Domenik Hixon
Encyclopedia
Domenik Hixon is an American football
wide receiver
and return specialist
for the New York Giants
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Akron
.
father and a German
mother. He attended Whitehall-Yearling High School
outside Columbus, Ohio
and was a letterman in football
, basketball
, track
, and baseball
. In basketball, he was named Honorable Mention All-State as a point guard
.
Former high school teammate of Pittsburgh Steelers
defensive back
Keiwan Ratliff.
's passing weapons during his first 3 years at Akron. In the 2005 MAC Championship game he caught Luke Getsy
's game winning Hail Mary pass, earning Akron its first MAC Championship in school history.
to start the 2007 season
then was released in early October. While on the Broncos, he was involved in the play that almost paralyzed Buffalo Bills
tight end
Kevin Everett
, after Everett attempted to tackle Hixon.
quickly signed Hixon and soon he took over the main kickoff returning duties. Domenik had one reception for 5 yards against the Minnesota Vikings
on November 25. He made his mark by returning a kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown
in the Giants' 2007 regular season finale against the undefeated New England Patriots
. Hixon's touchdown put the Giants ahead 14-10 in the 2nd quarter, but the Giants lost 38-35.
As the main kickoff returner, Hixon returned 10 kickoffs for an average of 25.3 yards during the Giants run to Super Bowl XLII
. His returns provided the Giants with good field position and helped propel their offense into the end zone on several occasions. He recovered a critical fumble late in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship game on January 20 at frigid Lambeau Field
, a game the Giants eventually won in overtime. Hixon also recorded 2 special teams tackles in the 2007 playoffs.
Hixon later broke out in the Giants second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns
, catching two touchdown passes and then returned a 82 yard kickoff for a touchdown, all in the first quarter.
In week 5 of the 2008 Season
, Hixon was forced to start after Giants wide receiver
Plaxico Burress
was suspended for breaking team rules.
Hixon would have 4 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in his first career start. He left the game late in the first half after suffering a concussion.
In Week 14, Hixon would again be placed in the starting role for the rest of the season, due to the suspension of Burress for conduct detrimental to the team after suffering an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg.
On June 16, 2010, Hixon suffered a torn ACL at a practice at the Giants' new home in the New Meadowlands, and was pronounced out for the season. He was waived/injured and subsequently placed on the injured reserve
list on July 17.
In his career he's made 31 special teams tackles, caught 59 passes for 788 yards (13.4 avg) and 3 touchdowns, ran 3 times on reverse plays for 18 yards, returned 48 punts for 530 yards and 80 kickoffs for 1,966 yards and a touchdown
On August 13, 2011, Hixon returned to the team in the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers preseason game.
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. 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 Akron
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
.
Early years
Hixon was born to an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
father and a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
mother. He attended Whitehall-Yearling High School
Whitehall-Yearling High School
Whitehall-Yearling High School is a public high school located in Whitehall, Ohio, United States.-History:In 1954, Whitehall-Yearling High School admitted it first students. Work on the school was still going on while classes were in session. Classrooms were filled as they were completed...
outside 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 was a letterman 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....
, 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...
, track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In basketball, he was named Honorable Mention All-State as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
.
Former high school teammate of Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Keiwan Ratliff.
College career
Hixon was one of Charlie FryeCharlie Frye
Charles Frye, , is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Akron.-Early years:...
's passing weapons during his first 3 years at Akron. In the 2005 MAC Championship game he caught Luke Getsy
Luke Getsy
Luke Getsy is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks football team.-College career:...
's game winning Hail Mary pass, earning Akron its first MAC Championship in school history.
Denver Broncos
Hixon played 4 games for the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to start the 2007 season
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
then was released in early October. While on the Broncos, he was involved in the play that almost paralyzed Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Kevin Everett
Kevin Everett
Kevin Everett, is a former American football tight end who played for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bills in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, after Everett attempted to tackle Hixon.
New York Giants
The New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quickly signed Hixon and soon he took over the main kickoff returning duties. Domenik had one reception for 5 yards against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on November 25. He made his mark by returning a kickoff 74 yards for a 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:...
in the Giants' 2007 regular season finale against the undefeated New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. Hixon's touchdown put the Giants ahead 14-10 in the 2nd quarter, but the Giants lost 38-35.
As the main kickoff returner, Hixon returned 10 kickoffs for an average of 25.3 yards during the Giants run to Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
. His returns provided the Giants with good field position and helped propel their offense into the end zone on several occasions. He recovered a critical fumble late in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship game on January 20 at frigid Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
, a game the Giants eventually won in overtime. Hixon also recorded 2 special teams tackles in the 2007 playoffs.
Hixon later broke out in the Giants second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, catching two touchdown passes and then returned a 82 yard kickoff for a touchdown, all in the first quarter.
In week 5 of the 2008 Season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
, Hixon was forced to start after Giants wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
was suspended for breaking team rules.
Hixon would have 4 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in his first career start. He left the game late in the first half after suffering a concussion.
In Week 14, Hixon would again be placed in the starting role for the rest of the season, due to the suspension of Burress for conduct detrimental to the team after suffering an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg.
On June 16, 2010, Hixon suffered a torn ACL at a practice at the Giants' new home in the New Meadowlands, and was pronounced out for the season. He was waived/injured and subsequently placed on the injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
list on July 17.
In his career he's made 31 special teams tackles, caught 59 passes for 788 yards (13.4 avg) and 3 touchdowns, ran 3 times on reverse plays for 18 yards, returned 48 punts for 530 yards and 80 kickoffs for 1,966 yards and a touchdown
On August 13, 2011, Hixon returned to the team in the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers preseason game.