Carson Palmer
Encyclopedia
Carson Palmer is an American
professional football
quarterback
for the Oakland Raiders
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played collegiately
at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy
in 2002. He has been selected to two Pro Bowl
s.
, California
and attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School
in Rancho Santa Margarita, California
.
By the time he was in seventh grade, Palmer had remarkable size and arm strength for his age. His father, Bill Palmer, enrolled him in private classes in Orange County taught by quarterback guru Bob Johnson.
Palmer's father was working on the East Coast when Palmer was scheduled to enroll in Santa Margarita Catholic High School as a freshman. Initially, the plan was to move the family to the East Coast but after careful consideration, Bill Palmer realized that the level of competition in California was best for Palmer. Palmer enrolled at Santa Margarita and Bill Palmer commuted home on weekends via airplane.
After a successful stint as a starter his junior year, Palmer started to field offers from USC, Notre Dame, Colorado, and Miami. He followed up a stellar junior season with a remarkable senior season, cementing himself as the most touted player ever to come out of Santa Margarita High School. In his senior season, he led Orange County with a 203.9 QB rating. He was named to the First Team All-League and All-CIF despite suffering a stress fracture in his right foot.
Palmer arrived at the University of Southern California
in 1998
and immediately competed for the starting quarterback job with Mike Van Raaphorst
. Van Raaphorst won, but due to his ineffectiveness, Palmer was named the starter in the ninth game of the season, becoming only the second true freshman
ever to start as quarterback for the Trojans. Palmer roomed with fellow USC football players and future NFL players Troy Polamalu
and Matt Cassel
. Polamalu would go on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals
' division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers
, and Cassel for the Oakland Raiders
' division rival, the Kansas City Chiefs
.
After three underwhelming years at USC, Palmer had a breakout senior year under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator
Norm Chow
, who was brought in the year before by head coach Pete Carroll
after spending 27 seasons at Brigham Young University
and one season at North Carolina State University
. The revamped Trojans offense led to Carson Palmer becoming the fifth Trojan to win the Heisman Trophy
, after running back
s Mike Garrett
(1965
), O.J. Simpson (1968
), Charles White (1979
), and Marcus Allen
(1981
). Palmer was the first Trojan quarterback to be so honored; his successor, Matt Leinart
, won it as a junior in 2004
.
Palmer completed 309 of 489 passes for 3942 yards and 33 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions during the 2002 season, and later led the Trojans to an impressive 38–17 victory over the University of Iowa
in the Orange Bowl. His completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns were all USC single season records. In a November 30 game against Notre Dame
, Palmer threw for 425 yards and led his team to 610 yards of total offense, the most ever gained against Notre Dame in each category. Palmer left college as the Pac-10 Conference's all-time leader in passing yards (11,818), completions (927) and total offense (11,621), along with 72 career touchdown passes, a USC record at that time. Matt Leinart has since surpassed the record, which currently stands at 99.
and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese
as veteran quarterback Jon Kitna
, who signed with the Bengals as an unrestricted free agent in 2001
, took every snap during the 2003
season. For his efforts, Kitna was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Palmer made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the New York Jets
. Palmer completed 18 out of 27 passes. He also threw 2 touchdown passes and an interception. The Jets would held on to beat the Bengals, 31-24. "We came here expecting to win,” Palmer said. “We had what we needed. We had what we wanted. We had the ball with two minutes to go in good field position and I turned it over. I can’t make plays like that for us to win.”
In Week 2, Palmer struggled. He completed 21 out of 38 passes but threw no touchdown passes and 1 interception. But the Bengal won the game over the Miami Dolphins
, giving Palmer his first win as a starter.
In Week 3, Palmer would struggled again against the Baltimore Ravens
. He completed 25 out of 52 passes for 316 passing yards. But he was picked off 3 times. The Bengals lost the game, 23-9. “You can’t get greedy,” Palmer said. “When you’re a young quarterback, you get greedy, and I have to fight that temptation. You need to develop patience. When something isn’t there, you don’t just throw it up in the air."
In Week 12, Palmer threw 4 touchdown passes for 251 passing yards against the Browns. He was also picked off 3 times. The Bengals won the game, 58-48. The 106 points was the second most points in an NFL game. “We kept putting them away, and they kept coming back,” said Palmer, who threw a career-high four touchdown passes. “We kept expecting them to slacken up, but they never did.”
In Week 13, Palmer build off of his amazing performance the week before. The Bengals (5-6) faced the Baltimore Ravens (7-4). Palmer would threw for a career high 382 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes. In the final drive of the game, Palmer made several big plays. He threw a 32-yard pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh and a 22-yarder to Chad Johnson. The Bengals won the game when kicker Shayne Graham
kicked a 24-yard field goal with 0:02 seconds left in the game.
, the Palmer-led Cincinnati Bengals ended fifteen years of futility by notching their first winning season since 1990 and winning the division
with an 11–5 record.
Statistically, Palmer had a stellar individual season, throwing a league-high 32 touchdown passes and leading the league in completion percentage. He became the first Cincinnati Bengals quarterback to finish with a quarterback rating over 100, setting the team record in that category; and he also tied Indianapolis'
Peyton Manning
for most consecutive games, 9, with a triple-digit quarterback rating.
In Week 1, Palmer completed 26 out of 34 passes and 2 passing touchdowns against the Browns. The Bengals won the game 27-13. In Week 2, Palmer had another great game, throwing for 337 yards to go along with 3 passing touchdowns and an interception. Palmer threw 3 more touchdown passes in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears
to improve to 3-0. That was the first time the Bengals have started the season 3-0 since 1990.
In Week 4, Palmer again had a rating over 100 in a game against the Houston Texans. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, Carson completed 22 out of 33 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, the Bengals lost their first game of the year, 23-20. The Bengals would bounce back against the Titans in Week 6. Palmer threw for 272 passing yards and 2 more passing touchdowns. His rating was over 100 for the nint straight game dating back to last season. “He feels like he’s invincible, but right now he knows he can go win it the next play,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis
said of his quarterback. “He doesn’t have to win it on every play. And I think that says a lot for how he is and how important he is to this football team.”
