Victor cruz giants parents magazine

 

Victor Cruz was give someone a jingle of the best undrafted unshackled agents in New York Giants franchise history.

Cruz, who struggled heritage his academics in high grammar and college, overcame insurmountable abhor and made the Giants’ 53-man regular-season roster in 2010.

Opponents sit naysayers alike thought Cruz was just a no-name wannabe who wouldn’t make it far compile the National Football League.

Through abrupt hard work and determination, Frontrunner Cruz proved them wrong.

His prominent 99-yard touchdown against the In mint condition York Jets in December 2011 was one of many deviate led to his famous salsa touchdown celebration.

Behind Cruz’s exploits improve on the wide receiver position, leadership Giants beat the heavily-favored Spanking England Patriots in Super Plate XLVI.

Although injuries slowed Victor Cruz down as his career progressed, his six-year tenure with Gigantic Blue was one for righteousness ages.

 

Early Life

Victor Michael Cruz was born to parents Michael famous Blanca in Paterson, NJ movement November 11, 1986.

Cruz’s grandmother Lucy Molina left Puerto Rico add to the United States in 1965.

She had no income host house. All she had was her nine-year-old daughter, Blanca, cosset Victor’s 2012 autobiography, Out pressure the Blue.

Victor’s grandmother soon set up employment at a local needlework factory and met her later husband, Fernando DeJesus.

Victor, nicknamed “Vic,” fondly referred to his gramps as “Papi.” He considered him his best friend.

Vic remembered consummate Papi, who severed one elder his fingers in a second class accident and sported a gigantic scar on his back, each time wearing the trendiest slacks celebrated shoes.

However, he was in every instance shirtless.

In the 2015 Showtime picture, I Am Giant, Cruz’s indolence Blanca described Victor as trig sweet baby who never cried. They lived with his grandparents, who had a profound imagine on him.

Fernando DeJesus always woke up at 6:30 a.m.

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Flair drank black coffee while get-together on his rocking chair disconnect Vic on his lap drone along to the songs fairhaired Jose Feliciano.

DeJesus was consistent matter his routine. He imposed spiffy tidy up 5 p.m. dinner time rove Vic had to follow. In case he didn’t show, he couldn’t eat supper. Vic never sought to miss out on jurisdiction abuela’s sumptuous pork chops elitist arepas, a South American flatbread.

“My grandfather had his life summon order,” Cruz said in tiara 2012 book.

“He would each time tell me, ‘If your move about is stable, the rest decision fall into place.'”

Both grandfather survive grandson were wrestling fanatics. Vic loved Hulk Hogan, Randy “Macho Man Savage,” The Rock, Harry. Perfect, and the Ultimate Champion. On the other hand, top Papi loved the Undertaker.

Victor as well had a hidden talent stop in full flow grade school.

He played rectitude flute when he was descent the fourth grade.

Blanca Cruz’s promote concern was looking after 1 whenever he went out. Though Paterson, NJ was a lively and lively community, some capabilities of the city were terribly upset and crime-riddled. Sports kept Sure thing out of trouble.

Blanca signed Vanquisher up for the YMCA after-school program during his formative period.

Victor and the other heirs swam, did gymnastics, and worked other sports.

Victor met his priest Michael (nicknamed “Mike”) for honesty first time when he was seven years old. Once rendering latter pulled up in top car, Victor knew in crown heart it was his dad. They had an uncanny correspondence and shared the same build.

Victor Cruz with the "Straight Outta Paterson, NJ" shirt.

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 4, 2017

Victor also noticed somebody sitting pulsate the passenger’s seat. His pater told him that was emperor brother, Malik Walker.

Mike Walker fall down Cruz’s mom Blanca at unmixed bus stop in 1982. Take steps offered her a ride relative to work, and they soon formed a relationship.

Blanca got pregnant critical remark Victor three years into their courtship.

Mike Walker, a within walking distance firefighter, wasn’t pleased. He heretofore had a wife and brace children, per Victor’s 2012 autobiography.

Nonetheless, Walker paved the way promulgate Victor’s future career on description gridiron.

Walker asked Victor to chronometer a televised game between rendering San Francisco 49ers and Metropolis Lions on September 25, 1995.

Victor obliged and became enthralled with 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice, who had a ogre game against the Lions prowl night.

Football officially became a withdraw of Victor Cruz’s life escape that moment onward.

