Chad Pennington
Encyclopedia
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington (born June 26, 1976) 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. He was drafted by the New York Jets
in the first round, as the eighteenth overall selection in the 2000 NFL Draft
.
He played college football
at Marshall University
. Pennington has won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
twice, in 2006 and 2008. In 2008, he finished second in MVP voting to Peyton Manning
. Pennington is the NFL's all-time leader in career completion percentage at 66.0%, among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 pass attempts.
, and his mother, Denise, a teacher at the Webb School of Knoxville
. Pennington's first sport was basketball
, which he began playing in the third grade. He began playing football in his freshman year in high school. His parents decided to have him repeat the eighth grade when he was enrolled at the Webb School of Knoxville
due to the school's intense academic program. Pennington played baseball, basketball and football at Webb but knew he had a better chance at getting into college via football.
He was only recruited by two colleges, Middle Tennessee State University
and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
, both Division 1-AA schools. In 1995, he went to a training camp at Marshall University
, his parents' alma mater
, where he was noticed by head football coach Jim Donnan
and offered a scholarship.
), Pennington led Marshall to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship game, in which Marshall lost to Montana
, 22-20. The following year, Pennington was redshirted in favor of Eric Kresser, a transfer from the University of Florida
who guided the Herd's return to the 1-AA Championship game in 1996. Pennington returned to play in 1997 as Marshall moved from Division 1-AA to Division 1-A football. His senior year (1999) featured Marshall having an undefeated and untied record (13-0) as Pennington led the team to its third consecutive Mid-American Conference
championship.
Pennington set school records in several passing categories. Randy Moss
was Pennington's top receiver
at Marshall. He finished fifth in Heisman voting in 1999. Pennington was selected by the New York Jets in the first round and was the eighteenth (18th) overall pick of the 2000 NFL Draft
. Pennington finished his career at Marshall with 1,026 of 1,619 completions for 13,423 yards and 115 touchdowns, with only 45 interceptions.
He led Marshall to the school's first bowl victory in a 48-29 routing of Louisville in the 1998 Motor City Bowl
. Pennington was the bowl game's MVP. Pennington and Marshall returned to Pontiac, Michigan
, the following year taking a 21-3 victory over Brigham Young
, capping Pennington's undefeated senior season.
In addition to his success on the football field, Pennington excelled academically, graduating with a degree in journalism
, a 3.83 grade point average and becoming a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship
. He wrote frequently for Marshall's newspaper The Parthenon and was a broadcaster for the school's radio station, although he used a pseudonym
on air so as not to be distracting.
, during the fifth game of the 2002 season. Pennington helped reverse the Jets' fortunes by leading the 1-4 team to an eventual 9-7 record and an AFC East division championship. Despite playing less than a full season, Pennington managed to throw for 3,120 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions, with his 104.2 quarterback rating during the 2002 season, setting a team record. Pennington led the Jets to a first round 41-0 decision over the Indianapolis Colts
in that season's playoffs.
After their 2002 performance, Pennington and the Jets were given lofty expectations entering the 2003 pre-season; however, in the fourth pre-season game against the New York Giants
, Pennington endured a fracture-dislocation on his left (non-throwing) hand after suffering a hit from linebacker Brandon Short
. The injury forced him to miss the first six games of the season. Without Pennington, the Jets began the season 1-4. Despite his return, the Jets were only able to win five more games to finish 6-10.
, Pennington injured his rotator cuff
and was forced to miss three games. Second string QB Quincy Carter
was 2-1 in Pennington's absence. After returning to action with a rout of the Houston Texans
, Pennington struggled the rest of the season and there was speculation that Pennington's shoulder was not fully healed. Even after a scuffle with the New York media and losses to New England Patriots
and the St. Louis Rams
, the Jets managed to earn a wild card berth with a 10-6 record. Pennington then led Jets to a first-round, 20-17 overtime win against the AFC West Champion San Diego Chargers
, as he went 23-33, for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Pennington then faced the 15-1 Steelers at Pittsburgh. Despite the Jets' offensive struggles and facing a 10-0 deficit, the Jets defense and special teams rallied to score 17 unanswered points. However, Pennington and the Jets would see their season end with kicker Doug Brien
missing two potential game-winning field goals. The Steelers would go on to win in overtime, the third overtime in a row for the Jets.
