PITTSBURGH, PA (September 6, 2013) – The Pittsburgh Power have been assigned quarterback Tommy Grady by the Arena Football League.
In four seasons in the AFL, Grady (6’7”/250/University of Utah) has accumulated more than 20 Utah Blaze franchise records, six AFL records, and multiple League honors and awards including the 2012 Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player. Last season, Grady made his CONSOL Energy Center debut and engineered Utah’s 64-33 victory over the Power on opening night, throwing for 190 yards and five touchdowns.
In 2012, Grady set AFL records for passing yards (5,870) in a season, passing yards (436) in a single game (6/2/12 at Kansas City), passing touchdowns (142), passing touchdowns (12) in a single game (7/13/12 vs. Cleveland), pass completions (507), and pass attempts (743). He also led the League with 781 total offensive plays and 329.6 total offensive yards per game. Grady led the Blaze to a 12-6 record and led the team to a 1-1 post-season record, falling to the eventual ArenaBowl Champion Arizona Rattlers, 75-69, in the AFL National Conference Championship Game.
Grady first signed with the Blaze in 2011 and appeared in 15 games, completing 382-of-580 passes for 4,365 yards and 107 touchdowns. In 2010, he started every game for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and connected on 363-of-597 passes for 4,307 yards and 81 touchdowns in his rookie season.
Tommy began his college career at the University of Oklahoma, backing up Jason White, the 2003 Heisman Trophy winner, before transferring to the University of Utah in 2005. In his senior season, Grady appeared in six games throwing for 681 yards and 4 touchdowns for the Utes.
“Lynn Swann and I could not be more pleased to welcome Tommy Grady to the Pittsburgh Power family, said Power Co-Owner Matt Shaner. “Tommy is a superstar quarterback who will lead our franchise to unprecedented success. This is just the first of what will be many positive moves on our part this off-season as we build the foundation for a ArenaBowl Championship for the City of Pittsburgh,” Shaner exclaimed.