David Diehl life and biography

* Originally a 5th round (160th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2003.

GIANTS NOTES

* Tough, durable and versatile offensive lineman has started all 112 regular season and 7 postseason games since he joined the Giants as a 5th-round draft choice in 2003. Diehl is the 1st Giant since the introduction of the 16-game schedule in 1978 to start all 112 regular season games in his first 7 seasons.
* Has played right guard, right tackle, left guard and left tackle for the Giants.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

* Has started all 112 regular season games and 7 postseason games the Giants have played since joining the team in 2003…Diehl is the only player selected in the 2003 NFL Draft to start every game in the previous 7 seasons. He is 1 of the 4 players who entered the league in 2003 and have since played in every regular season game. The others are Josh Brown, Derrick Dockery and former Giant Visanthe Shiancoe…Diehl is 1 of the 42 NFL players who have played in every game since the start of the 2003 season.
* Diehl's 112 consecutive regular season starts are the longest current streak on the Giants. Eli Manning is 2nd with 87 starts in a row. Entering the 2010 season, Diehl's 112 consecutive starts are tied for the 6th longest streak among active offensive linemen.
* Diehl started 16 games at right guard as a rookie, 16 at right tackle in 2004, 15 games at left guard and 1 game at right tackle in 2005, 15 games at left guard and 1 at left tackle in 2006 and 16 games at left tackle in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
* In 2009, Diehl was selected to his 1st Pro Bowl. He played the entire game at left tackle in the NFC's 41-34 loss…Was joined at the Pro Bowl by center Shaun O'Hara and guard Chris Snee, the 1st time the Giants had 3 players from the same position group in the game since 1962 (when offensive linemen Rosie Brown, Darrell Dess and Ray Wietecha – also a tackle, guard and center – all received the honor…Run and pass blocking helped the Giants average 366.0 yards a game, the NFL's 8th-highest figure…Line allowed only 32 sacks, tied for 7th-best in the league.
* In 2008, Diehl was selected to the All-NFC team by the Pro Football Writers Association….He was an integral part of an offense that helped the Giants finish with 427 points and 338 first downs, both the 2nd-highest totals in franchise history. The Giants gained 5,695 yards, the 3rd-highest total in their history. The line's blocking enabled the Giants to lead the NFL and set franchise records in both rushing yards per game (157.4) and yards per carry (5.0). With Diehl and the line opening holes, Brandon Jacobs (1,089) and Derrick Ward (1,025) became the 4th pair of running back teammates to rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.
* With the line opening holes, the Giants rushed for 301 yards in a victory over Carolina (12/21) that clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs. It was the 5th-highest total in Giants history.
* Diehl and the line allowed just 2 sacks in a 5-game period from Sept. 21-Oct. 26.
* In 2007, Diehl started all 16 regular season games and 4 postseason games at left tackle. Diehl was a key component of an offense that helped the Giants score 373 points (the 5th-highest total in franchise history) and compile 321 first downs (the 4th-highest total by a Giants team) and 5,302 yards (7th in team history). The line's blocking enabled the Giants to finish 4th in the NFL in rushing yardage with an average of 134.3 yards a game.
* Diehl and the line allowed just 4 total sacks in a 5-game period from Sept. 30-Oct. 28.
* Started at left tackle at Dallas (9/9) and provided enough pass protection for Eli Manning to pass for 312 yards on 28-of-41 passes and 4 touchdowns.
* Giants offensive line allowed 1 sack at Atlanta (10/15) and provided enough protection for the Giants offense to gain a season–high 491 yards of total offense.
* In the NFC Championship Game at Green Bay (1/20) the offensive line allowed 2 sacks but provided enough blocking and protection for the Giants to gain 380 yards of total offense.
* In 2006, Diehl started the first 15 games at left guard before shifting to tackle for the regular season finale and the NFC Wild Card Game. Started at left tackle at Washington (12/30), where the line allowed 1 sack and provided enough run blocking for the Giants to rush for 261 rushing yards, including a franchise-record 234 yards by Tiki Barber…Also played left guard in the game after Grey Ruegamer was sidelined temporarily in the 1st half with a leg laceration.
* Started at left tackle in the NFC Wild Card game at Philadelphia (1/7)…Run blocking helped the Giants gain 151 yards on 31 rushes.
* In 2005, started 15 games (plus the NFC Wild Card Game) at left guard and 1 at right tackle. The line's blocking enabled Barber to rush for a franchise-record 1,860 yards…Pass blocking helped Manning to pass for 3,762 yards, the 5th-highest total in franchise history.
* Blocking at left guard helped Barber rush for 203 yards, including a franchise-best 95-yard touchdown run, at Oakland (12/31).
* Started at right tackle in place of Kareem McKenzie vs. Kansas City (12/17) and line's blocking enabled Barber to rush for a then-team record 220 yards.
* Started at left guard at Philadelphia (12/11), but moved to right tackle when McKenzie was forced to leave the game in the 2nd quarter due to injury. Offensive line allowed 1 sack and provided enough blocking and protection for the Giants to gain 437 yards of total offense.
* In 2004, Diehl started all 16 games at right tackle. He missed a snap for the 1st time in his career when he left the game for a play in the 4th quarter with a cut below the eye at Green Bay (10/3). Returned to the game and helped the Giants rush for 245 yards.
* In 2003, Diehl played right guard and became the first Giants rookie to start all 16 games since Mark Bavaro in 1985…Was one of 14 NFL rookies to start all 16 games…Was 1 of only 3 offensive linemen on the roster to see action in all 16 games, was 1 of only 2 to start every game during the year and was the only one to start at the same position each game during the 2003 season.