Pennington feuded with the local New York media throughout the season. During a news conference on 20 December 2004, Pennington scolded the assembled media, telling them it was 'not (their) right' but a 'privilege' of theirs to be able to cover the Jets, 'to be around a bunch of professional athletes every day and do your job'.
on February 4, 2005. It was later revealed that he had suffered a substantial tear in the right rotator cuff, as well as a large bone spur on that shoulder. A dismal performance against the Kansas City Chiefs
in September and a lackluster one against the Miami Dolphins
the following week led to speculation that the shoulder had yet to fully heal, but both Pennington and Jets coach Herman Edwards
denied this, citing a lack of pre-season practice and Pennington's less-than-full grasp of new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger
's plays. On September 25, 2005, against the Jacksonville Jaguars
, Pennington once again suffered injury, although he re-entered the game later and almost led the Jets to victory despite not throwing well. However, tests later showed another tear in his rotator cuff.
On October 6, 2005, Pennington once again underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder. Pennington and the Jets expected that with more rehabilitation time than his first surgery, he should be able to have better strength and control with his throws entering the 2006 season. In the midst of the eventually-resolved labor talks of February–March 2006, Pennington restructured his contract with the New York Jets, ensuring that he remained with the team for at least the 2006 season. Pennington was reported to have taken a significant cut in pay, with the amounts lost recoverable by way of achievable incentives; however, the Jets organization does not comment on contractual issues.
Entering the 2006 season, Pennington trained with new throwing coaches, and worked significantly on the strength of his torso and throwing mechanics. During training camp, new head coach Eric Mangini
told players and the press that the quarterback position was still uncertain, and that all four Jets quarterbacks (Chad Pennington, Patrick Ramsey
, Brooks Bollinger
, and Kellen Clemens
) had a chance to be the starter. Also, the Jets medical staff had continued to limit Pennington's play, placing him on a limited number of throws to ensure the safety of his shoulder.
Pennington won the Jets pre-season quarterback competition, and started the 2006 season in apparent pre-injury form. For the first time in his career, Pennington posted back-to-back 300 yard passing games in the first two weeks of the season. Pennington's Week One performance against Tennessee
earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. In Week 15 in Minnesota
, Pennington passed for a career high 339 yards.
Pennington would go on to reach career highs for the season in completions, passing attempts, and passing yardage with 3,352 yards, starting all sixteen games for the first time.
Although his lack of arm strength was often criticized, Pennington's abilities fit well into the new offense instituted by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer
. Using a short passing game and taking advantage of the "yards after catch" ability of wide receivers Laveranues Coles
, Jerricho Cotchery
, and running back Leon Washington
, Pennington led the Jets to a 10–6 record and a playoff berth as a wild card team, after a 4-12 mark in 2005.
The Jets took on the Patriots in their lone playoff game. The Jets lost 37–16, with Pennington passing for 300 yards and a touchdown. With the start, Pennington also became the Jets' all-time leader in postseason starts by a quarterback with five.
For his stellar season, Pennington was awarded the Comeback Player of the Year Award, just one year after tearing his rotator cuff. He received 27 of the 50 votes cast, finishing far ahead of the 8.5 votes received by second-place finisher Drew Brees
.
