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One of the most famous lines in cinema history, that comes from Don Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of Mario Puzo's "The Godfather" that came out in 1972 and won Best Picture at the 1973 Academy Awards But for Cincinnati football fans, they know "The Godfather" in a different context: defensive lineman Dontay Corleone. REQUIRED READING: Here are 10 reactions/overreactions from Saturday's Cincinnati Bearcats Victory Bell win Corleone, a redshirt junior defensive tackle, has been given the nickname "The Godfather" throughout his entire career and become a fan favorite. And while those in Cincinnati know why this is his nickname, curiosity has been piqued by its backstory as the Bearcats take on Houston in their Big 12 opener on Saturday at noon ET Here's more on the backstory behind Coreleone's nickname: For those who have watched or read "The Godfather," one will know that Vito Corleone is the man of the Corleone household and runs the point of the New York mafia He's nicknamed "The Don" by Puzo and Coppola which means in Italian "boss" and is linked to the Italian mob business On top of having the same last name and a pretty similar first name the "overseer" of the Bearcats defense is how Corleone received the nickname "The Godfather" as he has a frame of 6-foot-1 and 320 pounds so I just took the role of it," he told Pro Football Focus's College Football Analyst Max Chadwick last season "I took it because it's pretty good off of my last name He added when asked if he feels like "The Godfather" out on the field: "I feel like it." In that same interview with Pro Football Focus article Corleone said that despite being nicknamed "The Godfather" he has not seen any of the trilogy “I’ve tried,” Corleone told Pro Football Focus. “I’m going to try again soon He was hospitalized for a while as he was being treated for his blood clots where he finished with six total tackles and a sack I have worked extremely hard to make a return With the help of our strength and conditioning staff especially (assistant director of sports performance) Brandon Garcia I feel fully prepared to play this season.” Corleone followed up a breakout freshman season in 2022 with an impressive sophomore campaign last year one in which he once again was one of the nation's top nose tackles He redshirted his true freshman season in 2021 Here's a look at Corleone's stats during his time at Cincinnati: Thanks for visiting Evaluated in some NFL drafts as an early-round pick, "The Godfather" Dontay Corleone will return to the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football team for one more run 320-pound nose tackle announced his intentions on X Monday afternoon To run onto the field at Nippert Stadium in front of thousands of Cincinnati fans the past three years Cincinnati has given me some of the best memories of my life and I have made relationships that will last a lifetime here After much consideration and reflection with my family I have decided that my time as a Bearcat is not over Limited early this season because of blood clots in his lungs discovered over the summer Corleone missed many training camp workouts as he was held out of contact he returned for the Pitt game and had a season-high six tackles Corleone has 17 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in his career while freeing up teammates to rack up stats “I’m excited to return to the University of Cincinnati for one final season in 2025,” Corleone said “It’s my goal to elevate this program back to where it was when I arrived here in 2021 Corleone thanked Senior Associate AD/Sports Medicine Aaron Himmler Football Performance Coach Niko Palazeti and Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance Brandon Garcia as well as head coach Scott Satterfield defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt and defensive line coach and former Bearcat Walter Stewart I’m excited for one last ride with my brothers for my city!” Corleone said Corleone was named all-conference for the third straight season last week Corleone was a second-team Big 12 selection in 2023 and a first-team All-AAC performer in 2022 Corleone burst onto the college football scene as a redshirt freshman that fall collecting Associated Press All-America Third Team and consensus Freshman All-America honors He was the nation’s highest-rated defensive player according to Pro Football Focus in 2022 “We’re thrilled to have Dontay back for next season,” Coach Satterfield said “Nobody exemplifies Cincinnati football more than him He has worked so hard to become the player he is and he