Matt D'Orazio
Encyclopedia
Matthew Louis D’Orazio is a professional American football
quarterback
Free Agent. He played college football
at Otterbein College.
D'Orazio has also been a member of the New Jersey Red Dogs, Roanoke Steam
, Rochester Brigade
, Buffalo Destroyers, Columbus Destroyers
, Chicago Rush
, Philadelphia Soul
and Calgary Stampeders
. He was named the MVP of ArenaBowl XX
. He was also named the 2008 AFL MVP, as well as the ArenaBowl XXII
MVP, both in the same season.
in Columbus, Ohio
, and lettered
in football
and basketball
. In football, he was an All-State selection, and in basketball, he was an All-Conference selection.
where he red-shirt in 1995 and played in just one game in 1996. He then set school single-season and career records for passing yards, touchdown
passes and total offense at Otterbein College. While there, he passed for 8,770 yards and 73 touchdowns while rushing for 594 yards and five touchdowns during his career.
, when he signed with the Milwaukee Mustangs
, where he only spent one season. Then in 2001
, he signed with the New Jersey Gladiators, playing only one season there as well.
, D'Orazio signed with the Rochester Brigade
of the AFL's minor league af2
, playing only one season there as well. For the season he went 324-of-522, for 3,372 passing yards, 51 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for 332 yards and 20 touchdowns, an Af2 alltime record.
, after playing only one season in af2, D'Orazio returned to the AFL signing with the Buffalo Destroyers
where he played until 2005
.
In 2006, after playing for the Columbus Destroyers
for three seasons, was signed as a free agent
by the Chicago Rush
. At the end of the 2006 season
, he led the league as the top-rated passer (126.2), and the top rusher with 200 yards and 10 touchdowns. In ArenaBowl XX
, he threw for 250 yards and six touchdowns, as well as rushing for two. He was named Offensive Player of the Game for his performance.
In the off-season following the 2007
season, D'Orazio was released by the Rush. The team did not want to wait until January to make a call on whether to keep him following his 2007 back injury during the playoffs. He was replaced by former Arizona Rattlers
quarterback Sherdrick Bonner
. In 2008
, D'Orazio later signed with the Philadelphia Soul
as a backup to Tony Graziani
. He became the starting quarterback when Graziani was injured and was out for the season. D'Orazio was voted the AFL MVP for the season while leading Philadelphia to ArenaBowl XXII
, where they defeated the San Jose SaberCats
59-56, and was named MVP of the game, as well. He is one of only two players to be named MVP of the ArenaBowl
while playing for two different teams.
of the Canadian Football League
signed D'Orazio. He was released on June 25, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Free Agent. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Otterbein College.
D'Orazio has also been a member of the New Jersey Red Dogs, Roanoke Steam
Roanoke Steam
The Roanoke Steam is a now-defunct af2 charter member franchise. They played their home games at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The Steam were unable to get into the playoffs during their only three years in the league...
, Rochester Brigade
Rochester Brigade
The Rochester Brigade was a professional arena football team based in Rochester, New York. The team was a member of af2, the minor league of the Arena Football League, and played their home games at the Blue Cross Arena...
, Buffalo Destroyers, Columbus Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
, Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
, Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
and Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
. He was named the MVP of ArenaBowl XX
ArenaBowl XX
ArenaBowl XX, held on Sunday, June 11, 2006, was played to determine the championship of the 2006 season of the Arena Football League. For the second consecutive year, the game was played at the neutral site of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It pitted the National Conference...
. He was also named the 2008 AFL MVP, as well as the ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII was played on July 27, 2008 at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana . It was the 22nd and final championship game in the history of the original Arena Football League. This was the fourth neutral site ArenaBowl in AFL history and the second ArenaBowl in the state of Louisiana...
MVP, both in the same season.
Early years
D'Orazio attended St. Francis DeSales High SchoolSt. Francis DeSales High School (Columbus, Ohio)
St. Francis DeSales High School is located in Columbus, Ohio and is part of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus. The school has an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, in four grade levels.-Location:...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, and lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In football, he was an All-State selection, and in basketball, he was an All-Conference selection.
College career
D'Orazio originally attended Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
where he red-shirt in 1995 and played in just one game in 1996. He then set school single-season and career records for passing yards, touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
passes and total offense at Otterbein College. While there, he passed for 8,770 yards and 73 touchdowns while rushing for 594 yards and five touchdowns during his career.
