Football star Victor Cruz was born on Nov. 11, 1986, in Paterson, New Jersey. Cruz helped lead the Paterson Catholic High School football team to an undefeated season in his senior year. But he has also dealt with and overcome adversity his entire life. He spent a post-graduate semester at Bridgeton Academy in Maine, where he earned an SAT score that helped him gain eligibility to play at the University of Massachusetts.
After he was sent home by UMass due to a low GPA, Cruz resolved to get his grades back up; he eventually earned a degree in African American studies, which he gave to his mother to hang on the wall, according to a National Post story.
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Joining the NFL
Cruz wasn’t drafted in 2010, but signed with the New York Giants the day after the draft. NFL fans first took notice of Cruz after he scored three touchdowns on six catches for 145 yards against the Jets in the third preseason game in 2010. However, he was limited to just three regular season games due to a hamstring injury.
In 2011, Cruz broke out with a phenomenal season, finishing third in the league with 1,536 receiving yards, and was the team’s top receiver as they won consecutive road games before beating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, 21-17. Cruz caught a touchdown in the Super Bowl and performed his now-famous salsa dance in front of 110 million viewers. Of course, his dance is a tribute to his mother, Blanca, and grandmother, Lucy Molina, who passed away in 2012, who taught him how to salsa.
In 2012, Cruz founded the Victor Cruz Foundation, which promotes educational and financial literacy programs, college readiness and S.T.E.M. initiatives. Cruz chose those subjects after touring a showcase of science projects with President Obama at the White House Science Fair.
Impact as a Giant
In December 2012, Cruz visited the family of Jack Pinto, one of 26 victims in the tragic Sandy Hook shooting. As Jack’s favorite player, Cruz gave the family the cleats and gloves he wore in his most recent game.
“I saw how affected they were by my presence alone,” Cruz told the New York Times. “I got out and gave them the cleats and the gloves, and they appreciated it.”
Cruz returned to the field in 2016 after tearing his patellar tendon on Christmas Day 2014 against the Eagles. Presently, he continues to be a dynamic receiver for the Giants.
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