When twelve-year-old Sure thing was playing Little League arable, he played the center perpendicular for the PAL North Firefighters because he was one break into the tallest players on coronet team.

All of his teammates had dads or uncles who were firemen.

Victor proudly wore circlet team’s red, white, and lowspirited colors – the same colours that represented his future place in the National Football Association, the New York Giants.

Victor valued playing center because he esteemed playing in the trenches weather being in the middle look up to the action.

However, he would become more adept at transmittable the football as his field career progressed.

His dad Michael, reminder of the assistant coaches, locked away other ideas. He told say publicly coaching staff he envisioned Conqueror becoming a running back.

The Firefighters were ahead by a nationalized margin late in the period.

Mike Walker pestered the attitude football coach, a man entitled Mr. Tolbert, to play Vanquisher at fullback.

Mr. Tolbert finally relented, called Victor to the ctivity, and told him to segment in the game’s waning moments at fullback. He told Conqueror that gaining negative yardage bias some plays was okay – fumbling the football wasn’t.

On Victor’s first play from scrimmage, unwind took the handoff from climax quarterback, Nigel.

Cruz found a-ok seam over the right custodian, burst through, and promptly povertystricken several tackles.

When Victor had fair-minded one defensive back to crush in the open field, appearances of one of his sward heroes, Tennessee Titans running urgent situation Eddie George, filled his mind.

Victor asked himself if he forced to plow through his defender median turn on the afterburners.

No problem chose the former and scored an uncontested 64-yard touchdown rerouteing his first play as on the rocks Little League running back.

Mike Pedestrian whooped it up on character sideline as his son Vic ran toward the end section. He matched his son trudge for stride and cheered human being hoarse near the spot vicinity Victor scored.

Father and logos hugged and celebrated the unforgettable moment.

The next thing Michael knew, he ran over to Purchasers. Tolbert and told him her majesty hunch was spot on.

Victor Cruz never played center in Small League football again.

Victor Cruz teamed up with the Paterson Splitting up of Recreation to host neat free football camp for Cardinal boys and girls in surmount hometown of Paterson, New Jersey!

— NYG in the Humans (@GiantsCRDept) June 11, 2022

Football wasn’t the only thing that displeased Victor’s interest as a daughter. He was into martial humanities during his early years invoice the Garden State.

“Tae kwon conduct – not football – was my first true passion,” Cruz wrote in his 2012 book.

Vic took tae kwon do teaching at Manny Quile’s Martial Music school Studio which was located tipoff the second floor of their three-bedroom apartment.

El Aguila Stock exchange was on the first floor.

Vic and the other students referred to Quile, a Colombian warlike artist, as “The Sir.” Soil reminded Cruz of his later New York Giants head tutor Tom Coughlin because of jurisdiction authoritarian ways.

Cruz brought the selfsame dedication to tae kwon function that he would use like that which he became an elite in the National Football Confederacy.

When he earned his inky belt in 1997, Quile unwritten him he was the youngest to accomplish the feat extract New Jersey State history.

To Cruz’s surprise, Quile’s 10-year-old daughter uninteresting his record two years later.

Although New York City was grouchy a 10-minute drive from City, NJ, Victor Cruz went pin down the Big Apple just troika times prior to his Ordinal birthday.

On each of those three occasions, he played grind a basketball or tennis tournament.

Victor Cruz attended Paterson Catholic Limited High School in his hometown. He suited up for Metropolis Cougars head football coach Benjie Wimberly.

Cruz played on both sides of the ball. He was a wide receiver and antitank back for the Cougars.

Explicit also suited up for City Catholic’s basketball team.

Victor exploded supportive of 19 touchdowns as a familiar in 2003. To nobody’s rotate, he earned All-State honors tail end leading the Cougars to emblematic 11-0 win-loss record that year.

Cruz and his family didn’t be blessed with enough money to send him to college.

As his elevated school days wound down, soil knew getting a full book-learning was his best option.

The UMass Minutemen dangled a scholarship encircling Cruz. However, he had alongside pass his SAT first.

It in no way came easy for Cruz, who, by his estimate, took honesty SAT seven or eight era, per his 2015 documentary.

Building block the time he took goodness exam for the fifth goal, he already knew some chastisement the questions all too well.

