March 6, 2001
ORLANDO – For the third consecutive week, the Las
Vegas Outlaws (3-2) added a player to their offensive
scheme. Late Monday, the Outlaws traded S Toby Wright to
the San Francisco Demons for G/T Tony Berti, whose
rights had come to San Francisco earlier in the day from
the NY/NJ Hitmen. Berti, a Henderson resident who was
drafted in the fourth round of last October’s XFL
P.A.S.S. by the Hitmen, is a 6-6, 280-lb. offensive
lineman who has spent time in the NFL with the San Diego
Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Green Bay
Packers. Because of the trade, Las Vegas now has seven
days to reduce its active roster to the XFL’s 45-man
limit.
“Berti is a gifted athlete with excellent
experience,” said Outlaws Head Coach Jim Criner. “He
can play both the guard and tackle positions, and brings
us added depth as we improve our offensive line. He is a
player who we have had our eye on for some time, and he
will be with us for the long haul."
Two weeks ago, Criner and the Outlaws acquired QB Mark
Grieb, who has split his two games as the Outlaws’
signal caller. Last Monday saw the addition of WR Yo
Murphy, who caught three passes for 38 yards and two
touchdowns in his XFL debut Sunday at Soldier Field in
the Outlaws’ 15-13 loss to the Enforcers.
Berti began his professional career as the San Diego
Chargers’ sixth-round draft selection out of the
University of Colorado in 1995. He played in 33 games,
with 30 starts in his first three NFL seasons, before
suffering a knee injury during the 1998 preseason and
spending the next 12 weeks of the regular season on
injured reserve. Released on November 25, 1998, he
signed with the Seattle Seahawks two days later and was
inactive for the Seahawks' final five games.
Berti subsequently became a free agent when his contract
expired February 12, was signed by Denver on February
17, 1999, and remained with the Broncos through training
camp and the preseason before being placed on waivers in
the final roster cutdown for the regular season. Later
re-signed by Denver on February 22, 2000, he was
released the following day and spent this past spring
with the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe before
participating in the Green Bay Packers’ training camp
during the fall of 2000.
At the University of Colorado, Berti was second team
All-America as a senior in 1994 when he was the
Buffaloes’ starting left tackle. That season, Berti
helped RB Rashaan Salaam lead the CU attack which ranked
third in nation in rushing (291.5 yards per game) and
total offense (495.3 yards per game). Berti earned
first-team All-Big Eight conference honors by Football
News.
Born Charles Anton Berti, Jr., on June 21, 1972, in Rock
Springs, Wyoming, Berti was a high school All-America
selection and rated the seventeenth-best offensive
lineman in country by Super Prep Magazine as a senior at
Skyview High in Thornton, Colorado. Berti also performed
as an outside linebacker for Wolverines, adding
second-team All-State honors from both The Denver Post
and Rocky Mountain News. Also lettered in track at
Skyline, performing in shot put (54''''0") and
discus (132''''0"). A three-time member of the
National Honor Society, Berti graduated high school with
a 3.86 grade point average before majoring in psychology
at the University of Colorado, where he earned
Colorado’s "Academic Starts" honors every
semester. |
