Darnell Dockett

“''Do I want to leave Arizona? No,but if I had to, despite being frustrated having to go somewhere else, I would. I can’t say I would be happy with the situation if that decision if it was made, but I understand this is a business. It’s happened to the best of them. At the end of the day my loyalty is to Arizona''.”

- Darnell Dockett at the end of his contract in 2015

Darnell Dockett is a Defensive Tackle in the NFL. Darnell was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals and played for them from 2004 until 2014. After being placed on Injured Reserve for the entire 2014 season, Dockett's contract was not renewed and he was cut from the Cardinals. Despite early professions of loyalty to the Cardinals, a spiteful Dockett would sign with the division rivals, the 49-ers.

Football Career
Growing up in Burtonsville, Maryland Dockett started football early. In his first youth league game, he ran the wrong way with a fumble for a safety against his team. He attended Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, Maryland, where he set a school record with 47 sacks in his career. As a senior, tallied 171 tackles (109 solo), 15 sacks, two caused fumbles, three recovered and three blocked punts, earning Maryland Player of the Year honors as well as All-American selections by USA Today and Parade. After receiving offers from many colleges, Dockett selected Florida State over Ohio State and North Carolina. Dockett redshirted his first year at Florida State, as the Seminoles went wire-to-wire as national champions in 1999. In 2000, Dockett successfully secured a spot starting the last 10 games of the year at defensive tackle. He recorded 66 total tackles, which was most of any freshmen on the team, and tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (19). Dockett also added a team-high 18 quarterback hurries, and seven sacks (third on the team). His performance earned him freshman All-America honors and he was named the freshman defensive player of the year by Football News. As a sophomore, Dockett emerged as one of the best defensive lineman in college football, starting all 12 games for the Seminoles, including the 2002 Gator Bowl. While frequently drawing double-teams, he led all defensive linemen with 68 total tackles and set a new Florida State single season record with 22 tackles for loss. In the final game of the regular season against Georgia Tech, he set a new school record with five tackles for loss in a single game. Dockett also led the team with 19 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. He was a first team All-ACC selection. Docket finished his college career as a four-year starter. He recorded 10.5 sacks, and 247 tackles, and set a school record with 65 tackles for loss. Although projected a late first-round selection in the 2004 draft, Dockett was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 3rd round, because his previous arrests and run-ins with coaching staffs scared off a lot of teams. In his first few seasons with the Cardinals Dockett was quiet recording six sacks in his first three seasons. In 2007, under the new leadership of Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt the entire team stepped up including Dockett who had nine sacks that season and would go to the Pro Bowl. The following season Dockett recorded four sacks as the Cardinals would go all the way to the Super Bowl in which Darnell would tie the NFL record for most sacks in a Super Bowl (3). On September 1, 2010, the Cardinals signed Dockett to a 6-year, $56 million contract extension. Dockett stated "I want to retire an Arizona Cardinal". After the 2013 season Dockett was one was the Cardinals players to become angry at Karlos Dansby, who had left the Cardinals. Darnell believed Dansby was only concerned about the money and professed his own loyalty to the franchise. On August 18, 2014, Dockett tore his ACL, ending his 2014 season. On February 27, 2015, the Cardinals cut Dockett, whose contract expired. Despite early professions of loyalty to Arizona, a spiteful Docket would sign with the San Fransisco 49-ers