Bruce gradkowski biography

American football player (born )

American football player

Bruce Raymond Gradkowski (born January 27, ) is an American former professional footballquarterback and current offensive coordinator for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Toledo.

Bruce gradkowski girlfriend miranda: Francis de Sales School Toledo, Ohio. On March 13, , Gradkowski signed a three-year deal with his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gradkowski set a record by throwing more passes in NFL history as a rookie before suffering his second career interception. Archived from the original on October 23,

He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Gradkowski was also a member of the St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers. His younger brother, Gino, is a former NFL center.

Early life

Gradkowski is a graduate from Seton-La Salle Catholic High School.

He played as a member of the Seton-La Salle Rebels from to in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). As a junior, Gradkowski threw for 1, yards and 10 touchdowns. This performance was then improved as a senior, when he completed of passes (%) and threw for a then-WPIAL record of 2, yards and 30 touchdowns (surpassing the previous mark set by Dan Marino).

In high school, Gradkowski also played basketball, serving as Seton-La Salle's starting point guard and leading his team in scoring.

College career

After redshirting as a freshman at Toledo in , Gradkowski only saw action as the field goal holder on the special teams unit. In , he became the starting quarterback as a sophomore and set a Mid-American Conference season record by completing % of his passes.

He threw for 3, yards and set a school season record of 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Gradkowski's final passer rating was He proved he could scramble by rushing for yards and one touchdown on 91 carries ( avg). In , Gradkowski completed % of his passes for 3, yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a final passer rating of He played in the GMAC Bowl and was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

As a senior in , Gradkowski completed % of his passes for 2, yards with 29 touchdowns and twelve interceptions and a final passer rating of Gradkowski was the first quarterback in NCAA Division I-A history to complete more than 70 percent of his passes in consecutive seasons.^[1]

College statistics

Toledo Rockets
Season	Passing
	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Int	Sck	Rtg
				3,		66	29	7	9
				3,		96	27	8	14
				2,		70	29	12	9
Career		1,		9,		96	85	27	34

Professional career

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Gradkowski in the sixth round (th overall) of the NFL draft.^[6]

After a promising preseason he was nicknamed "The Great Gradkowski".

Bruce gradkowski biography July 26, Coaching career [ edit ]. May 30, Where was Bruce Gradkowski born?

When starting quarterback Chris Simms suffered a ruptured spleen, Gradkowski was named the starter going into Week 5 against New Orleans. In his debut, he completed 20 of 31 attempts for yards with two touchdowns as the Buccaneers suffered their fourth consecutive loss.

Gradkowski remained the starter after his first loss and won the next two games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles before losing three straight to the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.

On November 19, , he completed 14 of 21 attempts for yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a 20–17 victory over the Washington Redskins.

On Thanksgiving, the Buccaneers would lose to the Dallas Cowboys after Gradkowski threw two interceptions and only completed 10 passes. He continued to falter the following week throwing three interceptions in a loss to his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers.

His play would continue to decline with losses against the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears and he was benched in the middle of both games.

Bruce gradkowski browns Toledo — The Raiders lost the game 34—13 without Gradowski. On Thanksgiving , the Buccaneers would lose to the Dallas Cowboys after Gradkowski threw two interceptions and only completed 10 passes. July 28,

Gradkowski was replaced in the second quarter against Chicago by Tim Rattay, who threw for four touchdowns in the second half of the game. Gradkowski, by contrast, had not thrown a touchdown in the previous 10 quarters before being pulled and would not start again in He finished his rookie season with 1, passing yards on completions in pass attempts, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions.^[7]

In during a Week 12 matchup against the Washington Redskins, Gradkowski came in after the first play because of an injury to newly acquired starting quarterback Jeff Garcia but only completed 9 of 19 passes and didn't score.

Gradkowski was benched the next week in favor of Luke McCown.

Gradkowski had a record of 3–8 as a Tampa Bay starter and set an NFL record by throwing passes between his first and second interceptions.^[8]

On May 30, , Gradkowski was waived by the Buccaneers.^[9]

St.

Louis Rams

Gradkowski was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Rams in June ,^[10] but was waived during final cuts on August 30,

Cleveland Browns

Gradkowski was signed by the Cleveland Browns as their fourth-string quarterback on December 2, , after quarterbackDerek Anderson was placed on injured reserve.