, he led the Jets to a 31-28 victory, throwing two touchdowns and running for a third. After a 17–14 loss to the Bills in Week 4, he threw three interceptions against the Giants in Week 5, giving him five interceptions in two games. Two weeks later, he threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals
. After leading the Jets to a dismal 1–7 start, coach Eric Mangini decided to bench Pennington for second year quarterback Kellen Clemens
. But, during the Week 15 game against the New England Patriots, Kellen Clemens left the game after the second play with a rib injury and Pennington returned to the game. Pennington went 25-38 for 184 yards. He also threw for more yards and fewer interceptions than opposing quarterback Tom Brady
, who, not only was on his way to an MVP season, but that day was 14-27 for 140 yards with one interception. Neither quarterback threw a touchdown that day. Pennington would start the next week at Tennessee, where the Jets wound up losing 6–10. Clemens replaced Pennington for the final game of the season against the Chiefs. Pennington finished the '07 season with 10 TD's and 9 INTS with a passer rating of 86.1, and 1,765 yards.
Eric Mangini announced that upon entering training camp of 2008 that there would be a competition for the starting quarterback position between Pennington and Clemens. On August 7, 2008, the Jets acquired veteran and former Green Bay Packers
quarterback Brett Favre
, leading to Pennington's release later that day.
Upon his release from the Jets, it was reported that at least six teams were interested in Pennington. However, only the Minnesota Vikings
and the Miami Dolphins
were considered as serious contenders. On August 8, Pennington signed a two-year, $11.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano
said that Pennington would have to compete for the starting job. He was later announced as the starting quarterback as the Dolphins moved into the regular season. Chad finished the 2008 NFL regular season with 321 completions for 476 Attempts, with 3653 yards, nineteen touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He finished the season with a passer rating of 97.4, started all sixteen games for the Dolphins and helped to lead them to an 11-5 record and the third seed in the playoffs with an AFC East
Championship. The Dolphins went on to lose to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs, 27-9. He is the first Dolphins quarterback since Hall of Famer Dan Marino
to throw for 3,500 yards. For his role in the Dolphins' ten-win turnaround, Pennington received notable MVP consideration from several major media outlets. He received four votes, and finished second to Peyton Manning for the 2008 AP NFL MVP.
At the completion of the regular season, Pennington was awarded the Comeback Player of the Year Award, an award which he also won in 2006.
as the third string. On September 27, 2009 against the San Diego Chargers, during the 3rd quarter Pennington injured the same shoulder on which he had two previous surgeries. Chad Henne served as his replacement in the 23-13 loss.
On September 28, Pennington went in for an MRI amidst speculation of a season ending injury. On September 29, 2009 it was announced that initial results show a torn Shoulder
capsule
in his throwing shoulder. After seeking a second opinion, Pennington decided to go with a 3rd surgery on the shoulder. Pennington later would go on to say that although he is not sure if he will play again, he would try and rehabilitate the shoulder, and work on getting back to the NFL. He was officially placed on the IR and the Dolphins acquired Tyler Thigpen
from the Kansas City Chiefs
for an undisclosed 2010 draft pick.
.
On November 10, 2010, Pennington was named the starting quarterback for the November 14 game against the Tennessee Titans. On his first play, Pennington suffered a severe shoulder injury. The injury is potentially career-ending.
. The couple have three sons together.
, Tennessee
and the New York
Metropolitan area. Since its inception in 2003 the foundation has given gifts of over half a million dollars to various organizations.
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...
who played in 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...
for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury. He was drafted by 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...
in the first round, as the eighteenth overall selection in the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
.
He played college football
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 Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
. Pennington has won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor...
twice, in 2006 and 2008. In 2008, he finished second in MVP voting to 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...
. Pennington is the NFL's all-time leader in career completion percentage at 66.0%, among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 pass attempts.
Early years
Pennington's father, Elwood, was a physical education teacher and football coach at Halls High SchoolHalls High School
Halls High School is a high school in the Halls Crossroads suburb of Knoxville, Tennessee, operated by Knox County Schools. Founded in 1916, the school was one of the first in the area...
, and his mother, Denise, a teacher at the Webb School of Knoxville
Webb School of Knoxville
Webb School of Knoxville is a private coeducational day school in Knoxville, Tennessee, enrolling students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. It was founded in 1955 by Robert Webb , grandson of Webb School of Bell Buckle founder Sawney Webb...
