Healthy Antonio Cromartie felt like home in Arizona
Mar 24, 2014, 5:15 PM | Updated: 5:15 pm
Once released by the New York Jets, Antonio Cromartie was a free agent able to sign with whatever team he wanted.
After less than two weeks on the open market, he signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
“I think the biggest part I was just surprised by not having, once I got released, the activity,” Cromartie admitted to Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Monday. “That wasn’t there.”
Except from Cardinals.
“Once I got a call from Arizona and a few other teams started calling in, but Arizona just made me feel at home.”
In Cromartie, the Cardinals have a player who has been to three Pro Bowls — including the last two — and who has 28 career interceptions over eight seasons with the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets.
But he battled through a hip injury last season, which he says affected his performance on the field and likely led to the lack of interest in his services. He knows last season wasn’t a great one for him, as he failed to live up to expectations in the Big Apple.
Now healthy, the 29-year-old (who will be 30 by Week 1) expects to bounce back and have a big season in the desert.
“Right now I’m feeling 100 percent, and I’m just getting ready to go.”