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Vinny Cerrato is a former executive for theSan Francisco 49ers andWashington Redskins of theNational Football League (NFL). He led the Redskins' personnel department throughout the 2000s as theirde facto general manager. Cerrato has also been an analyst and film actor.
Cerrato playedcollege football atIowa State University, where he playedquarterback andwide receiver.
Cerrato signed a contract with theUSFL Oakland Invaders in January 1983, however, was cut in training camp a month later.
Cerrato started his career as a graduate assistant for theMinnesotaGolden Gophers from 1983 to 1984, and he was promoted to recruiting coordinator in 1985, before leaving for Notre Dame.
Before the NFL, Cerrato served as the football recruiting coordinator underLou Holtz at theUniversity of Notre Dame. During that time, the Irish played in four Bowl games and won the 1988 NCAA National Championship.
Cerrato joined theSan Francisco 49ers in 1991 as a scout, and later became the team's director of college scouting in June 1992, helping to draft players such asTed Washington,Ricky Watters,Dana Stubblefield andBryant Young. In1994, the 49ers wonSuper Bowl XXIX. It was also this during time that Cerrato appeared as an actor in the 1994 filmKindergarten Ninja.[1] In February 1995, Cerrato was promoted to director of player personnel, overseeing all college scouting and draft activities as well as pro scouting of NFL players and opponents.
In July 1999, Cerrato was hired as the director of player personnel for theWashington Redskins.[2] During this time, he acquired older big name stars likeBruce Smith,Deion Sanders,Irving Fryar,Jeff George, andMark Carrier. He was then fired byMarty Schottenheimer in2001, working as a college football analyst forESPN. Cerrato was subsequently rehired in2002 as their vice president of football operations following the firing of Schottenheimer. He resigned from the team on December 17, 2009.[3]