Bruce Gradkowski

{{Short description|American football player (born 1983)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{BLP sources|date=August 2017}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Bruce Gradkowski

| image = Bruce Gradkowski (2012) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Gradkowski in 2012

| number =

| position = Offensive assistant

| current_team = Detroit Lions

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|1|27}}

| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lbs = 217

| high_school = Seton-La Salle Catholic
(Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania)

| college = Toledo (2001{{ndash}}2005)

| draftyear = 2006

| draftround = 6

| draftpick = 194

| pastteams = * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2006|2007}})

| pastcoaching = * Anthony Wayne HS (2017–2018)
Volunteer assistant quarterbacks coach

| status =

| highlights = * 2× MAC (2001, 2004)

| statlabel1 = Pass attempts / completions

| statvalue1 = 709 / 375

| statlabel2 = Completion percentage

| statvalue2 = 52.9

| statlabel3 = TDINT

| statvalue3 = 21–24

| statlabel4 = Passing yards

| statvalue4 = 4,057

| statlabel5 = Passer rating

| statvalue5 = 65.8

| statlabel6 = Rushing yards

| statvalue6 = 331

| pfr = GradBr00

}}

Bruce Raymond Gradkowski (born January 27, 1983) is an American former professional football quarterback and coach who currently serves as an offensive assistant for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Toledo Rockets. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft. Gradkowski was also a member of the St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers. His younger brother, Gino, is a former NFL center.

Early life

Gradkowski is a 2001 graduate from Seton-La Salle Catholic High School. He played as a member of the Seton-La Salle Rebels from 1997 to 2000 in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). As a junior, Gradkowski threw for 1,630 yards and 10 touchdowns. This performance was then improved as a senior, when he completed 188-of-327 passes (57.5%) and threw for a then-WPIAL record of 2,978 yards and 30 touchdowns (surpassing the previous mark set by Dan Marino). In high school, Gradkowski also played basketball, serving as Seton-La Salle's starting point guard and leading his team in scoring.

College career

After redshirting as a freshman at Toledo in 2001, Gradkowski only saw action as the field goal holder on the special teams unit. In 2003, he became the starting quarterback as a sophomore and set a Mid-American Conference season record by completing 71.2% of his passes. He threw for 3,210 yards and set a school season record of 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Gradkowski's final passer rating was 161.53. He proved he could scramble by rushing for 504 yards and one touchdown on 91 carries (5.5 avg). In 2004, Gradkowski completed 70.2% of his passes for 3,518 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a final passer rating of 162.56. He played in the GMAC Bowl and was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP). As a senior in 2005, Gradkowski completed 62.3% of his passes for 2,469 yards with 29 touchdowns and twelve interceptions and a final passer rating of 146.42. Gradkowski was the first quarterback in NCAA Division I-A history to complete more than 70 percent of his passes in consecutive seasons.{{Cite web|url=https://utrockets.com/sports/football/roster/bruce-gradkowski/2216|title=Bruce Gradkowski – Football}}

=College statistics=

class="wikitable sortable;" style="text-align: center;"
colspan="16" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Toledo Rockets}}" | Toledo Rockets
rowspan="2"| Season

! colspan="10"| Passing

CmpAttPctYdsAvgLngTDIntSckRtg
2003

| 277 || 389 || 71.2 || 3,210 || 8.3 || 66 || 29 || 7 || 9 || 161.5

2004

| 280 || 399 || 70.2 || 3,518 || 8.8 || 96 || 27 || 8 ||14 || 162.6

2005

| 207 || 332 || 62.3 || 2,469 || 7.4 || 70 || 29 || 12 || 9 || 146.4

[https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/bruce-gradkowski-1.html Career]7641,12068.29,1978.296852734156.8

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 1 3/8

| weight = 217

| dash = 4.61

| ten split = 1.63

| twenty split = 2.72

| shuttle = 4.16

| cone drill = 7.12

| vertical = 34

| broad ft = 8

| broad in = 11

| arm span = 30 1/4

| hand span = 9

| wonderlic = 19{{cite web|url=http://wonderlictestsample.com/nfl-wonderlic-scores/ |title=Historical NFL Wonderlic Scores |website=wonderlictestsample.com |access-date=September 2, 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902201337/http://wonderlictestsample.com/nfl-wonderlic-scores/ |archive-date=September 2, 2016}}

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/bruce-gradkowski/32004752-4106-8015-f3fb-607c5b7c49e3 |title=Bruce Gradkowski Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=October 19, 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=14007&DraftYear=2006 |title=Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo, QB, 2006 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |publisher=draftscout.com |access-date=September 2, 2016}}{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=7372 |title=Bruce Gradkowski, Combine Results, QB – Toledo |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=October 19, 2021}}

}}

=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Gradkowski in the sixth round (194th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/draft.htm |title=2006 NFL Draft Listing |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=June 28, 2019}}

After a promising preseason he was nicknamed "The Great Gradkowski". When starting quarterback Chris Simms suffered a ruptured spleen, Gradkowski was named the starter going into Week 5 against New Orleans. In his debut, he completed 20 of 31 attempts for 225 yards with two touchdowns as the Buccaneers suffered their fourth consecutive loss.

