Where are they now? Superbowl Hero edition

[Treehugger]

New DT for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Joins other ex-Giant and fan favorite Sinorice Moss (0 receptions this year).

 

 

 

 

 

Alford's Super Bowl history draws attention

 

 

By Murray McCormick, Leader-Post June 19, 2012

 

Jay Alford hasn't done anything yet with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but he was the centre of the media's attention after Monday's morning practice session at the University of Regina.

That tends to occur when the Riders sign an import with Alford's football pedigree. Alford, a 6-foot-3 and 303-pound defensive tackle, sacked New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with 19 seconds remaining in the 2008 Super Bowl when Alford was with the New York Giants. The Giants went on to beat the Patriots 17-14 and Alford earned a Super Bowl ring in his first season in the NFL.

"Every time people see me, they want me to tell them about the sack in the Super Bowl,'' said Alford, who took part in Monday's practice in Moose Jaw after being on the sidelines since his signing was announced Sunday by the Riders. "It was a great play at a great time.''

Alford, who was selected in the third round (81st overall) of the 2007 NFL draft by the Giants, played in 16 regular-season games and four post-season contests that season. He finished the season with eight defensive tackles (one solo) and one sack and also filled in as a long snapper. In 2008, he dressed for 16 game and recorded 26 defensive tackles (nine solo) and 2 ½ sacks.

In 2009, Alford tore his left medial collateral ligament and partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament during training camp. He was sidelined for the season and was waived after training camp in 2010.

He was signed by the Oakland Raiders, but was released midway through the 2010 season. Alford was picked up by the Seattle Seahawks, but was released in 2011.

Alford, who was a Big Ten all-star in his junior and senior seasons with the Penn State Nittany Lions, signed with the United Football League's Virginia Destroyers and shared in the 2011 league championship. The 17-3 victory over the Las Vegas Locomotives provided Alford with two league championships in his rookie seasons with different teams.

"I heard that Saskatchewan is known to go to the Grey Cup,'' said the 29-year-old Alford. "Hopefully we get one this year.''

Alford is the second member of the Giants' 2008 Super Bowl championship team to sign with the Riders. Receiver Sinorice Moss was added during the off-season, but didn't dress for the 2008 Super Bowl.

"It brought a smile to my face to see Jay walk inside the locker-room,'' said Moss, who spent five seasons with the Giants after being selected in the second round (44th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft. "It's good to see him come up here. I was fortunate to spend time with him in New York and see what he did at a young age and as a rookie. It spoke volumes around New York and I'm sure that he'll come here with the same work ethic.''

Head coach Corey Chamblin said the Riders had been interested in Alford for a number of years. Alford was waiting to see if there was interest from NFL teams before his agent was contacted by the Riders.

"He told me that nobody was biting and I might as well go up to Canada,'' said Alford, who grew up in Orange, N.J., but had never been to Canada before arriving in Regina. "It's not a step back because at the end of the day I still have football. It's not as if I won't have another shot at the NFL. It's more of a stepping stone than a step back.''

Alford is a late addition to the Riders' roster, a development that Chamblin feels has him at a disadvantage to some of the other defensive tackles. Chamblin still expects Alford to be on the active roster when the Riders play host to the Calgary Stampeders in Friday's preseason game at Mosaic Stadium. Chamblin said the addition of Alford isn't a sign the Riders are unhappy with their current group of defensive tackles.

"I want to see if he's in shape and if he can beat someone out,'' Chamblin said. "If not, we can look at him down the road. I think inside we're pretty good, but we're still in training-camp mode and trying to find the very best. It's too bad he wasn't here earlier, but he's here and we'll try to evaluate him like another guy.''

Chamblin isn't too dazzled by Alford's championships.

"A championship pedigree is more so about a team aspect,'' Chamblin said. "It's not just one guy who does it. There are some things that he's going to have to show us. He came in here (Sunday) and was probably a bit out of shape. He'll have to get into shape before he can even talk about championships.''

 

 

 

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