Raiola On His Tenure In Detroit: 'I'm Sorry That We Couldn't Be More Successful'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Dominic Raiola spent 14 seasons as the center for the Detroit Lions, and about a week after the 2014 campaign ended, he was told the organization would be going in a different direction.
"I came in and talked with Coach [Jeremiah] Washburn and Bobby [Johnson] and Hef [Terry Heffernan] and talked to them first, and then I talked to Martin [Mayhew] and Tom [Lewand] and [Jim] Caldwell, and it was tough," Raiola said on a teleconference Tuesday. "It was tough, but I respect how they did it. I respect that I didn't hear it through my agent or I didn't hear it through a third party in the building. I heard it straight from them, and I can respect that. That's what it was. I just had to swallow it."
The Lions drafted Raiola in the second round in 2001, and he has been a fixture of the team ever since. A native of Hawaii, Raiola said he will be staying in Detroit rather than relocating to the quintessential vacation state. General manager Martin Mayhew said moving on from Raiola was not an easy call.
"Dom and I came to the Lions the same year, and we've been through a lot together," Mayhew stated in a press release. "I doubt we've ever had a more passionate player than Dom.
"In many ways, he's a throwback who could've played in any era of the NFL," Mayhew's statement continued. "He should take pride in the fact that he is one of the most durable players in this team's history, as proven by his longevity, and that he helped lead us to two playoff berths in the past four seasons. We wish him nothing but the very best in all his future endeavors."
Raiola has yet to decide whether he wants to retire or play one more season elsewhere. He had hoped to return to the Lions for one more year, but since that will not be happening, he is not sure what is next.
"Obviously I still think I can play," Raiola said. "I think a bunch of people probably don't think I can, but a bunch of people haven't took a snap in the NFL, either. I don't know. I'm just digesting this right now with my family and talking to people. I still think I have some football left in me."
Playing somewhere other than Detroit would certainly be an adjustment. Raiola has aligned himself with the city his entire career, and when he logged his 200th start at Ford Field this season, fans cheered their appreciation. Raiola responded with a wave only after he pulled his helmet down to hide the emotion on his face. As anyone who has followed the Lions knows, Raiola has made some dumb moves - flipping off Detroit fans, getting into verbal spats with opposing fans, screaming obscenities at college band members, and most recently apparently stomping on Ego Ferguson of the Chicago Bears.
While Raiola acknowledged Tuesday that he could be controversial, he only expressed regret about one aspect of his time with the Lions.
"I put a lot on my career of playing, grouping myself with the city," Raiola said. "You've heard me say that over and over. I'm just - I'm sorry that - that's one thing if I could apologize to people in the city, that I'm sorry that we couldn't be more successful and ultimately win a championship while I was here. It sucks. I really mean that, and some people can take it how they want, but the real fans know that I really mean that and it really comes from my heart."
The Lions selected a center, Travis Swanson, in the third round of the 2014 draft, so Raiola knew this season that he would be training the man who would eventually replace him. While Raiola had said during the season that he hoped to be back, he believes the future is bright for Swanson.
"I'm thankful that I got the year to work with him and just get to know him," Raiola said. "He's a tough dude. He's smart; you've got to be smart to be a center. The Lions are in good hands with him, and I'm glad I could leave the way I did and move on to Travis. Couldn't happen to a better guy."
Of his 14 seasons in Detroit, Raiola said 2014 will stay with him the most.
"I think the last one's going to stand out," Raiola said. "You could say the '11 playoff year because it was so special. A lot of people made it about the guys that were left over from the 0-16 team and this, that and the other. I think this season, they're going to look back at this season and say, 'That was a step of the Lions coming to what's ahead of them.' I think good things are ahead. I know good things are ahead. They're in good hands with a lot of good people on that team. I'm going to miss those guys a lot."
Lions tackle Cornelius Lucas, a rookie this season, learned Raiola would not be back right before Raiola conducted his teleconference with media.
"I'm really sorry to hear that," Lucas said. "Man, I would really just say he's a role model. Being able to really walk into our locker room being a rookie and you see a guy that's been doing it for 14 years at a high level and he's in your meeting room, why not follow his lead? Why not try to base your day-to-day routine on the things that he does? He's been doing it for 14 years; it only makes sense to really try to duplicate or even try to be better than what he's doing.
"I'm going to miss that guy," Lucas added. "He's really a coach on the field, coach and a player at the same time because he's seen everything. He's seen every look."
Lucas only had one season with Raiola, and so did head coach Jim Caldwell, who like Mayhew spoke highly of the center's passion for the game.
"Players like Dom are rare," Caldwell stated in a press release. "Aside from playing for the same team for 14 seasons, which is remarkable, his love for the game was obvious.
"He also loved helping our young players grow and develop, which was an indication of his selflessness and how team-oriented he was for us," Caldwell continued. "I quickly realized how much he truly loved everything that went into preparing for game days –the offseason, OTAs, training camp, meetings and practices. He truly loves the game of football, and we will miss that passion and love for this game."
Only the third player in team history to log 200 or more starts, Raiola's 203 starts are a franchise record. He certainly was not the most glamorous player, nor the most popular, but that never seemed to bother him.
"I'd want to be remembered as a guy who went to work every day, left everything on the field and prepared his butt off and always came ready to play, played with passion," Raiola said. "It was controversial at times, but when you live in the city - nobody knows that unless you live in the city. If you're one with the city, you understand the passion I play with, what I brought every day. It was grouped together. That's how I was raised and it just so happened, it was ironic that I got drafted here, really fell in love with this city, and I don't know if a lot of people would say the same back, but I would hope that, and I'd hope that I'd be looked at that way."