Gradkowski remained the starter after his first loss and won the next two games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles before losing three straight to the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. On November 19, 2006, he completed 14 of 21 attempts for 178 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a 20–17 victory over the Washington Redskins.

On Thanksgiving, the Buccaneers would lose to the Dallas Cowboys after Gradkowski threw two interceptions and only completed 10 passes. He continued to falter the following week throwing three interceptions in a loss to his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. His play would continue to decline with losses against the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears and he was benched in the middle of both games. Gradkowski was replaced in the second quarter against Chicago by Tim Rattay, who threw for four touchdowns in the second half of the game. Gradkowski, by contrast, had not thrown a touchdown in the previous 10 quarters before being pulled and would not start again in 2006. He finished his rookie season with 1,661 passing yards on 177 completions in 328 pass attempts, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions.{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/player/brucegradkowski/2495838/profile |title=NFL Player Profile:Bruce Gradkowski |access-date=October 17, 2016 |website=NFL.com}}

In 2007 during a Week 12 matchup against the Washington Redskins, Gradkowski came in after the first play because of an injury to newly acquired starting quarterback Jeff Garcia but only completed 9 of 19 passes and didn't score. Gradkowski was benched the next week in favor of Luke McCown.

Gradkowski had a record of 3–8 as a Tampa Bay starter and set an NFL record by throwing 200 passes between his first and second interceptions.{{cite web |last=Brandt |first=Gil |date=November 8, 2006 |title=Week 10 fantasy matchups |url=http://nfl.com/fantasy/story/9787771 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109114706/http://nfl.com/fantasy/story/9787771 |archive-date=November 9, 2006 |website=NFL.com}}

On May 30, 2008, Gradkowski was waived by the Buccaneers.{{Cite web|url = https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-sign-te-stevens-cut-qb-gradkowski/|title = Bucs Sign TE Stevens, Cut QB Gradkowski|date = May 30, 2008|access-date = July 14, 2021|archive-date = July 14, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210714152716/https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-sign-te-stevens-cut-qb-gradkowski/|url-status = dead}}

=St. Louis Rams=

Gradkowski was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Rams in June 2008,{{Cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d808aec82/article/rams-add-gradkowski-to-mix-of-quarterbacks-behind-bulger |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222114434/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d808aec82/article/rams-add-gradkowski-to-mix-of-quarterbacks-behind-bulger |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |title=Rams add Gradkowski to mix of quarterbacks behind Bulger |date=July 26, 2012 |website=NFL.com |access-date=June 28, 2019}} but was waived during final cuts on August 30, 2008.

=Cleveland Browns=

Gradkowski was signed by the Cleveland Browns as their fourth-string quarterback on December 2, 2008, after quarterback Derek Anderson was placed on injured reserve. He was the starter for the Browns' 2008 season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 28, 2008, after injuries to Anderson, Brady Quinn, and Ken Dorsey.{{Cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/12/24/browns.gradkowski.ap/index.html |title=Bruce Gradkowski to Start Finale for Browns v. Steelers |date=December 25, 2008 |website=SI.com |url-status=dead |access-date=December 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204061246/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/12/24/browns.gradkowski.ap/index.html |archive-date=February 4, 2009 }} Gradkowski was waived on February 9, 2009.

=Oakland Raiders=

File:Bruce Gradkowski (2010).jpg

A day after being waived by the Browns, Gradkowski was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Raiders.

On November 22, 2009, in his first start for the Raiders, Gradkowski threw two touchdowns, matching former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell's total for the season to that point, and led the team to come from behind 20–17 victory over the heavily favored Cincinnati Bengals.

In Week 13, on the road the Raiders beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–24. Gradkowski completed 20-of-33 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns, including an 11-yard game-winning touchdown to Louis Murphy. For his performance in this game he was awarded the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for week 13 of the regular season.{{cite web |last=Corman |first=Rebecca |url=http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Gradkowski-Named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week/cad17ffc-1e1a-419c-95c3-db2ef5d85f61 |title=Gradkowski Named AFC Offensive Player of the Week |publisher=Raiders.com |date=December 8, 2009 |access-date=August 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213005406/http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Gradkowski-Named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week/cad17ffc-1e1a-419c-95c3-db2ef5d85f61 |archive-date=December 13, 2009 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Wilson-Gradkowski-named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week.html |title=Wilson: Gradkowski named AFC Player of the Week |publisher=National Football Post |date=December 9, 2009 |access-date=August 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023071445/http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Wilson-Gradkowski-named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week.html |archive-date=October 23, 2010 }}

