2008 Lions, where are they Now?

[tbone413]

• QB Daunte Culpepper - Worked with the African American Adoption Agency, maybe offered $80K to a hooker on twitter
• QB Drew Henson - Member of Yankees professional scouting staff
• QB Dan Orlovsky - Returned to Lions in 2014 as back-up
• QB Drew Stanton - Back-up for Arizona Cardinals
• QB Jon Kitna - Head coach for the Waxahachie High School football team

• RB Aveion Cason - Owner of Cason Athletics LLC
• RB Rudi Johnson - Established The Rudi Johnson Foundation
• RB Kevin Smith - Recently charged with resisting arrest
• RB Brian Calhoun - Brookfield Central's girls track and field coach
• FB Jerome Felton - Currently with the Buffalo Bills
• FB Moran Norris - Established the Moran Norris Foundation in Houston
• FB Jon Bradey - Unknown, last played for UFL Florida Tuskers in 2010

• WR Keary Colbert - Offensive Analyst for Alabama
• WR Chris Hannon - Unknown, last was with the Ravens in 2010
• WR Adam Jennings - Associate with Stan Johnson Company
• WR Calvin Johnson - Still with Detroit Lions
• WR John Standeford - Recently hosted a charity clinic with Joe Reitz for the Colts
• WR Travis Taylor - Unknown, cut after 2008 season. Is universally known as a draft bust for the Ravens
• WR Reggie Ball - Founded the Reggie Ball Quarterback Academy, board member of Xplosive Athletic Training, and his brother was the player that stole the game ball during Auburn/Memphis game this year
• WR Mike Furrey - Wide receivers coach at Marshall University
• WR Shaun McDonald - Offensive coordinator at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix
• TE Casey Fitzsimmons - Unknown, retired right after the '08 season because of concussions
• TE Michael Gaines - Unknown
• TE John Owens - An entrepreneur according to his Twitter
• TE Dan Campbell - Was interim head coach of the Dolphins until replaced by Adam Gase

• T Jeff Backus - Chief Project Manager at Maven Development
• T Gosder Cherilus - Currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• T Damion Cook - Died from a heart attack on June 26, 2015.
• T Junius Coston - Unknown, although recently married in Green Bay
• T George Foster - Recently made fun of for wearing socks with sandals
• C Andy McCollum - Coaches the Eureka Wildcats High School football team
• G Stephen Peterman - Unknown, cut in 2013 by Jets
• C Dominic Raiola - Owner of CryoSpa Detroit
• G Manny Ramirez - Returned to the Lions for the 2015-2016 season after multiple seasons with Denver
• G Edwin Mulitalo - Offensive line coach for St. Joseph's College in Western Samoa

• DE Ikaika Alama-Francis - National Sales Director at Carlister.co
• DE Cliff Avril - Currently with Seattle Seahawks
• DT Shaun Cody - Works with USC Athletics
• DT Landon Cohen - Owner of The Valet Express in South Carolina
• DT Chuck Darby - Works with Darby Logging, family-owned logging business
• DT Andre Fluellen - On-again/off-again Lions love interest
• DT Langston Moore - Sideline reporter for South Carolina Gamecocks, author, motivational speaker, founder of Eat2win charity to reduce obesity
• DT Shemiah LeGrande - Program Director/Youth Mentor at Christian Community Center Church in Stapleton, NY
• DE Corey Smith - Killed in boating accident in 2009
• DE DeWayne White - Real Estate Broker for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in Northville
• DE Jared DeVries - Head coach for the Clear Lake High School football team
• DE Cory Redding - Currently with the Arizona Cardinals

• OLB Darnell Bing - Founder of Twenty-1 non-profit that supports individuals with Down Syndrome
• OLB Anthony Cannon - President and CEO of the Internation Developmental Fast Football League (IDFFL)
• ILB Paris Lenon - Recently inducted in the University of Richmond hall of fame
• OLB Ryan Nece - RFounder of the Ryan Nece Foundation
• OLB Ernie Sims - Opened training facility in Tallahassee and founded the Big HITS Foundation
• ILB Jordon Dizon - Currently a firefighter in Colorado