Arena Football League (2000 - 2001)
D'Orazio entered the Arena Football League in 20002000 Arena Football League season
The 2000 Arena Football League season was the 14th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Orlando Predators, who defeated the Nashville Kats in ArenaBowl XIV.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, when he signed with the Milwaukee Mustangs
Milwaukee Mustangs
The Milwaukee Mustangs were an Arena Football League team. They played from 1994 to 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Bradley Center.-History:The team was founded in 1994 amidst rumors that the Green Bay Packers would soon stop playing games in Milwaukee, something they'd been doing since 1936...
, where he only spent one season. Then in 2001
2001 Arena Football League season
The 2001 Arena Football League season was the 15th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Grand Rapids Rampage, who defeated the Nashville Kats in ArenaBowl XV.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, he signed with the New Jersey Gladiators, playing only one season there as well.
af2
Then In 20012001 af2 season
The 2001 AF2 season was the second season of the AF2. The league champions were the Quad City Steamwheelers, who defended their title with a victory over the Richmond Speed in ArenaCup II...
, D'Orazio signed with the Rochester Brigade
Rochester Brigade
The Rochester Brigade was a professional arena football team based in Rochester, New York. The team was a member of af2, the minor league of the Arena Football League, and played their home games at the Blue Cross Arena...
of the AFL's minor league af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
, playing only one season there as well. For the season he went 324-of-522, for 3,372 passing yards, 51 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for 332 yards and 20 touchdowns, an Af2 alltime record.
Arena Football League (2003–2008)
In 20032002 Arena Football League season
The 2002 Arena Football League season was the 16th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the San Jose SaberCats, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVI...
, after playing only one season in af2, D'Orazio returned to the AFL signing with the Buffalo Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
where he played until 2005
2005 Arena Football League season
The 2005 Arena Football League season was the 19th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Colorado Crush, who defeated the Georgia Force in ArenaBowl XIX. The AFL changed its playoff format to allow the top four teams per conference to make the playoffs. Previously, the...
.
In 2006, after playing for the Columbus Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
for three seasons, was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
. At the end of the 2006 season
2006 Arena Football League season
The 2006 Arena Football League season was the 20th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Chicago Rush, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XX....
, he led the league as the top-rated passer (126.2), and the top rusher with 200 yards and 10 touchdowns. In ArenaBowl XX
ArenaBowl XX
ArenaBowl XX, held on Sunday, June 11, 2006, was played to determine the championship of the 2006 season of the Arena Football League. For the second consecutive year, the game was played at the neutral site of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It pitted the National Conference...
, he threw for 250 yards and six touchdowns, as well as rushing for two. He was named Offensive Player of the Game for his performance.
In the off-season following the 2007
2007 Chicago Rush season
The 2007 Chicago Rush season is the seventh season for the franchise. They look to win the ArenaBowl again after winning it in 2006 with an 7-9 record...
season, D'Orazio was released by the Rush. The team did not want to wait until January to make a call on whether to keep him following his 2007 back injury during the playoffs. He was replaced by former Arizona Rattlers
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
quarterback Sherdrick Bonner
Sherdrick Bonner
Sherdrick Bonner is a former Arena football quarterback who is currently the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Rush in the Arena Football League.-High school years:...
. In 2008
2008 Philadelphia Soul season
The 2008 Philadelphia Soul season is the fifth season for the franchise. The Soul started the season by winning their first 9 games. Finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record, this was the Soul's best regular season in their short history. They won their first Eastern Division title, and went...
, D'Orazio later signed with the Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
as a backup to Tony Graziani
Tony Graziani
Anthony Robert Graziani was an American football quarterback who played for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League, and the Los Angeles Avengers and Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. Graziani played college football at the University of Oregon...
. He became the starting quarterback when Graziani was injured and was out for the season. D'Orazio was voted the AFL MVP for the season while leading Philadelphia to ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII was played on July 27, 2008 at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana . It was the 22nd and final championship game in the history of the original Arena Football League. This was the fourth neutral site ArenaBowl in AFL history and the second ArenaBowl in the state of Louisiana...
, where they defeated the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
59-56, and was named MVP of the game, as well. He is one of only two players to be named MVP of the ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
while playing for two different teams.
Canadian Football League (2009)
On February 13, 2009, the Calgary StampedersCalgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
signed D'Orazio. He was released on June 25, 2009.