has battled through so much adversity Getting a player of his caliber with leadership qualities back for next season is a huge boost for our defense.” Corleone was not among those walking on Senior Night against TCU as he was a redshirt junior and the policy is players must be seniors another local product from Elder was also in that category and is currently weighing his options Center Gavin Gerhardt was a redshirt senior but still has another year to play if he chooses due to the extra COVID-19 year granted to those on rosters in 2020 Thanks for visiting Defensive tackle Dontay Corleone was the top-ranked player for UC at No "Strong base defender who excels vs. the run," Blake Brockermeyer wrote "Has the power to anchor and control gaps,but is often misused in stunt-heavy schemes that limit his impact though production hasn't matched the hype." Brendan Sorsby joined Corleone on the list at No Dual-threat QB who accounted for 27 total TDs in his first year as a starter," Brockermeyer wrote Needs to improve decision-making and ball security It's a strong gauge of two players that figure to lead their sides of the ball this fall If they can elevate higher than these rankings suggest then UC should go bowling for the first time under head coach Scott Satterfield Bookmark Bearcats Talk for the latest news Watch: Scott Satterfield Discusses Cincinnati Bearcats Football Following Team's 10th 2025 Spring Practice Cincinnati Bearcats Star Forward Dillon Mitchell Entering Transfer Portal Cincinnati Bearcats Forward Arrinten Page Entering Transfer Portal Following 2024-25 Season Report: Bob Huggins Interviews For Cleveland State Basketball Head Coach Position Cincinnati Adds Big 12 Transfer Guard Sencire Harris to 2025-26 Roster Cincinnati Lands First 2025 Transfer in Veteran Guard Kerr Kriisa The Athletic Includes Cincinnati Cornerback Matthew McDoom Among Top Group of 5 Transfers Heading to Power 4 Watch: New Cincinnati Kicker Stephen Rusnak Discusses Journey to UC And More Pinging The Portal: UNC-Wilmington Big Man Harlan Obioha Visiting Cincinnati This Month 'Help My Team Win Any Way I Can' - Shon Abaev Ready To Bring Dynamic Skillset Into Cincinnati System Pinging The Portal: Cincinnati Reaches Out to High-Scoring Guard Brian Moore Jr. 'There Was No Temptation' - Brendan Sorsby Focused on Continued Improvement With Bearcats Watch: Cincinnati Bearcats Linebacker Simeon Coleman Discusses Follow-Up To Strong Freshman Season Watch: Cincinnati Bearcats Skill Position Players Workout at 2025 Big 12 Pro Day Watch: 2025 Big 12 Pro Day Action For UC Linebackers, Linemen Look: Five-Star Cincinnati Bearcats Signee Shon Abaev Includes UC in High-School Season Wrap-Up Post Watch: New Cincinnati Transfer Wide Receiver Makes Crazy TD Catch in Spring Practice Look: Cincinnati's Big 12 Pro Day Participants Revealed Recruiting Roundup: Cincinnati Offers Multiple Three-Star Offensive Skill Players As Spring Football Starts Up Look: Former Cincinnati Bearcats Star Safety Darrick Forrest Signs With New NFL Team Watch: Wes Miller and More Discuss 2025 Big 12 Tournament Second Round Matchup Against Iowa State Three Man Weave: Cincinnati's Big 12 Season Ends With Tournament Loss to Iowa State PFF Names Dontay Corleone Among Top-10 Returning Defensive Tackles in College Football Watch: Highlights From Cincinnati's 87-68 Big 12 Tournament Win Over Oklahoma State Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Bearcats Roll Over Oklahoma State 87-68 to Advance in Big 12 Tournament Big 12 Announces Conference Basketball Schedules Expected to be 18 Games Moving Forward Former Cincinnati Bearcat James Hudson Signs NFL Deal With New Team 'We Left So Much Out There' - UC QB Brendan Sorsby Ready to Close Better in Second Bearcats Season 'I'm Buying A House' - Dontay Corleone, Joe Royer Detail Desire to Run it Back With Bearcats Football in 2025 Watch: Scott Satterfield And More Tour Indoor Performance Center Ahead of Final Touches in Coming Months Look: Cincinnati Among Disappointing Teams Analytically Based On Roster Talent Cincinnati Lands First Offensive Skill Player Commitment in 2026 Class as Dadrien Waller Commits Watch: Five-Star Cincinnati Commit Shon Abaev Continues Dominance in Overtime Elite Watch: ESPN's Scott Van Pelt Highlights Crazy Betting Swing in Cincinnati-West Virginia Game Watch: New Cincinnati Kicker Stephen Rusnak Introduces Himself to Fanbase Be sure to keep it locked on Bearcats Talk all the time Follow Bearcats Talk on Twitter: @BearcatsTalk Like Bearcats Talk on Facebook: Bearcats Talk The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER A new restaurant will debut in the spring