Varsity Notebook: Brothers as NFL foes are a rarity

When Bruce and Gino Gradkowski both got in the game late in the fourth quarter during Monday Night Football four days ago, announcer Al Michaels gave them some love, noting how the brothers were going against each other.

It was a nice way for Michaels to fill some airtime during an NFL blowout on national television. But when the Gradkowskis got into the game, it also was an historical moment for WPIAL football.

The Gradkowskis both played at Seton-LaSalle High School. Bruce Gradkowski is a backup quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and his younger brother, Gino, is a rookie backup offensive lineman with the Baltimore Ravens. According to a list supplied by Pennsylvania Football News of every Pennsylvania high school football player who ever played in an NFL regular-season game, the Gradkowskis are only the third set of brothers from the WPIAL to play against each other, and the first in almost 50 years.

"Wow," said Debbie Gradkowski, their mom. "I knew it wasn't common, but I didn't know it was that rare."

The only other brothers from the WPIAL who played against each other in the NFL were the Sauls from Butler, and the Modzelewskis from Har-Brack Union (now part of the Highlands district).

There have been a few other sets of brothers who made the NFL, but they didn't play against each other. Two years ago, the Ventrones of Chartiers Valley were both in the NFL at the same time -- Ross with the New England Patriots and Ray with the Cleveland Browns. But when the Patriots played the Browns, Ross was on the Patriots' practice squad.

Three Saul brothers actually played in the NFL -- twin brothers Ron and Rich were offensive linemen and Bill a linebacker. Ron and Rich both played in the NFL from 1970-81 and went against each other in the 1970s when Ron played for the Washington Redskins and Rich with the Los Angeles Rams.

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12258/1261470-365-0.stm?cmpid=news.xml

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