SRU graduate and professional football player Brandon Fusco has signed with the San Francisco 49ers on May 1, after being released by the Minnesota Vikings in February, where he spent the first six seasons of his career.
Fusco signed a one-year deal with the 49ers earlier this month that includes a signing bonus of $1.6 million.
He started 63 games in his six seasons with the Vikings, after going through a position transition from center to guard. The 28-year-old attended nearby Seneca Valley High School, where he played offensive tackle for the Raiders but didn’t play football until his junior year.
In his freshman year at SRU in 2006, Fusco was redshirted, but then started 44 of 44 games for The Rock from 07-10, at the center position. During his junior and senior years, he was elected by his teammates as one of their captains and was elected to First-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division for three straight years.
The Rock alumnus was taken by Minnesota in the sixth round, 172nd overall, in the 2011 National Football League (NFL) Draft. He then went through another position transition in his time with the Vikings, as he went from center to guard. Fusco was the #12 center prospect going in to the 2011 Draft, and was #1 among Division II prospects.
Fusco had three years remaining on his contract with Minnesota, after they gave him a five-year, $24 million contract extension two seasons ago. Before signing with the 49ers, Fusco visited the New England Patriots in April following his release as they were the only other team who expressed interest in the six-year veteran guard.
