It wasn’t that long ago that Victor Cruz was simply trying make a roster.
Now, he’s trying to figure out how to handle fame and being stretched too thin. After a breakout season which included 1,536 receiving yards and a Super Bowl championship, Cruz finds himself in demand.
He turned down a chance to take his salsa talents to Dancing With the Stars (opening the door for Donald Driver), but has recently been on a streak of appearances including the ESPYs in Los Angeles, shooting commercials and promoting a new book.
“None of this stuff is going to hinder what I do on the field. It’s just stuff that comes along with what I always wanted to be,” told Joe Jenkins of the New York Daily News. “It was always my dream to be shooting commercials and photo shoots.”
“I just did things that I always dreamed of doing. As far as on the field stuff, that’s going to take care of itself. I haven’t gotten Hollywood at all.”
Maybe not, but he has made himself a star, and that’s an amazing leap for a guy who had to claw to make the roster as an undrafted rookie from UMass.
“It’s going to be a little weird,” Cruz said. “But coach [Tom] Coughlin tells us that no matter what year we’re in to always treat training camp like you’re a 19-20 year old kid trying to make the team. I think that’s how I’m going to approach it.”
He’s well past having to worry about making a roster, but taking that mindset into camp is the best way for Cruz to become more of a household name than he already is.