Darnell Dockett

Darnell Maurice Dockett (born May 27, 1981) is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Docket played college football for Florida State University (FSU), and the Arizona Cardinals picked him in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played defensive tackle for the first five seasons of his career until the Cardinals switched to a 3-4 defense, leading him to switch to defensive end.

High school career
Dockett started football relatively late. 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.

College career
A four-year starter at Florida State University, Dockett recorded 10.5 sacks, and 247 tackles (123 solo tackles, 124 assisted tackles), and set a school record with 65 tackles for loss. He was suspended from the team for a short time after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge.

2004 NFL Draft
Although projected a late first-round selection, 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. His nickname, according to former teammate Antonio Smith, is "fart attack".

On September 1, 2010, Dockett re-signed his contract with the Cardinals to a four-year extension (through 2015).

Arizona Cardinals
Dockett had a reasonably quiet first few seasons with six sacks in his first three seasons. The 2007 season was his breakout season recording nine sacks in sixteen starts. Then in the 2008/9 season he recorded four sacks in sixteen starts while the Cardinals won the NFC west with a 9-7 record. They then had a surprising playoff run getting to Super Bowl XLIII (which they lost 27-23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers) with Dockett recording three sacks in the game tying Reggie White's record.

With Arizona shifting to a 3-4 defense, Dockett often lined up at defensive end.

Dockett was selected to start in the 2010 Pro Bowl as a Defensive Tackle.

On September 1, 2010, the Arizona Cardinals signed Darnell Dockett to a 4 year, $48 million contract extension, with $30 million guaranteed. This will keep him with the franchise through the 2015 season. During the press conference, Dockett stated that he wants to "retire an Arizona Cardinal".

Controversy ensued after the 2010 NFC Championship Game, where Dockett was one of the critics of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, tweeting on Twitter: "If I'm on chicago team jay cutler has to wait till me and the team shower get dressed and leave before he comes in the locker room!"

Personal life
His mother was murdered in her home when Dockett was thirteen; no one was ever arrested for the crime. After his father died of cancer four months later, Dockett was raised by his uncle, Kevin Dockett.