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Going in other directions Chargers won't sign Marinovich as backup
Posted: Monday April 17, 2000 10:05 PM
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Todd Marinovich and Ryan Leaf won't be teammates, after all. After obtaining two quarterbacks from obscure colleges, the San Diego Chargers dropped their interest in Marinovich, who was hoping for a comeback after eight seasons away from the NFL. Marinovich, whose career has been even more troubled than Leaf's, worked out for the Chargers on Thursday, impressing them with his accuracy and release. "As we said then, it was an exploratory meeting," general manager Bobby Beathard said Monday. "We were very impressed with Todd." But after picking up two rookies and hearing from the agent for Sherdrick Bonner, who was on San Diego's roster late last season, "we don't want to be unfair and get too many people in there," Beathard said. The Chargers took JuJuan Seider from Division I-AA Florida A&M in the sixth round of the draft on Sunday, then agreed to terms with free agent quarterback Mike Burton of Division III Trinity University of San Antonio, Texas. Burton went to high school in La Jolla. Marinovich, who was the No. 1 draft choice of the Raiders in 1991 but was released before the 1993 season, is the backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League. He was a backup for the CFL's British Columbia Lions last year. Marinovich spent three months in jail in early 1998 after pleading guilty to growing marijuana. The Chargers need the extra quarterbacks for minicamp April 28-30 because of continuing concerns about Leaf, who is experiencing discomfort after a second surgery on his right shoulder. Leaf returned to the team's headquarters Monday to continue his rehabilitation. He hadn't been seen at the complex in about a month, since fullback Fred McCrary sharply criticized him for being overweight and out of shape. When asked when Leaf will begin throwing again, Beathard said: "I don't have a clue. We'll handle that when we get to that point." Bonner has chosen to play for Arizona of the Arena League, whose season ends about two weeks before the start of training camp in July. But Beathard said there's a chance Bonner will come over for a few days. Bonner threw seven touchdown passes in Arizona's season-opening win Saturday night. The only veterans on San Diego's roster who can throw right now are 37-year-old Jim Harbaugh and Moses Moreno, who's started just one NFL game. Burton's family apparently is acquainted with the family of Chargers owner Alex Spanos. Spanos had a videotape of Burton and passed it on to Beathard through his son, club president Dean Spanos. Burton deserved the shot, Beathard said. "He really looks good on tape. He's a good guy to have in here. At the time, I didn't realize he was a local kid." Burton set 16 school records at Trinity and tied another. He threw for 2,413 yards and 25 touchdowns last year, and for 11,833 yards and 112 TDs in his career. After serving as a backup at West Virginia for three seasons, Seider had a sensational senior season at Florida A&M, throwing for 27 touchdowns and running for 14 more, and leading the Rattlers into the I-AA semifinals.
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