Palmer's consecutive games streak of over a 100 quarterback rating ended in Week 7 against the Steelers. Carson completed 21 of 36 passes for 227 yards but was picked off 2 times and for the first time all season, failed to throw at least a touchdown in a game. “It wasn’t anything in particular they did,” said Palmer, who had a measly 53.8 passer rating for the game. “I just didn’t play well enough to win. I gave them two turnovers. When you play a championship team, you can’t do that.”
Palmer would bounced back in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He threw for 3 touchdown passes and an interception for 237 yards. The Bengals won the game, 21-14.
In Week 9, Palmer passed for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Bengals won their game against the Ravens. Palmer would finished the season with a 101.1 rating.
Carson signed a six year contract extension through the 2014 season with the Bengals on December 29, 2005. In addition to the three years remaining on his existing deal, the value of the extension was worth $118.75 million over nine years. "Hopefully this is the last place I'll end up playing," Palmer said. "That's so rare in this league these days. It's so rare to see a person have a 5-, 8-, 10-, 12-year career in one place. And I feel very fortunate that it looks like that's going to be my future."
On January 8, 2006, the Bengals met their division rival Pittsburgh in the first round of the AFC playoffs at Paul Brown Stadium
in Cincinnati
.
On the Bengals' first pass play, Carson Palmer threw a 66-yard pass to rookie receiver
Chris Henry. It was the longest completion in Bengals playoff history. After Palmer released the pass, Steelers defensive tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen
, a former Bengal, made contact with Palmer's lower left leg. The tackle, later ruled unintentional, violently wrenched Palmer's knee, and he was forced to leave the game. A magnetic resonance imaging
test revealed a severe knee injury; Palmer had tears of both the anterior cruciate
and medial collateral
ligaments as well as cartilage
and meniscus
damage. Coincidentally, Henry himself suffered a knee injury on the same play, though far less severe. The Bengals lost to the eventual Super Bowl
champion Steelers 31–17.
During the off-season, the league's Rules Committee modified the rule regarding low hits on quarterbacks. The new rule prohibited defenders from hitting a passer at or below the knee unless they are blocked into him. Injuries to Palmer, Pittsburgh's
Ben Roethlisberger
, and Tampa Bay's
Brian Griese
were cited as reasons for the new rule. The rule now requires that defenders take every opportunity to avoid hitting a quarterback at or below the knees when the quarterback is in a defenseless position looking to throw with both feet on the ground.
Palmer underwent reconstructive surgery on his injured knee in Houston
, Texas
on January 10, 2006. Lonnie Paulos, a surgeon who is independent of the Cincinnati Bengals, performed the operation. Initially, the Bengals organization stated that Palmer had torn the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments with no other damage. However, Paulos later told the Associated Press
that the damage was more extensive and also included a dislocation of the patella. Paulos called the injury "devastating and potentially career-ending", which drew a derisive comment from Carson Palmer which implied Paulos simply liked to see his name in print. The Bengals, however, later accepted Paulos' assessment
Nonetheless, Palmer vowed he'd be the starting quarterback in the Bengals' regular season opener at Kansas City
on September 10, 2006.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis stated, "This is a serious injury, but we are told the procedure went very well. We know Carson, and we know he will apply himself fully to his rehabilitation. This result encourages our feeling that Carson will be ready to open the 2006 season as our starting quarterback."
During his rehabilitation, Palmer has made several other pointed comments, particularly in an issue of Sports Illustrated
, in which he was on the cover shown using a relatively new form of therapy called the HydroWorx. In the article, Palmer stated that: "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA." He later clarified his statement that the animosity is not directed at individual players; it was born from the historic Bengals–Steelers rivalry. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu
is, in fact, a close friend and former USC roommate.
on August 28, 2006, which saw Palmer complete 9 of 14 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns in just less than two quarters of play in his much-expected debut (which included an 11-yard run for a first down that culminated in a slide on his surgically repaired left knee), Palmer reiterated his position that he would be starting in the Bengals' season opener at Kansas City.
His performance drew rave reviews from many experts, many of whom expected far less of him less than a year after such a serious injury. ESPN
analyst Joe Theismann
, himself a former quarterback with the Washington Redskins
(whose own career was ended by a gruesome broken leg against the New York Giants
on November 18, 1985), praised Palmer for his mental toughness in taking hits and not being gun-shy about staying in the pocket where chances of injury are often high.
Palmer ended up starting all 16 of the Bengals' regular season games, missing only one snap, due to his getting the wind knocked out of him. He actually did not become totally comfortable with his repaired knee until week 9 against the Chargers
when he threw for a career high of 440 yards. Despite his previous injury, he passed the 4,000 yard mark for the first time in his career, finishing the season with a franchise record 4,035 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, only 13 interceptions and 93.9 rating. He also made the Pro Bowl
for the second year in a row, becoming the first Bengals quarterback to do this since Boomer Esiason
in 1988 and 1989. Palmer was named Most Outstanding Player at the Pro Bowl, leading the AFC down the field in the final two minutes for the win. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns, one to his Bengals teammate Chad Johnson. Palmer placed 3rd in voting for NFL Comeback Player of the Year, behind Drew Brees
and Chad Pennington
. Unfortunately, his team suffered quite a few misfortunes, such as missed point afters and field goals, while slipping from an 11–5 record in 2005 to 8–8 in 2006 and failing to make the playoffs due to a game 16 loss against their hated rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After winning the Pro Bowl MVP, Palmer declared, "This is a huge honor and extremely exciting and I feel very blessed just to be here, let alone for the outcome to be this. But my goal's to be in a Super Bowl
. And to win a Super Bowl
. That's where my mind's at, and after this week I'm going to start focusing on that again." During the 2007 off-season, Palmer had scheduled workouts with not only Chad Johnson (which he usually did), but receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Tab Perry
. He also said he was fully comfortable with his knee.
against the Baltimore Ravens
, Palmer went 20 for 32 with 194 yards and two touchdowns. Palmer and the Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens 27–20. He followed up this performance with 33 completions for 401 passing yards and a franchise record 6 touchdown passes the next week in a game against the Cleveland Browns
. But even so, his team lost the game 51–45. Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson
also threw for five touchdown passes in the game. It was only the third time in NFL history that two quarterbacks had thrown at least five touchdown passes in the same game. In the loss to the Seattle Seahawks
, 21–24, Palmer went 27 for 43 for 342 yards for a touchdown, but also threw two interceptions.