On December 13, 2009, he was injured in a game against the Washington Redskins during the second quarter and was replaced by Russell. The Raiders lost the game 34–13 without Gradowski.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=291213013 |title=Redskins vs. Raiders – Box Score – December 13, 2009 – ESPN}} Gradkowski missed the remainder of the 2009 season with a partially torn Medial collateral ligaments in both knees.{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/14000/report-gradkowski-could-miss-final-three-games |title=Gradkowski likely to miss season |last=Williamson |first=Bill |date=December 13, 2009 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=June 28, 2019}}

On March 15, 2010, he was re-signed by the Oakland Raiders for one year.{{cite web |url=http://www.sbreport.net/raider_news/008/3006.html |title=Oakland Raiders NFL Football |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626002700/http://www.sbreport.net/raider_news/008/3006.html |archive-date=June 26, 2010 |url-status=dead }} He tore a pectoral muscle while lifting weights in April 2010.{{Cite web |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/15/bruce-gradkowski-tears-pectoral-muscle/ |title=Bruce Gradkowski tears pectoral muscle |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |date=April 15, 2010 |website=ProFootballTalk |language=en |access-date=June 28, 2019}} In Week 2 of the 2010 NFL season he took over for benched starter Jason Campbell and led the Raiders to a victory over the St. Louis Rams.

On September 22, 2010, Gradkowski became the Oakland Raiders starting quarterback for Week 3.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/gradkowski-wrests-raiders-starting-qb-job-from-campbell-09000d5d81abf339 |title=Gradkowski wrests Raiders' starting QB job from Campbell |website=NFL.com |language=en |access-date=June 28, 2019}} On November 28, 2010, Gradkowski suffered a third-degree separation of his throwing shoulder. On December 2, the Raiders placed Gradkowski on injured reserve, ending his 2010 season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5876604 |title=Raiders place Gradkowski on IR after surgery |date=December 2, 2010 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |access-date=June 28, 2019}}

=Cincinnati Bengals=

Following the 2011 NFL lockout, Gradkowski signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.{{cite web |title=Jay Gruden: Bruce Gradkowski is "the ultimate competitor" |url=http://stripehype.com/2011/07/28/bengals-offensive-coordinator-jay-gruden-reacts-to-bruce-gradkowski-signing/ |work=Stripehype.com|date=July 28, 2011 }} He was the team's second-string quarterback behind Andy Dalton. After Dalton suffered a minor injury that removed him from the game, Gradkowski threw a touchdown while snapping the ball while the Browns were still in the huddle. He then appeared during a Week 13 match up against the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing 3-of-6 passes for 17 yards with one interception.

=Pittsburgh Steelers=

File:Bruce Gradkowski 2013.jpg

On March 13, 2013, Gradkowski signed a three-year deal with his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.{{cite news |work=NBCSports.com |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/13/gradkowski-agrees-to-three-year-deal-with-steelers/ |title=Gradkowski agrees to three-year deal with Steelers |first=Darin |last=Gantt |date=March 13, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}

Ultimately, Gradkowski had very few career snaps with the Steelers. He played in none of the regular season games during 2013. In 2014, he played in one game. He missed almost the entire 2015 season due to hand and shoulder injuries.Chester, Simon A. (October 7, 2016 {{Cite web |url=http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2016/10/08/steelers-release-quarterback-bruce-gradkowski/ |title=Steelers release quarterback Bruce Gradkowski |last=Chester |first=Simon A. |date=October 8, 2016 |publisher=USA Today Sports Digital Properties}}

The Steelers re-signed Gradkowski to a one-year contract on May 2, 2016.{{cite web |work=NFL.com |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-re-sign-veteran-backup-qb-bruce-gradkowski-0ap3000000659300 |title=Steelers re-sign veteran backup QB Bruce Gradkowski |first=Chris |last=Wesseling |date=May 2, 2016 |access-date=May 3, 2016}} On August 31, 2016, Gradkowski was placed on the injured reserve list following damage to his hamstring sustained during the opening game of the preseason.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000693048/article/steelers-claim-zach-mettenberger-off-waivers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902145206/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000693048/article/steelers-claim-zach-mettenberger-off-waivers |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 2, 2016 |title=Steelers claim Mettenberger, put Gradkowski on IR |last=Bergman |first=Jeremy |website=NFL.com |access-date=June 28, 2019}} The Steelers released Gradkowski on October 7, 2016.

