SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Rock offensive tackle Mike Butterworth signed a two-year National Football League free-agent contract Monday with the Atlanta Falcons.

Butterworth (#76 above), who had entertained hopes of being picked in the draft, said Monday he turned down a free-agent offer from the Tennessee Titans to accept the deal with the Falcons shortly after the conclusion of the two-day NFL draft on Sunday

"The Falcons have been in touch with me and my agent throughout the pre-draft period and had shown a lot of interest in me, and I felt it would be a better fit for me," Butterworth said.

Butterworth will report to a Falcons' mini camp on May 9.

"I'm really relieve the wait is over," he said. "It seems like it's been a long time since our season ended in early November, so it's good to know all the hard work has paid off. I am hopeful it will pay off even more now that I know which roster I will be on."

Butterworth will see a somewhat familiar face at the Falcons' mini camp next week. Bloomsburg running back Jamar Brittingham also signed a free-agent contract with Atlanta.

Butterworth ended his Rock career by earning All-America honors from Daktronics Inc. (second team), Don Hansen's Football Gazette (honorable mention) and D2Football.com (honorable mention).

A 6-foot-7, 310-pound native of Northern Cambria and graduate of Northern Cambria High School, Butterworth earned first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors for the second consecutive year and was a first-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division selection for the third straight season.

A national finalist for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, Butterworth was a member of the winning East squad in the Valero Cactus Bowl for Division II Universities all-star game.

Butterworth served as the foundation for a Rock offensive line that allowed the lowest number of sacks in the 13-team PSAC and paved the way to SRU leading the conference in rushing (262.3 yards per game) and total offense (463.5 ypg)in 2007.

The Rock offensive effort was a key ingredient in the 2007 team recording the highest win total (9-2 final record) at SRU since 1999.