Andre Gurode Andre Bernard Gurode ( ; born March 6 , 1979 ) is an American football center and guard for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Colorado , earning All - America n recognition . The Dallas Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft . He is a five - time Pro Bowl selection . He has also played for the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears . Early years . Gurode was born in Houston , Texas . He played high school football at North Shore High School in Houston . As a senior , " USA Today " , PrepStar and SuperPrep selected him as an honorable mention high school All - America . He was also named to the " Houston Chronicle " Top 100 List and made the Austin American - Statesman " Fab 55 " team . He earned All - Area honors as a senior ( second team honors as a junior ) , and was All - District and All - Greater Houston as a junior and senior ( when he also was his team ' s most outstanding offensive lineman ) . Gurode lettered three times in basketball and four times in track with personal bests of 186 ' 0 " in the discus and 54 ' 1 " in the shot put . College career . Gurode attended the University of Colorado , where he played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team from 1998 to 2001 . He was a four - year starter for the Buffaloes , playing both center and guard on the offensive line . He started his first two and a half seasons at center , before moving to guard in the middle of his junior year . As a junior in 2000 , he started the first six games of the year at center and the final five games at guard . He received the John Mack Award , as selected by the coaches for being Colorado ' s most outstanding offensive player and was also selected honorable mention All - Big 12 Conference honors while helping the Buffaloes to a 7 - 5 record and a win over the Boston College Eagles in the Insight . com Bowl . As a senior , he started every game at right guard . Gurode was a first - team All - Big 12 selection in 2000 and 2001 , and was recognized as a consensus first - team All - America n as a senior in 2001 . During his career he allowed just 7 . 5 sacks in 2 , 653 plays as a starter for the Buffaloes . He earned a degree in ethnic studies from the University of Colorado , where he was a member of the school ' s " Academic Starters " team . Professional career . 2002 NFL Draft . Gurode initially projected as a guard and was ranked the best available in the 2002 NFL Draft , along with Kendall Simmons . He was regarded as an early second round pick , and was eventually selected 37th overall by the Dallas Cowboys . Dallas Cowboys ( 2002 - 2010 ) . Gurode was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft as a center . He started fast by becoming the first rookie in club history to start at center on opening day . It is believed 2002 was the first time a NFL franchise had five African - American starters on their offensive line , when the Cowboys lined up Gurode at center , tackle s Flozell Adams and Solomon Page , guard s Larry Allen and Kelvin Garmon . Gurode also became part of history as the starting center on the Cowboys offensive line that helped Emmitt Smith eclipse Walter Payton as the NFL ' s all - time leading rusher , playing against the Seattle Seahawks on October 27 . While he started the first six games of the 2002 season at center , Gurode was moved to help compensate for the number of injuries along the offensive line , compiling another eight starts at right guard . In 2003 , Bill Parcells was hired as the Cowboys head coach and decided that Gurode ' s best position was at guard , starting 15 games at that position in 2003 and 13 games in 2004 with mixed results , before getting benched for the final two games . At the start of the 2005 season , Parcells accepted he made a misjudgment by moving Gurode to guard and switched him back to center , with the Cowboys also signing Marco Rivera to take his place at guard . That season he was a versatile backup , playing behind Al Johnson at center and Rivera at right guard . In 2006 , he rededicated himself to football and won the starting center job again , over Al Johnson . On October 1 , 2006 , in the third quarter of a game against the Tennessee Titans , Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomped on Gurode ' s head . Haynesworth ' s cleats caused a laceration requiring thirty stitches . Haynesworth was ejected , and subsequently suspended by the NFL for five games without pay . Following the 2006 season , Gurode was named to his first Pro Bowl as an injury replacement . On February 20 , 2007 season , the Cowboys re - signed Gurode to a six - year contract worth US $ 30 million including a $ 10 million signing bonus . Gurode developed into one of the league ' s most respected centers since returning to being a full - time starter in 2006 , and has been selected to the All - Pro Team ( 2007 , 2009 ) , as well as to five straight Pro Bowl s ( 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 ) He had off - season left knee surgery and missed the 2011 season training camp and three out of four preseason games . With the emergence of second year player Phil Costa , he was released after the preseason following failed negotiations regarding a restructured contract . Baltimore Ravens ( 2011 ) . Gurode reportedly visited the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots before signing a 1 year , $ 3 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens on September 4 , 2011 . Chicago Bears ( 2012 ) . On November 27 , 2012 , the Chicago Bears signed Gurode after losing guards Lance Louis and Chris Spencer to injuries sustained in a game against the Minnesota Vikings on November 25 . He was waived by the Bears on December 11 , 2012 . Oakland Raiders ( 2013 - present ) . On July 26 , 2013 , Gurode signed with the Oakland Raiders .