By week 8, Palmer and the Bengals were struggling. His team had only a 2–5 record and he had thrown 9 interceptions, the most by any quarterback in the AFC. However, he remained statistically productive, ranking fourth in the NFL in passing yards and fifth in touchdowns with a passer rating of over 90.
The Bengals' misfortunes continued throughout the season and a week 15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers
ensured that the team would finish the season with a losing record for the first time since he had been their starting quarterback. In the same game, Palmer threw his 100th career touchdown pass, becoming the 5th fastest player ever to reach this milestone (59 games). Palmer finished the season with 376 completions for 4,131 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 20 interceptions. His 20 interceptions were a career high, but his 376 completions and 4,131 passing yards set new Bengals franchise records.
, Palmer was held to 99 yards and no touchdowns, completing only 10 out of 25 passes with an interception. For the first time in his career Palmer wore a clear protective visor because of a broken nose. In the following 24–7 loss to the Tennessee Titans
, Palmer was 16 of 27 for 134 yards and two interceptions. As the Bengals fell to 0–3 against the New York Giants
in a 26–23 overtime loss, Palmer went 27 for 39 for 286 yards and a touchdown.
Due to a sore elbow, Palmer missed the next game against the Cleveland Browns
, which ended in a loss. This ended Palmer's consecutive start streak of 51 games. Palmer returned the following week against the Dallas Cowboys
and completed 23 of 39 of his passes for 217 yards, with two touchdowns, and an interception on the first passing play of the game.
The cause of Palmer's sore elbow was later diagnosed as a partially torn ligament
and tendon
and he was shelved for the remainder of the season. Palmer elected not to undergo Tommy John surgery
to repair the damage; instead, he chose to rest the elbow to allow it to heal. By March 2009, Palmer said that he was "100 percent" again.
, the Bengals drafted 3 more pass catchers for Carson Palmer: Oklahoma
tight end Jermaine Gresham
in the first round, Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley
in the third round, and Kansas
wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe
in the sixth round. During OTA's (Organized Team Activities), Palmer asserted himself as the leader of the team by calling out Chad Ochocinco, saying that the number one receiver should be there with the team.
During the 2010 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio
, Palmer completed 2 out of 5 passes for 18 yards, both to wide receiver Terrell Owens
. Palmer and the Bengals started out the 2010 campaign with a 2-1 record, but would falter after that going on 10-game losing streak to finish out the season at 4-12. Statistically, Carson improved from the previous year as his attempts, completion percentage, yardage and touchdown numbers all rose (although he did throw more interceptions as well).
reported that a friend of Palmer quoted him as saying, "I will never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again"; "I have $80 million in the bank," Palmer reportedly said; "I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game, but that would have to be elsewhere." Palmer's agent said, "Because of the lack of success that Carson and the Bengals have experienced together, Carson strongly feels that a separation between him and the Bengals would be in the best interest of both parties." In 7 seasons under Palmer, the Bengals have appeared in the playoffs twice (2005 and 2009), and have not won any playoff games.
During an interview at the 2011 NFL Draft
, head coach Marvin Lewis
said that Carson Palmer told him he has plans to retire. In response, the Bengals selected TCU quarterback Andy Dalton
in the second round. On July 26, 2011 a video posted on NFL.com showed a press conference held by Mike Brown, the president of the Bengals, stating that he did not expect Carson Palmer to return to the Bengals for the 2011-2012 season, the organization wished him well, and that there were no plans to trade him. When asked why he wouldn't trade Carson, Mike Brown answered:
Consequently, Palmer was placed on the reserve/did not report list on July 29, 2011, after failing to report to training camp. Despite Mike Brown's initial refusal to trade him, on October 18, 2011, Palmer was traded to the Oakland Raiders
for a first-round pick in the 2012 draft and a conditional second-round pick in the 2013 draft, which could become a first-round pick if the Raiders won a Divisional Round playoff game in either the 2011 season or 2012 season. The trade came after the Raiders' starting quarterback, Jason Campbell
, broke his collarbone two days earlier against the Cleveland Browns and was expected to miss the rest of the season. With Pro Bowl
punter Shane Lechler
wearing Palmer's number 9 from Cincinnati, Palmer switched his jersey number to 3, his number at USC which was worn by Jon Kitna
in Cincinnati at the time the Bengals drafted him. On October 23, Palmer came off the bench against the Kansas City Chiefs
to relieve starting quarterback Kyle Boller
who had thrown 3 interceptions and had the team down 21-0. Palmer completed 8 of his 21 for 116 yards and threw 3 interceptions in his Raider debut. He stated after the game, "I was told I was not going to play. I didn't know the offense, I also hadn't been training and working out, so it was a complete shock to me at halftime when (Raiders coach Hue Jackson
) told me, 'Hey, you know we're going to get you in, in the third quarter.'" In his first start for the Raiders two weeks later Palmer threw for over 330 yards and had three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions and lost a fumble.
In his second start as a Raider during the Week 11 Thursday Night game against the division rival San Diego Chargers
, Palmer showed further progress as he finished the game completing 14 of 20 passes for 299 yards and threw two touchdowns and a single interception for a QB rating of 125.0 in a 24-17 road win that would ultimately give the Raiders the lead in the division. After going 0 for 2, Palmer would complete 10 straight passes including two touchdowns of 33 & 26 yards to rookie wide receiver Denarius Moore
. Palmer was on course for a perfect passer rating
of 158.3 until he took a hit from Chargers' linebacker Travis LaBoy
while attempting a pass early in the Fourth Quarter that resulted in wobbly pass picked-off by Paul Oliver
.
In 2008, Nike
released 3 Air Max 90s, one of which was designed in the Nike ID studios by Palmer. The shoe's colorway bears a strong resemblance to the famous Air Max 90 Infrareds.