• CB Leigh Bodden - Founder and CEO of The WEOU Group
• SS Daniel Bullocks - Defensive backs coach for Eastern Michigan University
• CB Travis Fisher - Defensive backs coach for UCF
• SS LaMarcus Hicks - Defensive backs coach for Jackson State University
• FS Gerald Alexander - Defensive backs coach for Indiana State University
• FS Kalvin Pearson - Intern Assistant Coach/Special Teams for the Dallas Cowboys
• CB Chris Roberson - Runs a tax business
• CB Ramzee Robinson - Business Manager for TPM Staffing Service as well as an aspiring actor & model
• FS Stuart Schweigert - ead coach for the Saginaw Sting in the American Indoor Football league
• CB Dexter Wynn - Unknown but lives in Houston

• K Jason Hanson - Doing a lot of public speaking for churches, foundations, events
• P Nick Harris - Volunteers at football camps across the country
• LS Don Muhlbach - Still with the Lions

 

[tbone413]

I found this list more interesting that I thought I would...

Things I noticed:

- 2 Players from the team have died
- Most of the Defensive Backs are now coaching Defensive Backs in college.
- I didnt realize Dan Campbell (Intern Dolphins Coach) was ever on the Lions, yet alone this infamous 2008 team.

- Its surprising to see how many of these guys are working average to below average jobs (pay wise)...It makes sense I guess, in that many never got a college degree, and never really focused on anything outside of football. Makes me appreciate the smarts a young guy like Ryan Broyles had, for saving his money and not blowing it immediately...he only played a few years, but im sure is much better off than the majority of these players.

 

[inkfreq]

Holy crap... that's amazing. First that you put in the work to find as much as you did. Thank you for that. But secondly that most of the entire team.. 7 years later, is out of football and the vast majority of those guys didn't make it much longer in the game after that team.

WOW!

 

[tbone413]

Holy crap... that's amazing. First that you put in the work to find as much as you did. Thank you for that. But secondly that most of the entire team.. 7 years later, is out of football and the vast majority of those guys didn't make it much longer in the game after that team.

WOW!

I cant take the credit for the work to find all these guys...I did 'double check' some of them, because I couldnt even remember half of these guys. But my friend from another message board came up with the idea and it was a team effort over there. I just brought the 'finished product' to you fellas.

 

[inkfreq]

I cant take the credit for the work to find all these guys...I did 'double check' some of them, because I couldnt even remember half of these guys. But my friend from another message board came up with the idea and it was a team effort over there. I just brought the 'finished product' to you fellas.

Still appreciated tbone. It's an eye opener as to just how bad this team was that year. Only a couple of guys still in the game, and one of those is Gosder Cherilus who should be thankful he's still in the game somehow.

Another is Calvin, who may not be in the game by the start of the next season.

Amazing.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I can see why we finished win-less.

 

[tbone413]

haha ya I know - this team was so devoid of talent its outrageous...

Mayhew did a lot of bad things, and I am happy he got fired, but his final team roster, will look light years better than Millens final team roster (2008). Just goes to show you how freaking bad Millen was at his job...incase that wasn't apparent enough.

 

[Mitchrapp]

haha ya I know - this team was so devoid of talent its outrageous...

Mayhew did a lot of bad things, and I am happy he got fired, but his final team roster, will look light years better than Millens final team roster (2008). Just goes to show you how freaking bad Millen was at his job...incase that wasn't apparent enough.

Mayhew's final roster looks better because of Millen's final roster.

 

[brewer229]

You know I never put together that Dan Campbell was the same Dan Campbell that was a Lions TE. He had our 3rd most receiving TDs and was our 4th most productive receiving "weapon" in 2006. Which is sad since he was a blocking TE.

My god those teams were horrible.

 

[tonyballs]

haha ya I know - this team was so devoid of talent its outrageous...

