Donovan Raiola ( ; born December 13, 1982) is an American

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

coach and former player who is the

offensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...

coach for the

Nebraska Cornhuskers The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding t ...

. He played professionally in as a

center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). Raiola was signed by the

St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...

as an

undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

in 2006. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Wisconsin Badgers The Wisconsin Badgers are the College athletics in the United States, athletic teams representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I ...

. He played

high school football High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...

Kamehameha Schools Kamehameha Schools, formerly called Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE), is a private school system in Hawaii established by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, under the terms of the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a formal membe ...

Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

. Raiola was also a member of the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

Omaha Nighthawks The Omaha Nighthawks were a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which played in the United Football League (2009–2012), United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010 UFL season, 2010. During ...

, and

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

. He is the younger brother of former Nebraska and NFL center Dominic Raiola and the uncle of current Cornhuskers quarterback

Dylan Raiola Dylan Anthony Raiola (born May 9, 2005) is an American college football quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was one of the top ranked prospects in the 2024 recruiting class. Early life Raiola was born on May 9, 2005 in Hawaii. He beg ...

College career

At Wisconsin, Raiola started 39 games and was a team captain for his senior year. He was named an honorable mention to the All-Big Ten Conference team three times.

Professional career

Omaha Nighthawks

Raiola was signed by the

of the United Football League on September 8, 2010.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On December 7, 2010, Raiola was signed by the Buccaneers to replace injured starter Jeff Faine.

Washington Redskins

Raiola signed with the

on August 4, 2011.

Coaching career

Raiola served as an intern for the

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. It was part of the Western Athletic Conference until July 2012, when the team joined the Mountain West Conferenc ...

team before joining the

Notre Dame Fighting Irish The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the athletic teams that represent the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 26 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate sports and in the NCAA's Division ...

as a graduate assistant, reuniting him with his former offensive line coach with both the Bears and Notre Dame,

Harry Hiestand Harry Koch Hiestand (born November 19, 1958) is a former American football coach who last was the offensive line coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Early life and education Hiestand was born November 19, 1958, in Malvern, Pennsylvania. He ...

. Hiestand returned to the Bears in 2018, and Raiola followed to serve as the assistant offensive line coach. Raiola coached with the Bears in this capacity through Week 13 of the 2021 NFL season, when he departed to become the offensive line coach for the

References

External links

Nebraska profile

Seattle Seahawks profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raiola, Donovan 1982 births Living people American football centers Arizona Cardinals players Aurora Spartans football coaches Chicago Bears players Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football coaches Nebraska Cornhuskers football coaches Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coaches Omaha Nighthawks players Pittsburgh Steelers players Seattle Seahawks players St. Louis Rams players Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Washington Redskins players Wisconsin Badgers football players American people of Italian descent High school football coaches in Hawaii Kamehameha Schools alumni Coaches of American football from Hawaii Players of American football from Honolulu Native Hawaiian people Chicago Bears coaches Pacific Islander American players of American football