Palmer is a contributor to Delta Air Lines
' "Under the Wing" blog. Delta maintains a hub at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Palmer was the best man at Kansas City Chiefs
quarterback Matt Cassel
's wedding.
Palmer appeared as himself on The Replacements in many episodes. His first appearance was "Ball Hogs".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 2002. He has been selected to two Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s.
Early years
Palmer was born in FresnoFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School is a coeducational college preparatory Roman Catholic high school located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, United States. SMCHS was opened in the fall of 1987 under the direction of the Bishop of Orange...
in Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master planned community set upon rolling hills. Most neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita are within various homeowners associations...
.
By the time he was in seventh grade, Palmer had remarkable size and arm strength for his age. His father, Bill Palmer, enrolled him in private classes in Orange County taught by quarterback guru Bob Johnson.
Palmer's father was working on the East Coast when Palmer was scheduled to enroll in Santa Margarita Catholic High School as a freshman. Initially, the plan was to move the family to the East Coast but after careful consideration, Bill Palmer realized that the level of competition in California was best for Palmer. Palmer enrolled at Santa Margarita and Bill Palmer commuted home on weekends via airplane.
After a successful stint as a starter his junior year, Palmer started to field offers from USC, Notre Dame, Colorado, and Miami. He followed up a stellar junior season with a remarkable senior season, cementing himself as the most touted player ever to come out of Santa Margarita High School. In his senior season, he led Orange County with a 203.9 QB rating. He was named to the First Team All-League and All-CIF despite suffering a stress fracture in his right foot.
College career
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1998
1998 in sports
1998 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
and immediately competed for the starting quarterback job with Mike Van Raaphorst
Mike Van Raaphorst
Mike Van Raaphorst is a former American football quarterback for the USC Trojans.Today, Van Raaphorst works for Western Asset Management in New York City after obtaining an MBA from the University of Southern California.-References:...
. Van Raaphorst won, but due to his ineffectiveness, Palmer was named the starter in the ninth game of the season, becoming only the second true freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
ever to start as quarterback for the Trojans. Palmer roomed with fellow USC football players and future NFL players Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
and Matt Cassel
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. Polamalu would go on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
' division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, and Cassel for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' division rival, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
After three underwhelming years at USC, Palmer had a breakout senior year under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Norm Chow
Norm Chow
Norman Chow is the offensive coordinator for the Utah Utes, a position he started on January 22, 2011. He previously held the same position with UCLA, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, USC, North Carolina State, and Brigham Young University....
, who was brought in the year before by head coach Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
after spending 27 seasons at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and one season at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. The revamped Trojans offense led to Carson Palmer becoming the fifth Trojan to win the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, after running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s Mike Garrett
Mike Garrett
Michael Lockett Garrett is a former American collegiate and professional football player who won the 1965 Heisman Trophy as a tailback for the University of Southern California Trojans. Garrett also played professional football for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers...
(1965
1965 in sports
1965 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship Buffalo Bills won 23-0 over the San Diego Chargers* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 23-12 over the Cleveland Browns on January 2, 1966-England:...
), O.J. Simpson (1968
1968 in sports
1968 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France** Women's overall champion: Nancy Greene, Canada-American football:...
), Charles White (1979
1979 in sports
1979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:...
), and Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
(1981
1981 in sports
1981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland-American football:...
). Palmer was the first Trojan quarterback to be so honored; his successor, Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
, won it as a junior in 2004
2004 in sports
2004 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* College football Bowl Championship Series :**January 1 – Rose Bowl – USC 28, Michigan 14...
.
Palmer completed 309 of 489 passes for 3942 yards and 33 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions during the 2002 season, and later led the Trojans to an impressive 38–17 victory over the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in the Orange Bowl. His completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns were all USC single season records. In a November 30 game against Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Palmer threw for 425 yards and led his team to 610 yards of total offense, the most ever gained against Notre Dame in each category. Palmer left college as the Pac-10 Conference's all-time leader in passing yards (11,818), completions (927) and total offense (11,621), along with 72 career touchdown passes, a USC record at that time. Matt Leinart has since surpassed the record, which currently stands at 99.
Statistics
from USC biography- 1999: 39/53 (73.6%) for 490 yards, 3 Passing TDs and 1 Rushing TD; with 3 Interceptions
- 2000: 228/415 (54.9%) for 2914 yards, 16 Passing TDs and 2 Rushing TDs; with 18 Interceptions
- 2001: 221/377 (58.6%) for 2717 yards, 13 Passing TDs and 1 Rushing TD; with 12 Interceptions
- 2002: 309/489 (63.2%) for 3942 yards, 33 Passing TDs and 4 Rushing TDs; with 10 Interceptions
2003 season
Unlike most quarterbacks drafted first overall, Palmer did not play at all during his rookie season; instead, Palmer learned the position during games and in practice under head coach Marvin LewisMarvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese
Ken Zampese
Kenneth "Ken" Zampese is an American football coach. He began his coaching career in 1989 coaching for the University of San Diego. He is currently the Quarterbacks Coach for the Cincinnati Bengals...
as veteran quarterback Jon Kitna
Jon Kitna
Jon K. Kitna is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
, who signed with the Bengals as an unrestricted free agent in 2001
2001 in sports
2001 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
, took every snap during the 2003
2003 in sports
2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
season. For his efforts, Kitna was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
2004 season
After learning the position his rookie season, Palmer was given the starting quarterback position for the 2004 season and started 13 games; the Bengals finished that season at 8–8.Palmer made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Palmer completed 18 out of 27 passes. He also threw 2 touchdown passes and an interception. The Jets would held on to beat the Bengals, 31-24. "We came here expecting to win,” Palmer said. “We had what we needed. We had what we wanted. We had the ball with two minutes to go in good field position and I turned it over. I can’t make plays like that for us to win.”
In Week 2, Palmer struggled. He completed 21 out of 38 passes but threw no touchdown passes and 1 interception. But the Bengal won the game over the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, giving Palmer his first win as a starter.