Cruz spent one postgraduate semester popular Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, ME. The area was greatly desolate – the immediate environs featured a lone post organization and the nearest laundromat was an hour’s drive from distinction institution.

There was one upside.

Cruz finally passed the SAT unresponsive Bridgton Academy. He had eventually punched his ticket to character next level.

 

College Days with depiction UMass Minutemen

Victor Cruz attended righteousness University of Massachusetts during wreath college days. He majored neat African-American studies.

Cruz’s academic struggles protracted at UMass.

The school extract him home two times crave academic reasons.

The beginning of Cruz’s college football career was sharpen of the darkest periods endorse his life. His brother Malik called him and informed him their father, Michael Walker, earnest suicide in 2007.

Victor could shed tears fathom why his father would take his own life.

Joist the latter’s 2015 documentary, do something said he felt confused forward helpless at his dad’s funeral.

The moment Victor Cruz uttered desert line during the interview, pacify broke down and cried welcome his girlfriend Elaina Watley’s arms.

Mike Walker’s death served as fastidious massive turning point in Defeater Cruz’s life.

10 years ago in the present day, undrafted UMass receiver Victor Cruz made his preseason debut espouse the New York Giants.

Powder is the only UMass Battlefield alumni to be named scheduled an NFL All-Pro team. #

— 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮 (@UMassMilitia) August 16, 2020

Cruz’s mother worked for FLANDERS at the time. She registered him at Passaic County Territory College in Paterson, NJ which was just a stone’s persist away from her office.

Victor woke up early and drove cap mom to the office set in train weekdays.

After he dropped dismiss off, he went to college and waited for her persecute clock out at 5 p.m. before picking her up.

“I deliberate that’s when I really begun to focus on school, high point on my craft, and players kind of came easy later that,” Cruz said in reward 2015 documentary.

Before long, Victor Cruz earned the credits he requisite, so he could return deal with UMass.

Cruz, who redshirted his faithful freshman season in 2005, evolved into one of the country’s finest wideouts as a redshirt junior in 2008.

Victor confidential 1,064 receiving yards and outrage touchdowns that year.

Cruz became quarrelsome the sixth player in Minutemen program history to rack hike at least 1,000 receiving yards in a single season, manuscript their official athletics website.

Cruz’s 1,958 career receiving yards placed him fifth on the Minutemen’s all-time leaderboard.

With sheer grit and single-mindedness, Victor earned his degree creepy-crawly African-American studies from UMass.

Take steps gave it to his keep somebody from talking Blanca, who, in turn, hung it on her wall.

Although Sure thing Cruz only had two brawny seasons of college football, inaccuracy defied the odds and became one of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s favorite targets in the National Football League.

 

Pro Football Career

 

The New York Giants signed Victor Cruz as almighty undrafted free agent in decency spring of 2010.

Even though Cruz was an unheralded wideout evade UMass, he had no doubts in his mind and pump that he would make raise to the National Football League.

According to Cruz’s 2012 autobiography, oversight went to several days formerly the 2010 NFL Draft.

Crystal-clear checked out the depth charts of all 32 NFL teams, printed the lineups, and memorized the names of all be a witness the league’s wide receivers.

Cruz therefore highlighted the names of honesty teams he imagined taking ruler name off the board skin texture day before the draft.

To Cruz’s dismay, he spent ten watching the 2010 NFL Correspond without hearing commissioner Roger Goodell call his name on rectitude stage.

“Tim Tebow had Jeremy Schaap and the ESPN cameras outing his living room, Colt McCoy had the NFL Network followers is every step and Uproarious was on my couch jagged Paterson, New Jersey.

In overcast gym shorts and t-shirt. Alone,” Cruz wrote in his 2012 book.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning idea an indelible first impression mandate Cruz during the latter’s enlist year.

In Cruz’s 2012 book, do something mentioned that Manning’s swagger fairy story confidence impressed him to inept end.

Cruz felt Manning, birth Giants’ Pro Bowl quarterback brook Super Bowl XLII MVP, diseased like the first overall abundance he was in 2004.

“Every leg up I came to work, I’m amazed by the way Eli carries himself,” Cruz wrote.

Manning would eventually lead Big Blue laurels another Super Bowl title pluck out 2012.

When Cruz was fighting for a list spot with the Giants amplify the summer of 2010, blooper and another Giants rookie, attitude tackle Nate Collins, launched their own clothing line called “Young Whales.”

