Dave Diehl

Dave Diehl

Left Tackle, New York Giants
No. 66

Age: 28
Height/weight: 6-5/319
Born: 9/15/1980 Chicago, IL
Years pro: 6th season
College: Illinois
Drafted: 5th round (160 overall) by Giants, 2003

Dave attended Brother Rice High School in Chicago, where he earned nine varsity letters—four in football, three in track and two in wrestling. … After a standout four-year career at Illinois, he was drafted in the 5th round, 160th overall, in the 2003 NFL draft by the New York Giants. Diehl became the first Giants rookie since Mark Bavaro in 1985 to start every game as a rookie and since has not missed a game, playing in all 80 games in his first five years and starting all 80—at four different positions on the offensive line. The tough, versatile lineman found his niche as a left tackle in 2007, protecting Eli Manning’s blind side as the Giants’ offensive line dominated four playoff games culminating in a 17-14 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. … The Giants rewarded him by tearing up his contract and giving him a new one, reportedly worth as much as $31 million over six years, including escalators as long as he plays left tackle. … He married Nicole Tabeling on Feb. 18, 2006. … Diehl is very active in charities in New Jersey, and as a rookie celebrated Halloween by delivering candy and painted pumpkins to children undergoing cancer treatment at Tomorrows Children’s Fund Institute in Hackensack. … He has a tatoo of the Croatian coat-of-arms on his left arm.

How I celebrated winning the Super Bowl:
The parade down the Canyon of Heroes was unbelievable. That’s the same parade they had for presidents and war heroes. I was just seeing all the faces in the crowd and thinking about Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. There were two or three million people out there.

Wackiest prank I ever saw in training camp:
I’m not going to say who it was, but one of the quarterbacks got frogs and all these little toads stuck in his socks in his workout bag.

Toughest opponent:
DeMarcus Ware, DE, Dallas Cowboys

Closest friend on the Giants:
The whole offensive line is very close. And Eli (Manning).

Average workout time/day:
I work out three or four hours a day, five days a week in the off-season.

The day after a game, my body feels like:
I was hit by a car.

Favorite food:
Steak.

Favorite restaurants:
Tao and Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House in New York City.

Favorite movies:
Comedies: “Caddyshack” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Also, “Road to Perdition” with Tom Hanks.

What’s in your iPod?
I love all types of music, classic rock, rap, country … about the only thing I don’t listen to is gospel.

My hero is:
Walter Payton. I looked up to him when I was growing up in Illinois.