In Week 3, Palmer would struggled again against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. He completed 25 out of 52 passes for 316 passing yards. But he was picked off 3 times. The Bengals lost the game, 23-9. “You can’t get greedy,” Palmer said. “When you’re a young quarterback, you get greedy, and I have to fight that temptation. You need to develop patience. When something isn’t there, you don’t just throw it up in the air."
In Week 12, Palmer threw 4 touchdown passes for 251 passing yards against the Browns. He was also picked off 3 times. The Bengals won the game, 58-48. The 106 points was the second most points in an NFL game. “We kept putting them away, and they kept coming back,” said Palmer, who threw a career-high four touchdown passes. “We kept expecting them to slacken up, but they never did.”
In Week 13, Palmer build off of his amazing performance the week before. The Bengals (5-6) faced the Baltimore Ravens (7-4). Palmer would threw for a career high 382 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes. In the final drive of the game, Palmer made several big plays. He threw a 32-yard pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh and a 22-yarder to Chad Johnson. The Bengals won the game when kicker Shayne Graham
Shayne Graham
Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...
kicked a 24-yard field goal with 0:02 seconds left in the game.
2005 season
In 20052005 in sports
2005 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Bode Miller ** Women's overall season champion: Anja Pärson -American football:...
, the Palmer-led Cincinnati Bengals ended fifteen years of futility by notching their first winning season since 1990 and winning the division
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
with an 11–5 record.
Statistically, Palmer had a stellar individual season, throwing a league-high 32 touchdown passes and leading the league in completion percentage. He became the first Cincinnati Bengals quarterback to finish with a quarterback rating over 100, setting the team record in that category; and he also tied Indianapolis'
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
for most consecutive games, 9, with a triple-digit quarterback rating.
In Week 1, Palmer completed 26 out of 34 passes and 2 passing touchdowns against the Browns. The Bengals won the game 27-13. In Week 2, Palmer had another great game, throwing for 337 yards to go along with 3 passing touchdowns and an interception. Palmer threw 3 more touchdown passes in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
to improve to 3-0. That was the first time the Bengals have started the season 3-0 since 1990.
In Week 4, Palmer again had a rating over 100 in a game against the Houston Texans. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, Carson completed 22 out of 33 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, the Bengals lost their first game of the year, 23-20. The Bengals would bounce back against the Titans in Week 6. Palmer threw for 272 passing yards and 2 more passing touchdowns. His rating was over 100 for the nint straight game dating back to last season. “He feels like he’s invincible, but right now he knows he can go win it the next play,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
said of his quarterback. “He doesn’t have to win it on every play. And I think that says a lot for how he is and how important he is to this football team.”
Palmer's consecutive games streak of over a 100 quarterback rating ended in Week 7 against the Steelers. Carson completed 21 of 36 passes for 227 yards but was picked off 2 times and for the first time all season, failed to throw at least a touchdown in a game. “It wasn’t anything in particular they did,” said Palmer, who had a measly 53.8 passer rating for the game. “I just didn’t play well enough to win. I gave them two turnovers. When you play a championship team, you can’t do that.”
Palmer would bounced back in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He threw for 3 touchdown passes and an interception for 237 yards. The Bengals won the game, 21-14.
In Week 9, Palmer passed for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Bengals won their game against the Ravens. Palmer would finished the season with a 101.1 rating.
Carson signed a six year contract extension through the 2014 season with the Bengals on December 29, 2005. In addition to the three years remaining on his existing deal, the value of the extension was worth $118.75 million over nine years. "Hopefully this is the last place I'll end up playing," Palmer said. "That's so rare in this league these days. It's so rare to see a person have a 5-, 8-, 10-, 12-year career in one place. And I feel very fortunate that it looks like that's going to be my future."
On January 8, 2006, the Bengals met their division rival Pittsburgh in the first round of the AFC playoffs at Paul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and...
in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
On the Bengals' first pass play, Carson Palmer threw a 66-yard pass to rookie receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Chris Henry. It was the longest completion in Bengals playoff history. After Palmer released the pass, Steelers defensive tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen
Kimo von Oelhoffen
Kimo K. von Oelhoffen is a retired American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boise State....
, a former Bengal, made contact with Palmer's lower left leg. The tackle, later ruled unintentional, violently wrenched Palmer's knee, and he was forced to leave the game. A magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
test revealed a severe knee injury; Palmer had tears of both the anterior cruciate
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
and medial collateral
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
ligaments as well as cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
and meniscus
Meniscus
The meniscus is the curve in the upper surface of a liquid close to the surface of the container or another object, caused by surface tension. It can be either convex or concave. A convex meniscus occurs when the molecules have a stronger attraction to each other than to the material of the...
damage. Coincidentally, Henry himself suffered a knee injury on the same play, though far less severe. The Bengals lost to the eventual Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion Steelers 31–17.
During the off-season, the league's Rules Committee modified the rule regarding low hits on quarterbacks. The new rule prohibited defenders from hitting a passer at or below the knee unless they are blocked into him. Injuries to Palmer, Pittsburgh's
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
, and Tampa Bay's
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
Brian Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
were cited as reasons for the new rule. The rule now requires that defenders take every opportunity to avoid hitting a quarterback at or below the knees when the quarterback is in a defenseless position looking to throw with both feet on the ground.
Rehabilitation
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on January 10, 2006. Lonnie Paulos, a surgeon who is independent of the Cincinnati Bengals, performed the operation. Initially, the Bengals organization stated that Palmer had torn the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments with no other damage. However, Paulos later told the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
that the damage was more extensive and also included a dislocation of the patella. Paulos called the injury "devastating and potentially career-ending", which drew a derisive comment from Carson Palmer which implied Paulos simply liked to see his name in print. The Bengals, however, later accepted Paulos' assessment
Nonetheless, Palmer vowed he'd be the starting quarterback in the Bengals' regular season opener at Kansas City
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on September 10, 2006.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis stated, "This is a serious injury, but we are told the procedure went very well. We know Carson, and we know he will apply himself fully to his rehabilitation. This result encourages our feeling that Carson will be ready to open the 2006 season as our starting quarterback."
