Avengers sign defensive back Tod McBride
January 29, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES -- Defensive back Tod McBride, a veteran of six National Football League seasons, has signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Avengers, head coach Ed Hodgkiss announced today.
McBride (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) signed a one-year deal on Monday that puts the Avengers at the Arena Football League's 37-man limit for training camp, which will begin on Feb. 5, at Oak Stadium on the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indian Reservation.
Tomorrow (Jan. 30), the Avengers will open a three-day mini-camp at the Avenger Training Facility at West Los Angeles College in Culver City.
Having played in 75 NFL regular-season games, including 19 starts, McBride has more NFL game experience than any player the Avengers ever have had on their active roster. His NFL career totals include 203 tackles (170 solos), 33 pass breakups, six quarterback sacks, six interceptions, five fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and one interception return for a touchdown.
McBride played in 61 regular-season games for the Green Bay Packers over the course of four seasons (1999-2002). He was credited with a career-high 11 tackles in a game against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 8, 2002.
Prior to the 2003 season, McBride signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons and went on to intercept a career-high three passes that year. He concluded his NFL career with the St. Louis Rams in 2004.
In his first two seasons at UCLA, McBride was a wide receiver, catching 18 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to his junior season, he moved into the Bruin defensive secondary. As a senior in 1998, McBride finished with 31 tackles, including three for losses, as a safety on UCLA's Pacific-10 Conference championship squad that went 10-2 and finished with a No. 8 national ranking. He also blocked two punts (both led to touchdowns) and was honored with UCLA's Tommy Prothro Award for Outstanding Special Teams Player in 1998.
While attending Walnut (Calif.) High School, McBride lettered in football, basketball and baseball. As a senior in 1993, he played in only six games due to a jaw injury, but caught 36 passes for 561 yards and nine touchdowns. Although his playing time was limited, McBride still earned a first-team "Best in the West" honor from the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
The Avengers will kick off their eighth season of play in the 21-year-old AFL versus the San Jose SaberCats on Sunday, March 4, at STAPLES Center. That contest, which features the past two Western Division champions (Los Angeles in 2005 and San Jose in 2006), will kick off at 7 p.m.
Avenger season tickets, which include nine games played at STAPLES Center, are on sale now at 1-888-AVENGERS or www.laavengers.com.
Single-game tickets, which range in price from $10 to $69.50, are also on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com and the STAPLES Center box office.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 29, 2007
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