Christian Ponder
Encyclopedia
Christian Ponder is an American football
quarterback
for the Minnesota Vikings
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Vikings with the twelfth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft
, and signed with them on July 31, 2011, shortly after the 2011 NFL lockout
ended. He played college football
as the starting
quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles
at Florida State University
. He won the starting job from Drew Weatherford
prior to the 2008 season
.
and grew up in Grapevine, Texas
. His father, David Ponder
, played college football for Florida State
as a defensive lineman from 1980 to 1983, and thus Christian Ponder is one of several father-son duos who have both played for Bobby Bowden
, who coached the Seminoles until the end of the 2009 season. Christian Ponder attended Colleyville Heritage High School
, where he played football
. In 2004, he was the starting quarterback and threw
for 1,500 yards and seven touchdown
s. As a senior, he recorded 2,214 passing yards and 20 touchdowns and 911 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Dallas Morning News
named him to their all-district first team. Scout.com
named him the 20th-ranked quarterback prospect, while Rivals.com
rated him the 14th-ranked pro-style quarterback and the 50th-ranked college prospect from Texas. He received scholarship offers
from Baylor
, Florida State, Georgia Tech
, Iowa State
, North Carolina
, and Texas Christian
.
, Ponder sat out his true freshman season at Florida State on redshirt
status. In 2007
, he served as the back-up behind starting quarterback Drew Weatherford
. Ponder saw action against Virginia Tech
when Weatherford was taken out of the game due to an injury in the second quarter. Although Florida State lost, 40–21, Ponder completed eight out of 18 passing attempts for 105 yards and one touchdown.
Before the 2008 season
, Ponder was named the starting quarterback ahead of senior Weatherford. The Miami Herald
said that the decision showed the coaching staff put "a premium on mobility over maturity." Ponder started in all 13 games, and completed 177 passes on 318 attempts for 2,006 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He also made 119 rushing attempts for 423 yards and four touchdowns. The Seminoles finished the season with a 9–4 record, including a victory over Wisconsin
in the Champs Sports Bowl
. At season's end, Ponder was named the team's most valuable offensive player.
In 2009
, Ponder was well on his way to a career season when he suffered a season ending shoulder injury at Clemson
. Through the first eight games of the season, he led the ACC in passing average per game and was one of the national leaders in yards and passing efficiency. He threw for over 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns and considered jumping to the NFL a year early. However, after hitting Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel
on an interception return, Ponder separated his shoulder and missed the rest of the season. This ended his professional hopes, at least for one year. He resumed his role as the starting quarterback in 2010.
Before the 2010 season
, Ponder was named to the Maxwell Award
watch list. Florida State launched a campaign promoting Ponder as a Heisman Trophy
candidate in July 2010. During the 2010 season, Ponder battled numerous setbacks to his health, including a swollen bursa sac in his throwing elbow. He re-injured the elbow numerous times during the season, and had to have it drained three times.
The 2010 season, Ponder's senior year and only year under coach Jimbo Fisher
, had seen the greatest amount of success for the quarterback. Ponder was the first Seminole quarterback since Chris Weinke
in 1999 to lead his team to victories over both its in-state rivals, Miami
and Florida
. He also won the 2010 James Tatum award, given to the nation's top student-athlete, and a National Football Foundation
Scholar-Athlete Award. Ponder graduated from Florida State in two and a half years with a degree in finance and a 3.73 GPA, then an MBA, and is studying for his second graduate degree, in sports management. At the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl, Ponder won MVP honors after throwing for 2 TD's and leading the South to a win over the heavily favored North.
in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft
. Ponder announced in his introduction press conference that he intended to wear jersey number 7 in the NFL. He made his NFL debut against the Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter on October 16, 2011. It was announced on Tuesday, October 18, that he would make his first start the following Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. On Ponder's first career pass attempt as a starter he hit Michael Jenkins on a 72 yard pass play off playaction. Two plays later, he hit Visanthe Shiancoe in the end zone on another playaction pass. He finished the game 13 of 32 for 219 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs in the 33-27 loss. Ponder was able to get his first win as an NFL starting quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers on October 30th, 2011. He threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, and had a passer rating of 102.7. He threw two touchdowns and three interceptions against the Raiders.
