Jason Buck running for Congress

Published Jan. 19, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

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Jason Buck, a former college football star who won a Super Bowl ring with the Washington Redskins in 1992, announced Thursday that he will seek the Republican nomination for Utah's 2nd Congressional district.

"I can no longer stand by while Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and others destroy the fabric of our government and run up huge amounts of debt," Buck said in a statement, cited by The Salt Lake Tribune.

"I'll fight for a leaner, smaller and constitutionally limited federal government — one that is pro-free-market, pro-taxpayer, pro-family and fiscally sound."

Buck will need to beat fellow conservatives Cherilyn Eagar, Chris Stewart, Howard Wallack, John Willoughby, David Clark and Chuck Williams for the GOP nomination to contest the seat.

Buck was a standout at Utah's Brigham Young University in the mid-1980s where he won All-American honors and the Outland Trophy, awarded to the country's best interior lineman.

He was picked 17th in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He moved to the Redskins in 1991 and earned a Super Bowl ring in the teams victory over the Buffalo Bills in 1992. He retired after the 1993 season.

Living just south of Salt Lake City, Buck is the co-owner of the Arena Football League's Utah Blaze franchise.