Jim McMahon
Encyclopedia
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. (born August 21, 1959) is a former American football
player. He played college football at Brigham Young University
, where he was a two-time All-American (1980
, 1981
) and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears
, San Diego Chargers
, Philadelphia Eagles
, Minnesota Vikings
, Arizona Cardinals
, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers
.
, and moved with his family to San Jose, California
, when he was three. He played high school football his freshman and sophomore years at Andrew Hill High School
in San Jose and played his junior and senior years at Roy High School
(Roy, Utah), graduating in 1977.
's punter during his freshman season (1977), but he did play enough at quarterback to throw his first-ever collegiate touchdown pass against UTEP
. He continued as the Cougars' punter as the 1978 season began, but when Marc Wilson was injured in the third game of the season (against Colorado State
), McMahon was elevated to the position of starting quarterback. McMahon led BYU to victory against CSU, accounting for 112 passing yards, 80 rushing yards, and 2 touchdowns along the way. He was named Chevrolet Player of the Game and WAC
Player of the Week for his performance. McMahon and Wilson shared quarterback duties for the rest of the season; McMahon played well enough to earn All-WAC honors and Associated Press
Honorable Mention All-America
. The best game of his sophomore year was against Wyoming
: he passed for 317 yards and rushed for 49 more yards, earning another WAC Player of the Week award.
McMahon wanted to battle Wilson for the starting position the following season, but he suffered an off-season injury and BYU coaches chose to redshirt him in 1979. McMahon watched from the sidelines as Wilson played spectacular football, setting 9 NCAA records and tying two others. Wilson became the first BYU player to earn consensus First Team All-American honors, and he finished third in Heisman Trophy
balloting.
As good as Wilson was, McMahon was better in 1980. With Wilson graduated and gone to the NFL
, McMahon beat out Royce Bybee to claim the starting quarterback position. BYU lost the first game of the season (25–21 against New Mexico), but won 11 straight games after that to claim the WAC championship. McMahon was spectacular: He set 32 NCAA records, including single-season records for yards of total offense (4,627), passing yards (4,571), touchdown passes (47), and passing efficiency (176.9). His best game was against Utah State
; he completed 21 of 33 passes for 485 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he added 2 rushing touchdowns as well. That performance earned him Sports Illustrated
's National Player of the Week award. McMahon's season statistics would have been even better, but he spent significant time on the sidelines because the Cougars won many games by wide margins. Although he started all 12 regular season games, he only finished three of them.
With McMahon's leadership, BYU led the nation in passing offense, total offense, and scoring offense during the regular season. McMahon earned a bevy of awards for his individual accomplishments. He was named WAC Player of the Year, unanimous First Team All-WAC, Utah Sportsman of the Year, and Deseret News Athlete of the Year. He was named to four All-America teams and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.
McMahon's finest hour at BYU came in the 1980 Holiday Bowl. The Cougars faced a tough SMU
team. Behind star running backs Craig James and Eric Dickerson
, the Mustangs built a 45–25 lead over BYU with just four minutes left in the game. As Cougar fans headed for the exits, McMahon screamed that the game wasn't over yet. He calmly guided BYU's offense to three quick touchdowns, including a 41-yard Hail Mary pass
to Clay Brown to win the game as time expired. It is regarded as one of the greatest comebacks in college football history; BYU fans refer to it as the "Miracle Bowl".
McMahon's senior season (1981) was not as spectacular, but it was still terrific. Despite missing two games due to injuries, he passed for 3,555 yards and 30 touchdowns in the regular season, again leading BYU to a WAC championship. For his efforts, he was named WAC Player of the Year and unanimous First Team All-WAC. On a national level, he was named First-team All-American
by five different organizations and finished third in Heisman Trophy balloting. He received the Davey O'Brien
Trophy and the Sammy Baugh
Award, and he shared the Pigskin Club NCAA Offensive Player of the Year award with USC
's Marcus Allen
. He earned Sports Illustrateds Player of the Week award after a spectacular performance against Colorado State (he tied a school record with 7 touchdown passes).