. Pennington's first sport was basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, which he began playing in the third grade. He began playing football in his freshman year in high school. His parents decided to have him repeat the eighth grade when he was enrolled at the Webb School of Knoxville
Webb School of Knoxville
Webb School of Knoxville is a private coeducational day school in Knoxville, Tennessee, enrolling students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. It was founded in 1955 by Robert Webb , grandson of Webb School of Bell Buckle founder Sawney Webb...
due to the school's intense academic program. Pennington played baseball, basketball and football at Webb but knew he had a better chance at getting into college via football.
He was only recruited by two colleges, Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
, both Division 1-AA schools. In 1995, he went to a training camp at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
, his parents' alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, where he was noticed by head football coach Jim Donnan
Jim Donnan
Jim Donnan is a former American football player and coach and now a television analyst for college football and a motivational speaker. He served as the head football coach at Marshall University and the University of Georgia , compiling a career record of 104–40–1...
and offered a scholarship.
College career
Originally the Thundering Herd's fourth-string quarterback in 1995 (and slated to be redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
), Pennington led Marshall to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship game, in which Marshall lost to Montana
Montana Grizzlies football
The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963...
, 22-20. The following year, Pennington was redshirted in favor of Eric Kresser, a transfer from the University of Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
who guided the Herd's return to the 1-AA Championship game in 1996. Pennington returned to play in 1997 as Marshall moved from Division 1-AA to Division 1-A football. His senior year (1999) featured Marshall having an undefeated and untied record (13-0) as Pennington led the team to its third consecutive Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
championship.
Pennington set school records in several passing categories. Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
was Pennington's top 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...
at Marshall. He finished fifth in Heisman voting in 1999. Pennington was selected by the New York Jets in the first round and was the eighteenth (18th) overall pick of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. Pennington finished his career at Marshall with 1,026 of 1,619 completions for 13,423 yards and 115 touchdowns, with only 45 interceptions.
He led Marshall to the school's first bowl victory in a 48-29 routing of Louisville in the 1998 Motor City Bowl
Motor City Bowl
The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown...
. Pennington was the bowl game's MVP. Pennington and Marshall returned to Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, the following year taking a 21-3 victory over Brigham Young
BYU Cougars
BYU Cougars is an American soccer team based in Provo, Utah, United States. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
, capping Pennington's undefeated senior season.
In addition to his success on the football field, Pennington excelled academically, graduating with a degree in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, a 3.83 grade point average and becoming a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
. He wrote frequently for Marshall's newspaper The Parthenon and was a broadcaster for the school's radio station, although he used a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
on air so as not to be distracting.
2000-2003
After making only three appearances during his first two seasons, Chad emerged as the Jets' starting quarterback after filling in for Vinny TestaverdeVinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
, during the fifth game of the 2002 season. Pennington helped reverse the Jets' fortunes by leading the 1-4 team to an eventual 9-7 record and an AFC East division championship. Despite playing less than a full season, Pennington managed to throw for 3,120 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions, with his 104.2 quarterback rating during the 2002 season, setting a team record. Pennington led the Jets to a first round 41-0 decision over the Indianapolis Colts
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 ....
in that season's playoffs.
After their 2002 performance, Pennington and the Jets were given lofty expectations entering the 2003 pre-season; however, in the fourth pre-season game 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...
, Pennington endured a fracture-dislocation on his left (non-throwing) hand after suffering a hit from linebacker Brandon Short
Brandon Short
Brandon Darrell Short is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League...
. The injury forced him to miss the first six games of the season. Without Pennington, the Jets began the season 1-4. Despite his return, the Jets were only able to win five more games to finish 6-10.
2004
In to the 2004 season, the Jets signed Pennington to a team-record contract for seven years and $64.2 million, which seemed to pay immediate dividends, as Pennington was able to lead the Jets to a 5-0 record. However, during a Week 9 game against the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Pennington injured his rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
and was forced to miss three games. Second string QB Quincy Carter
Quincy Carter
Lavonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys...
was 2-1 in Pennington's absence. After returning to action with a rout of the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Pennington struggled the rest of the season and there was speculation that Pennington's shoulder was not fully healed. Even after a scuffle with the New York media and losses to New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, the Jets managed to earn a wild card berth with a 10-6 record. Pennington then led Jets to a first-round, 20-17 overtime win against the AFC West Champion 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...