at the site of a longtime eatery in Mahoning Township Don Corleone’s will succeed the former Normal Square Inn at 30 Fritz Valley Road Normal Square Inn closed at the end of October after former owner/chef Mike D’Amico Jr owner/chef of Don Corleone’s in New Tripoli will be owner/chef of Don Corleone’s in Mahoning Township “We were looking for a place that was close and liked the place,” Ottavio DiMaggio said said he hopes to open Don Corleone’s in Mahoning Township sometime in the spring Don Corleone’s plans to be open from 11 a.m DiMaggio said they have begun remodeling the interior of the former Normal Square Inn he said they’re working on putting a fence around the porch so that outdoor seating can be offered in the spring and summer A liquor license is still needed and plans call for entertainment in the form of live bands “I want it to be a family place where everybody’s safe who has worked as chef/owner alongside his father at Don Corleone Restaurant & Pizza in New Tripoli for the past three years said he has since acquired a true passion for cooking “I came in the kitchen and knew absolutely nothing,” Ottavio DiMaggio said and within four months I learned everything.” owned a restaurant in New York City from 2011 to 2020 before closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic the concept of running his own restaurant became too good of an opportunity to pass up DiMaggio said he has a primary objective once Don Corleone’s in Mahoning Township opens “I don’t think I’m going to retire anytime soon.” DiMaggio said Don Corleone’s in New Tripoli will remain open after the Don Corleone’s launches in Mahoning Township Star defensive tackle Dontay Corleone and tight end Joe Royer are ready to finish what they started at this school They want to win in their hometown before realizing their professional dreams "Staying home and just building your foundation here building a legacy for here," Corleone said Even with my dreams of going to the next level 'You necessarily don't have to leave to go to the NFL You can go to the NFL from Cincinnati.'" Corleone had to deal with blood clots interrupting his summer and start to his 2024 season he gets to show his full strength on and off the field for his UC swan song that he spent a week thinking about before landing on a return "That's one of the main reasons why I came back is to prove to everybody that I can play at a high level," Corleone said about the ailment he fought through "What I had dealing with last year and going through a full offseason I do different types of extra work to be in top shape because I can't do some of the things necessarily So he's [ the training staff] keeping me in top shape." Royer would've had NFL interest as well but he was almost always set on returning to Cincinnati in 2025 "It was a tough decision for a little bit but I kind of knew right away this is where I wanted to be coming back for another year," Royer noted "Just weighing my options out a little bit And only being here for one year this past season and I wanted to give it another shot." Royer set a UC single-season record by a tight end with 50 catches in 2024 He turned those into 522 receiving yards and three touchdowns It amounted to a 65.4 overall PFF grade across 657 snaps Both players will be crucial parts of any Cincinnati football success this fall Look: Cincinnati Offensive Linemen Luke Kandra, John Williams Lead Top Bench Press Results at 2025 NFL Combine Look: Cincinnati Football's Betting Win Total Released For 2025 Season Recruiting Roundup: 2025 Football Visits Flowing in Along With More Offers Look: Top Cincinnati Recruit Shon Abaev Wins Florida 3A State Championship Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Storylines: V. Kansas State Wildcats Look: John Williams, Corey Kiner, And Luke Kandra Meet Up At 2025 NFL Combine Cincinnati Bearcats Secondary Coaches Praise Team's 'Capacity For Work' Watch: Wes Miller Previews Road Matchup Against No. 4 Houston Tyson Veidt Updates Cincinnati's Defensive Line Injuries Ahead of Spring Practice Scott Satterfield Explains Change to 'Spring Game' Structure in College Football Look: Cincinnati Announces Open Spring Football Practice NCAA Tournament Tracker: Cincinnati Back in The Bubble Mix Ahead of Toughest Opponent This Decade Watch: Highlights From Cincinnati's Road Bout Against Iowa State, With Jizzle James Making UC Scoring History Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Falls On The Road Against Iowa State Cincinnati Cracks Top Five Schools For Three-Star 2026 Cornerback Kasmir Hicks Cincinnati Football Adds Fifth Commitment in 2026 Class From Alabama Safety