COLLEGE

* Second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection as a senior in 2002.
* Recipient of the Wright Commitment to Excellence Award, presented to the Illinois player who has dedicated himself to academic excellence despite obstacles faced during his collegiate career.
* As a senior, started every game at left guard, registering 91 knockdowns for an offense that featured its first 1,000-yard rusher (Antoineo Harris) and 1,000-yard receiver (Brandon Lloyd) in the same season since 1984. Helped offense total 5,356 yards.

OFF FIELD ACTIVITY

* David is a strong supporter of Project Sunshine, a nonprofit organization that provides free educational, recreational, and social programs to children facing medical challenges and their families. Besides making regular hospital visits through the organization, David hosted his 1st Annual Project Sunshine BBQ last summer at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, bringing almost 20 teammates with him to enjoy a day of friendship and good food with kids receiving medical treatments. Project Sunshine sends volunteers to visit hospitalized children to provide arts and crafts, tutoring, reading, nutritional cooking and special events. With 10,000 volunteers in 75 cities across the United States, Canada, China, Israel, Kenya, and Puerto Rico, Project Sunshine serves 60,000 children each year in 150 medical facilities.
* Recipient of the 2009 Project Sunshine Volunteer Award for the work done on behalf of children and families living with medical challenges.
* David and his wife, Nicole, donated the largest strength and conditioning center for football players in the country to his alma mater, the University of Illinois.
* Performed in a live improv comedy sketch at Comix comedy club to help raise money for Project Sunshine.
* David was selected to attend the 2010 NFL Broadcast Boot Camp.
* David and his daughter Addison were featured in "NFL Dads Dedicated to Daughters" Book.
* Attended BTIG's 8th Annual Commissions For Charity Day where he helped raise over $4 million dollars for various children's charities.
* Joined Coach Coughlin to host local children fighting cancer and blood disorders for the Jay Fund Ice Cream Social at the Timex Performance Center.
* Featured Host at Esquire's Kentucky Derby event to benefit New York Horse
* Supported Jay Williams and his charity of choice Rising Stars Youth Foundation, a non-profit that promotes education.
* Participated in the Shaun O'Hara Foundation Golf Outing, raising money for cystic fibrosis research.
* Joined Chris Snee for his annual Punt Pass and Kick event and fundraiser dinner benefitting The United Way of Susquehanna.
* Participated in Justin Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy fundraiser pool tournament.
* Guest Hosted Dockers and Esquire's "Khakis Make The Man" Celebrity Father's Day even to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
* Attended the Champions for Children fundraiser gala benefitting the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation.
* Attended the Jorge Posada Foundation's Heroes for Hope Gala.
* Hosted the annual Meet the Giants fundraiser benefitting the Ronald McDonald House of New York City, a home away from home for kids fighting cancer and blood disorders.
* Attended the Giants Kickoff Luncheon benefitting St. Vincent's Medical Center.

PERSONAL

* Born David Michael Diehl on Sept. 15, 1980, in Chicago.
* Son of Jerry and Darlene Diehl.
* Married college sweetheart, Nicole Tabeling.
* They have a daughter, Addison Elizabeth.
* Attended the University of Illinois and graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in Speech Communications.
* Received his masters in Human Resources from the University of Illinois in 2008.
* In college, David earned All-Conference honors, named All-Region and All-Big Ten by the National Recruiting Advisor.
* Played offensive tackle, offensive guard, defensive tackle and nose tackle at Brother Rice (Oak Lawn, Ill.) High.
* At Brother Rice, David earned 9 varsity letters, including 4 in football, 2 in wrestling and 3 in track.

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