ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Manny Ramirez has returned to where it all started for him in the NFL.
The Detroit Lions, who drafted him in 2007 and released him after four seasons, made a trade Thursday during the first round of the NFL Draft to reacquire Ramirez from the Denver Broncos.
"It was just a crazy day for my family because my wife's grandfather passed away yesterday," Ramirez, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound offensive lineman, said Friday afternoon after passing a physical to make the trade official.
"To get that news and then get the news of being traded just kind of threw everything in a spin for us."
Nevertheless, Ramirez, 32, said he's "definitely glad to be back here."
"I wasn't really expecting it," he said, "but I'm very glad that it's a place where I've been at where I do have my family and friends. I have my church here, I still have a few teammates on here and I know some of the staff. It's great to be here."
Ramirez also still owns a home in Canton, although one of his new teammates apparently has been living there.
After leaving Detroit following the 2010 season, Ramirez established himself as the starting center for the Broncos, never was part of a losing team and even played on an AFC champion two seasons ago.
He's best known for an errant snap on the first play from scrimmage in the Super Bowl, resulting in a safety for the Seattle Seahawks and setting the tone for a long day in a lopsided loss for the Broncos.
Ramirez said he's "a whole different person" than when he was as a Lion the first time, which included the winless season of 2008.
"I feel like I matured a lot," Ramirez said. "When I got released from here, it did hurt a lot. But at the same time, I truly believe that it was the best thing that's ever happened to me. It put a lot of things in perspective. Definitely built my relationship with my wife a lot stronger. It's allowed me to refocus on what's important and how I should approach different things.
"Growing up and always being the guy, whether it's in high school or it's at Texas Tech and then being drafted here, I guess I was immature. I thought I was the guy, I thought I was going to be a part of the new direction that the Lions were going to be a part of, and it didn't work out that way.
"I think that kind of got me down a lot. I allowed certain things to bring me down and affect the way I played and the way I focused. Now, I don't let certain things bother me. I know I can only control what I can control."
Ramirez will bring experience and leadership to the interior of an offensive line that includes three recent draft picks -- right guard Larry Warford (third round in 2013), center/guard Travis Swanson (third round in 2014) and guard Laken Tomlinson (first round this year).
Ramirez admitted he's more comfortable at center because that's where he played most of the time for the Broncos, but he feels he can also play either guard position.
And he vowed to compete for a starting job with the youngsters.
"All I ask for is an opportunity and that's what I feel like I'm going to receive here," Ramirez said. "I strongly believe that the coaches are going to put the best five (offensive linemen) on the field. I'm going to work as hard as I can to make sure that I'm one of those."
