Dominic Raiola Dominic Raiola ( ; born December 30 , 1978 ) is an American football center for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Nebraska , earned All - American honors , and was recognized as best college center . He was a second - round pick of the Detroit Lions in the 2001 NFL Draft , and has played his entire pro career for the Lions . Early years . Raiola was born in Honolulu , Hawaii . He attended Saint Louis School in Honolulu , and played for the Saint Louis Crusaders high school football team . One of his teammates was Olin Kreutz , two years his senior . The Crusaders were undefeated in his last three years at the school ; in 1996 , his senior year , the team won its 11th straight Prep Bowl . That same year , St . Louis High was nationally ranked as the 15th - best team in the United States . College career . He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln , where he played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team from 1998 to 2000 . In his first year , he became the first freshman offensive lineman to start a game for the Cornhuskers since 1991 . In 1999 , he became the first sophomore center for the team since Dave Rimington to participate in postseason play , and set a school record for knockdowns , which he bettered in 2000 . Following his junior season in 2000 , he won the Rimington Trophy as the best center in college football , and was recognized as a consensus first - team All - American . Professional career . 2001 NFL Draft . Raiola was drafted by the Lions in the 2001 NFL Draft in the second round . He was the highest selected Nebraska offensive lineman since Zach Wiegert in 1995 NFL Draft , and the highest selected center since Dave Rimington in 1983 . He was also the first center drafted by the Detroit Lions since Jeff Hartings in 1996 . Detroit Lions . Raiola started to get game time as a replacement center in the latter half of the season in a game against the San Francisco 49ers in November ; it was his first game in that position . He was selected as a member of " Pro Football Weekly ' s " All - Rookie squad during that season . In 2002 , Raiola started all 16 games of the season , winning the Chuck Hughes Most Improved Player award . He was a key member of the offensive line which allowed only 20 quarterback sack s for the season , the lowest in the NFL and then a franchise record . Raiola protected both quarterback Joey Harrington and running back James Stewart . In 2003 , Raiola was a sixteen - game starter and a key part of the offensive line in 2003 During that season , the offensive line allowed just 11 sacks , a new record for the franchise . He also played more special teams , and became the long snapper when Bradford Banta broke his clavicle against the San Diego Chargers . In 2004 , Raiola started at center in all 16 games . The Lions ' offensive line helped the team ' s rushing attack to be ranked second for the seven last games of the season . He again became responsible for long snapping after Jody Littleton incurred a hamstring injury against the Washington Redskins in the middle of November . His reliability and strong performance led to the Lions offering him a five - year contract extension in March 2005 . On December 9 , 2008 , he was fined $ 7 , 500 by the Lions organization after he made an obscene gesture towards heckling Lions fans after Detroit fell to 0 - 13 with a 20 - 16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field . The money will be donated to a local charity . On June 26 , 2009 the Lions signed Raiola to a four - year , $ 20 million extension through 2013 . The deal includes $ 9 million in guarantees . On November 1 , 2009 , he had another small run in with fans who were heckling rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford . Raiola had a few choice words to some fans in the stands as he defended his teammate from their jeers . Following the 2009 season , Raiola was named the recipient of the Detroit Lions / Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association / Pro Football Writers Association ' s Media - Friendly " Good Guy " Award . The Good Guy Award is given yearly to the Detroit Lions player who shows consideration to , and cooperation with the media at all times during the course of the season . Personal . Raiola was born in Honolulu , Hawaii , to Tony and Wendy Raiola . He has a younger sister , Nicole , and a younger brother , Donovan , who played center for the Washington Redskins in 2011 . His father , a native of Hawaii , was a defensive lineman for the University of Miami in the mid - 1970s , but saw his career cut short due to a shoulder injury in 1977 . Raiola also fathered an out - of - wedlock son with his former paramour Andrea Yee in 2007 . In December 2012 , he allegedly stopped making about $ 195 , 000 in annual support and care payments , and was sued by Yee . After on the field warm - ups at the October 6 , 2013 game at Lambeau field in Green Bay , several members of the Wisconsin University Marching Band accused Dominic Raiola of making verbal assaults including homophobic and other rude comments about band members being fat and inquiring if they wanted a hot dog . Subsequently , the Detroit Lions issued an apology to the band and reported the behavior was against team policy but added Dominic Raiola would not be disciplined by the Detroit Lions . Many fans of the NFL commented that the reported apology was articulate and professional in nature and therefore was not written by Raiola but instead was written by a member of the Lions public relations staff . Raiola stated to the media that he has more important things to worry about like wins and losses .