Sunday Giants: Victor Cruz
Nov 24, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver
Victor Cruz(80) is unable to catch a pass while defended by Dallas Cowboys cornerback
Morris Claiborne(24) in the first half during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Victor Cruz quite literally grew up around New York Giants football.
As a son of Paterson, NJ and student at the Paterson Catholic High School… Victor Cruz displayed his talents all over the high school gridirons of the east coast. By the time he was earning bids for potential colleges. Cruz was an All-State player at Paterson Catholic with an undefeated championship season and a million-billion TD’s on his resume. Despite his success with the Cougars, Cruz ended up at the University of Massachusetts.
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Where he ended up scoring a trillion-quadrillion more TD’s at UMass, but not until a few years later. You see, while Cruz was a baller on the field, he struggled in the classroom. Eventually after three years of hard work, dedication, some red shirt action and a 2005 semester at Bridgton Academy in Maine, Victor Cruz got it together. Both on, and off the field.
Before Victor Cruz was a Sunday Giant, He was with the Mintutemen on Saturday’s in late ’00s, doing things like catching 13 passes for 262 yards against James Madison. A school record. Victor Cruz wasn’t lighting the world on fire in college every week like that, but he was a stud at times. Here are some highlights from his Umass page:
- Sensational starting receiver and return man
- 2009 CAA All-Conference First Team
- 2009 College Sporting News Preseason Third Team All-American
- 2009 Consensus Draft Services Hon. Mention All-American
- 2009 Preseason All-CAA by Coaches and Phil Steele Magazine
- 4TH in career catches list with 131
- Finished with a 22-game catch streak dating to Sept. 6, 2008
- Six career 100-yard games
Despite Cruz’s Saturday success, it’s well documented that 32 teams passed on Victor Cruz in the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after it was over, Victor received a call from the New York Giants. In 2010, Victor Cruz beat the New York Jets in the preseason like they should always be beaten. With intensity. Victor scored three TD’s and amassed 145 yards on his way to 297 in that preseason. Cruz made the team, he was on the New York Giants, a team he could see winning Super Bowls from his window as a kid in New Jersey. In 2010, a hamstring injury delayed Cruz’s mission to be a Sunday Giant.
It was the same kind of obstacle Victor Cruz had been facing his whole football career. He couldn’t get on the field. In 2011, that was over. Victor Cruz salsa danced on the NFL’s face. He caught 82 passes for over 1,500 yards and he scored a quintillion-sexillion TD’s as the Sunday Giants made it all the way to the Super Bowl.
Victor Cruz is a Super Bowl champion. In 2012, Victor continued to shine… After some financial dispute, Victor was awarded a 5 year, $43 million contract. This season, Victor Cruz gets $1.5 million just for being on the roster. That’s amazing. Victor Cruz is amazing. The one handed catches, the football moves, the end zone “salsa”… the man is an NFL star and a true, Sunday Giant.