Domata Peko
 Peko with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2015 | |||||||||
| No. 94 – Cincinnati Bengals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 27, 1984 Los Angeles, California | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 322 lb (146 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Pago Pago (AS) Samoana | ||||||||
| College: | Michigan State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2006 / round: 4 / pick: 123 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 4, 2016 | |||||||||
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Domata Uluaifaasau Peko[1] (/ˈdoʊmətɑː ˈpɛkoʊ/ DOH-mə-tah PEK-oh; born November 27, 1984) is an American football defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL. Peko was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Pago Pago, American Samoa. After playing college football at Michigan State, Peko was a fourth-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals. Peko has played his entire NFL career for the Bengals.
College career
Peko started his college football at College of the Canyons before transferring to Michigan State University. He wore number 96 for the Spartans who were coached by John L. Smith at the time. As a senior he made 53 tackles. One of the most memorable moments of his career was against archrival Michigan when he returned a Chad Henne fumble for a touchdown in front of a roaring crowd at Spartan Stadium.[2] He was a sociology major.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2+5⁄8 in (1.90 m) |
307 lb (139 kg) |
5.27 s | 1.85 s | 3.10 s | 4.54 s | 7.70 s | 28+1⁄2 in (0.72 m) |
8 ft 7 in (2.62 m) |
25 reps | |||
| All values from NFL Combine[3] | ||||||||||||
Peko was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round (123rd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.
As a rookie in 2006, Peko played all 16 games while making 1 start; he finished the year with 43 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. In 2007, Peko started all 16 games with 52 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass defended, and 1 fumble recovery.
In July 2008, the Bengals signed Peko to a five-year extension worth $29.3 million.[4] In 2008, Peko made 16 starts with 67 tackles, half a sack, and 2 passes defended. In 2009, he was limited to 11 starts with an injury but finished with 23 tackles and 1 pass defended. The Bengals clinched the AFC North with a 10-6 record in 2009, but in the wild card round, they lost to the New York Jets by a score of 14-24.
In 2010, he made 16 starts with 42 tackles, half a sack, and 1 pass defended. In 2011, he made 16 starts with 66 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. The Bengals finished the 2011 season with a 9-7 record for a wild card berth, but in the wild card game, the Bengals lost to the Houston Texans by a score of 10-31.
In 2012, Peko played all 16 games with 53 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 passes defended, and 1 fumble recovery. The Bengals finished the 2012 season with a 10-6 record good enough for a wild card berth. The team again faced off against the Texans in the wild card round, but lost by a score of 13-19.
In 2013, Peko started 16 games with 52 tackles and 3 sacks. The Begals finished the 2013 season with an 11-5 record for an AFC North pennant, but in the wild card round, they lost to the San Diego Chargers 10-27.
On March 26, 2014, Peko signed a 2-year extension with the Bengals. [5] Peko finished the 2014 year with 50 tackles and a sack in 16 games. The Bengals finished the season with a 10-5-1 record for a wild card berth, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts 10-26 in the wild card round.
In 2015, Peko started 16 games with 35 tackles, 5 sacks, and 1 pass defended. The Bengals finished the season with a 12-4 record for an AFC North pennant. During the wild card game, the Bengals lost to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers 16-18 due to multiple penalties.
Personal life
He is a lifelong friend of former Bengals defensive end Jonathan Fanene. His brother, Tupe Peko, also played in the NFL. Domata is also a cousin of football player Fou Fonoti. Peko and his wife, Anna, currently live in Crestview Hills, Kentucky with their two sons, Domata Jr. and Joseph.[6] Their third son, was born after the 2013 season.
References
- ^ "ESPN Profile". ESPN.com.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-10-01-michigan-state.html
- ^ "Domata Peko Draft Profile". NFLDraftScout.com. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
- ^ Peko signs extension
- ^ " Defensive tackle Domata Peko rules the world at fullback Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 18, 2013
- ^ Cincinnati Bengals Bio