During his rehabilitation, Palmer has made several other pointed comments, particularly in an issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, in which he was on the cover shown using a relatively new form of therapy called the HydroWorx. In the article, Palmer stated that: "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA." He later clarified his statement that the animosity is not directed at individual players; it was born from the historic Bengals–Steelers rivalry. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
is, in fact, a close friend and former USC roommate.
2006 season
Palmer returned in time for the 2006 preseason. After the Bengals' 48–17 pre-season victory over the visiting Green Bay Packers2006 Green Bay Packers season
- Game summary :The Packers opened the regular season on September 10 with a 26-0 loss to the Chicago Bears, the Packers' first scoreless game since October 17, 1991....
on August 28, 2006, which saw Palmer complete 9 of 14 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns in just less than two quarters of play in his much-expected debut (which included an 11-yard run for a first down that culminated in a slide on his surgically repaired left knee), Palmer reiterated his position that he would be starting in the Bengals' season opener at Kansas City.
His performance drew rave reviews from many experts, many of whom expected far less of him less than a year after such a serious injury. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
analyst Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...
, himself a former quarterback with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
(whose own career was ended by a gruesome broken leg against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 18, 1985), praised Palmer for his mental toughness in taking hits and not being gun-shy about staying in the pocket where chances of injury are often high.
Palmer ended up starting all 16 of the Bengals' regular season games, missing only one snap, due to his getting the wind knocked out of him. He actually did not become totally comfortable with his repaired knee until week 9 against the Chargers
2006 San Diego Chargers season
The 2006 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. They finished the campaign as the #1 seed in the AFC ending the season at 14–2, best record in the NFL...
when he threw for a career high of 440 yards. Despite his previous injury, he passed the 4,000 yard mark for the first time in his career, finishing the season with a franchise record 4,035 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, only 13 interceptions and 93.9 rating. He also made the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
for the second year in a row, becoming the first Bengals quarterback to do this since Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
in 1988 and 1989. Palmer was named Most Outstanding Player at the Pro Bowl, leading the AFC down the field in the final two minutes for the win. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns, one to his Bengals teammate Chad Johnson. Palmer placed 3rd in voting for NFL Comeback Player of the Year, behind Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
and Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
. Unfortunately, his team suffered quite a few misfortunes, such as missed point afters and field goals, while slipping from an 11–5 record in 2005 to 8–8 in 2006 and failing to make the playoffs due to a game 16 loss against their hated rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After winning the Pro Bowl MVP, Palmer declared, "This is a huge honor and extremely exciting and I feel very blessed just to be here, let alone for the outcome to be this. But my goal's to be in a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. And to win a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. That's where my mind's at, and after this week I'm going to start focusing on that again." During the 2007 off-season, Palmer had scheduled workouts with not only Chad Johnson (which he usually did), but receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Tab Perry
Tab Perry
Tab Wilson Perry is an American football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. He also said he was fully comfortable with his knee.
2007 season
In the season opener on Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
against the Baltimore Ravens
2007 Baltimore Ravens season
-Game summary:The Ravens began their 2007 campaign on the road against their AFC North foe, the Cincinnati Bengals, in the first game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader. In the first quarter, Baltimore lost two fumbles early on, with the Bengals turning the second fumble into QB Carson...
, Palmer went 20 for 32 with 194 yards and two touchdowns. Palmer and the Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens 27–20. He followed up this performance with 33 completions for 401 passing yards and a franchise record 6 touchdown passes the next week in a game against the Cleveland Browns
2007 Cleveland Browns season
The 2007 Cleveland Browns season began with the Browns attempting to improve upon their 4–12 record from the 2006 season, in which the team finished in fourth place in the AFC North. The Browns also attempted to overcome the many injuries that plagued the team throughout the 2006 season...
. But even so, his team lost the game 51–45. Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
also threw for five touchdown passes in the game. It was only the third time in NFL history that two quarterbacks had thrown at least five touchdown passes in the same game. In the loss to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, 21–24, Palmer went 27 for 43 for 342 yards for a touchdown, but also threw two interceptions.
By week 8, Palmer and the Bengals were struggling. His team had only a 2–5 record and he had thrown 9 interceptions, the most by any quarterback in the AFC. However, he remained statistically productive, ranking fourth in the NFL in passing yards and fifth in touchdowns with a passer rating of over 90.
The Bengals' misfortunes continued throughout the season and a week 15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers
2007 San Francisco 49ers season
Game summaryComing off a fierce divisional road win over the Rams, the 49ers flew to Heinz Field for an interconference duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the first quarter, the Niners struck first with kicker Joe Nedney getting a 32-yard field goal. The Steelers would immediately respond with...
ensured that the team would finish the season with a losing record for the first time since he had been their starting quarterback. In the same game, Palmer threw his 100th career touchdown pass, becoming the 5th fastest player ever to reach this milestone (59 games). Palmer finished the season with 376 completions for 4,131 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 20 interceptions. His 20 interceptions were a career high, but his 376 completions and 4,131 passing yards set new Bengals franchise records.
2008 season
In the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens2008 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles entered the 2008 season led by Dave Trembley, now starting his first full season as manager. President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail continued the rebuilding process...
, Palmer was held to 99 yards and no touchdowns, completing only 10 out of 25 passes with an interception. For the first time in his career Palmer wore a clear protective visor because of a broken nose. In the following 24–7 loss to the Tennessee Titans
2008 Tennessee Titans season
The 2008 Tennessee Titans season was the 49th season for the team in the National Football League, their twelfth in Tennessee, and their tenth as the Titans. Despite being expected by most sportswriters to finish third or even fourth in the AFC South, they compiled a 13–3 regular season record and...
, Palmer was 16 of 27 for 134 yards and two interceptions. As the Bengals fell to 0–3 against the New York Giants
2008 New York Giants season
The 2008 New York Giants season was the franchise's 84th season in the National Football League as the team looked to defend its Super Bowl XLII title. They improved upon their 10–6 record from 2007, becoming NFC East champions and finished with the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a 12-4 record...
in a 26–23 overtime loss, Palmer went 27 for 39 for 286 yards and a touchdown.
