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Former Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan is contributing to the drop in the unemployment rate.
"I have a job," said Brennan, who signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. "I’m so pumped up. It’s been a tough year. I’m working my way out of it."
Brennan said he signed a two-year contract, but did not disclose the financial terms. "To be honest, I don’t even know what they are," Brennan said.
He will earn considerably less than his gross wages in 2008, when he earned a $285,000 base salary and a $100,000 signing bonus as the Washington Redskins’ sixth-round draft pick. The minimum salary for a first-year CFL player is $44,000.
ABOUT THE ’RIDERS
» City: Regina, Saskatchewan
» Stadium: Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field (capacity, 30,048)
» Division: CFL’s Western Division
» Grey Cups: The team has played in the CFL title game 18 times, winning three, the most recent in 2007
» Last season: Roughriders finished 5-13, last place in the West |
Brennan said money is not important.
"I’m going to go up there and work on my craft," Brennan said. "I’m going to try to become a better football player. If the NFL wants to invite me back one day, great. If not, I’m glad to be playing football again. That was my goal: To play football for the people of Hawaii again."
Brennan had undergone surgeries on both hips and both knees in an 18-month span, and was released by the Redskins and Oakland Raiders in 2010. He suffered multiple injuries as a passenger in a two-car crash that year. Dr. Theresa Wang, who was in the other car, returned to Hawaii in July 2011 after spending eight months in a Denver medical facility.
"If she’s healthy, then thank God, that’s all I care about," Brennan said.
Brennan said it took him nearly a year to being "back to myself again."
He admittedly was a cranky patient during his recovery.
"I apologize to everyone," Brennan said. "I’m so, so sorry. It was a hard year. Everybody has been having to deal with (me)."
At UH, Brennan set several NCAA records and was third in the voting for the 2007 Heisman Trophy.
Brennan is one of four quarterbacks on Saskatchewan’s roster. Darian Durant was the starter in 2011. The Roughriders also list Cole Bergquist on their roster and recently signed Drew Willy.
Saskatchewan plays its first regular-season game June 29 in Hamilton, Ontario.
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