Ralph Cindrich
Encyclopedia
Ralph Edward Cindrich is a sports agent and former NFL player. A linebacker
for the New England Patriots
(1972), the Houston Oilers (1973, 1974, 1975) and the Denver Broncos
(1974), Cindrich graduated from the University of Pittsburgh
in 1972 and South Texas College of Law
in 1978. During his more than three-plus decades as an NFL agent, he has represented stars such as James Farrior
, Bruce Gradkowski
, Tarik Glenn
, Jeff Blake
, Brian Griese
, Al Toon
, Dermontti Dawson
, and Will Wolford
among others. As an agent, Cindrich also negotiated one of the landmark contracts in sports history, one that forever altered the salary hierarchy in the NFL, and would be prominently featured in Michael Lewis
' book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
, which became a major motion picture
and Academy Awards
contender.
, to Anthony and Stella Cindrich. Beginning in the fall of 1963, he attended nearby Avella High School where he starred on the wrestling and football teams. During his junior season in 1966, Cindrich was the Pennsylvania State runner-up in the unlimited weight class and again in 1967, losing in the finals to Dave Joyner of State College, PA in overtime on a disputed grabbing the jersey call. Cindrich wrestled 2 periods and overtime with 2 broken hand bones. Cindrich claimed the Western Pennsylvania Heavyweight Championship and went undefeated and untied in dual meets in both his junior and senior seasons.
Cindrich was just as good, if not better, as a linebacker and center for Avella High’s Varsity football team. He was named All Western Pennsylvania High School Football Selection in 1966 and 1967. In 1967, Cindrich was chosen as Pennsylvania All State and Most Valuable Player of Western Pennsylvania Class B Football. That year he also served as Captain of the state’s All Star “Big 33” team that played against a Texas All Star football team.
As a linebacker for the Panthers football team, Cindrich became a starter during his sophomore year. In the team’s season opener on the road against the UCLA Bruins
, Cindrich burst on the scene, with 17 tackles—West Virginia Mountaineers
’s Head Coach, Jim Carlens, said of Cindrich “If there’s a better sophomore linebacker in America, I’d like to see him”—but a broken ankle in that game forced him to miss the rest of the season.
After redshirting during the rest of the 1968 season, Cindrich returned as a starter in 1969. In the Panthers second game of the season on the road against the Oklahoma Sooners
, he led the team with 21 tackles (10 solo tackles). Later that year he was named to the All-East Team,, All-Conference Team, and All-American team despite Pitt’s sixth consecutive losing season. In 1970, Cindrich suffered a knee injury in the season’s opener against UCLA. It kept him out of the lineup early in the season, but he returned to help lead the team to a 5-5 record in 1970.
The injury to his knee kept Cindrich from playing spring football as a senior in 1971, but he was ready to play once the season started. In the opener the Panthers traveled to the Rose Bowl
and upset the UCLA Bruins
, 29-25. Cindrich was named Lineman of the Week by the Associated Press for his eight tackles, four assists and two fumble recoveries. Later that season, he helped secure a win over Syracuse with three of his game-high 16 tackles coming on a goal line stand late in the Panther victory. Again Cindrich was named to the All-East Team, All-Conference Team and Associated Press All-American team.
, but released him near the end of the preseason. A week later, New England claimed Cindrich off waivers and he was named AP Player of the Week in a game against the eventual World Champion Miami Dolphins
. New England cut him before the start of the 1973 season, but he was picked up by the Houston Oilers, where he played for during the next two seasons. After being cut by the Denver Broncos during the 1975 preseason, the Oilers resigned Cindrich for the remainder of the season. He retired following the 1975 season.
, a sports representation firm in 1977 and graduated with his law degree in 1978.
His first big name client was Mark May
, an offensive tackle from Cindrich’s alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. The Washington Redskins
selected May with their first round pick (20th overall) in the 1981 NFL Draft. After tough and very public negotiations that summer with the Redskins General Manager Bobby Beathard
, May signed with the team in late July putting to rest rumors that he would bolt to the Canadian Football League. Cindrich would continue to represent May, negotiating every one of his NFL contracts as well as all of his deals as an announcer with Turner, CBS, and later as an ESPN College football analyst. The two remain close friends.
