Windsor native set to fly with Falcons

[jluk]

WINDSOR, Ont. — After three seasons with the St. Louis Rams, Windsor native Brett Romberg decided it was time to move on.

Romberg, a 29-year-old centre, opted to sign a new three-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

“There’s a lot of upside, a lot of opportunities in this offence,” said the six-foot-two, 298-pound Romberg. “The main thing I was excited about is this was a playoff team and a young team. If you go in and work hard, everyone has a chance.”

The Rams finished 2008 with a 2-14 record after going 3-13 in 2007.

“That was really tough to go 3-13 and then 2-14 and (the losing) really beats on you,” said Romberg, who has 33 NFL games under his belt and 18 starts. “You don’t want to come to work and everyone is on the chopping block.

“Last year was my first time (in free agency) and I was extremely nervous, but this year, I just said, ‘Let things fall where they do.’ ”

He had talks with Miami, Carolina and Oakland before deciding to sign with Atlanta, where he’s reunited with offensive line coach Paul Boudreau, who was his coach in Jacksonville and St. Louis before moving to the Falcons last season.

“He believes in me and he never worries about the length of a guy’s arms or his height,” said Romberg.

He’ll battle Todd McClure for playing time, but Romberg, who is taking part in the off-season conditioning program, is excited to be part of a young team on the rise.

“I’m just getting used to things and building some continuity with the guys,” Romberg said. “This is a playoff contender and hopefully a Super Bowl contender.”

Romberg has been looking to have a chance at a championship ever since he left the University of Miami.

The former Windsor AKO Fratmen went undrafted into the NFL, but the Dave Rimington Award winner in 2002 as college football’s top centre hooked up with the Jacksonville Jaguars for three seasons from 2003-05.

He moved over to St. Louis in 2006 and earned the starting job over veteran Andy McCollum in 2007, but had his season cut short by injury. He had reached free agency, but opted to return last season.

“I had a chance to come back last year and I thought I had some unfinished business because of the injury,” Romberg said. “I knew what I was doing there.”

Romberg struggled with injuries again last year, but regained the starting job for the final six games of the season. When free agency arrived again, he opted to leave.

Romberg left a unique locker-room in St. Louis where the Rams featured a second Windsor-area player in safety Oshiomogho Atogwe.

“It’s pretty spectacular to have a couple of guys (from Windsor) that start and contribute,” said Romberg. “It’s pretty amazing and a tribute to the high school coaching and role modeling going on back (in Windsor).”

http://www.canada.com/Sports/Windsor+nativ...6315/story.html

[Norwood32]

You know im pulling for this guy

[jluk]

lol, yea when i saw this article i knew you would get a kick out of this. but back of my mind i thought you might have already known about this.

[Norwood32]

lol, yea when i saw this article i knew you would get a kick out of this. but back of my mind i thought you might have already known about this.

lol yea i did. Him and Atogwe are both from Windsor and I've always known them. We had a chance at getting OJ too this offseason.

[MattM12]

big potential guy, guys like him, dahl, baker, all scrutinised, all play with heart, who cares about having short arms (easy haters, i know the benefits!) when you have technique and passion.

He sounds like he has just had some bad injury woes, look forward to seeing him play.

one of my boys back home is a biig st louis fan, i will ask him about him..