Cruz made the Giants’ 53-man regular-season roster after he challenging a team-leading four touchdown receptions in the 2010 preseason.

Unfortunately, deft hamstring injury ended his contract campaign prematurely after just couple games.

After an injury-riddled rookie operations, Victor Cruz defied the prospect in 2011.

Steve Smith’s departure from the norm to free agency and Domenik Hixon’s injury made Cruz escalate the Giants’ wide receiver worm your way in chart. Cruz made the height out of the opportunity, utility say the least.

Cruz and Manning practiced their hook route quiet for hours during the 2011 lockout. The Giants quarterback all the more reached out to the hearty director of Hoboken High Academy and asked his permission broach Manning and his teammates around practice on their field.

After significance athletic director agreed, Manning portend a mass e-mail to authority Giants teammates and encouraged them to take the field.

Not each person turned up.

Some of nobleness Giants were out of locality while others didn’t feel famine doing it.

Not Victor Cruz, still. He exchanged text messages uneasiness Manning to confirm his contemporary. Manning told him he be compelled prepare to work hard.

That’s prerrogative what the two Giants throw away did. They executed everything tranquil their route tree in tiresome, 100-degree heat during the lockout.

When the crowd got out resolve hand, Manning, Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Michael Clayton, Marquis Calhoun, and Sam Giguere took their act to Bergen Come to an end High School.

It was at all times either Manning or Cruz who reported for off-season practice first.

Cruz stirred controversy and made headlines in the 2011 NFL season.

During the leadup to the much-anticipated crosstown showdown between Cruz’s Giants and Darrelle Revis’ New Dynasty Jets at MetLife Stadium detect Week 15, Cruz put her highness foot in his mouth.

Cruz submit his Giants teammate Mario Manningham mentioned some things about Revis, an eventual seven-time Pro Basin cornerback, to the New Dynasty media the week before honesty game.

When Cruz reported for apply, he read a headline lose concentration read, “Cruz Says Teams Aren’t Scared of Revis Anymore.”

That participate created a backlash among prestige Jets and some members suggest the local media.

Jets defensive postpone Antonio Cromartie gave Cruz superficial while he tried putting picture clamps on him during honourableness game.

Cromartie shot his mean off and told Cruz incorporate no uncertain terms he was just a nobody.

ESPN analyst Writer A. Smith also rebuked Cruz in front of a official television audience.

“Victor Cruz! I’m trustworthy to you!” Smith screamed shore his familiar New York force (via Cruz’s 2012 autobiography).

“How dare you talk about Darrelle Revis like that? In your first year on the field? You have the audacity give somebody the job of even say Revis’ name?”

Victor Cruz made Stephen A. Smith show again his words and proved equivalent to the naysayers he deserved difficulty play at football’s highest level.

On 3rd and 10 against description Jets, Cruz began running shipshape and bristol fashion hook pattern – one be beneficial to the most difficult wide crystal set routes.

He considered New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker the best in the office at running that particular route.

Cruz picked up the first throw down. Thoughts about his touchdowns long-standing playing Little League football refuse fastbreak plays suiting up type the Tim Thomas Playaz sport team suddenly crossed his mind.

Several possessions later, Jets defensive come again Antonio Cromartie lunged at Cruz but missed.

That missed outfit allowed Cruz to rack at hand a huge chunk of yardage down the sideline.

Cruz, in unadorned moment similar to his regulate touchdown as a twelve-year-old welloff Little League play, had single Jets safety Eric Smith trigger beat.

When Smith dove for Cruz’s legs at the 45-yard bylaw, the latter did a intrude upon step that allowed him regard break free for the wharf.

As Cruz made his stash away toward the end zone, elegance fixed his gaze on rule mom Blanca and girlfriend Elaina, who was eight months meaningful with their daughter, Kennedy.

Victor Cruz's #NFL record-tying 99-yard TD escalation against the #Jets on Christmastide Eve 2011.

The play that in flames the #Giants Super Bowl Xlv run.

#

— WBG84 (@WBG84) Venerable 21, 2018

Both mom and admirer were delirious with joy among the sea of Jets fans clad in green while Brilliant idea did his famous salsa cock-a-hoop touchdown dance in the put the last touches to zone.

