CARDS: Topps 1992, Topps 1991, Topps Stadium Club 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 8/22 RECEIVED: 8/27 (5 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Roger Ruzek played K at tiny Weber State (’79-’82), where he set NCAA Division I-AA records for field goal accuracy (84.2), and school career records in FG (46), FG in a game (4), and consecutive XP (30).
• Unable to beat out Matt Bahr in Cleveland as an UDFA in 1983, Ruzek joined the New Jersey Generals in 1984.
• He played 2 seasons for the franchise before the league folded.
• In ’86 he got a tryout with the Cowboys but didn’t latch onto the team until the following season after a few bumps.
• Ruzek ended up posting 22 of 25 on FGs, scoring 92 points.
• Tied NFL record with 4 FG in 1 quarter against the New York Giants that year.
• Set franchise mark with 5 FGs made against the Rams that year.
• In ’88 had a contract holdout, but had a rough year- and was eventually cut during the ’89 season in favor of Luis Zendejas.
• Quickly found a home with the rival Eagles that year, and returned to solid form.
• The Eagles opted to keep Ruzek and he’d kick with the team through 1993.
• During the ’93 season, the Eagles signed Matt Bahr after Ruzek strained a hamstring.
• Ruzek again replaced Bahr, later in that season, and then again was released in ’94 as the Eagles opted to go with Eddie Murray.
• With a cup of coffee out of the way with the ‘9ers in ’94, Ruzek played Arena ball with the San Jose Sabrecats in 1995.
• He then hopped over to London to play in his final season for the Monarchs of the World League in 1996- making 8 of 11 FGs.

NOTES:

Back when I was a kid, I played a lot of soccer. When I started watching football I was all about the kicker. I was surprised, the guy who scored the most points, who had the most pressure on them to win games, didn’t get more love. On the Cowboys, (since that’s all we got here,) I really liked Ruzek, and was surprised the team didn’t stick by him longer during his later struggles with the team. He also made an appearance on the original Tecmo Bowl as a member of the Dallas ‘Wings’.

I had no clue that Ruzek had played for the World League. If I had known that I would have written him sooner. It’s just too bad all he had to sign with was a ball point pen. Regardless he was the shortest wait of 2022 coming in at a breakneck 5 days.

XPA	XPM	PCT	FGA	FGM	PCT	LG
105	100	95.2	48	34	70.8	N/a

XPA	XPM	PCT	FGA	FGM	PCT	LG
219	206	94.1	166	120	72.3	53

XPA	XPM	PCT	FGA	FGM	PCT	LG
12	11	91.6	8	3	37.5	N/a

XPA	XPM	PCT	FGA	FGM	PCT	LG
0	0	-.-	11	8	72.3	39