Marion Grice takes advantage of ‘great opportunity’ with Arizona Cardinals
Nov 4, 2014, 2:30 AM | Updated: 2:30 am
The last time Marion Grice played a game at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, his team was sent home with a loss.
This time, Grice helped make sure that wasn’t the case.
The former Arizona State Sun Devil scored his first NFL touchdown on Sunday in the Arizona Cardinals’ 28-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
One year ago, Grice was leading Arizona State University’s backfield, but his carries for 51 yards on 12 carries wasn’t enough for the Sun Devils to take down Notre Dame in Texas, losing 37-34.
Grice was happy about the different result this year’s game provided.
“I was excited to be back there and get the opportunity to come back and play in the same stadium I got a chance to play at in college,” Grice told Bickley and Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Monday. “Just make sure I come back with a better outcome than the last time I did.”
Grice, who gained 12 yards on five rushing attempts against the Cowboys, had to wait a bit for the referees to confirm his first professional touchdown, but that didn’t spoil the moment.
“I was so excited, I didn’t even know what to do. I didn’t even celebrate or anything like that.”
The Cardinals signed the rookie in September off of the San Diego Chargers’ practice squad.
Grice said when the Cardinals offered him a spot on their 53-man roster, it was a chance he couldn’t pass up.
“It wasn’t that hard of a decision,” Grice said. “To get the opportunity to come back to Arizona, play football, that’s a great opportunity. I played college here, now I get the opportunity to play professional ball in the same state. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m talking it.’ And I went from there.”
Now, Grice finds himself on the team with the best record in the NFL in his first year, something he calls “a dream come true.”
“We’re rolling right now. If we continue to do that, the sky’s the limit for us.”
But even with the success Grice is having in the NFL, he is still dedicated to supporting his alma mater.
So dedicated, in fact, that Grice said he was watching ASU’s matchup with Utah on Saturday through FaceTime because the team’s hotel didn’t carry the channel.
Grice appreciates the support he’s been getting from his fellow Sun Devils, like the picture that was posted showing the ASU football team watching Grice’s first touchdown on TV.
“That’s a great feeling that I have a lot of guys that supported me like that,” he said. “And I’m pretty sure they should know that I support them no matter what. Win, lose or draw, I’m still going to support them, no matter what. Every Saturday, I’m going to find a TV or I’m going to find a way and I’m going to watch them play.”
