Lions sign Raiola to 4-year extension

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - The Detroit Lions signed center Dominic Raiola to a four-year contract extension Thursday, putting the 6-foot-1, 295-pound starter under contract through the 2013 season.

"He's everything that's right about the NFL," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's a guy that embraces the city he lives in. He lives here year-round. He is as hard a working guy as you're going to imagine."

Raiola is entering his ninth season with the Lions. He was drafted 50th overall in 2001 and has started at center since 2002, playing in 124 games with 108 starts.

"If you talk about the great centers, probably in the history of the National Football League," Schwartz said, "I think they'd all have in common: leverage, feet, balance, quickness. Dom has all of those."

Raiola left Nebraska after his junior season.