This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Blaze have locked down the Arena Football League's Most Valuable Player for the next few years.
On Thursday night, the team announced that quarterback Tommy Grady signed a three-year deal and will be staying in Salt Lake as the Blaze continue their quest for a championship.
The past two seasons, Grady has been one of the key pieces to success for Utah. During the 2012 season, he threw for a league-record 142 touchdowns and 5,870 yards as the Blaze went 13-6 and were a last-minute drive away from making the franchise's first-ever Arena Bowl.
The ex-University of Utah passer also tied a league record for touchdown passes in a game with 12.
Grady's contract was made possible by the league's new collective-bargaining agreement. Prior to this season, players could sign only one-year deals.
The Blaze have been busy in the offseason, extending a contract for coach and team president Ron James, who was the AFL's coach of the year last season. The team has also retained the rest of the coaching staff, including two-time assistant of the year Matt Sauk, defensive coordinator Rob Keefe and offensive line coach Ron McBride.
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