Miranda gradkowski Sign Up For Free. Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterbacks. On December 13, , he was injured in a game against the Washington Redskins during the second quarter and was replaced by Russell. For amusement only.

He was the starter for the Browns' season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 28, , after injuries to Anderson, Brady Quinn, and Ken Dorsey.^[11] Gradkowski was waived on February 9,

Oakland Raiders

A day after being waived by the Browns, Gradkowski was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Raiders.

On November 22, , in his first start for the Raiders, Gradkowski threw two touchdowns, matching former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell's total for the season to that point, and led the team to come from behind 20–17 victory over the heavily favored Cincinnati Bengals.

In Week 13, on the road the Raiders beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27– Gradkowski completed of passes for yards and three touchdowns, including an yard game-winning touchdown to Louis Murphy.

For his performance in this game he was awarded the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for week 13 of the regular season.^[12][13]

On December 13, , he was injured in a game against the Washington Redskins during the second quarter and was replaced by Russell. The Raiders lost the game 34–13 without Gradowski.^[14] Gradkowski missed the remainder of the season with a partially torn Medial collateral ligaments in both knees.^[15]

On March 15, , he was re-signed by the Oakland Raiders for one year.^[16] He tore a pectoral muscle while lifting weights in April ^[17] In Week 2 of the NFL season he took over for benched starter Jason Campbell and led the Raiders to a victory over the St.

Louis Rams.

On September 22, , Gradkowski became the Oakland Raiders starting quarterback for Week 3.^[18] On November 28, , Gradkowski suffered a third-degree separation of his throwing shoulder. On December 2, the Raiders placed Gradkowski on injured reserve, ending his season.^[19]

Cincinnati Bengals

Following the NFL lockout, Gradkowski signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.^[20] He was the team's second-string quarterback behind Andy Dalton.

After Dalton suffered a minor injury that removed him from the game, Gradkowski threw a touchdown while snapping the ball while the Browns were still in the huddle. He then appeared during a Week 13 match up against the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing 3-of-6 passes for 17 yards with one interception.

Pittsburgh Steelers

On March 13, , Gradkowski signed a three-year deal with his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.^[21]

Ultimately, Gradkowski had very few career snaps with the Steelers.

He played in none of the regular season games during In , he played in one game. He missed almost the entire season due to hand and shoulder injuries.^[22]

The Steelers re-signed Gradkowski to a one-year contract on May 2, ^[23] On August 31, , Gradkowski was placed on the injured reserve list following damage to his hamstring sustained during the opening game of the preseason.^[22][24] The Steelers released Gradkowski on October 7, ^[22]

NFL career statistics

Year	Team	Games		Passing								Rushing				Fum
		GP	GS	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Avg	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
	TB	13	11				1,		9	9		41			0	11
	TB	4	0	13	24				0	1		7	20		0	0
	CLE	2	1	7	21		26		0	3		1	2		0	0
	OAK	7	4	82			1,		6	3		18			0	5
	OAK	6	4	83			1,		5	7		12	41		0	3
	CIN	2	0	8	18				1	1		11	29		0	0
	CIN	2	0	5	11		65		0	0		4	−2	−	0	1
	PIT	0	0	DNP
	PIT	1	0	0	0		0		0	0		2	−2	−	0	0
Career		37	20				4,		21	24		88			0	20

Coaching career

In , Gradkowski became a volunteer assistant quarterbacks coach at Anthony Wayne High School in Whitehouse, Ohio.^[25]

On June 15, , it was reported he would be the head coach at St.

Francis de Sales School (Toledo, Ohio).^[26] After serving as interim coach for one football season () at St. Francis de Sales School, Bruce was to become the permanent head football coach at St. Francis de Sales for the season.^[27] However, Gradkowski was officially hired by the St. Louis BattleHawks on September 13, , as their Offensive Coordinator.^[28]

Personal life

Gradkowski is the owner of Social Gastropub in Perrysburg, Ohio.^[29] The last restaurant location was official closed due to fire in June ^[30]

Gradkowski joined the University of Toledo's Rocket Football Radio Network as a color analyst.^[31]

References

External links