Dan Koppen Daniel Koppen ( born September 12 , 1979 ) is an American football center with the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft . He played college football at Boston College . Early years . Koppen was born in Dubuque , Iowa to Kathy and Mike Koppen , but attended Whitehall High School in Whitehall Township , Pennsylvania , in the Lehigh Valley region of the state . due to his father ' s job . He still has many relatives in Dubuque including Allison Efferding and the other Efferding ' s along With the Bries ' s . The school was one of 11 high schools in the highly - regarded East Penn Conference ( now known as the 12 - school Lehigh Valley Conference ) , a high school league that has produced a number of NCAA and NFL football players . At Whitehall , Koppen was a three - sport athlete , lettering in football , basketball , and track and field . As a junior in football , he was a second - team all - conference selection as an offensive lineman and defensive end . As a senior , he earned all - area , All - East Penn Conference , and all - state honors , and was named the Defensive MVP in the 1997 Kaylee Rotary Bowl . He was also a Prep Star All - American and a Big 33 selection in 1998 , his senior season , recording 10 sacks on defense and scoring eight touchdowns on offense . He played in the 1998 McDonald ' s Lehigh Valley All - Star Classic . College career . Koppen attended Boston College following high school , where he was a three - year starter at center after spending his freshman season in 1999 as a reserve . In 2000 , Koppen closed out his sophomore season with second - team All - Big East Conference honors . He was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list in 2001 , starting every game at center and was named to the second - team All - Big East for the second consecutive season . As a senior in 2002 , Koppen was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy and was named to the second - team All - Big East for the third straight season . Professional career . New England Patriots . Koppen entered the 2003 NFL Draft following college and was selected by the New England Patriots in the fifth round with the 164th overall choice . Koppen entered the 2003 season as the backup to Pro Bowl center Damien Woody ; however , Woody missed Week 2 with an injury , giving an opportunity for Koppen to start his first NFL game . Woody returned the next week , but a season - ending injury to starting guard Mike Compton allowed Woody to slide to the guard position and Koppen to start the remainder of the season at center , including the Patriots ' Super Bowl XXXVIII win over the Carolina Panthers . Following the season , Woody signed with the Detroit Lions , leaving Koppen as the Patriots ' starting center . Koppen started all 16 games for the Patriots in 2004 , earning his second Super Bowl ring in as many seasons with the Patriots ' victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX . After starting the first nine games , Koppen ' s 2005 season was derailed by a shoulder injury suffered in a November 13 game against the Miami Dolphins . He was placed on injured reserve following the game . In the 2006 season , Koppen returned to his role as the Patriots ' starting center . On October 12 , 2006 , the Patriots announced that they had signed Koppen to a five - year , $ 20 million contract extension . He finished the year with all 16 starts , allowing two sacks and only committing two penalties all year . In 2007 , Koppen missed one game due to a foot injury , but managed to start the other 15 games , not allowing a single sack and helping the Patriots to get to Super Bowl XLII . He was selected as a starter to the 2008 Pro Bowl , his first appearance in the game . Koppen proceeded to start all 16 games for the next two seasons . In the 2009 season he was a member of an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks ( 18 ) by a Patriots offensive line since the NFL moved to a 16 - game schedule in 1978 . Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said the following of Koppen in August 2007 : Koppen was named to the Patriots ' 2000s all - decade team in 2010 . The following season , Koppen started all 16 games for the Patriots . Koppen fractured his ankle during the Week 1 matchup of the 2011 season against the Miami Dolphins . On September 21 , he was placed on injured reserve . Koppen was released during final cuts prior to the 2012 season on August 31 , 2012 . Denver Broncos . On September 10 , 2012 , Koppen agreed to a 1 - year deal with the Denver Broncos