Rampage Get QB and former player for Robinson

Published on October 13, 2003 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


The Grand Rapids Rampage have traded WR/LB Sedrick Robinson to the Columbus Destroyers for quarterback Jeff Loots and wide receiver/defensive back Jason Waters.

Robinson originally came to the Rampage as part of the three-player trade from Las Vegas for Clint Dolezel. So, in essence, the Rampage have received four potential starters for Dolezel -- a veteran QB in Loots, two starting linemen in Paul LaQuerre and Hardy Mitchell, and WR/DB Jason Waters.

Loots (6'2" 210lbs Southwest Minnesota State) will enter his 10th year in the Arena League in 2004, and his third under Rampage Head Coach Bob Cortese. The two were together with the Oklahoma Wranglers from 2000-01, where Loots statistically had two of his best seasons tossing 32 touchdown passes and only 4 interceptions in 12 games.

Loots began his AFL career with the Milwaukee Mustangs in 1994 splitting time with John Fourcade. During the season he tossed a team-high 11 touchdowns in just six games played. Slotted as the starting QB for the expansion Iowa Barnstormers in 1995, Loots broke his foot in the second pre-season game and missed the entire season. His backup was future 2-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner.

In 1996, Loots returned to his home state of Minnesota to play for the expansion Fighting Pike, and was a teammate of the NFL's all-time most accurate kicker Mike Vanderjagt.

In 1997, Loots was a member of the ArenaBowl champion Arizona Rattlers. A pre-season injury limited him to appearing in just one game. He was subsequently traded to the Albany Firebirds in the third week of 1998, but did not see any action as All-Arena QB Mike Pawlawski attempted every pass for the Firebirds. In 1999, on the ArenaBowl champion Firebirds, Loots started one game, earning AFL Player of the Week honors by scoring seven TDs (6 passing & 1 rushing) in a 59-54 win over Arizona. Completed a 13-yard touchdown to Eddie Brown in the playoff victory over Arizona.

Traded to Carolina and then traded to Oklahoma, where he met up with Rampage Head Coach Bob Cortese for the first time.

Signed as a free agent to the expansion Chicago Rush in 2001, played in three games and tossed 13 touchdowns before being traded to Oklahoma. Played in six games with the Wranglers tossing 18 scores.

Acquired by Buffalo in the 2002 dispersal draft, Loots spent two seasons with the Destroyers and set career marks in yards (1,233) and touchdowns (19) in 2003 despite having five different QBs start last season. Was the starter in three of the team's five wins.

In his AFL career, Loots has been teammates with some of the top QBs in the AFL - Kurt Warner (1995), Rickey Foggie (1996), Mike Pawlawski (1998-99), Ron Lopez (2000-01), Billy Dicken (2001) and Fred McNair (2002).

Prior to his AFL career, he spent a season with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts rehabbing after suffering a shoulder injury and was briefly with the Las Vegas Posse before signing with the AFL's Mustangs.

He rewrote the record books with nine NAIA records at Southwestern Minnesota State. Loots was named conference MVP in both 1990 and 1992. A two-time All-American, Loots had his number (11) retired by his alma mater. He threw for 4,111 yards and 50 touchdowns in college during the 1991 season.

Waters (5'10" 193lbs Tennessee) played with the Rampage in 2002 and finished third on the team with 40.5 tackles and led the team with 17 passes defensed in just 11 games played. He also recorded two tackles for loss and an interception. Signed near the end of 2002 by the Destroyers before going through training camp with the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Was signed in week five to the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad for the rest of the 2002 season. The Falcons assigned him to the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe, where he was named All-NFL Europe as a defensive back after splitting time in Barcelona and Amsterdam.

Spent 2001 in the af2 with the Norfolk Nighthawks, where he caught 38 passes for 429 yards with five TDs. On defense, had 33 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and forced a fumble in 12 games.

At the University of Tennessee, Waters was an All-SEC selection on the track team and was a member of the USA Junior National Track & Field team in 1996.

Played football, basketball and ran track at Deep Creek High School in Virginia earning 12 total varsity letters. His 4.22 40-yard dash ranks as the fastest in Rampage history. He has one son, Tylen (10/19/98) and resides in Grand Rapids.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 13, 2003


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