Victor Cruz

Victor Cruz is a Super Bowl champion. As an undrafted free agent, Cruz impressively played his way onto the Giants’ 53-man regular season roster. He finished his first season with a single-season franchise record for receiving yards and was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.

Cruz co-hosts E!’s morning news show, Pop of the Morning, a mix of celebrity news, interviews and discussions around pop culture moments.

An active philanthropist, Cruz established the Victor Cruz Foundation to promote positive change in the lives of youth by providing innovative educational programs that equip students with skill sets to prepare them for a successful future. The foundation is especially committed to continued research and partnerships with STEM programs.

In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America, his foundation launched and implemented the “Science in Sports” program. This curriculum provides students with a hands approach to STEM curriculum while simultaneously teaching them the science behind football as it relates to the NFL.

In engaging conversations, Cruz discusses how motivation and perseverance drove his career; the impact and goals of his foundation; the importance of exposing youth to STEM programs; and more.

Super Bowl champion and NFL wide receiver, Victor Cruz grew up in Paterson, NJ – just a few miles from the Giants’ home field at MetLife Stadium. Football was always Victor’s first love as he was an all-state receiver for Paterson Catholic High School and went on to win a State Championship with the Cougars. After graduating from high school, Victor accepted a scholarship to the University of Massachusetts where he earned more athletic accolades and was ranked as high as 13th in the NCAA for receiving yards per game.

As an undrafted free agent in 2010, Victor impressively played his way onto the Giants’ 53-man regular season roster. By the end of the 2011 season, he finished with a single-season franchise record for receiving yards and was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. In Super Bowl XLVI, Victor tied an NFL record for the longest play with a 99-yard touchdown reception and was an integral part of the Giants victory over the Patriots. The following year, he earned a selection to the 2012 Pro Bowl as he continued to establish himself as a premier NFL player.

Off the field, Victor is recognized as a fashion icon and tastemaker. In 2014 he was named on Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed List and has also been featured in GQ and Vogue magazines. He has designed a collection for 3 x 1 and this year will be the lead designer for Hublot for their New York inspired watch. In 2016 Sports Illustrated named Victor the #1 Most Fashionable Athlete in sports when they released their list of the world’s 50 most stylish athletes. As a brand ambassador, Victor has worked with Time Warner Cable, Pepsi, McDonald’s, and Gillette, amongst other blue-chip brands and is the first football player to have a signature lifestyle shoe for Nike.

In 2012 Victor established the Victor Cruz Foundation to promote positive change in the lives of youth by providing innovative educational programs that equip students with skill sets to prepare them for a successful future and is committed to continued research and partnerships with STEM programs. In June 2014, the Victor Cruz Foundation helped fund the renovation of the Aquatics Center in the Boys & Girls Club of Paterson / Passaic. The center is now the home of the Travel Swim Team, swimming lessons, and lifeguard training. In addition, the Victor Cruz Foundation has helped the renovations of the club’s STEM Maker Lab, Multimedia center, Dance Studio and Art Studio.

Victor is of both African-American and Puerto Rican descent. He speaks Spanish fluently and credits his grandmother for teaching him to celebrate his roots. Victor’s signature salsa dance touchdown celebrations are his way of honoring her. His autobiography, Out of the Blue, which became a New York Times best seller, is an inspiring account of how hard work, perseverance, and support from his loving family drove Victor’s success.