, as he went 23-33, for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Pennington then faced the 15-1 Steelers at Pittsburgh. Despite the Jets' offensive struggles and facing a 10-0 deficit, the Jets defense and special teams rallied to score 17 unanswered points. However, Pennington and the Jets would see their season end with kicker Doug Brien
Doug Brien
Douglas Robert Zachariah Brien is a former American football placekicker. He played twelve seasons for seven teams in the National Football League:...
missing two potential game-winning field goals. The Steelers would go on to win in overtime, the third overtime in a row for the Jets.
Pennington feuded with the local New York media throughout the season. During a news conference on 20 December 2004, Pennington scolded the assembled media, telling them it was 'not (their) right' but a 'privilege' of theirs to be able to cover the Jets, 'to be around a bunch of professional athletes every day and do your job'.
2005
Pennington underwent surgery on his right shoulder in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
on February 4, 2005. It was later revealed that he had suffered a substantial tear in the right rotator cuff, as well as a large bone spur on that shoulder. A dismal performance 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...
in September and a lackluster one against 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...
the following week led to speculation that the shoulder had yet to fully heal, but both Pennington and Jets coach Herman Edwards
Herman Edwards
Herman "Herm" Edwards, Jr. is an American football analyst who most recently coached in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was fired from this position on January 23, 2009. Since then, he has been hired as a football analyst for ESPN...
denied this, citing a lack of pre-season practice and Pennington's less-than-full grasp of new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger
Mike Heimerdinger
Michael "Mike" Heimerdinger was a football coach in the National Football League.-Career:Heimerdinger was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, a position he had served in from 2000-2004 and again from 2008-2010...
's plays. On September 25, 2005, against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Pennington once again suffered injury, although he re-entered the game later and almost led the Jets to victory despite not throwing well. However, tests later showed another tear in his rotator cuff.
On October 6, 2005, Pennington once again underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder. Pennington and the Jets expected that with more rehabilitation time than his first surgery, he should be able to have better strength and control with his throws entering the 2006 season. In the midst of the eventually-resolved labor talks of February–March 2006, Pennington restructured his contract with the New York Jets, ensuring that he remained with the team for at least the 2006 season. Pennington was reported to have taken a significant cut in pay, with the amounts lost recoverable by way of achievable incentives; however, the Jets organization does not comment on contractual issues.
2006
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
told players and the press that the quarterback position was still uncertain, and that all four Jets quarterbacks (Chad Pennington, Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Allen Ramsey is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins 32nd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
, Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger is a retired American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, and Kellen Clemens
Kellen Clemens
Kellen Clemens is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
) had a chance to be the starter. Also, the Jets medical staff had continued to limit Pennington's play, placing him on a limited number of throws to ensure the safety of his shoulder.
Pennington won the Jets pre-season quarterback competition, and started the 2006 season in apparent pre-injury form. For the first time in his career, Pennington posted back-to-back 300 yard passing games in the first two weeks of the season. Pennington's Week One performance against Tennessee
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. In Week 15 in Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Pennington passed for a career high 339 yards.
Pennington would go on to reach career highs for the season in completions, passing attempts, and passing yardage with 3,352 yards, starting all sixteen games for the first time.
Although his lack of arm strength was often criticized, Pennington's abilities fit well into the new offense instituted by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer
Brian Schottenheimer
Brian Schottenheimer is an American football coach. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets of the National Football League . Before becoming an offensive coordinator, he was the quarterback coach for the San Diego Chargers...
. Using a short passing game and taking advantage of the "yards after catch" ability of wide receivers Laveranues Coles
Laveranues Coles
Laveranues Leon Coles is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State University....