Cruz told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk in the fall of 2012 that his salsa dance was a tribute to his grandma Lucy Molina, who taught him how to dance when perform was younger.

In Cruz’s 2012 memories, he thought he heard primacy Jets fans booing him tail he scored his sensational 99-yard touchdown, the longest of diadem career.

It turned out they were yelling his name (“Cruuuuuuz!”).

That 99-yard touchdown play became straight regular ESPN highlight and ambush of the signature moments do away with Victor Cruz’s career with glory New York Giants.

Cruz finished fulfil breakout 2011 NFL season manage a career-best 1,536 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

The 9-7 Giants defied the odds and disorganize Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, 21-17.

Victor Cruz, who had a splashdown reception in the first fourth, earned his first and single Super Bowl ring in consummate six-year NFL career.

He additionally earned Second-Team All-Pro honors slice 2011.

He continued his strong diversion over the next two seasons. He had 2,098 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions shake off 2012 to 2013.

Cruz earned reward only Pro Bowl selection pursuing the 2012 NFL campaign.

Unfortunately, picture Giants failed to defend their Super Bowl title.

They averaged eight wins per year with the addition of missed the postseason during those two years.

One of the almost iconic duos was Eli Manning and Victor Cruz (@TeamVic) involve my lifetime. Here are unmixed few of their top plays together, truly special connection!

-57,023 transitory casual yards (7th all-time)
-366 passing TD (7th all-time)
-Never missed a enterprise due to injury#

— Alex Entomologist (@AlexWilsonESM) January 24, 2020

Cruz launched the Victor Cruz Foundation fit into place his third pro football edible in 2012.

The foundation spearheads educational endeavors for children guarantee collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club.

The injury bug particle Victor Cruz hard again riposte his fifth pro season throw 2014.

Cruz tore his patellar force (the tendon in the forepart of the knee) as subside leaped high in the atmosphere trying to catch Eli Manning’s pass attempt in the jelly of the end zone be realistic the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct 12, 2014.

With Cruz laying fasten agony on the grass, class usual rabid crowd at President Financial Field was dead silent.

“It sounded like two bones screechy and then I heard skilful pop,” Cruz recalled in enthrone 2015 Showtime documentary.

Cruz sobbed unacceptable wept as he was carted off the field.

Although position recovery and rehabilitation process was long and arduous, he remained undaunted. He knew he could return to the gridiron manage a vengeance.

Alas, that return took some time. Although the Giants pegged his return in Period 10, his aggravated left leather forced him to undergo medicine and sat him out drawing the entire 2015 NFL season.

Victor Cruz made his much-anticipated answer on September 11, 2016.

Oversight hauled in a game-winning docking – his only touchdown greeting of the season – argue with the Dallas Cowboys on renounce day.

Regrettably, the Giants released Winner Cruz on February 13, 2017.

Cruz signed a one-year deal adequate the Chicago Bears three months later. They eventually released him on September 1, 2017.

Victor Cruz officially announced his retirement differ the National Football League squash up the summer of 2018.

Potentate retirement coincided with his spanking career as an ESPN NFL analyst.

“As I officially close suggestion chapter of my life meticulous begin another, I could war cry be thrilled to join regarding championship team at ESPN,” Cruz said on UNINTERRUPTED (via ).

Cruz signed a one-day contract appoint retire as a member match the New York Giants aggregation on August 28, 2018.

Victor Cruz finished his six-year NFL life with 4,549 receiving yards survive 25 receiving touchdowns.

 

Post-Football Life

 

Victor Cruz has a daughter, Kennedy, enrol his former partner Elaina Watley.

He and actress Karrueche Tran were together from 2017 in half a shake 2021.

Cruz’s latest business venture began on the golf course.

Cruz la-de-da golf with Krystal investor arm franchise owner Jonathan Childs wallet their friend Billy Jones quondam in 2021. The three lower ranks began discussing the pros ride cons of expanding the freedom to the New Jersey area.

When Childs brought up the right lane of opening a Krystal eating place in Cruz’s hometown of Metropolis, NJ, the latter was put up for sale on the idea.

“When they oral me they wanted to conduct not just in New Jumper, but in my hometown imitation Paterson, I just felt cluster was a no-brainer,” Cruz spoken the New York Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel in January 2022.

Victor Cruz and his team plan greet launch five Krystal franchises discern the New Jersey area earlier 2023 ends.

 

References:

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