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Gessner: Tuskers Two Sport Star

August 20, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010-Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders come to mind immediately as athletes who had the athletic ability to excel in two sports at the highest levels.

But before "Bo Knows" and "Prime Time," who both excelled and football and baseball, there was Jim Brown. Arguably the greatest running back in NFL history, Brown was also an All-American lacrosse player at Syracuse.

And like Brown, the Florida Tuskers also have a player who also earned All-America honors in both football and lacrosse in wide receiver Chas Gessner, who is another example of a dynamic athlete with the ability to play at the professional level in two sports.

Gessner's football career has been filled with potential as he has spent time in the National Football League with the New England Patriots (2003), New York Jets (2004), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006-07).

The former Brown University standout was most recently called up to the NFL in May 2008, while he was in the middle of a brilliant season with the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League under current Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden.

Through 11 weeks of the AFL season, Gessner had 81 receptions for 801 yards and 20 touchdowns when he signed a two-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks. However, things did not work out in Seattle and Gessner rejoined the Predators, finishing the season with three touchdown receptions in a 69-66 playoff loss against the Cleveland Gladiators.

Gessner joined the Tuskers for the premiere United Football League season where he caught eight passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury to his left clavicle against the California Redwoods during a game last October.

Now back with the Tuskers, Gessner returns this season with high hopes that he can have an outstanding year and make his way onto an NFL roster.

"I think getting back into the NFL is the goal of a lot of the guys out here and certainly it's a goal of mine to get back there one day," Gessner said. "Right now I'm just trying to keep my head down, grind, and hope that somebody notices."

An All-America selection at wide receiver, Gessner was also a big-time lacrosse player in college at Brown--where he led the Bears with 24 goals and was named third-team USILA All-America as a junior. He served as a team captain for two seasons in three years as a midfielder he recorded 60 goals and 29 assists in his career.

Early last fall, the 29-year-old Gessner had conversations with the coaches of the Orlando Titans of the National Lacrosse League about the possibility of playing for the team and most-likely would have been signed to a contract with the Titans, had he not been injured while playing for the Tuskers.

"We certainly were interested in Chas," Titans Director of Lacrosse Operations Nate Snyder said. "Obviously he had the outstanding outdoor background as a collegiate player, but at 6-5 he could have presented a lot of problems for defenses in the indoor professional game."

"I had a great time playing lacrosse and I've always said that if I had the opportunity to play lacrosse professionally I would have because it was my first love," said Gessner. "I actually got talked into putting my name in the draft pool for the NLL and got drafted, but then I ended up playing for the Predators instead."

As he concentrates on just football for now, Gessner is crossing paths for a third time with Gruden who has always been impressed with his size and ability to go up high for the football. Gruden's first time getting acquainted with Gessner's game was as an offensive assistant under his brother Jon Gruden with the Buccaneers.

"Chas is a great football player for a lot of reasons, he knows every position, he's smart, and he's big," Gruden said. "We lost a big chunk of our offense with him getting injured last season and missed his toughness so obviously we're glad to have him back. Hopefully for his sake this will be his last season with the Tuskers so he can move onto the NFL."

Gessner has spent the last 10 months rehabbing his left shoulder area that was injured last season five times a week. In the first week of training camp he has already shown his value by making plays and proved that he is ready to help the Tuskers this season.

"I am excited to be back it has really been a long off-season with rehabbing and working real hard just to get myself back to where I felt like I can play and contribute," said Gessner. "I think the team has had a good first week of camp so far and I'm looking forward to keeping it going."

TUSKER CAMP NOTES FRIDAY: The Tuskers now have a full allotment of quarterbacks in training camp as last year's number two signal caller CHRIS GREISEN reported to camp and participated in Friday's workout...Greisen threw for 5,146 yards and 107 touchdowns in 16 regular season games for the Milwaukee Iron in earning Arena Football League's "Offensive Player of the Year" honors...he added 547 yards and four more scores in a pair of post-season games... ANTONIO BANKS is serving as a coaching assistant for the Tuskers during training camp as part of an UFL initiative to provide both exposure and opportunity to minority coaching candidates...Saturday's practice will feature 15-20 live scrimmage plays, according to Head Coach JAY GRUDEN...Saturday's practice will run from 9 - 11 a.m. and is open to the public.



United Football League Stories from August 20, 2010


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