C.J. Anderson signed with the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday and this is an opportunity to play for his hometown team.
Anderson was released by the Carolina Panthers last month and had workouts with the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions before signing with the Raiders. Anderson said a big reason was the chance to play for the hometown.
“Home was one reason,” Anderson said Wednesday via SFGate. “And then having the opportunity to just see if this can grow into something better is another. Those are things that I sat back and sat on and now it’s just time to go to work.”
Anderson went to Bethel High in Vallejo and Cal before starting his NFL career, but as a kid he cheered for the Raiders. His mom always kept his allegiance to the Raiders and even with the Denver Broncos, the team Anderson was on played the Raiders last year, his mom was spotted wearing a Raiders jacket.
Anderson is following the same steps as Marshawn Lynch, who grew up in the Oakland area and hopes he can be the same type of role model to the young kids in Oakland.
Just like ‘Money,’ there’s a bunch of kids who see it and look up,” Anderson said. “There’s a bunch of kids who look up and get excited that you’re back home playing for the hometown team. That means a lot. You get some of those kids in the inner city that we’re trying to (show) that you have an opportunity to do anything. And if you can do it at home, why not?
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