Bucs ink Leftwich

Sports Network | April 13, 2009

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed quarterback Byron Leftwich to an undisclosed contract on Monday.

The Tampa Tribune reported on Sunday it was a two-year agreement.

Leftwich spent the 2008 season with Pittsburgh, performing as the backup to Ben Roethlisberger after Charlie Batch was shelved with a broken right collarbone.

The Marshall product appeared in five games for the Super Bowl champion Steelers, completing 21-of-36 passes for 303 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Leftwich, the seventh overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft, was 24-20 as a starter in four injury-plagued seasons in Jacksonville. The 29-year-old quarterback was released by the Jaguars before the 2007 campaign, and signed with the Atlanta Falcons, where he played just three games while throwing for 279 yards on 32-of-58 passing.

In 54 career games, Leftwich has thrown for 9,624 yards with 54 TDs and 38 interceptions.