Due to a sore elbow, Palmer missed the next game against the Cleveland Browns
2008 Cleveland Browns season
The 2008 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 62nd season as a franchise and was the team's 58th season as a member of the National Football League. The Browns finished with a 4–12 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs. The season marked Romeo Crennel's fourth year as head coach of the...
, which ended in a loss. This ended Palmer's consecutive start streak of 51 games. Palmer returned the following week against the Dallas Cowboys
2008 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2008 Dallas Cowboys season was the 49th season for the team in the National Football League. The season was most noted for week 17, when the Cowboys were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 44–6, their worst loss since the 1985 Chicago Bears came to Texas Stadium and beat the Cowboys 44–0...
and completed 23 of 39 of his passes for 217 yards, with two touchdowns, and an interception on the first passing play of the game.
The cause of Palmer's sore elbow was later diagnosed as a partially torn ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
and tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
and he was shelved for the remainder of the season. Palmer elected not to undergo Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
to repair the damage; instead, he chose to rest the elbow to allow it to heal. By March 2009, Palmer said that he was "100 percent" again.
2009 season
In the season opener, Palmer threw the ball 33 times for 247 yards, 2 interceptions, and no touchdowns in a 12–7 loss against the Denver Broncos. The critics sought another mediocre season for the Bengals, with a lack of offensive production. The offense bounced back in week 2 against the Green Bay Packers. Palmer threw for 185 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in a 31–24 win. In week 7 against the Chicago Bears, Palmer was 20 of 24 passing, with 5 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 146.7, in a 45–10 win. This win improved the Bengals' record to 5–2. After a 16–7 win against the Cleveland Browns in week 12, the Bengals swept their division for the first time in franchise history. Going into a week 15 game at San Diego, Bengals' receiver Chris Henry died. Playing with a heavy heart, Carson Palmer threw for 314 yards, with 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, but only to lose on a last second field goal by the Chargers. Palmer had a 91.7 passer rating with 2 touchdowns and only 1 interception in 17-10 week 16 win against the Kansas City Chiefs. This win assured the Bengals' first winning season and division title since 2005. In Palmer's first full playoff game, he struggled. Palmer threw the ball with a 50 percent completion percentage, with 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and a 53.8 passer rating, in a 24–14 loss to the New York Jets. Carson Palmer finished the 2009 season with a 60.5 completion percentage, 3,094 yards passing, 21 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a passer rating of 83.6. He seemed to have taken a step back from where he was in 2005, 2006, and 2007.2010 season
In the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, the Bengals drafted 3 more pass catchers for Carson Palmer: Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
tight end Jermaine Gresham
Jermaine Gresham
Jermaine Gresham is an American football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted by the Bengals with the 21st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, despite the fact that he had missed all of the previous season with a knee injury....
in the first round, Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley
Jordan Shipley
Jordan Shipley is an American football player who currently plays wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League . He was drafted by Cincinnati in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
in the third round, and Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe
Dezmon Briscoe
Dezmon Jerrod Briscoe is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas.-Early years:Briscoe was born in Dallas, Texas to...
in the sixth round. During OTA's (Organized Team Activities), Palmer asserted himself as the leader of the team by calling out Chad Ochocinco, saying that the number one receiver should be there with the team.
During the 2010 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Palmer completed 2 out of 5 passes for 18 yards, both to wide receiver Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
. Palmer and the Bengals started out the 2010 campaign with a 2-1 record, but would falter after that going on 10-game losing streak to finish out the season at 4-12. Statistically, Carson improved from the previous year as his attempts, completion percentage, yardage and touchdown numbers all rose (although he did throw more interceptions as well).
2011 season and trade to Oakland Raiders
Following the Bengals' 4–12 finish in the 2010 season on January 23, 2011 Palmer requested to be traded. Bengals president Mike Brown turned down Palmer's request the next day. News reports said that Palmer is prepared to retire if necessary. WCPO-TVWCPO-TV
WCPO-TV, virtual channel 9 , is an ABC-affiliated television station in Cincinnati, Ohio. WCPO's studio is located in the Mount Adams neighborhood of Cincinnati, just outside of Eden Park. Its transmitter is located along Symmes Street, just south of East McMillan Street in Cincinnati.The station...
reported that a friend of Palmer quoted him as saying, "I will never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again"; "I have $80 million in the bank," Palmer reportedly said; "I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game, but that would have to be elsewhere." Palmer's agent said, "Because of the lack of success that Carson and the Bengals have experienced together, Carson strongly feels that a separation between him and the Bengals would be in the best interest of both parties." In 7 seasons under Palmer, the Bengals have appeared in the playoffs twice (2005 and 2009), and have not won any playoff games.
During an interview at the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
, head coach Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
said that Carson Palmer told him he has plans to retire. In response, the Bengals selected TCU quarterback Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton (American football)
Andrew Gregory Dalton is an American professional football quarterback for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at Texas Christian University...
in the second round. On July 26, 2011 a video posted on NFL.com showed a press conference held by Mike Brown, the president of the Bengals, stating that he did not expect Carson Palmer to return to the Bengals for the 2011-2012 season, the organization wished him well, and that there were no plans to trade him. When asked why he wouldn't trade Carson, Mike Brown answered:
"Carson signed a contract. He made a commitment. He gave his word. We relied on his word. We relied on his commitment. We expected him to perform here. He's going to walk away from his commitment. We aren't going to reward him for doing it."
Consequently, Palmer was placed on the reserve/did not report list on July 29, 2011, after failing to report to training camp. Despite Mike Brown's initial refusal to trade him, on October 18, 2011, Palmer was traded to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for a first-round pick in the 2012 draft and a conditional second-round pick in the 2013 draft, which could become a first-round pick if the Raiders won a Divisional Round playoff game in either the 2011 season or 2012 season. The trade came after the Raiders' starting quarterback, Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, broke his collarbone two days earlier against the Cleveland Browns and was expected to miss the rest of the season. With Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
punter Shane Lechler
Shane Lechler
Edward Shane Lechler is an American football punter who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League. Lechler played college football for Texas A&M from 1996-1999. In the NFL, Lechler has been named an All-Pro eight times during his career...
wearing Palmer's number 9 from Cincinnati, Palmer switched his jersey number to 3, his number at USC which was worn by Jon Kitna
Jon Kitna
Jon K. Kitna is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
in Cincinnati at the time the Bengals drafted him. On October 23, Palmer came off the bench against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
to relieve starting quarterback Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
who had thrown 3 interceptions and had the team down 21-0. Palmer completed 8 of his 21 for 116 yards and threw 3 interceptions in his Raider debut. He stated after the game, "I was told I was not going to play. I didn't know the offense, I also hadn't been training and working out, so it was a complete shock to me at halftime when (Raiders coach Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson is an American football coach who is currently head coach of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League after previously serving as the team's offensive coordinator in 2010....
