Former NFL QB Rod Rutherford Joins Pioneers
December 5, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers News Release
(Wilkes-Barre) The 2007 American Conference Champion Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers and Head Coach Rich Ingold are excited to announce that the arenafootball2 offices have assigned Rod Rutherford to the team for the 2008 season.
Pioneers' owner Cosmo DeNicola was thrilled with the signing, "Rod brings high level of professionalism to our team and program. Rod has a Super Bowl ring, Coach Ingold has an ArenaBowl ring, now its time to bring the cup to the Pioneers!"
The 6'2 230 pound Rutherford owns a Super Bowl XL ring from the 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers and hopes to be adding an ArenaCup8 ring in 2008 with the Pioneers.
"I'm excited about coming to the Pioneers. I want to continue the winning tradition that has been building in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton," stated Rutherford
Rutherford started 26 games in his Pittsburgh Panthers career. His junior year he was voted All-Big East with 22 touchdown passes and 6 rushing touchdowns with 2,783 yards passing. He recorded a school record 3,181 yards of total offense. He was able to show off his running ability and ability to use his large frame in one of the most famous hits of that season, during the Miami game when Rutherford put his shoulder down at the end of a run and knocked former Miami and current New York Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma head over heals on one of ESPN's hits of the year. The Panthers would finish that season 18th ranked in the country after an Insight.com bowl victory over a Derrick Anderson and Stephen Jackson led Oregon State team.
Rutherford set the all-time Pitt passing yards record his senior year with 3679 yards through the air. He also tied Dan Marino's school record for touchdown passes with 37 touchdowns. He was a preseason candidate for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. And was a semi-finalist for the Davey O'Brien award honoring the best quarterback in the nation. The Panthers were ranked as high as number 9 in the country during the 2003 season and would earn a birth in the Continental Tire Bowl.
Rod signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers from 2004-2005. He then spent the 2005-6 season with the Steelers. And the 2007 season in NFL Europe with the Hamburg Sea Devils.
"We got our guy. We're talking about a big time talent in Rod. We have very high expectations. And with Rod pulling the trigger, we expect nothing but a return to the ArenaCup and to bring home the trophy," commented Head Coach Rich Ingold.
The Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Pioneers will be kicking off their seventh season in the arenafootball2 league with the start of the 2008 season. Season tickets for the Pioneers 2008 season are now on sale! For more information call (570) 970-4232 or visit the Pioneers Web site at www.wbspioneers.com.
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