Paved the way for Cloud’s school record of 10, 100-yard games.

◊ Started all 11 games during his sophomore season and was voted All-Big East second team choice.

◊ Attended Patrick Henry High and earned All-State honors while leading his school to a 14-0 record and the 1994 Division Five state championship.

◊ Captured All-Metro, All-Region and All-District accolades as well as USA Today All-American honorable mention honors.

◊ Member of the Roanoke Times Top 25 and the Richmond Times-Dispatch Top 30.

OFF THE FIELD

◊ Born Damien Michael Woody in Beaverdam, VA.
◊ He and his wife, Nicole, have six children: Kamille, Jalynn, Alexandra, Domonique, Deuce and Dontrell.
◊ His, foundation, Woody’s Kids, helps families of ill children.
◊ Donated tickets and two all expense paid trips to Walt Disney World in Florida to the Rosemary Hockney Foundation, which offers two types of grants to families affected by cancer…The first provides scholarships for children whose families are experiencing cancer-related financial difficulties…The second type are financial grants that directly pay the household bills of the families in need.
◊ Enjoys “CSI”…Favorite actor is Denzel Washington.
◊ Interested in television commentary following his football career.
◊ Boston College coaches nicknamed Woody “The Dominator” during spring drills before his sophomore year.
◊ Idolized Bruce Smith growing up, and wore No. 78 in high school.
◊ Presented more than 4,500 cans of Campbell’s Chunky Soup to the Greater Boston Food Bank as part of Chunky’s 2001 NFL Tackling Hunger Program.
◊ Played a part on two championship teams nicknamed the Patriots…He helped lead his high school team, the Patrick Henry High Patriots (Beaverdam, VA), to a 14-0 record and a Division Five State Group AAA championship in 1994, and in 2001 and 2003 he helped the New England Patriots.

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