Jared Lorenzen, the oversized former Giants backup quarterback and Kentucky star, is still playing football, and by the looks of it, he hasn’t stopped eating since he was last in the NFL six years ago.
Lorenzen — known in his time as “The Hefty Lefty,” “The Pillsbury Throwboy,” and “J-Load” — made his season debut Monday night in the Continental Indoor Football League for the Northern Kentucky River Monsters. Despite currently tipping the scales at 320 pounds, he clearly hasn’t lost his ability in the pocket.
A Super Bowl winner with Big Blue who holds numerous passing records at Kentucky, Lorenzen led the River Monsters to a 36-20 victory over the Bluegrass Warhorses, completing 23 of 37 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns and running for another score.
Since being cut by the Colts in 2008, Lorenzen has bounced around independent football leagues, serving as general manager of the River Monsters when they were in the Ultimate Indoor Football League. He later resigned from that post so he could play quarterback, and earned the league’s MVP honors. His return this year to the River Monsters has everyone thrilled – us included – along with the CIFL.
“I field several times a day the question is Jared coming back? Today is a day that I can definitely say yes, and a day River Monster Fans can be excited for,” head coach Brian Schmidt told the team’s website. “Having a QB the caliber of Jared improves not only the River Monsters, but league as a whole.”