NFL career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="8"| Passing

! colspan="4"| Rushing

! rowspan="2"| Fum

GPGSCmpAttPctYdsAvgTDIntRtgAttYdsAvgTD
2006TB

| 13 || 11 || 177 || 328 || 54.0 || 1,661 || 5.1 || 9 || 9 || 65.9 || 41 || 161 || 3.9 || 0 || 11

2007TB

| 4 || 0 || 13 || 24 || 54.2 || 130 || 5.4 || 0 || 1 || 52.4 || 7 || 20 || 2.9 || 0 || 0

2008CLE

|2 || 1 || 7 || 21 || 33.3 || 26 || 1.2 || 0 || 3 || 2.8 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 0 || 0

2009OAK

| 7 || 4 || 82 || 150 || 54.7 || 1,007 || 6.7 || 6 || 3 || 80.6 || 18 || 108 || 6.0 || 0 || 5

2010OAK

| 6 || 4 || 83 || 157 || 52.9 || 1,059 || 6.7 || 5 || 7 || 66.3 || 12 || 41 || 3.4 || 0 || 3

2011CIN

| 2 || 0 || 8 || 18 || 44.4 || 109 || 6.1 || 1 || 1 || 59.7 || 11 || 29 || 2.6 || 0 || 0

2012CIN

| 2 || 0 || 5 || 11 || 45.5 || 65 || 5.9 || 0 || 0 || 64.6 || 4 || −2 || −0.5 || 0 || 1

2013PIT

| 0 || 0 || colspan="13"| {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}}

2014PIT

| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 2 || −2 || −1.0 || 0 || 0

colspan="2"| Career372037570952.94,0575.7212465.8883293.7020

Coaching career

In 2017, Gradkowski became a volunteer assistant quarterbacks coach at Anthony Wayne High School in Whitehouse, Ohio.{{Cite web |last=Briggs |first=David |date=August 11, 2017 |title=Bruce Gradkowski is back in school, and kids and coaches love it |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/08/11/toledo-bruce-gradkowski-anthony-wayne-coaching-staff-pittsburgh-steelers/stories/201708110105 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20171110235730/http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/08/11/toledo-bruce-gradkowski-anthony-wayne-coaching-staff-pittsburgh-steelers/stories/201708110105 |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2017 |publisher=post-gazette.com}}

On June 15, 2021, it was reported he would be the head coach at St. Francis de Sales School (Toledo, Ohio).{{cite web |last1=Strack |first1=Jordan |date=June 15, 2021 |title=Former Toledo QB Bruce Gradkowski will be new head football coach at St. Francis |url=https://www.wtol.com/article/sports/high-school/hs-football/former-toledo-qb-bruce-gradkowski-will-be-new-head-football-coach-at-st-francis/512-0a86c411-04f9-44af-81b3-fb03a9a76dcd |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=WTOL}} After serving as interim coach for one football season (2021) at St. Francis de Sales School, Bruce was to become the permanent head football coach at St. Francis de Sales for the 2022 season.{{cite web |date=January 18, 2022 |title=NBC 24 News |url=https://nbc24.com/newsletter-daily/bruce-gradkowski-permanently-becomes-head-football-coach-at-st-francis-de-sales |access-date=January 19, 2022 |website=nbc24.com}} However, Gradkowski was officially hired by the St. Louis BattleHawks on September 13, 2022, as their Offensive Coordinator.{{Cite web |title=XFL Finalizes Coaching and Football Operations Staffs for All Eight Teams |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-latest-news/xfl-finalizes-coaching-and-football-operations-staffs-for-all-eight-teams |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=www.xfl.com |language=en}}

On February 6, 2025, the Detroit Lions hired Gradkowski as an offensive assistant.{{cite web | last=Alper | first=Josh | title=Lions to hire Bruce Gradkowski as an offensive assistant | website=NBC Sports | date=2025-02-06 | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/lions-to-hire-bruce-gradkowski-as-an-offensive-assistant | access-date=2025-03-16}}

Personal life

Gradkowski was the owner of Social Gastropub in Perrysburg, Ohio.{{cite web | url=http://www.socialgastropub.com/about | title=Social Gastropub – About Us | website=socialgastropub.com |access-date=November 11, 2020}} The restaurant was officially closed due to fire in June 2022.{{cite web | title=Perrysburg's Social gastropub fire still under investigation, no cause yet determined | website=WTOL Newsroom| date=2022-06-23 | url=https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/perrysburgs-social-gastropub-on-fire-thursday-afternoon/512-00c32587-c4ff-45f0-b6ea-9f6c080d33ac | access-date=2024-12-24}}

Gradkowski joined the University of Toledo's Rocket Football Radio Network as a color analyst.{{cite web |date=August 11, 2017 |title=Bruce Gradkowski to Join Rocket Football Radio Network Team |url=http://utrockets.com/news/2017/8/11/bruce-gradkowski-to-join-rocket-football-radio-network-team.aspx |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110235103/http://utrockets.com/news/2017/8/11/bruce-gradkowski-to-join-rocket-football-radio-network-team.aspx |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2017 |publisher=utrockets.com}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}