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Off to the desert Cardinals sign Gruttadauria to four-year contract
Posted: Saturday February 19, 2000 09:37 PM
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Mike Gruttadauria, starting center for the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, has agreed to contract terms with Arizona, the Cardinals announced on Saturday. Terms of the four-year agreement, the first the Cardinals have reached with a free agent this year, weren't revealed. But The Arizona Republic reported earlier this week that Gruttadauria was close to an agreement with the Miami Dolphins on a deal that would have paid him $2.5 million to $3 million a year. Gruttadauria visited the Cardinals on Thursday and said it was inevitable that the Rams would not re-sign him for salary cap reasons. "It almost hurts, but I understand the business side," he said at the time. Gruttadauria, 27, who played collegiately at Central Florida, started all 19 games for an offense that led the NFL in points, total yards, passing yards and third down efficiency. The 6-foot-3, 297-pound center played the last four seasons with the Rams after beginning his NFL career by signing as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys. Before he made it in pro football, Gruttadauria was in the scrap tire recycling business. "Garbage," Gruttadauria said this week. "I was working in garbage." Gruttadauria is close with Arizona offensive line coach George Warhop, his former coach with the Rams. Gruttadauria would take Aaron Graham's place as Arizona's starting center. He would provide experience to a young offensive line that included rookie tackle L.J. Shelton.
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