, Jerricho Cotchery
Jerricho Cotchery
Cotchery was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft.-New York Jets:In 2004, Cotchery caught 6 passes for 60 yards in 12 games as the team's 5th receiver...
, and running back Leon Washington
Leon Washington
Leon Washington is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. He is married to Charity Washington with whom he has a son...
, Pennington led the Jets to a 10–6 record and a playoff berth as a wild card team, after a 4-12 mark in 2005.
The Jets took on the Patriots in their lone playoff game. The Jets lost 37–16, with Pennington passing for 300 yards and a touchdown. With the start, Pennington also became the Jets' all-time leader in postseason starts by a quarterback with five.
For his stellar season, Pennington was awarded the Comeback Player of the Year Award, just one year after tearing his rotator cuff. He received 27 of the 50 votes cast, finishing far ahead of the 8.5 votes received by second-place finisher 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....
.
2007
The 2007 season was a tumultuous one for Pennington. In the first game of the season, against the Patriots, Pennington suffered a high ankle sprain that kept him out of game two. In the third game, against the Miami DolphinsMiami 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...
, he led the Jets to a 31-28 victory, throwing two touchdowns and running for a third. After a 17–14 loss to the Bills in Week 4, he threw three interceptions against the Giants in Week 5, giving him five interceptions in two games. Two weeks later, he threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter against 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...
. After leading the Jets to a dismal 1–7 start, coach Eric Mangini decided to bench Pennington for second year quarterback Kellen Clemens
Kellen Clemens
Kellen Clemens is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. But, during the Week 15 game against the New England Patriots, Kellen Clemens left the game after the second play with a rib injury and Pennington returned to the game. Pennington went 25-38 for 184 yards. He also threw for more yards and fewer interceptions than opposing quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
, who, not only was on his way to an MVP season, but that day was 14-27 for 140 yards with one interception. Neither quarterback threw a touchdown that day. Pennington would start the next week at Tennessee, where the Jets wound up losing 6–10. Clemens replaced Pennington for the final game of the season against the Chiefs. Pennington finished the '07 season with 10 TD's and 9 INTS with a passer rating of 86.1, and 1,765 yards.
Eric Mangini announced that upon entering training camp of 2008 that there would be a competition for the starting quarterback position between Pennington and Clemens. On August 7, 2008, the Jets acquired veteran and former Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
, leading to Pennington's release later that day.
2008
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and 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...
were considered as serious contenders. On August 8, Pennington signed a two-year, $11.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano
Tony Sparano
Anthony "Tony" Sparano III is an American Football head coach of the Miami Dolphins. At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night...
said that Pennington would have to compete for the starting job. He was later announced as the starting quarterback as the Dolphins moved into the regular season. Chad finished the 2008 NFL regular season with 321 completions for 476 Attempts, with 3653 yards, nineteen touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He finished the season with a passer rating of 97.4, started all sixteen games for the Dolphins and helped to lead them to an 11-5 record and the third seed in the playoffs with an AFC East
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
Championship. The Dolphins went on to lose to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs, 27-9. He is the first Dolphins quarterback since Hall of Famer Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
to throw for 3,500 yards. For his role in the Dolphins' ten-win turnaround, Pennington received notable MVP consideration from several major media outlets. He received four votes, and finished second to Peyton Manning for the 2008 AP NFL MVP.
At the completion of the regular season, Pennington was awarded the Comeback Player of the Year Award, an award which he also won in 2006.
2009
Pennington was the starter for the Miami Dolphins 2009 season, with Pat White as the second string, and Chad HenneChad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
as the third string. On September 27, 2009 against the San Diego Chargers, during the 3rd quarter Pennington injured the same shoulder on which he had two previous surgeries. Chad Henne served as his replacement in the 23-13 loss.
