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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Dutton Has Mile-High Hopes for Crush

February 5, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – JOHN DUTTON packed his suitcase and his championship hardware last November and headed to the Rocky Mountains in search of another ArenaBowl crown. Instead of the familiar green and gold he donned in 2002 with the San Jose SaberCats, Dutton now sports the blue, orange and gold of the expansion Colorado Crush.

"We've got ourselves a veteran quarterback who has won at a high level," said Colorado Crush Head Coach BOB BEERS. "John Dutton is a winner. He has good intangibles and solid leadership skills."

Colorado looked far from an expansion team in Week 1, battling the Georgia Force down to the wire before falling, 44-40. In his debut in front of the Denver faithful, Dutton completed 18-of-31 passes for 231 yards and five touchdowns, all of which fell into the hands of offensive specialist DAMIAN HARRELL. The Dutton-Harrell connection is shaping up to be one of the most potent combinations in the League.

Dutton's leadership can be traced back to his collegiate days at the University of Nevada where he earned a place in the school's record book and represented the Wolf Pack twice as the Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

After college, the Miami Dolphins selected Dutton in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He also spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns prior to joining the AFL's SaberCats in 2000.

"Being with the same team for three years, you get to know each other and how everyone will react in different situations," said Dutton. "With the Crush, you have to get to know everyone in the new team. We have a great team on paper, but we will have to come together as a team to win.

In the annals of sports there have been numerous teams labeled ‘good on paper,' but Colorado's front office will not be satisfied with that. The man spearheading the Crush movement is NFL legend and future Hall of Famer JOHN ELWAY. Elway serves as the organization's President and CEO, and as a former quarterback he knows the importance of having a proven signal caller on his squad.

"Having (John Elway's) name on the team gives us a lot of credibility," said Dutton. "Having the opportunity to work under him and have him critique me day-to-day at practice did play a part in my decision to sign with the Crush."

In the coming weeks, Crush fans will see a coming of age in Dutton and his supporting cast, continuing this Friday, when Colorado hosts a former ArenaBowl champion, the Grand Rapids Rampage. With five players on the squad with ArenaBowl experience, fans in Colorado may soon find room for a John Dutton jersey in their closets.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 5, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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