Woody returns as a Lion in the winter

When Damien Woody arrived Wednesday at the Detroit Lions headquarters in Allen Park, Mich., vice chairman William Clay Ford Jr. told him he was tired of losing and was willing to do whatever it takes to bring the once-proud franchise back to prominence.

Then Ford showed Woody -- by showing him the money. Lots of it.

Yesterday, Woody signed a six-year, $31 million contract that includes a $9 million signing bonus. The total value of the contract and up-front bonus are the largest ever for an interior offensive lineman. Woody also will collect a $500,000 roster bonus and earn $2 million in base salary next season, for a first-year income of $11.5 million.

Woody would have earned roughly $10.1 million over the first three years of the Patriots' proposed six-year, $22 million deal, which included a $6.6 million bonus. He'll make nearly as much in the first four years of his deal with Detroit -- $19.5 million -- as he would have over the life of the contract New England offered. He was looking for closer to $7 million to sign or $12 million over the first three years. He got that and more from Detroit. Lots more.

"It feels great, knowing that somebody really showed me the commitment I was looking for," Woody, a two-time Pro Bowl alternate, said after learning the deal had been finalized. "It feels good to be a part of an organization that's really committed, that really wants to get it done. The proof is in the pudding that they're trying to make it happen."

A first-round pick in 1999 out of Boston College, Woody appeared in 82 games, starting all but two, during his five seasons here. For two weeks he has been 99 percent certain he would not return, as he and the team failed to come to terms. The Patriots informed him Feb. 18 that they would discontinue negotiations and allow him to test the market.

The test didn't last long. Against the wishes of the Dolphins, Woody traveled to Detroit Wednesday and returned to New England yesterday a Lion. In the meantime, he just so happened to miss his trip to Miami, scheduled for midday Thursday. The Cardinals, Chargers, Cowboys, Falcons, and Giants also had expressed interest in the 26-year-old center/guard, though no other visits had been scheduled.

"I believe they did hijack me here," Woody said during his introductory news conference. "They held me hostage. I couldn't get out of here."

Said Woody, "I knew I was going to get a market deal, but I didn't know how big it was going to be. This is a strong deal. But good things happen to good people. I've had a lot of people help me get to this point, and now it's paying off. Now it's time to take that next step, to take my game to an even higher level and this team to a higher level."

The latter doesn't figure to be too difficult, as the Lions have finished last in their division three straight seasons. In going 5-11 last year, their first under coach Steve Mariucci, the Lions were last in the league in rushing and total offense. Woody could have signed with the Dolphins, who continued to pursue him while he was in Detroit, and still received a signing bonus in excess of $8 million, contended for a third Super Bowl ring next season, plus played the Patriots twice a year. Instead, he wanted to be part of a foundation rather than just a piece to a puzzle.

"That was definitely intriguing, playing the Patriots twice a year," he said. "In the end, it's all about making the best business decision. Everything that happened . . . led me to believe that this was the best place for me.

"All I'm looking to do is help create an identity here. Bring a part of New England up here, that winning attitude. I want to help get this team started in the right direction. Now it's time to transfer that onto the field. They've got a young nucleus of guys that were successful in college; now they're trying to add veteran guys, good character guys who come from winning organizations to help raise the level in Detroit. I welcome that challenge."

Members of a local Boys & Girls Club were at Ford Field Wednesday to welcome Woody and his wife, Nicole, with signs that read, "Please come, Mr. Woody."

"I'd appreciate it more building something from the ground up," Woody said. "It's easy to join a winner and be just another guy. It wouldn't take anything for somebody to join the Patriots. But to come to an organization like this . . . I had Miami willing to make a commitment, but I didn't go there because I know it will be more gratifying to build Detroit up."

The Dolphins did sign an ex-Patriot yesterday, only not the one they wanted most. Safety Chris Akins agreed to a deal, but terms were not available, although Akins was believed to have signed for three years. Akins, an unrestricted free agent, was third on the Patriots with 22 special-teams tackles last season.