Donald Penn
{{Short description|American football player (born 1983)}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Donald Penn
| image = Donald Penn 2017.JPG
| caption = Penn with the Oakland Raiders in 2017
| number = 70, 72
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|4|27|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 315
| high_school = St. Bernard {{nowrap|(Los Angeles)}}
| college = Utah State (2002–2005)
| undraftedyear = 2006
| pastteams =
- Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|2006}})*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2006}}–{{NFL Year|2013}})
- Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2014}}–{{NFL Year|2018}})
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|2019}})
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 194
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 189
| statlabel3 = Receptions
| statvalue3 = 6
| statlabel4 = Receiving yards
| statvalue4 = 26
| statlabel5 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue5 = 4
| pfr = PennDo20
}}
Donald Ward Penn II (born April 27, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Utah State Aggies, and was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Penn was also a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins.
Early life
Penn attended St. Anthony of Padua, Gardena, and graduated to Saint Bernard Catholic High School in Playa del Rey, California. He was a student and a letterman in football and basketball. Penn did not start playing football until his junior year in high school.https://lasentinel.net/socal-legends-donald-penn.html In football, as a senior, he was named the Team's Lineman of the Year, was a first-team All-League selection, and was a first-team All-California Interscholastic Federation selection. As a junior, he was a second-team All-League selection. In basketball, he was an All-State selection. Penn graduated from Saint Bernard Catholic High School in 2001.
College career
Penn played college football for Utah State University from 2002 to 2005. He started 44 consecutive games on the offensive line. Penn took over the starting right tackle job in the third game of his true freshman season and remained the starting right tackle for the remainder of the season. He switched to left tackle as a sophomore, starting every game at left tackle for Utah State for the rest of his college career. As a senior, Penn was a team captain, and was awarded second-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors at left tackle. Penn was voted into the Utah State Aggies Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.https://utahstateaggies.com/honors/hall-of-fame/donald-penn/125
Professional career
=Minnesota Vikings=
Penn went undrafted in 2006. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent, but was released prior to the start of the 2006 season.https://utahstateaggies.com/honors/hall-of-fame/donald-penn/125
=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=
Penn was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he was released by the Vikings. Later in the season in a game against the Miami Dolphins, Penn blocked an extra point attempt. On April 10, 2009, he signed a one-year $2.792 million contract to stay with the Buccaneers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/oakland-raiders/donald-penn-3007/cash-earnings/|title = Donald Penn}} On July 30, 2010, Penn signed a six-year $43 million contract.{{Cite web|url=http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/oakland-raiders/donald-penn-3007/cash-earnings/|title = Donald Penn}} Penn scored his first ever touchdown in the NFL on November 21, 2010, against the San Francisco 49ers. It came on a one-yard pass from Josh Freeman to put the Buccaneers up 21–0 in the 4th quarter. Penn was named to the 2011 Pro Bowl as an alternate. He replaced Green Bay Packers tackle Chad Clifton, whose team advanced to Super Bowl XLV.{{cite web|url=http://www.pewterreport.com/index.php?option=com_k2&Itemid=20&view=item&layout=item&id=6720 |title=Penn Will Play In His First Pro Bowl-Pewter Report: Your source for inside and breaking news on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers |publisher=Pewterreport.com |date= |access-date=January 24, 2011}} He was ranked 97th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.{{Cite web |title=2012 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2012-nfl-top-100.htm |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} On November 11, 2013, Penn scored his second career touchdown against the Miami Dolphins, which was also his 100th consecutive game started.{{cite web | title=Jumbotron highlight nearly led Bucs to scrap pass to Donald Penn | website=NBC Sports | date=2013-11-12 | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jumbotron-highlight-nearly-led-bucs-to-scrap-pass-to-donald-penn | access-date=2024-07-25}} Penn was released on March 13, 2014.{{cite web|last=Brinson|first=Will|title=Buccaneers release OT Donald Penn|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24481520/buccaneers-release-ot-donald-penn|publisher=CBSsports.com|access-date=March 13, 2014}}
=Oakland Raiders=
File:Derek Carr (36632914063).jpg]]
Penn was signed by the Oakland Raiders on March 18, 2014, to a two-year, $9.6 million contract with $4.2 million guaranteed.{{cite web|title=Donald Penn agrees to contract with Oakland Raiders|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/donald-penn-agrees-to-contract-with-oakland-raiders-0ap2000000335149|website=NFL.com|author=Hanzus, Dan|access-date=March 22, 2018}} As an eligible offensive lineman, Penn scored his third career touchdown on a pass from Derek Carr against the San Francisco 49ers, this being the second time he scored against that team.{{cite web|work=NFL.com|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/donald-penn-lived-every-big-man-s-dream-with-td-0ap3000000440890|title=Donald Penn lived 'every big man's dream' with TD|first=Marc|last=Sessler|date=December 8, 2014|access-date=May 15, 2016}}