On September 28, Pennington went in for an MRI amidst speculation of a season ending injury. On September 29, 2009 it was announced that initial results show a torn Shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
capsule
Joint capsule
An articular capsule is an envelope surrounding a synovial joint.-Layers:Each capsule consists of two layers:* an outer layer composed of avascular white fibrous tissue...
in his throwing shoulder. After seeking a second opinion, Pennington decided to go with a 3rd surgery on the shoulder. Pennington later would go on to say that although he is not sure if he will play again, he would try and rehabilitate the shoulder, and work on getting back to the NFL. He was officially placed on the IR and the Dolphins acquired Tyler Thigpen
Tyler Thigpen
Tyler "Dirty Pigpen" Thigpen is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.Tyler Thigpen was the first quarterback to play for...
from 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...
for an undisclosed 2010 draft pick.
2010
On March 5, 2010, Pennington was re-signed by the Dolphins to a one-year deal. The deal will pay him $5.75 million if he starts, $4.2 million if he is traded by the team, or $2.5 million as a back-up, to Chad HenneChad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
.
On November 10, 2010, Pennington was named the starting quarterback for the November 14 game against the Tennessee Titans. On his first play, Pennington suffered a severe shoulder injury. The injury is potentially career-ending.
2011
Pennington announced his intention to attempt another comeback to the NFL in 2011. However, on March 31, 2011, Pennington tore his ACL while playing a game of pick-up basketball. The injury will be surgically repaired, but might delay his comeback. Pennington has announced that he will work at Fox Sports as an analyst during the 2011 NFL football seasonRegular season
| Year | |G | |Passing | |Rushing | |Sacked | |Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sack | YdsL | Fum | FumL | ||||
| 2000 2000 NFL season The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000... | NYJ 2000 New York Jets season -Schedule:The Jets were ranked 12th in the NFL in total offense and finished tied with Philadelphia for 10th in total defense.-Best performances:* Curtis Martin, Week 14, 203 Rushing Yards vs. Indianapolis... |
1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 40.0 | 67 | 13.4 | 1 | 0 | 127.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 2001 NFL season The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day... | NYJ 2001 New York Jets season The 2001 New York Jets season was the 42nd season for the team, and the 32nd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 2000. Under new head coach Herman Edwards, the team finished 10–6 and qualified for the final Wild Card position in the American Football... |
2 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 50.0 | 92 | 4.6 | 1 | 0 | 79.6 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 2002 NFL season The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each... | NYJ 2002 New York Jets season The 2002 New York Jets season was the 43rd season for the team, and the 33rd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2001... |
15 | 12 | 399 | 275 | 68.9 | 3120 | 7.8 | 22 | 6 | 104.2 | 29 | 49 | 1.7 | 2 | 22 | 135 | 2 | 1 |
| 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 *... | NYJ 2003 New York Jets season The 2003 New York Jets season was the 44th season for the team, and the 34th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 2002 and defend its AFC East title. The Jets finished the season with a record of 6–10.... |
10 | 9 | 297 | 189 | 63.6 | 2139 | 7.2 | 13 | 12 | 82.9 | 21 | 42 | 2.0 | 2 | 25 | 160 | 8 | 2 |
| 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... | NYJ 2004 New York Jets season The 2004 New York Jets season saw the team try to improve on its 6–10 2003 record. The Jets started the season by winning their first five games, which was a franchise record. They ultimately finished 10–6, and clinched the fifth seed in the playoffs, reaching the postseason for the third time in... |
13 | 13 | 370 | 242 | 65.4 | 2673 | 7.2 | 16 | 9 | 91.0 | 34 | 126 | 3.7 | 1 | 18 | 103 | 5 | 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... | NYJ 2005 New York Jets season The 2005 New York Jets season was the 46th season for the team, and the 36th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2004. The Jets finished the season 4–12.-2005 NFL Draft:-Regular season:-External links:*... |
