SaberCats’ new QB Meyer ready for home debut
One-time MVP is glad he signed on with SaberCats
SAN JOSE — Erik Meyer dealt with all kinds of uncertainty in the early years of his pro football career. But when the Arena Football League’s free agency period opened last fall, Meyer was clearly the top quarterback available.
He signed with the SaberCats and, as they prepare for their home opener Saturday night, neither side could be happier with the decision.
“It was probably one of the most important decisions I’ve had to make in my life as far as my career,” said Meyer, a Southern California native who was the league’s MVP in 2013 with Spokane. “Being a little bit older, closer to family — there were a lot of things to it. But everything about this organization just felt right.”
Meyer, 32, didn’t need much time to prove his worth. In the season opener Monday against Las Vegas, Meyer completed 18 of 29 passes for 294 yards and six touchdowns to lead a 59-41 victory. Five of the touchdowns came in the first half.
“Erik played well. I think the best is yet to come,” SaberCats coach Darren Arbet said. “He’s one of the best quarterbacks I’ve seen in this league. There’s a reason why he’s been an MVP. He’s a big-time competitor. He loves the game, and he plays that way in practice.”
Meyer’s love for the game has been tested. He went undrafted after his senior season at Eastern Washington, where he was named Big Sky Conference offensive MVP in 2005. Signed as a free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals, he was cut during training camp.
A pitcher with a 90-plus fastball, he was drafted three times — twice by the Giants, in 2004 and again in 2005 — but he gave up baseball for a chance to play in NFL Europe in 2007.
After that league folded, Meyer had stints with the Seattle Seahawks, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL and then the Raiders. None lasted.
“It was tough at times. Bouncing around a lot and not having a job for a few months at a time. Going to a team for a few months, getting released,” Meyer said. “It was a long process and I’m not going to lie, at times it was tough. But I wouldn’t change the way anything went because in that time I met a lot of great people, and I’m really excited and happy to be where I’m at today.”
When the AFL resumed operations in 2010 after a year hiatus, Meyer signed with Spokane. He was named the Shock’s starter before the 2012 season began, but he suffered a concussion in the opener and missed the entire year.
He returned to win the league’s MVP award in 2013, passing for 4,667 yards and 112 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. Last season, a broken collarbone sidelined Meyer for six games — the Shock lost five of the games he missed — but he returned to lead Spokane into the playoffs, where it lost to SaberCats.
Both teams wanted him once free agency opened.
“He had a lot of success against us,” said Arbet, “and we wanted to get him on our side.”
The SaberCats won again, outshining Spokane.
“It was tough to leave the area,” Meyer said. “I have a lot of friends up there, developed a lot of relationships. But talking with the coaches here, everything about San Jose just felt right. Plus I’m closer to home, back in California. The whole situation here just felt like it was the right move.”