Former Lakewood LB signs with Steelers
Former Lakewood and FSU linebacker Marcello Church signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Church, a 6-foot-1, 230-pounder, suffered a season-ending ankle injury his senior season (2005) at FSU and did not participate in an NFL camp last year.
Church said he rehabbed his fractured fibula all last season, working out at the St. Pete YMCA. He had an offer to play in NFL Europe, but turned it down and took his chances at last month's FSU Pro Day, where he drew some interest from NFL teams.
Terms were not disclosed. Church said it's a training camp deal right now, but depending on how things go during camp, it could turn into a longer one...
“It’s a great opportunity,” Church said. “Being in the situation I was, I’m blessed to get another chance.”
-- JOE SMITH
Times photo of Marcello Church by Willie J. Allen Jr.
The St. Petersburg Times High School Sports blog is written and compiled by the Times preps sports staff from Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. We invite your participation in the comments area.
Congrats to Chello! Hope everything works out for him and my prayers are with him.
Posted by: J Dixon | March 28, 2007 at 07:59 AM