Early last month, former Virginia quarterback Marc Verica was released by the Washington Redskins during training camp. But don't count him out just yet. Next month, Verica will be headed to Paris, France, where he has signed for the 2012 season with the Cougars de Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, a club which plays in France's Elite league.
According to the team's release, Verica and Xavier Mas, the club's general manager, had been in regular contact since May, but didn't wanted to sign until after Verica had the opportunity to work out with a number of NFL squads (Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos) and practice with the Redskins during training camp.
Last year, the Cougars reached the Semifinals in France's highest level of competition, D1.
Verica finished his career third in Virginia's annals in pass completion percentage (59.9). In his senior season, he amassed 2,799 passing yards in 2010, behind only Matt Schaub's 2002 (2,976 yards) and 2003 (2,952) seasons. He also threw for 14 touchdowns.
He'll be flying out Thursday to start training in the off-season. The 2012 season kicks off on February 5. Nothing but best wishes to him coming from me.
Haters are going to laugh at this career path, since this isn't like the NBA where going abroad can later lead to a real shot in the American pros. He might not be an NFL star quarterback yet, but in the meantime, he's going to get paid for doing what he loves just outside of Paris, France. Who's laughing now? Answer: Marc Verica, all the way to the bank. Or rather, le bank.