Mayhew did a lot of bad things, and I am happy he got fired, but his final team roster, will look light years better than Millens final team roster (2008). Just goes to show you how freaking bad Millen was at his job...incase that wasn't apparent enough.

Millen set this franchise 10 years in the hole, probably more. Mayhew was a genius compared to him. That's why when it comes down to it that I think Mayhew did a decent job. He had to work from scratch...not even scratch. It was like this team never existed because Millen absolutely destroyed them.

 

[jared]

Millen set this franchise 10 years in the hole, probably more. Mayhew was a genius compared to him. That's why when it comes down to it that I think Mayhew did a decent job. He had to work from scratch...not even scratch. It was like this team never existed because Millen absolutely destroyed them.

Decent job is stretching it for me.

Way better than Millen, but I honestly think you or I could have accomplished that with a little help.

The Roy Williams deal summed up Mayhew for me.

Genius trade to snag a 1,3, and 6 from Dallas for Roy and a 4th.

Then he drafts Droptimus Prime (Pettigrew), Derrick Williams (the bust WR out of Penn State) and Aaron Brown. (the RB from TCU)

*note: fortunately he made up for that six years later when he drafted the Matchup Nightmare instead of Aaron Donald, in the same year it was clear that Suh and Fairley would be gone, leaving the Lions without a starting DT.

Mayhew was almost good. He just wasn't good.

 

[cheeno]

Millen sucked, but the results of this list isn't what indicates that. 2008 was eight years ago. The average NFL career spans about 3.5 years so it is not a surprise that the majority of these guys are out of the game. Several on that team are actually quality players, of which most teams are made of a mix of quality starters and average or worst fill ins. As for them working pretty average jobs, low level coaching or worse, also pretty common and likely contributes to the high suicide rate at some level in conjunction with CTE.

 

[cheeno]

Can we do a Mayhew's draft picks where are they now version for this board?

I'll start

Titus Young WR Certified Insane

 

[Mitchrapp]

Don Muhlbach - 12 seasons now. Long time as LS.

 

[detrisin]

T George Foster - Recently made fun of for wearing socks with sandals

That's some good research right there...thanks for the list.

 

[kingofdetroit57]

Good stuff. I'd be curious how different a list from a successful franchise like the Pats, Giants, Pack, Saints, Steelers, or Ravens would look.

 

[tbone413]

Millen sucked, but the results of this list isn't what indicates that. 2008 was eight years ago. The average NFL career spans about 3.5 years so it is not a surprise that the majority of these guys are out of the game. Several on that team are actually quality players, of which most teams are made of a mix of quality starters and average or worst fill ins. As for them working pretty average jobs, low level coaching or worse, also pretty common and likely contributes to the high suicide rate at some level in conjunction with CTE.

Im not surprised that the vast majority of the players are out of the league, thats to be expected, as 8 years is a long time, like you mentioned.

However, whats surprising to me, is just how few of these guys I even remembered being on the Lions. I was following the team pretty closely back then (Not as close as I do now, but still watched every game), and id say roughly 1/2 of these guys Ive never heard of...there were just a lot of bad players on that team...they went 0-16 for a reason.

mayhew was a below average GM in my opinion, and he has some absolute joke signings/drafts, but I still think the team that got him fired (2015 Lions) is far and away more talented than the team that got Millen fired..

 

[zyxt9]

IMO, the biggest % reason Mayhew was fired rests with Lombardi

Ebron instead of Donald/OBJ was because of placating Lombardi
Completely inept O due to Lombardi

Granted Caldwell hired Lombardi, but Mayhew should have fired him sooner and his job likely is saved by Cooter. Caldwell wired the shit together, but Lombardi was the actual bomb that blew it all up.

 

[grandy]

Can we do a Mayhew's draft picks where are they now version for this board?

I'll start

Titus Young WR Certified Insane

I've started a list, I'll try to finish it today.

 

[cheeno]

I've started a list, I'll try to finish it today.

Sweet thanks Grandy. I was half joking but that would be a fun read.