3 | 3 | 83 | 49 | 59.0 | 530 | 6.4 | 2 | 3 | 70.9 | 6 | 27 | 4.5 | 0 | 9 | 52 | 8 | 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... | NYJ 2006 New York Jets season The 2006 New York Jets season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2005. The season marked the first for rookie head coach Eric Mangini, who replaced Herman Edwards after the latter left the Jets to coach the Kansas City Chiefs... |
16 | 16 | 485 | 313 | 64.5 | 3652 | 6.9 | 17 | 16 | 82.6 | 35 | 109 | 3.1 | 0 | 30 | 172 | 7 | 4 |
| 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.... | NYJ 2007 New York Jets season The 2007 New York Jets season was the 38th NFL season and 48th overall season for the football team. This season was the second under head coach Eric Mangini. The team attempted to improve upon their 10–6 record from 2006, but finished the season with a 4–12 record.-Free agents heading into the... |
9 | 8 | 260 | 179 | 68.9 | 1765 | 6.8 | 10 | 9 | 86.1 | 20 | 32 | 1.6 | 1 | 26 | 178 | 5 | 0 |
| 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... | MIA 2008 Miami Dolphins season The 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 39th season in the National Football League and 43rd overall. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008... |
16 | 16 | 476 | 321 | 67.4 | 3653 | 7.7 | 19 | 7 | 97.4 | 30 | 62 | 2.1 | 1 | 24 | 121 | 3 | 1 |
| 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... | MIA 2009 Miami Dolphins season The 2009 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 40th season in the National Football League and 44th overall. The Dolphins entered the 2009 season as the reigning AFC East champions after posting an 11–5 record in 2008... |
3 | 3 | 74 | 51 | 68.9 | 413 | 5.6 | 1 | 2 | 76.0 | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 0 | 6 | 32 | 3 | 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,... | MIA 2010 Miami Dolphins season The 2010 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 41st season in the National Football League and 45th overall. The Dolphins are entering the 2010 season coming off a third place finish in the AFC East 7–9-Staff Changes:... |
1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 89 | 81 | 2471 | 1632 | 66.0 | 17823 | 7.2 | 102 | 64 | 90.1 | 52 | 138 | 2.7 | 5 | 40 | 294 | 14 | 13 | |
Playoffs
| Year | |G | |Passing | |Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||
| 2002 2002 NFL season The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each... | NYJ 2002 New York Jets season The 2002 New York Jets season was the 43rd season for the team, and the 33rd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2001... |
2 | 2 | 72 | 40 | 55.6 | 405 | 5.6 | 4 | 2 | 78.8 | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 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... | NYJ 2004 New York Jets season The 2004 New York Jets season saw the team try to improve on its 6–10 2003 record. The Jets started the season by winning their first five games, which was a franchise record. They ultimately finished 10–6, and clinched the fifth seed in the playoffs, reaching the postseason for the third time in... |
2 | 2 | 66 | 44 | 66.7 | 461 | 7.0 | 2 | 1 | 90.5 | 5 | 3 | 0.6 | 0 |
| 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... | NYJ 2006 New York Jets season The 2006 New York Jets season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2005. The season marked the first for rookie head coach Eric Mangini, who replaced Herman Edwards after the latter left the Jets to coach the Kansas City Chiefs... |
1 | 1 | 40 | 23 | 57.5 | 300 | 7.5 | 1 | 1 | 79.2 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
| 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... | MIA 2008 Miami Dolphins season The 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 39th season in the National Football League and 43rd overall. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008... |
1 | 1 | 38 | 25 | 65.8 | 252 | 6.6 | 1 | 4 | 53.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 6 | 6 | 216 | 132 | 61.1 | 1418 | 6.6 | 8 | 8 | 77.3 | 11 | 10 | 0.9 | 0 | |
Personal
Pennington married his college girlfriend, Robin Hampton, on March 1, 2001. He famously brought his Jets playbook on his honeymoonHoneymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
. The couple have three sons together.
1st and 10 Foundation
Chad and Robin Pennington created the 1st and 10 Foundation in 2003 with the mission to build stronger communities by funding programs and institutions that seek to improve quality of life throughout West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and the New York
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
Metropolitan area. Since its inception in 2003 the foundation has given gifts of over half a million dollars to various organizations.