Aztec Quarterback McGwire Signs With Agent Steinberg : Football: Attorney said it's too early to tell about where SDSU star will go in draft.

Aztec Quarterback McGwire Signs With Agent Steinberg : Football: Attorney said it’s too early to tell about where SDSU star will go in draft.

By SCOTT MILLER

Dec. 22, 1990 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

SAN DIEGO —

Surrounded by NFL jerseys of former San Diego State football players, quarterback Dan McGwire took a step into the professional arena Friday when he announced that he has retained agent Leigh Steinberg to represent him.

“It was basically a simple (decision),” McGwire said. “I talked to a lot of people, sat down with my folks and had attorneys come into our house. Leigh is a qualified man and a qualified attorney. He is the best in the business right now.”

Steinberg, who represents 17 NFL quarterbacks, joined McGwire for the news conference in the players’ lounge in the SDSU Football Operations building. He and McGwire, dressed casually, talked of the future and its possibilities. They talked of McGwire’s height, 6-foot-8 (both think it will be an advantage). McGwire spoke of where he will play--anywhere. And Steinberg discussed how high McGwire will go in the draft--too early to speculate, he said, because it depends on which juniors will leave college early.

NFL jerseys of SDSU alums Brian Sipe, Webster Slaughter, Rob Awalt and Haven Moses, among others, served as a backdrop.

Awalt, a running back at Phoenix, is one of three previous SDSU players Steinberg has represented. He specializes in quarterbacks, though, and among Steinberg’s clients are Jeff George and Troy Aikman, the past two No. 1 draft picks, and Andre Ware, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner.

“Dan will be a franchise quarterback,” Steinberg said. “I represent 17 NFL quarterbacks, and on any given week, 10 or 12 of them are starters. Dan is right there. He will be an outstanding quarterback. He’s a can’t-miss.”

Steinberg said it was premature to say what type of contract he will seek for McGwire. As a starting base, though, he hinted at the deals signed by three of his more well-known clients in the past two years. A year ago, he said, Jeff George got $15 million for six years, and Andre Ware got a $2,250,000 signing bonus. Two years ago, Troy Aikman got $11 million over six years.

“The top player (in the draft) might be Jeff George plus inflation,” he said.

McGwire, meanwhile, said his role in the community was another factor in choosing Steinberg. “I want to be a role model in the community,” McGwire said. “I want to help the community I’ll be playing in. I think I’ve been a good role model in San Diego.”

Said Steinberg: “We talked about a high school scholarship fund at Dan’s old high school (Claremont), a collegiate fund at San Diego State and a program in his pro city. We plan to retrace his roots at every step.”

It was Steinberg who teamed with the Chargers’ Rolf Benirschke to establish the “Kicks for Critters” campaign for the San Diego Zoo.

McGwire completed 270 of 449 passes (60%) this fall for 3,833 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was intercepted just seven times and set an NCAA Division I record for lowest interception percentage by a quarterback in a single season (1.56%).

McGwire will play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. on Jan. 19 and in the East-West Shrine Game in Stanford Jan. 27.

STEINBERG’S QBS The 17 current pro quarterbacks represented by Leigh Steinberg:

Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys

Cary Conklin, Washington Redskins

Tony Eason, New York Jets

John Friesz, San Diego Chargers

Jeff George, Indianapolis Colts

Jim Harbaugh, Chicago Bears

Mark Herrman, Indianapolis Colts

Warren Moon, Houston Oilers

Ken O’Brien, New York Jets

Neil O’Donnell, Pittsburgh Steelers