Xavier Starks Wes Miller Updates Connor Hickman's Health, Previews Massive Iowa State Battle Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Cincinnati defensive tackle Dontay Corleone had six tackles and a sack against Pittsburgh on Saturday making his return after being treated for blood clots in his lungs in June Corleone had been cleared for full contact this week but the team had not determined his playing status as of Tuesday He had been participating in practices during training camp and did not play in last week's 38-20 win over Towson 320-pound Corleone was a second-team All-Big 12 selection last season after finishing with 39 tackles (6.5 for loss) and three sacks at nose tackle He was a consensus freshman All-American in 2022 after making 45 tackles (5.5 for loss) with three sacks two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries Cincinnati said this week that its sports medicine staff met with several doctors and specialists to develop a plan for Corleone to resume football activities safely and Corleone thanked the school's medical staff for its diligence "I'm excited to be back on the field with my brothers," Corleone said "I also want to thank all of our fans for their love and support throughout this process I have worked extremely hard to make a return." Information from ESPN's Dave Wilson was used in this report CINCINNATI — It’s easy to pick out the heart of the University of Cincinnati’s campus: Historic Nippert Stadium We’ve been winning forever,” said Dontay Corleone an All-American defensive tackle and Cincinnati Bearcats football captain known as the “Godfather,” who makes the Bearcats come alive “He embodies everything … he is a very imposing player Teams have to know exactly where he is at or otherwise he will make a play against you,” head football coach Scott Satterfield said Growing up 11 miles away in Colerain Township I saw a vision — to stay home in my backyard and just play good football,” Corleone said Corleone is one of the best defensive players in the country but even he couldn’t save the Bearcats from a three-win 2023 season I feel like I had my best offseason,” Corleone said “I thought my team was going in the right direction most superstars would go chase a massive NIL check in the transfer portal His loyalty stemmed from a blue-collar mentality “We didn’t have the high-tech facility or the new football gym Fighting for success was nothing new to Corleone had holes in her socks and stuff like that I had to watch her just do that,” Corleone said He was raised byhis mom and his football coaches motivating and encouraging him every day throughout school — “even if it wasn’t really there sometimes because I never had a father figure.” Quitting when times got tough was never an option Coming off the toughest season of his career Corleone's biggest battle was still ahead of him UC's senior associate athletic director for sports medicine I felt something weird in my back and I just couldn't run or lift So I went to Aaron (Himmler),” Corleone said “He came to us with kind of some nonspecific like mid back pain bumps and bruises and sore body parts all the time So you don't immediately think worst case scenario with a lot of these things,” Himmler said I tried to lay down and I had to use the bathroom but it took nearly everything out of my power to get out the bed,” Corleone said “(Cincinnati defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt) asked me what the pain level was we're going to have to go to an emergency hospital,” Corleone said there's usually a reason why they don't make sense,” Himmler said Corleone said he didn't feel like an ER trip was necessary — “as a football player like you just thinking you got to fight through everything.” But Himmler wanted to make sure everything was OK and unfortunately advanced imaging is when we found the blood clots,” Himmler said Corleone was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism (PE) a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs become blocked by a blood clot “I never knew what a PE was until I found out I had it and it just was just took my whole world out of me for a second,” Corleone said Himmler explained the severity of the condition to the 22-year-old a life-threatening situation if they're not caught early enough,” Himmler said Corleone said his first reaction was shock I don’t know if I’m ever going to play football again let alone I don’t know how my life is going to be after this,” Corleone said The physical obstacle of a lifetime also brought a mental hurdle “A lot of anxiety came out of nowhere because all I knew was football and it was