72 DARNELL STAPLETON

PRO (16-12/3-3): Started the final 12 games of the 2008 season after Kendall Simmons

suffered a season-ending Achilles injury...originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2007 NFL Draft...made the team’s 53-man roster out of the 2007 training camp but did not dress for any of the regular season games...dressed but did not see action in the AFC Wild Card Game against Jacksonville.

2008 (16-12/3-3): Played in all 16 regular-season games, making 12 starts...made his NFL debut as a contributor on special teams during the season-opener against the Texans...saw his first significant action along the offensive line in relief of Kendall Simmons during the second half of the September 29 game against the Ravens...made his first NFL start at RG the following week at Jacksonville...started all three postseason contests at RG...9/7 vs. Houston: Made his NFL debut as a reserve along the offensive line and also contributed on special teams...9/14 at Cleveland: Saw action on special teams in his second consecutive game...9/21 at Philadelphia: Saw action in his third consecutive game as a contributor on special teams...9/29 vs. Baltimore: Played in his fourth consecutive game and saw his most significant playing time as a pro at RG after Simmons left the game early with an Achilles injury...10/5 at Jacksonville: Made his first career start at RG...helped provide the protection for Ben Roethlisberger to finish 26-of-41 for 309 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 100.6...10/19 at Cincinnati: Made his second consecutive start at RG...paved the way for Mewelde Moore to rush 20 times for 120 yards (6.0 avg.) with two touchdowns...part of an offensive line which held the Bengals without a sack...10/26 vs. New York Giants: Made his third consecutive start at RG...paved the way for Moore to rush for 84 yards on 19 attempts (4.4 avg.) with a long of 32 yards and one touchdown...11/3 at Washington: Made his fourth consecutive start at RG...paved the way for Willie Parker to rush for 70 yards on 21 attempts (3.3 avg.) with one touchdown and a long of 13 yards...11/9 vs. Indianapolis: Made his fifth consecutive start at RG...paved the way for Moore to rush for two touchdowns, the third time this season that a Steelers’ running back has rushed for multiple touchdowns in one game...11/16 vs. San Diego: Made his sixth consecutive start at RG...paved the way for Parker to rush 25 times for 115 yards (4.6 avg.) with a long of 13 yards...11/20 vs. Cincinnati: Made his seventh consecutive start at RG...provided protection for Roethlisberger to complete 17-of-30 passes for 243 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 94.2...11/30 at New England: Made his eighth consecutive start at RG...paved way for the Steelers to rush for 161 yards on 34 attempts (4.7 avg.) with one touchdown and a long rush of 31 yards...12/7 vs. Dallas: Made his ninth consecutive start at RG...provided protection for Roethlisberger to complete 17-of-33 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown for a passer rating of 80.9...12/14 at Baltimore: Made his 10th consecutive start at RG...provided protection for Roethlisberger to complete 22-of-40 passes for 246 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 81.9...12/21 at Tennessee: Made his 11th consecutive start at RG... provided protection for Roethlisberger to pass for a season-high 329 yards on 25-of-39 attempts with two touchdowns and two interceptions...12/28 vs. Cleveland: Made his 12th consecutive start at RG... paved way for Parker to rush for 116 yards on 23 attempts (5.0 avg.) with one touchdown...AFC Divisional Game 1/11 vs. San Diego: Made his postseason debut as the starter at RG...paved way for Parker to rush for 146 yards on 27 attempts (5.4 avg.) with two touchdowns...AFC Championship Game 1/18 vs. Baltimore: Made his second consecutive postseason start at RG...provided protection for Roethlisberger to complete 16-of-33 passes for 255 yards with one touchdown for a passer rating of 84.8...Super Bowl XLIII 2/1 vs. Arizona: Made his third consecutive postseason start at RG...provided protection for Roethlisberger to complete 21-of-30 passes for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception for a passer rating of 93.2.

2007: (0-0/0-0): Was inactive for all 16 regular- season games…dressed but did not play in the playoff loss to Jacksonville...9/9 at Cleveland: Was inactive...9/16 vs. Buffalo: Was inactive...9/23 vs. San Francisco: Was inactive...9/30 at Arizona: Was inactive...10/7 vs. Seattle: Was inactive...10/21 at Denver: Was inactive...10/28 at Cincinnati: Was inactive...11/5 vs. Baltimore: Was inactive...11/11 vs. Cleveland: Was inactive...11/18 at N.Y. Jets: Was inactive...11/26 vs. Miami: Was inactive...12/2 vs. Cincinnati: Was inactive...12/9 at New England: Was inactive...12/16 vs. Jacksonville: Was inactive...12/20 at St. Louis: Was inactive...12/30 at Baltimore: Was inactive...AFC WILD CARD 1/5/08 vs. Jacksonville: Dressed but did not play.

COLLEGE: 2006: Rutgers' starting center in all 13 games...Finalist for the Rimington Trophy...Center of an offensive line that allowed just eight sacks, the fewest amount in the nation…RU tailback Ray Rice rushed for 1,794 yards, the second-highest total in the nation and a BIG EAST single-season record…Awarded the David Bender Trophy, given annually to the top offensive lineman at Rutgers... Contributed to Rutgers win over Howard (9/23), as the Scarlet Knights scored 56 points, the most points scored in the Greg Schiano era...In Rutgers' win over Louisville (11/9), contributed to a blocking effort that allowed Ray Rice to rush for 75 yards in the fourth quarter...Served on a line that averaged over 180 rushing yards per game this season. 2005: Emerged as the starting center in preseason camp and started all 12 games... Helped pave the way for RU to accumulate a season-best 574 yards of total offense, including 337 yards rushing, in the Scarlet Knights' regular-season finale against Cincinnati (11/26)...Also served on an RU offensive line that opened the way for 532 yards of total offense, including 158 on the ground in the Insight Bowl vs. Arizona State (12/27)…Played important role in an offensive line that recorded seven 100-yard rushing performances and produced RU's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1994.

Personal: Played and started in 11 games in 2004...selected to first team All-Northeast Football Conference...named preseason NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American... finished his career as the only player in Hudson Valley history to start 21 consecutive games...team finished 8-3 in 2004 and 8-2 in 2003, when he earned second team All-League honors...named first team All-Watchung Conference and first team All-Union County as a senior...played in New Jersey’s North-South All-Star Game...son of Michelle and Robert Stapleton...Full name: Darnell Stapleton.