By the 1985 NFL Draft
, Cindrich would have a significant impact. Two of his clients, Al Toon from the University of Wisconsin and Bill Fralic
from the University of Pittsburgh, were expected to be top draft picks. During ESPN
’s televised coverage of the draft, Mel Kiper stated:
Cindrich told the press that Fralic would not want to play for Minnesota, who held the second overall pick, because of the team’s negotiating history. On Draft Day, the Vikings traded their pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a 1st and 3rd round selection. The Falcons then selected Fralic, who signed the most lucrative contract for any lineman in the draft, including the top overall pick, Buffalo’s Bruce Smith. The impact of Fralic’s deal was longlasting:
Toon also benefited from Cindrich’s hard-edged negotiations in the 1985 Draft. The New York Jets
selected Toon with the 10th overall pick. He held out, and still without a contract by late August, Cindrich publicly suggested that the Jets trade Toon. But by Week 2 of the regular season (and after New York lost 31-0 to the Los Angeles Raiders), Toon signed a deal worth reportedly worth $1.6 million over five years, including a signing bonus worth $475,000. The deal paid him more money than any other receiver drafted in 1985, including the San Francisco 49ers
first round selection, Jerry Rice
.
. Looking to protect their young quarterback Vinny Testaverde
, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
selected Gruber with the 4th overall pick in the draft. Gruber missed four weeks of training camp but signed a five year, $3.8 million deal with the team in early August. That month, The Sporting News
declared Cindrich’s negotiations “the most significant contract for any rookie this year” and “the best contract ever signed by an offensive lineman and likely will start a new salary spiral at the position.” Cindrich was now widely recognized as the best agent for NFL offensive lineman.
In 1989, Cindrich helped facilitate the now famous "Herschel Walker trade
" between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. As part of his new contract with the Vikings, Walker received $1.25 million in cash and other considerations (including a Mercedes-Benz automobile) and more than doubled his previous salary. Cindrich had now negotiated the second and third most lucrative contracts in the NFL. He also achieved considerable salary raises for Pro Bowlers John Offerdahl
, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills
Shane Conlan
(linebacker), Will Wolford
(offensive tackle), and Kent Hull (center).
Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green
, Washington Redskins Pro Bowl wide receiver Gary Clark
, Dallas Cowboys
Pro Bowl center Mark Stepnoski
. In May 1993, just as the NFL Free Agency boom began, USA Today
called Cindrich “the undisputed free agent champ.”
Multi-million dollar contracts continued throughout the decade. Steelers perennial pro bowl center Dermontti Dawson
, New York Giants
running back Rodney Hampton
, quarterbacks Gus Frerotte
and Jeff Blake
, were just a few of Cindrich’s clients. He seemed to have the market cornered at one position in particular: during the late 1990s and early 2000s, he represented a handful of the NFL’s top centers: Dawson, Stepnoski, Hull, the Miami Dolphins Tim Ruddy
, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jeff Christy
, the Baltimore Ravens
Mike Flynn
, the Indianapolis Colts
Jeff Saturday
, and the New Orleans Saints
LeCharles Bentley
.
Michael Lewis’ book, The Blind Side
, which in 2009 was made into a major motion picture starring Sandra Bullock
, mentions Wolford’s landmark contract with the Indianapolis Colts. As the man who brokered the deal, Cindrich was also mentioned:
Cindrich is also organized developing and planning to teach a sports law class for law students, as well as a continuing legal education sports law class for lawyers; both to be offered in Italy during the Summer of 2010.
, USA Today, the Denver Post, the Chicago Times
, and the Dallas Morning News. The Sporting News twice ranked him as one of the top 100 most powerful people in sports.
He has been inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame, the Washington County Hall of Fame and the Avella High School Hall of Fame. He was selected to the University of Pittsburgh All Time Football Team, Walk of Fame, and in was the recipient of Washington County’s Distinguished Citizen Award in Football.
