Donnie Nickey life and biography

PRO:
A seasoned special teams leader and valuable defensive reserve, Donnie Nickey is in his eighth season with the Titans. He has been a durable and reliable player during his career, having played in all 16 contests each of the last five seasons. Nickey was named a special teams captain for the 2009 season and will be relied on once again to provide veteran leadership to the unit in 2010.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
• Has appeared in 95 consecutive games dating back to the 2004 season opener.
• In 2009, Nickey was named a special teams captain by his teammates and appeared in all 16 games for the fifth consecutive season while leading the team with a career-best 17 special teams tackles.
• In 2008, Nickey appeared in all 16 games and finished third on the team with 16 special teams tackles.

TITANS TIDBITS:
• After his football career, Nickey, who earned his college degree in risk management and investment strategy, will continue to pursue diverse business opportunities. In 2003, he and his brothers, Ian and Jonathan, started Nickey Media (www.nickeymedia.com) which specializes in multimedia web services.
• Nickey’s knowledge and love of cars, created the perfect fit for a recent business venture, Nickey Motors LLC, which serves as a wholesaler for vehicles.
• Nickey’s brother Ian serves as a lobbyist in the Ohio Senate. Jonathan, the youngest of the brothers, is a gifted artist and has lent his creative hand to various client projects. He is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. Their father Don is a patent attorney, while their mother Cindy teaches art.
• After helping Ohio State defeat Miami for the National Championship in his senior year, Nickey was honored at Donnie Nickey Night by his high school, Jonathan Alder, and received a key to his hometown of Plain City, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. Nickey has continued to support his hometown and high school by underwriting the team uniforms through the Jonathan Alder Foundation Sports Fund.
• Nickey, an honors graduate at Ohio State, scored an exceptional 38 on a timed Wonderlic test at the NFL Combine prior to the draft.
• Nickey has appeared and played in numerous charitable golf and baseball tournaments in the Nashville area. He has participated in Cops and Jocks, which benefits Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
• Nickey’s appreciation for the arts has led him to be an underwriter for many of the Tennessee State Museum Foundation fund raising events. Nickey also has lent his support to The Cumberland Heights Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center and his generosity helped grant a wish for a child through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:
• The Plain City, Ohio, native was originally selected by the Titans in the fifth round (154th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft after the team traded its picks in the fifth (164th overall), sixth (201st overall) and seventh (243rd overall) rounds to New England in exchange for the Patriots’ fifth (154th overall) and seventh (225th overall) round selections.

COLLEGE:

• Started all four years and played both safety positions for Ohio State. Made all calls in Buckeyes secondary from sophomore season on. Completed his career with 258 tackles, two sacks, six stops behind line of scrimmage, five interceptions, 11 pass deflections, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles while starting 48 of 50 games.
• As senior, named honorable mention All-Big Ten as team captain, recording 67 tackles, two pass deflections, one tackle behind line of scrimmage, two fumble recoveries and two blocked punts.
• As junior, ranked fifth on team with 54 tackles, starting every game at free safety.
• As sophomore, named All-Big Ten conference honorable mention after switching to free safety, where he started every game.
• As freshman, named Freshman All-American by The Sporting News after recording 10 starts at strong safety.
• Graduated with degree in risk management and investments on June 13, 2003.

PERSONAL:

• Married to Katie. Has one daughter Ava Grace (2), and splits time between Nashville and Plain City, Ohio.
• Named first-team All-Ohio in football and baseball as senior at Jonathan Alder (Ohio) HS. As a senior centerfielder, led the baseball team to state championship. Rushed for 2,412 yards and recorded seven interceptions during his career.
• Became only the second athlete from his Division IV high school (Jonathan Alder – graduating class of only 98 students) to receive an athletic scholarship to Division 1-A university, Ohio State.
• Older brother, Ian, played football at Kenyon College, a Division III school located in Gambier, Ohio.
• Enjoys fishing, golf and hunting in the offseason.
• List of favorites: (movies) “The Godfather,” “Goodfellas,” and “No Country for Old Men”; (TV show) “The Office”; (sports team) Cleveland Indians; (vacation destination) Hawaii; (school subject) art; (restaurants) Pizza Perfect and Ruth’s Chris.
• Born Donald Orvin Nickey II on April 25, 1980 in Akron, Ohio.

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