almost taken away from me,” Corleone said The Cincinnati medical staff was not going to let Corleone’s NFL goals disappear “He didn’t have one doubt in his mind I was going to play football again Corleone was out for the entirety of camp — “some days I didn’t have it in me to persevere.” But there was no way that a boy who was raised by a group of hard-nosed football coaches and a single mother was going to let his future be taken from him I got to play my part too so I can get paid one day.” “What’s been so impressive is his overall poise and resiliency with it and just the way that he hasn’t really bent or broken,” Himmler said but he's still one of the best defensive linemen in the country — and still the heartbeat of the Bearcats football team “Playing well is just icing on top of this situation,” Corleone said “I thank Aaron for everything he’s done for me He also saved my mom’s life because she now still has her son breathing and playing football again,” Corleone said A gratitude that the Godfather shares with the man who saved him every week I will do that every time because he means the world to me,” Corleone said A weekly message from the heart before Corleone does what he loves on the football field as the heart of his team Corleone has connected with current NFL players who have suffered from blood clots Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Tre Smith He and the Cincinnati medical staff have the utmost confidence he will be able to continue to excel with his condition at the next level Cincinnati defensive tackle Dontay Corleone who was treated for blood clots in his lungs in June has been cleared to play in games and resume all football activities Cincinnati said its sports medicine staff met with several doctors and specialists to develop a plan for Corleone to resume football activities safely Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield welcomed the return of the Cincinnati native and two-time team captain "Dontay has really worked hard to get to this point and we are excited to have him back," Satterfield said he has stepped up as a team leader and maintained a steadying influence on the team We are grateful to our medical staff for implementing a plan that will allow Dontay to play We are thrilled he is healthy and ready to come back." LAS VEGAS -- Cincinnati defensive lineman Dontay Corleone has returned to the team after being treated for blood clots in his lungs last week coach Scott Satterfield said at Big 12 media day "He has been with our team yesterday and today so he will continue to work out all summer," Satterfield said but hopefully as we progress throughout the summer and headed into fall camp he'll be available to play and available to go was hospitalized June 14 after complaining of chest discomfort and shortness of breath No other issues were discovered during a battery of medical tests "I just want to recognize our medical team and our training staff and our doctors," Satterfield said "They did a phenomenal job of identifying what was going on with Dontay." Corleone recorded 83 tackles and six sacks over the past two seasons with three forced fumbles opens the season against FCS Towson on Oct CINCINNATI — University of Cincinnati fifth-year senior right guard Luke Kandra and redshirt junior defensive tackle Dontay Corleone earned honorable mention All-America honors from Phil Steele Magazine this week Kandra was the Big 12 Conference’s highest-rated guard by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and earned All-Big 12 first-team honors The Elder High School graduate led a Bearcats offense that ranked sixth in the conference in total yards (420.6) and paved the way for running back Corey Kiner to rush for a second straight 1,000-yard season Kandra was also a Sports Illustrated Second Team All-American and earned honorable mention recognition from the College Football Network Kandra allowed just one sack over two years and 24 games as the Bearcats’ starting right guard He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UC who earned his undergraduate degree from UC was named all-conference for the third straight season 5.0 tackles for loss and 3 ½ sacks while overcoming a difficult offseason that had him sidelined with blood clots for three months Nicknamed "The Godfather," Corleone burst onto the college football scene as a redshirt freshman in 2022 He was the nation's highest-rated defensive player according to PFF Corleone, a Colerain High School graduate, announced in December that he will return to UC for a fifth season The UC football team (5-7 in 2024) will open the 2025 season against Nebraska on Aug