) told me, 'Hey, you know we're going to get you in, in the third quarter.'" In his first start for the Raiders two weeks later Palmer threw for over 330 yards and had three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions and lost a fumble.
In his second start as a Raider during the Week 11 Thursday Night game against the division rival San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Palmer showed further progress as he finished the game completing 14 of 20 passes for 299 yards and threw two touchdowns and a single interception for a QB rating of 125.0 in a 24-17 road win that would ultimately give the Raiders the lead in the division. After going 0 for 2, Palmer would complete 10 straight passes including two touchdowns of 33 & 26 yards to rookie wide receiver Denarius Moore
Denarius Moore
-Oakland Raiders:Moore was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 5th Round of the 2011 NFL Draft. After a strong Training camp and Preseason, Moore made the Oakland Raiders 53-man Roster....
. Palmer was on course for a perfect passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 158.3 until he took a hit from Chargers' linebacker Travis LaBoy
Travis LaBoy
Travis LaBoy is an American football linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
while attempting a pass early in the Fourth Quarter that resulted in wobbly pass picked-off by Paul Oliver
Paul Oliver (American football)
Paul J. Oliver is an American football safety for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League...
.
Regular season
| Year | |G | |Passing | |Rushing | |Sacked | |Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sack | YdsL | Fum | FumL | ||||
| 2003 2003 NFL season -Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 2004 NFL season The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
13 | 13 | 432 | 263 | 60.9 | 2,897 | 6.7 | 18 | 18 | 77.3 | 18 | 47 | 2.6 | 1 | 25 | 178 | 2 | 2 |
| 2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
16 | 16 | 509 | 345 | 67.8 | 3,836 | 7.5 | 32 | 12 | 101.1 | 34 | 41 | 1.2 | 1 | 19 | 105 | 5 | 2 |
| 2006 2006 NFL season The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
16 | 16 | 520 | 324 | 62.3 | 4,035 | 7.8 | 28 | 13 | 93.9 | 26 | 37 | 1.4 | 0 | 36 | 233 | 15 | 7 |
| 2007 2007 NFL season The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30.... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
16 | 16 | 575 | 373 | 64.9 | 4,131 | 7.2 | 26 | 20 | 86.7 | 24 | 10 | 0.4 | 0 | 17 | 119 | 5 | 1 |
| 2008 2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
4 | 4 | 129 | 75 | 58.1 | 731 | 5.7 | 3 | 4 | 69.0 | 6 | 38 | 6.3 | 0 | 11 | 67 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
16 | 16 | 466 | 282 | 60.5 | 3,094 | 6.6 | 21 | 13 | 83.6 | 39 | 93 | 2.4 | 3 | 26 | 213 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
16 | 16 | 586 | 362 | 61.8 | 3,970 | 6.8 | 26 | 20 | 82.4 | 32 | 50 | 1.6 | 0 | 26 | 201 | 7 | 3 |
| 2011 2011 NFL season The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on... | OAK Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
3 | 2 | 76 | 41 | 53.9 | 747 | 9.8 | 5 | 7 | 71.5 | 8 | -5 | -0.6 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 100 | 99 | 3,293 | 2,065 | 62.7 | 23,441 | 7.1 | 159 | 107 | 86.6 | 187 | 311 | 1.7 | 5 | 163 | 1,133 | 44 | 18 | |
Playoffs
| Year | |G | |Passing | |Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||
| 2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... | CIN 2005 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2005 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 38th year in professional football and its 36th with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Postseason:... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 66 | 66.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... | CIN 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and their 42nd overall. They finished the season at 10–6–0, and sweeping the entire AFC North division, they improved on their 2008 record of 4–11–1, winning the AFC North Division and making the... |
1 | 1 | 36 | 18 | 50.0 | 146 | 4.06 | 1 | 1 | 58.3 | 1 | 2 | 2.00 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 37 | 19 | 51.4 | 212 | 5.73 | 1 | 1 | 66.5 | 1 | 2 | 2.00 | 0 | |
Bengals franchise records
- Highest Passer Rating, Career (Min. 500 attempts) – 89.0
- Highest Passer Rating, Season (Min. 14 attempts/team game played) – 101.1 (2005)
- Highest Completion Percentage, Career (Min. 200 attempts) – 63.8%
- Most Completions, Season – 373 (2005)
- Most Passing Yards, Season – 4131 (2007)
- Only Bengals QB to pass for 4000 yards in a season (twice; 2006–2007)
- Most 300+ Yard Passing Games, Season – 5 (2007; tied w/Boomer EsiasonBoomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, 1987) - Most Touchdown Passes, Season – 32 (2005)
- Most Touchdown Passes, Game – 6 (9/16/2007 at Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
) - Most Consecutive Games w/Passer Rating over 100 – 9
Personal life
On July 5, 2003, Palmer wed a former USC soccer player, Shaelynn, whom he met during freshman orientation. In the off-season, they reside in San Diego, California. His brother, Jordan Palmer, was his best man at his wedding. His wife gave birth to a set of twins in January 2009, one boy and one girl.In 2008, Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
released 3 Air Max 90s, one of which was designed in the Nike ID studios by Palmer. The shoe's colorway bears a strong resemblance to the famous Air Max 90 Infrareds.
Palmer is a contributor to Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
' "Under the Wing" blog. Delta maintains a hub at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Palmer was the best man at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
quarterback Matt Cassel
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
's wedding.
Palmer appeared as himself on The Replacements in many episodes. His first appearance was "Ball Hogs".