The Raiders re-signed Penn to a two-year, $14 million contract on March 16, 2016.{{Cite web|title=Raiders to re-sign left tackle Donald Penn|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/raiders-to-re-sign-left-tackle-donald-penn-0ap3000000644826|website=NFL.com|author=Patra, Kevin|date=March 16, 2016|access-date=May 15, 2016}} Penn was named to his second Pro Bowl in 2016 along with fellow Raiders offensive linemen Kelechi Osemele and Rodney Hudson.{{cite web|title=NFL announces 2017 Pro Bowl rosters|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces-2017-pro-bowl-rosters-0ap3000000760503|website=NFL.com|date=December 20, 2016}}
On September 15, 2017, Penn signed a two-year, $21 million contract extension with the Raiders.{{cite web|title=Raiders sign Donald Penn to two-year, $21M extension|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000844450/article/donald-penn-raiders-agree-on-twoyear-extension|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916054652/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000844450/article/donald-penn-raiders-agree-on-twoyear-extension|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 16, 2017|author=Orr, Conor|website=NFL.com|date=September 15, 2017}} On December 18, 2017, Penn's season was finished after revealing that he would undergo foot surgery.{{cite web|last1=Shook|first1=Nick|title=Donald Penn (foot) to undergo season-ending surgery|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/donald-penn-foot-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery-0ap3000000895202|publisher=NFL|access-date=December 18, 2017}} He was placed on injured reserve on December 22, 2017.{{cite web|title=Raiders Announce Transactions|url=http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Raiders-Announce-Transactions---December-22-2017/7bf8a8e7-7052-423a-b203-f3f6c8041bb3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312202247/http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Raiders-Announce-Transactions---December-22-2017/7bf8a8e7-7052-423a-b203-f3f6c8041bb3|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 12, 2018|website=Raiders.com|date=December 22, 2017}} He was named to his third Pro Bowl but because of his foot surgery, could not participate.{{cite web|title=NFL announces 2018 Pro Bowl rosters|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/updated-player-rosters-for-2018-pro-bowl-in-orlando-0ap3000000895772|website=NFL.com|date=December 19, 2017|access-date=December 22, 2017}}
In 2018, the Raiders drafted Kolton Miller in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft with the intention of being their future left tackle.{{cite web|title=Donald Penn phoned Jon Gruden angry after Raiders drafted Kolton Miller, now mentoring young tackle for future|url=https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2018/5/30/17408050/donald-penn-phoned-jon-gruden-after-drafting-kolton-miller-now-mentoring-tackle-as-raiders-future|website=SilverAndBlackPride.com|date=May 30, 2018}} At the end of training camp, Penn was moved to right tackle after Miller won the starting left tackle job.{{cite web|title=Raiders' Donald Penn activated off PUP, moved to right tackle|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24376281/oakland-raiders-donald-penn-activated-pup-moved-right-tackle|author=Gutierrez, Paul|website=ESPN.com|date=August 14, 2018|access-date=October 3, 2018}} On October 3, 2018, Penn was placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in Week 4.{{cite web|title=Raiders put right tackle Donald Penn on IR with groin injury|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24883270/oakland-raiders-put-starting-rt-donald-penn-injured-reserve|author=Gutierrez, Paul|website=ESPN.com|date=October 3, 2018}} Penn was released on March 16, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/oakland-raiders-release-veteran-tackle-donald-penn-0ap3000001022940|title=Oakland Raiders release veteran tackle Donald Penn|first=Jason|last=Hirschhorn|work=NFL.com|date=March 16, 2019|access-date=March 16, 2019}}
=Washington Redskins=
File:Lorenzo Carter 2019 (cropped).jpg]]
On July 31, 2019, Penn signed a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins.{{Cite news |last=Kareem |first=Copeland |last2=Carpenter |first2=Les |date=July 31, 2019 |title=Redskins sign offensive tackle Donald Penn, guard Hugh Thornton |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/07/30/redskins-hope-sign-offensive-tackle-donald-penn-who-is-meeting-with-team-tuesday/ |access-date=July 31, 2019 |work=Washington Post}} The Redskins chose not to re-sign Penn for the 2020 NFL season and Penn became a free agent.
=Retirement=
On March 15, 2021, Penn signed a one-day contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, to retire as a member of the team.{{Cite web|title=Donald Penn retires as a Raider|url=https://www.raiders.com/news/donald-penn-retires-as-a-raider-2021|access-date=March 15, 2021|website=Las Vegas Raiders|date=March 15, 2021}}
Personal life
Penn married his wife, Dominique, in June 2012. They have two sons, Donald III and Dominick, and 1 daughter, Demi. Penn also has a daughter named, Dylan Noelle Poindexter, born March 18, 2016, with Camilla Poindexter. Donald and his wife host annual book-bag and Christmas shopping events for youth at the East Oakland Youth Development Center.{{cite web | last=McDonald | first=Jerry | title=A Christmas story: Dreams come true courtesy of Raiders’ Donald Penn | website=The Mercury News | date=2016-12-14 | url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/12/14/a-christmas-story-dreams-come-true-courtesy-of-raiders-donald-penn/ | access-date=2024-07-25}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://utahstateaggies.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/penn_donald00.html Utah State Aggies bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061105035523/http://utahstateaggies.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/penn_donald00.html |date=November 5, 2006 }}
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penn, Donald}}
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Minnesota Vikings players
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Oakland Raiders players
Category:Players of American football from Los Angeles
Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players
Category:Washington Redskins players