Cruz Signs Lucrative Five-Year Contract Extension with the New York Giants

Victor Cruz has landed a giant-sized contract extension with the New York Giants

The pro football team has signed the 26-year-old half-Puerto Rican Giants wide receiver to a five-year, $45.879 million contract extension.

Victor Cruz

“I feel relief,” said Cruz, who is known for his salsa-dancing touchdown celebrations. “I feel I can just kick back and play football again.”

Contract negotiations between the team and Cruz reportedly dragged on for months, with both parties appearing far apart at several junctures.

The deal includes $15.6 million in guaranteed money, NFL.com reported.

“This is just another step to getting where I want to be at the end of my career,” said Cruz, who was one of the top receivers in the NFL the past two seasons, catching 168 passes for 2,628 yards, a 15.6-yard average, with 19 touchdowns.

 

Cruz started all 16 games in the 2012 season and led the Giants with 86 receptions for 1,092 yards, with 10 TDs.

“I love to do well for my team and do well each and every year and continue to prove myself and not feel complacent and not feel I’ve done enough. I want to continue to have catches and yards and touchdowns and help my team win and get to the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl,” said Cruz.

Cruz has gone from a virtual unknown to NFL star in the league’s biggest market in just three years.

The wide receiver, who signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Massachusetts in 2010, has been one of the NFL’s feel-good stories the past two years.

“We are pleased to have this behind us,” Giants general manager Jerry Reese said. “Now Victor can focus on football. Training camp is approaching quickly, and we all have a lot of work to do to get back where we want to be.”

Giants Star Cruz Earns His First Super Bowl Ring…

New York Giants’ star Victor Cruz has plenty of reason to salsa… He’s now the proud owner of a Super Bowl championship ring in only his second season in the National Football League.

Victor Cruz

The 25-year-old half-Puerto Rican wide receiver scored the first touchdown of the night during Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday to help lead the Giants to a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in a tightly-contested match.

New England almost forced a turnover and prevented a score during the Giants’ 10-play, 78-yard drive, but a Cruz fumble on third down in the red zone was undone by a 12 men on the field penalty, which gave the Giants a first and goal. They managed to convert with the scoring pass from Eli Manning, who was named this year’s Super Bowl MVP, to Cruz.

Following his touchdown—at the 3:24 mark in the first quarterthe All-Pro selection even celebrated by doing what he’s done all season long… dance salsa in the end zone… in front of more than 100 million people worldwide.

The New Jersey-born Cruz attended the University of Massachusetts and scored 11 touchdowns in his career and had just under 2,000 receiving yards.

Click here to watch an interview with Cruz reflecting on his improbable journey.

But Cruz wasn’t the only Latino to score a touchdown during the Super Bowl game…

Aaron Hernandez

In the third quarter, Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez caught a 12-yard pass from Tom Brady to put the Patriots up 17-9.

The 22-year-old Connecticut-born Hernandez—also a second year NFL player—attended the University of Florida where he, along with Tim Tebow, led the Gators to a 2009 BCS Championship. While at Florida, he was nicknamed “Chico” by his college teammates because he was the only Puerto Rican on the team, something he came to embrace.