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
(1972), the Houston Oilers (1973, 1974, 1975) and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1974), Cindrich graduated from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in 1972 and South Texas College of Law
South Texas College of Law
South Texas College of Law is a private American Bar Association accredited law school and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools...
in 1978. During his more than three-plus decades as an NFL agent, he has represented stars such as James Farrior
James Farrior
James Alfred Farrior is an American football player who currently plays as an inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Virginia, and played with the New York Jets from 1997 to 2001.-Early years:Farrior was born...
, Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
, Tarik Glenn
Tarik Glenn
Tarik Glenn is a former American football offensive tackle who played for the Indianapolis Colts. Glenn performed as two-way lineman at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California....
, Jeff Blake
Jeff Blake
Jeff Bertrand Coleman Blake is a retired American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. Although he finished his career with the Chicago Bears, he was formerly a quarterback for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona...
, Brian Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
, Al Toon
Al Toon
Albert Lee Toon, Jr. is a former professional American football player. He was selected by the New York Jets in the 1st round of the 1985 NFL Draft...
, Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Farra Dawson is a former American football center in the National Football League. He played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers....
, and Will Wolford
Will Wolford
William Charles Wolford is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers....
among others. As an agent, Cindrich also negotiated one of the landmark contracts in sports history, one that forever altered the salary hierarchy in the NFL, and would be prominently featured in Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
' book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game is a book by Michael Lewis released in 2006 about American football.-Plot:It features two dominant storylines...
, which became a major motion picture
The Blind Side (film)
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film. It is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL...
and Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
contender.
High school
Cindrich was born in Washington, PennsylvaniaWashington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, to Anthony and Stella Cindrich. Beginning in the fall of 1963, he attended nearby Avella High School where he starred on the wrestling and football teams. During his junior season in 1966, Cindrich was the Pennsylvania State runner-up in the unlimited weight class and again in 1967, losing in the finals to Dave Joyner of State College, PA in overtime on a disputed grabbing the jersey call. Cindrich wrestled 2 periods and overtime with 2 broken hand bones. Cindrich claimed the Western Pennsylvania Heavyweight Championship and went undefeated and untied in dual meets in both his junior and senior seasons.
Cindrich was just as good, if not better, as a linebacker and center for Avella High’s Varsity football team. He was named All Western Pennsylvania High School Football Selection in 1966 and 1967. In 1967, Cindrich was chosen as Pennsylvania All State and Most Valuable Player of Western Pennsylvania Class B Football. That year he also served as Captain of the state’s All Star “Big 33” team that played against a Texas All Star football team.
College
Although he was recruited by several top college programs, Cindrich chose to stay close to his Western Pennsylvania home, opting to play football for the University of Pittsburgh. He continued to wrestle for the Pitt Panthers, winning the NCAA Eastern Heavyweight Championship in 1969, in addition to being named an All-American and taking 4th in the NCAA Tournament.As a linebacker for the Panthers football team, Cindrich became a starter during his sophomore year. In the team’s season opener on the road against the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, Cindrich burst on the scene, with 17 tackles—West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
’s Head Coach, Jim Carlens, said of Cindrich “If there’s a better sophomore linebacker in America, I’d like to see him”—but a broken ankle in that game forced him to miss the rest of the season.
After redshirting during the rest of the 1968 season, Cindrich returned as a starter in 1969. In the Panthers second game of the season on the road against the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
, he led the team with 21 tackles (10 solo tackles). Later that year he was named to the All-East Team,, All-Conference Team, and All-American team despite Pitt’s sixth consecutive losing season. In 1970, Cindrich suffered a knee injury in the season’s opener against UCLA. It kept him out of the lineup early in the season, but he returned to help lead the team to a 5-5 record in 1970.
