June 14, 2005

QUARSHIE SIGNS WITH OAKLAND RAIDERS
Will Head to California for 2005 NFL Season
by Sean Leahy

As a young American football fan in Finland, Michael Quarshie used to wear an Oakland Raiders hat. Now he will wear their hat, jersey and helmet as a Raiders’ defensive lineman for the 2005 NFL season.

After finishing the NFL Europe season for the Frankfurt Galaxy on June 4, Quarshie was selected to participate in the NFL’s international player development program and become a practice squad player for the Raiders. The defensive lineman, who graduated from Columbia University in May, will pursue his dream of becoming the first Finnish player to play in the NFL. “I’ve always wanted to play in the NFL,” said Quarshie. “I’m definitely happy for this opportunity.”

Michael Quarshie makes a tackle on Berlin running back Little John Flowers.

PHOTO: Norbert Schneider

His agent, Bob Boland, said Quarshie’s acquisition by the Raiders is validation of his potential to become a successful NFL player. “Michael knows he’s a good player and knows he belongs,” he said. “Now he’s proving that.”

The international player development program gives year-long NFL apprenticeships to foreign-born players. Quarshie will not be eligible for game action, but will be a full member of the developmental squad that trains and practices with the players on the active roster.

Boland said the program is a unique opportunity for Quarshie to improve his football skills and enhance his chances of sticking around in the NFL that few other players receive. “For rookie free agents, the hardest thing is to get through that first training camp,” said Boland.

If he had signed with a team as a free agent, Quarshie would have had to make the active roster prior to the season or face being cut. Four out of five rookie free agents fail to make active rosters each year, according to Boland, and they must prepare for another shot on the outside of the league.

Quarshie will be paid the NFL’s practice squad salary and will train alongside veteran players Warren Sapp and Ted Washington. It is a learning position that Boland said will allow Quarshie to go from “suspect to prospect” in the eyes of NFL scouts and coaches around the league.

The Finnish native expressed gratitude for the opportunity he had to play in Frankfurt, and credited his stint there for helping him prepare for the NFL. “I learned a lot of technique and I learned to evaluate my opponent better,” he said. “But it also helped me identify my weaknesses. I know there’s a lot I need to do to get better.”

No Finnish native has ever played in the NFL. Quarshie's countryman Klaus Alinen also signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this year through the international program, and Finnish football veteran Matti Kindholm had an unsuccessful tryout with the Minnesota Vikings in the 1980's.

The Raiders begin their training camp on July 28, and Quarshie said he’s eager to get to California and begin. “I’m hoping to return early to work with the strength coach and catch up with the guys who have been in mini camp,” he said.

Boland said because the Raiders have smart veteran players, good coaches, and mix between the 3-4 and 4-3 defensive line formation, the team is a great fit for Quarshie. “It’s a good opportunity for him to practice,” he said, adding that the experience should make the defensive lineman more versatile when he becomes a free agent after the 2005 season.

Quarshie said he was not concerned what team he ended up with, and that he was just happy to get an invitation. “I’ve never been to the West Coast, so I’ll experience some new things,” he said. “It’ll be exciting.”