Rob Petitti
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||||||
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| Born: |
May 21, 1982 Clark, New Jersey | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 327 lb (148 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Rumson-Fair Haven (NJ) | ||||||||
| College: | Pittsburgh | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2005 / Round: 6 / Pick: 209 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Rob Christopher Petitti (born May 21, 1982) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh.
Early years
Petitti attended Rumson-Fair Haven High School, where he was a three-year starter as a two-way tackle. He was a two-time All-Division, All-Shore, All-County selection and was twice named to the All-New Jersey Group I team. He recorded 90 tackles during his final two seasons. He also practiced basketball.
College career
Petitti accepted a football scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh, where he became a four-year starter at left tackle. As a redshirt freshman, he started 12 games at left tackle. The next year, he started 13 games.
In 2003, he earned First-team All-Big East Conference and All-Eastern College Athletic Conference honors. He was named the coaching staff's Co-Lineman of the Game for the Ball State contest and Co-Blocker of the Game against Syracuse. For the season he recorded 87 knockdowns with eight touchdown-resulting blocks, allowing 7.5 of the team's 43 quarterback sacks.
In 2004, he missed the game against Temple University because of a concussion, ending a streak of 42 consecutive starts. He was a second-team All-American selection by The Sporting News and College Football News, third-team from The NFL Draft Report and Associated Press. He was an unanimous first-team All-Big East selection by the coaches. Petitti was also a three-time All-Big East pick, becoming the first school offensive lineman to achieve this recognition since Ruben Brown was a three-time selection from 1992 - 1994.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Petitti was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (209 overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft, after dropping because of an injury-plagued senior season.
He won the starting right tackle job as a rookie over Jacob Rogers and Torrin Tucker. He made his first NFL start in the season opening win at the San Diego Chargers. By doing so, he became only the second rookie after Dave Widell in 1988, to start an opener at offensive tackle in franchise history. That year, him and Larry Allen were the only two offensive players for the Cowboys to play every offensive snap, although he struggled in the last month of the season.[1]
Because of his significant playing time as a rookie, Pettiti earned $271,287 in performance pay, doubling his signing bonus and minimum base salary.[2] The next year, the signing of Jason Fabini, combined with the play of Marc Colombo and rookie Pat McQuistan, made him expendable and led to his release on September 2, 2006.[3]
New Orleans Saints
On September 4, 2006, Petitti — along with Cowboys teammate Terrance Copper — was claimed off waivers by the New Orleans Saints, reuniting him with new head coach and former Cowboys offensive coordinator Sean Payton. In 2006, he played in one game for the Saints, as a backup to Jon Stinchcomb. He was waived on August 31, 2007.
St. Louis Rams
On October 24, 2007, he was signed by the St. Louis Rams to a two-year, $1.1 million contract, to fill the roster spot vacated the release of Claude Terrell, after he was released for allegedly assaulted his wife.[4] In 2007, Petitti played in five games for the Rams, with one start and also recovered one fumble.
On July 23, 2008, he was waived/injured by the Rams after tearing his Achilles tendon in the offseason. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve two days later.
Florida Tuskers
Petitti was selected by the Florida Tuskers in the UFL Premiere Season Draft. He signed with the team on August 25, 2009.[5]
Carolina Panthers
He was signed by the Carolina Panthers on December 15, 2009 to replace an injured Jeff Otah.[6] He was re-signed on March 15, 2010, released on September 4 and once more re-signed on December 1.[7]
References
- ↑ "Tracking Petitti's Story". Dallas Cowboys. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ↑ "Petitti banks $271,287 in performance pay". ESPN.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ↑ "16-game rookie starter Petitti, Boiman cut by Cowboys". ESPN.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ↑ "Jackson says he'll be back for Rams vs. Cleveland". ESPN.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ↑ "UFL's Florida Tuskers Sign 12 Players Including QB Craig Nall". OurSports Central. United Football League. August 25, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
- ↑ "Carolina Panthers place offensive tackle Jeff Otah on injured reserve, sign offensive lineman Rob Petitti". ESPN.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ↑ "Banged-up Panthers sign Petitti, waive Vaughan". ESPN.com. Retrieved 6 February 2016.