The injury to his knee kept Cindrich from playing spring football as a senior in 1971, but he was ready to play once the season started. In the opener the Panthers traveled to the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
and upset the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, 29-25. Cindrich was named Lineman of the Week by the Associated Press for his eight tackles, four assists and two fumble recoveries. Later that season, he helped secure a win over Syracuse with three of his game-high 16 tackles coming on a goal line stand late in the Panther victory. Again Cindrich was named to the All-East Team, All-Conference Team and Associated Press All-American team.
NFL
The Atlanta Falcons selected Cindrich with their fifth round pick (119th overall) in the 1972 NFL Draft1972 NFL Draft
The 1972 National Football League Draft was held on February 1–2, 1972.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, but released him near the end of the preseason. A week later, New England claimed Cindrich off waivers and he was named AP Player of the Week in a game against the eventual World Champion Miami Dolphins
1972 Miami Dolphins season
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only National Football League team to win the Super Bowl with a perfect season. The undefeated campaign was led by coach Don Shula and notable players Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, and Larry Csonka...
. New England cut him before the start of the 1973 season, but he was picked up by the Houston Oilers, where he played for during the next two seasons. After being cut by the Denver Broncos during the 1975 preseason, the Oilers resigned Cindrich for the remainder of the season. He retired following the 1975 season.
Law School and Early Agent’s Career
During his career with the Oilers, Cindrich began law school at nearby South Texas College of Law, in Houston. He founded Cindrich & CompanyCindrich & Company
Cindrich & Company is an international company in sports and entertainment, expert witness services, mediation, and arbitration, founded in 1981 by former NFL player, long-time NFL agent and licensed attorney Ralph Cindrich. With more than 30 years of experience in representation and negotiations,...
, a sports representation firm in 1977 and graduated with his law degree in 1978.
His first big name client was Mark May
Mark May
Mark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:...
, an offensive tackle from Cindrich’s alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. The Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
selected May with their first round pick (20th overall) in the 1981 NFL Draft. After tough and very public negotiations that summer with the Redskins General Manager Bobby Beathard
Bobby Beathard
Bobby Beathard is a former general manager in the National Football League. Over the course of his 38 years in the NFL, his teams competed in seven Super Bowls , beginning with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1966, Miami Dolphins in 1972 and 1973, Washington Redskins in 1982, 1983, and 1987, and the San...
, May signed with the team in late July putting to rest rumors that he would bolt to the Canadian Football League. Cindrich would continue to represent May, negotiating every one of his NFL contracts as well as all of his deals as an announcer with Turner, CBS, and later as an ESPN College football analyst. The two remain close friends.
By the 1985 NFL Draft
1985 NFL Draft
The 1985 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 30 and May 1, 1985...
, Cindrich would have a significant impact. Two of his clients, Al Toon from the University of Wisconsin and Bill Fralic
Bill Fralic
William P. Fralic, Jr. is a former professional American football offensive guard in the NFL.-Early years:...
from the University of Pittsburgh, were expected to be top draft picks. During ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
’s televised coverage of the draft, Mel Kiper stated:
“We’ll see what an impact Ralph Cindrich has on this draft right away. I think Minnesota wanted (Bill) Fralic. I know, you talk about Indianapolis, they would have taken Al Toon but he (Cindrich) wrote a letter to Irsay stating that he didn’t want Toon to play with the Colts. Same with Minnesota. So we’ll see if those teams shy away from Fralic and Toon. We will see if Cindrich has a direct impact on the draft.”
Cindrich told the press that Fralic would not want to play for Minnesota, who held the second overall pick, because of the team’s negotiating history. On Draft Day, the Vikings traded their pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a 1st and 3rd round selection. The Falcons then selected Fralic, who signed the most lucrative contract for any lineman in the draft, including the top overall pick, Buffalo’s Bruce Smith. The impact of Fralic’s deal was longlasting:
“Fralic’s contract is so lucrative that it has caused slowdown in the next eleven picks below him in the first round of the draft. No other Number 1 has such an annuity package nor a present value this high. Defensive end Bruce Smith, the draft’s No. 1 pick, signed a $2.8 Million contract for the Buffalo Bills, which is worth $2.1 Million in present value. When Fralic signed Monday and first reports of the numbers leaked out, agent Joe Courrege immediately upped the demand for Texas A&M defensive end Ray Childriess, the draft’s No. 3 selection.”
