New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz has the 9th best selling jersey in the NFL, according to ESPN Sports Business Reporter Darren Rovell.
It’s an amazing feat for Cruz considering he was barley known one year ago at this time.
Cruz was born in Paterson, New Jersey and his mother is Puerto Rican. He played college football at UMass and wasn’t selected in the 2010 draft. He was given a chance by the Giants as a free agent, but didn’t contribute much in the 2010 season.
Cruz made the most of his opportunities in 2011. With injuries to key receivers, the quarterback Eli Manning trusted Cruz to make big plays in week 3 at Philadelphia. Cruz scored two touchdowns, which jump-started his season. He finished the regular season with 82 catches for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns.
Cruz helped the Giants make the playoffs and then was a key contributor in the postseason. Cruz caught 10 passes for 142 yards in the NFC Championship game against San Francisco and scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl win over New England.
Cruz is off to a great statistical year in 2012. He has 388 yards and two touchdowns in the first four games. His counterpart Hakeem Nicks has been out for two games this season so Cruz has been the weapon that opposing defenses game plan for.
Cruz became a pop culture figure because of his salsa dance that he does every time he scores a touchdown. The dance is so popular that when he scored on Sunday night, NBC played salsa music while he celebrated his touchdown.
Off the field, Cruz has written a book about his life called “Out of the Blue”, and has made an appearance at a FIFA Soccer 13 Launch Party in New York City.
Story Written by HS News Sports Writer: Nate Jacobson
