When undrafted free agent Broc Rutter signed with the San Francisco 49ers last weekend, the Division III quarterback didn’t even receive a signing bonus.
However, his wallet got a little bit thicker Friday when the 49ers awarded him $279.
According to NFL Network, the 49ers completed their signings of undrafted free agents and had $279 left over, so they gave the remaining funds to Rutter, who was a record-setting signal-caller at North Central College in Napierville, Ill.
Last season, Rutter completed 71 percent of his passes for school records of 4,591 yards and 56 touchdowns while leading North Central College to the Division III title. He won the Gagliardi Trophy as Division III’s top player.
Rutter’s accomplishments — which include a Division III career-record 14,265 passing yards — caught the attention of the 49ers.
And Rutter, during an interview conducted earlier this week, said he is highly thankful for the opportunity.
“I’m just so grateful that they looked past the school I went to, the level I played at, and just looked at me as a football player and a person,” the 23-year-old quarterback told NBC Chicago. “I couldn’t be more grateful for them for giving me the opportunity, and I truly feel like I belong.”