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 Minnesota Vikings
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...
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 Vikings with the twelfth overall pick in 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...
, and signed with them on July 31, 2011, shortly after the 2011 NFL lockout
2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
ended. 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...
as the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He won the starting job from Drew Weatherford
Drew Weatherford
Andrew Skillern Weatherford is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Florida State University.-High school career:...
prior to the 2008 season
2008 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Florida State's 17th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The previous...
.
Early years
Ponder was born in Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and grew up in Grapevine, Texas
Grapevine, Texas
Grapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
. His father, David Ponder
David Ponder
David Earl Ponder is a former American football defensive tackle who played one season for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League...
, played college football for Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
as a defensive lineman from 1980 to 1983, and thus Christian Ponder is one of several father-son duos who have both played for Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, who coached the Seminoles until the end of the 2009 season. Christian Ponder attended Colleyville Heritage High School
Colleyville Heritage High School
Colleyville Heritage High School is a public secondary school in Colleyville, Texas, United States, a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The school is a part of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District....
, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. In 2004, he was the starting quarterback and threw
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
for 1,500 yards and seven touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. As a senior, he recorded 2,214 passing yards and 20 touchdowns and 911 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
named him to their all-district first team. Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
named him the 20th-ranked quarterback prospect, while Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
rated him the 14th-ranked pro-style quarterback and the 50th-ranked college prospect from Texas. He received scholarship offers
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
from Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
, Florida State, Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
, North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
, and Texas Christian
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
.
College career
In 20062006 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2006 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2006 college football season. Florida State entered the 2006 season as the defending ACC Champion, coming off an 8-5 record in 2005...
, Ponder sat out his true freshman season at Florida State on redshirt
Redshirt (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...
status. In 2007
2007 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2007 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2007 college football season. Florida State entered the 2007 season coming off a 2006 that ended with an overall record of 7-6, which was head coach Bobby Bowden's worst record since going 6-5 in 1981,...
, he served as the back-up behind starting quarterback Drew Weatherford
Drew Weatherford
Andrew Skillern Weatherford is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Florida State University.-High school career:...
. Ponder saw action against Virginia Tech
2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
when Weatherford was taken out of the game due to an injury in the second quarter. Although Florida State lost, 40–21, Ponder completed eight out of 18 passing attempts for 105 yards and one touchdown.
Before the 2008 season
2008 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Florida State's 17th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The previous...
, Ponder was named the starting quarterback ahead of senior Weatherford. The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
said that the decision showed the coaching staff put "a premium on mobility over maturity." Ponder started in all 13 games, and completed 177 passes on 318 attempts for 2,006 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He also made 119 rushing attempts for 423 yards and four touchdowns. The Seminoles finished the season with a 9–4 record, including a victory over Wisconsin
2007 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 2007 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by head coach Bret Bielema, the Badgers completed the season with a 9-4 record, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play...
in the Champs Sports Bowl
2008 Champs Sports Bowl
The 2008 Champs Sports Bowl was the 19th edition of the college football bowl game that was played on Saturday, December 27, 2008 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The game, which had a 4:30 PM US EST kickoff and was broadcast on ESPN, pitted the Wisconsin Badgers against the Florida State...
. At season's end, Ponder was named the team's most valuable offensive player.
In 2009
2009 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2009 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2009 college football season. The Seminoles were led by 34th year head coach Bobby Bowden...