Toon also benefited from Cindrich’s hard-edged negotiations in the 1985 Draft. The New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Toon with the 10th overall pick. He held out, and still without a contract by late August, Cindrich publicly suggested that the Jets trade Toon. But by Week 2 of the regular season (and after New York lost 31-0 to the Los Angeles Raiders), Toon signed a deal worth reportedly worth $1.6 million over five years, including a signing bonus worth $475,000. The deal paid him more money than any other receiver drafted in 1985, including the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
first round selection, Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
.
Gruber and Beyond
The next major contribution by Cindrich and Company came in 1988. In that year’s draft, Cindrich represented Wisconsin Offensive Tackle Paul GruberPaul Gruber
Paul Blake Gruber is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth overall in the 1988 NFL Draft...
. Looking to protect their young quarterback Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
selected Gruber with the 4th overall pick in the draft. Gruber missed four weeks of training camp but signed a five year, $3.8 million deal with the team in early August. That month, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
declared Cindrich’s negotiations “the most significant contract for any rookie this year” and “the best contract ever signed by an offensive lineman and likely will start a new salary spiral at the position.” Cindrich was now widely recognized as the best agent for NFL offensive lineman.
In 1989, Cindrich helped facilitate the now famous "Herschel Walker trade
Herschel Walker trade
The Herschel Walker trade, also known as "The Great Train Robbery", was the largest player trade in the history of the National Football League. It involved 18 players and draft picks...
" between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. As part of his new contract with the Vikings, Walker received $1.25 million in cash and other considerations (including a Mercedes-Benz automobile) and more than doubled his previous salary. Cindrich had now negotiated the second and third most lucrative contracts in the NFL. He also achieved considerable salary raises for Pro Bowlers John Offerdahl
John Offerdahl
John Offerdahl is an American former professional football player who played his entire eight year career with the Miami Dolphins from 1986 to 1993...
, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Shane Conlan
Shane Conlan
Shane Patrick Conlan is a former professional American football player. He played college football at Penn State University, where he won two national championships...
(linebacker), Will Wolford
Will Wolford
William Charles Wolford is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers....
(offensive tackle), and Kent Hull (center).
The “Free Agent Champ”
During the early 1990s Cindrich’s stable of all-star players would expand to include Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green
Eric Green (tight end)
Bernard Eric Green , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1st round of the 1990 NFL Draft...
, Washington Redskins Pro Bowl wide receiver Gary Clark
Gary Clark
Gary C. Clark is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Phoenix Cardinals and Miami Dolphins .-Early life:...
, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
Pro Bowl center Mark Stepnoski
Mark Stepnoski
Mark Matthew Stepnoski is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He attended Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went on to star at the University of Pittsburgh....
. In May 1993, just as the NFL Free Agency boom began, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
called Cindrich “the undisputed free agent champ.”
Multi-million dollar contracts continued throughout the decade. Steelers perennial pro bowl center Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Farra Dawson is a former American football center in the National Football League. He played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers....
, New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back Rodney Hampton
Rodney Hampton
Rodney Craig Hampton born April 3, 1969 in Houston, Texas, is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 215 lbs. running back from the University of Georgia by way of Kashmere High School in...
, quarterbacks Gus Frerotte
Gus Frerotte
Gustave Joseph "Gus" Frerotte is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa....
and Jeff Blake
Jeff Blake
Jeff Bertrand Coleman Blake is a retired American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. Although he finished his career with the Chicago Bears, he was formerly a quarterback for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona...
, were just a few of Cindrich’s clients. He seemed to have the market cornered at one position in particular: during the late 1990s and early 2000s, he represented a handful of the NFL’s top centers: Dawson, Stepnoski, Hull, the Miami Dolphins Tim Ruddy
Tim Ruddy
Tim Ruddy but lived in Dunmore, Pennsylvania from his childhood all the way through high school...
, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jeff Christy
Jeff Christy
Jeffrey Allen Christy was an American football center for the Arizona Cardinals, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He now helps coach for the Freeport Senior High School football team.-Early life:...
, the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
Mike Flynn
Mike Flynn
Mike Flynn may refer to:* Mike Flynn , American baseball player* Mike Flynn , American basketball player* Mike Flynn , English footballer* Mike Flynn , American football player...
, the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
Jeff Saturday
Jeff Saturday
Jeffrey Bryant Saturday is an American football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at North Carolina. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Football League Players' Association.-Early years:Saturday attended...
, and the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
LeCharles Bentley
LeCharles Bentley
LeCharles Vernon Bentley is a retired American football center of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.A two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Saints, Bentley was also a member of...
.
The Blind Side
One of Cindrich’s top clients was offensive tackle Will Wolford. As the 20th overall pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 1986 NFL Draft, Cindrich negotiated a deal for Wolford that paid him a salary equal to several players drafted in the top 10. In 1993, Cindrich orchestrated Wolford’s free agent signing with Indianapolis, where his contract was worth $7.65 million over three year. Wolford was now the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. When that contract expired in 1995, Wolford signed a four-year, $10 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Michael Lewis’ book, The Blind Side
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game is a book by Michael Lewis released in 2006 about American football.-Plot:It features two dominant storylines...
, which in 2009 was made into a major motion picture starring Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
, mentions Wolford’s landmark contract with the Indianapolis Colts. As the man who brokered the deal, Cindrich was also mentioned:
Wolford’s agent, Ralph Cindrich, later said that at least four other teams had been willing to match the Colts’ offer. What had set the Colts apart from the other bidders was a clause they agreed to insert into Wolford’s new contract. It guaranteed that Will Wolford, left tackle, would remain the highest paid player on the Colts’ offense for as long as he played on it. Better paid than the Colts’ running backs, the Colts’ wide receivers, or any of the other acknowledged stars. Even if the Colts went out and got themselves the NFL’s most expensive quarterback, Wolford’s salary would rise to eclipse his, too. “I thought linemen would get a little more money from free agency,” said Wolford later. “But I didn’t think that would happen. I was numb.”
…The NFL didn’t like the idea of any player having a clause in his contract guaranteeing him more money than his teammates, and it made noises about voiding the deal. That’s when Ralph Cindrich went on the warpath. He asked, pointedly, if the league would have the same reservations if the clause had been in some quarterback’s contract. He accused the league, in the pages of the New York Times, of “discrimination against offensive linemen.” And the NFL let the deal slide, but only after saying no such deal would be permitted in the future. “There’s a mentality about linemen that goes back to high school,” said Cindrich. “When you picked your football team, these were the last guys picked.”
2005 And Beyond
At the end of 2005 Cindrich sold his sports agency to Debartolo Sports. He now serves as consultant to Debartolo and continues to negotiate contracts for such notable players as Eagles wide receiver Steve Smith, Cardinals running back Beanie Wells, Steelers linebacker James Farrior, and the Colts Jeff Saturday..Cindrich is also organized developing and planning to teach a sports law class for law students, as well as a continuing legal education sports law class for lawyers; both to be offered in Italy during the Summer of 2010.
Honors and awards
Cindrich has often been included in the upper echelon of NFL Agents according to Pro Football WeeklyPro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
, USA Today, the Denver Post, the Chicago Times
Chicago Times
The Chicago Times was a newspaper in Chicago from 1854 to 1895 when it merged with the Chicago Herald.The Times was founded in 1854, by James W. Sheahan, with the backing of Stephen Douglas, and was identified as a pro-slavery newspaper. In 1861, after the paper was purchased by Wilbur F...
, and the Dallas Morning News. The Sporting News twice ranked him as one of the top 100 most powerful people in sports.
He has been inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame, the Washington County Hall of Fame and the Avella High School Hall of Fame. He was selected to the University of Pittsburgh All Time Football Team, Walk of Fame, and in was the recipient of Washington County’s Distinguished Citizen Award in Football.