, Ponder was well on his way to a career season when he suffered a season ending shoulder injury at Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. Through the first eight games of the season, he led the ACC in passing average per game and was one of the national leaders in yards and passing efficiency. He threw for over 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns and considered jumping to the NFL a year early. However, after hitting Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel
DeAndre McDaniel
DeAndre McDaniel is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Orleans Saints in 2011. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers....
on an interception return, Ponder separated his shoulder and missed the rest of the season. This ended his professional hopes, at least for one year. He resumed his role as the starting quarterback in 2010.
Before the 2010 season
2010 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2010 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Seminoles were led by 1st year head coach Jimbo Fisher and played their home games at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. They were members of...
, Ponder was named to the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
watch list. Florida State launched a campaign promoting Ponder as a 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...
candidate in July 2010. During the 2010 season, Ponder battled numerous setbacks to his health, including a swollen bursa sac in his throwing elbow. He re-injured the elbow numerous times during the season, and had to have it drained three times.
The 2010 season, Ponder's senior year and only year under coach Jimbo Fisher
Jimbo Fisher
John James "Jimbo" Fisher is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently head coach at Florida State University....
, had seen the greatest amount of success for the quarterback. Ponder was the first Seminole quarterback since Chris Weinke
Chris Weinke
Christopher Jon Weinke is a former professional American football and baseball player. After spending six years in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league baseball system, he enrolled at Florida State University at the age of 26, and played quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles...
in 1999 to lead his team to victories over both its in-state rivals, Miami
2010 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2010 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hurricanes were coached by Randy Shannon during the regular season, then coached by Jeff Stoutland during their bowl game and played their home games at Sun Life...
and Florida
2010 Florida Gators football team
The 2010 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2010 college football season...
. He also won the 2010 James Tatum award, given to the nation's top student-athlete, and a National Football Foundation
National Football Foundation
The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
Scholar-Athlete Award. Ponder graduated from Florida State in two and a half years with a degree in finance and a 3.73 GPA, then an MBA, and is studying for his second graduate degree, in sports management. At the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl, Ponder won MVP honors after throwing for 2 TD's and leading the South to a win over the heavily favored North.
College stats
| Year | Team | Attempts | Completions | Completion % | Yards | TDs | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2006 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2006 college football season. Florida State entered the 2006 season as the defending ACC Champion, coming off an 8-5 record in 2005... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
|
|||||
| 2007 2007 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2007 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2007 college football season. Florida State entered the 2007 season coming off a 2006 that ended with an overall record of 7-6, which was head coach Bobby Bowden's worst record since going 6-5 in 1981,... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
18 | 8 | 44.4% | 105 | 1 | 2 |
| 2008 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Florida State's 17th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The previous... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
318 | 177 | 55.7% | 2,006 | 14 | 13 |
| 2009 2009 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2009 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2009 college football season. The Seminoles were led by 34th year head coach Bobby Bowden... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
330 | 227 | 68.8% | 2,717 | 14 | 7 |
| 2010 2010 Florida State Seminoles football team The 2010 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Seminoles were led by 1st year head coach Jimbo Fisher and played their home games at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. They were members of... |
Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
299 | 184 | 61.5% | 2,044 | 20 | 8 |
| College Totals | 965 | 596 | 61.8% | 6,872 | 49 | 30 | |
Professional career
Minnesota Vikings
Ponder was selected 12th overall by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota 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...
in the first round of 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...
. Ponder announced in his introduction press conference that he intended to wear jersey number 7 in the NFL. He made his NFL debut against the Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter on October 16, 2011. It was announced on Tuesday, October 18, that he would make his first start the following Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. On Ponder's first career pass attempt as a starter he hit Michael Jenkins on a 72 yard pass play off playaction. Two plays later, he hit Visanthe Shiancoe in the end zone on another playaction pass. He finished the game 13 of 32 for 219 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs in the 33-27 loss. Ponder was able to get his first win as an NFL starting quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers on October 30th, 2011. He threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, and had a passer rating of 102.7. He threw two touchdowns and three interceptions against the Raiders.