In his last game as a Cougar, McMahon passed for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead BYU over Washington State
in the 1981 Holiday Bowl. His career totals were 9,536 passing yards and 84 touchdown passes (not including bowl games). McMahon left college with 70 NCAA records and tied for one other. He entered the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1999, but is not a member of the BYU Hall of Fame because he is ten credit hours from a degree. In September 2010, McMahon announced that he would complete his coursework at BYU, which would qualify him for the BYU Hall of Fame.
, who selected McMahon in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1982 NFL Draft
. New head coach Mike Ditka
made McMahon his first number-one selection. McMahon, thrilled to be "released" from what he considered a restrictive culture in Utah, strolled into his first public function with the Bears holding a cold beer
in his hand. Ditka was unimpressed, as was Bears owner and founder George Halas
. Ever the free spirit, McMahon was to find the atmosphere in Chicago almost as challenging as that at Brigham Young, and he would lock horns with Ditka, his coaches and teammates, and journalists routinely during his six years with the Bears.
McMahon won the Bears' starting quarterback job as a rookie, and was named to several All-Rookie teams when he nearly led the team to the playoffs, despite the NFL only playing two games before a players' strike that cancelled nearly half the season. McMahon quickly displayed a natural ability to read defenses and an athletic versatility that surprised many. He established himself as the best play-action passer
in the game with his nonchalant fake handoffs and coolness in the pocket. Despite having only average arm strength, his situational awareness and superior acting skills made him a fearsome play-action passer.
McMahon also made a case for being the best rollout passer at that time. He explained that coaching in his youth had taught him to square his shoulders to the direction he wanted to throw the football, and he was thus able to execute passes with tight spirals and a high degree of accuracy when running to either his left or his right. The Bears finished the strike-shortened season at 3–6, but due to an expanded playoff format and conference-wide seeding the Bears missed a playoff berth by only one victory. McMahon was named NFC
Offensive Rookie of the Year, losing the league-wide honor to Marcus Allen
, who was playing for the Los Angeles Raiders
at that time.
In 1983 McMahon continued to improve as a passer and as a field general. He made a habit of changing the play both in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage, a practice which frustrated Ditka but usually led to success. His knowledge of the game and an instinctive, intuitive grasp of in-game situations were significant. He became a frequent scorer in goal line situations, after the dying Halas instructed Ditka to make the quarterback sneak a bigger part of the Bears' offense. He also began to catch touchdown passes on option plays, and was the emergency punter. Chicago finished the season at 8-8, missing the division title and a playoff berth by one victory again.
In 1984
the Bears broke through, reaching the conference title game before losing to the San Francisco 49ers
. McMahon started the season strongly, though nursing minor injuries like those that would plague him throughout his career. In a violent game against the Los Angeles Raiders
in Chicago, McMahon sustained a season-ending injury when he was brutally tackled by two Los Angeles defenders. He suffered bruised ribs and a lacerated kidney on the play, but limped to the huddle and breathlessly called the next play, despite difficulty breathing and increasing pain. The players could barely hear him in the huddle, and when McMahon attempted an audible at the line of scrimmage the Bears receivers were unable to hear his call. McMahon was on the verge of collapsing on the field, clutching his flank and rasping in his attempts to convey his situation. Offensive linemen helped McMahon stand and leave the field. McMahon went to the locker room, and reported urine that "looked like grape juice."
the Bears won their first 12 games and finished 15–1 for the season. McMahon became a media darling, not only for his outstanding play on the field, but also for his personality. He appeared in a rap
record made by the team, "The Super Bowl Shuffle
," in which he proclaimed "I'm the punky QB known as McMahon." He ended the season with a strong performance in Super Bowl XX
, which the Bears won 46–10 over the New England Patriots
. In that game McMahon became the first quarterback in the history of the Super Bowl to rush for two touchdowns. McMahon earned a spot in the Pro Bowl
. He was a point of controversy in New Orleans at the Super Bowl
when he "mooned" journalists who were inquiring as to the status of a minor injury to his buttocks. McMahon was notorious for head-first baseball
-style slides when running the football, despite being coached to slide feet-first to protect his body. In the playoffs McMahon heeded this coaching advice and was speared by a defender's helmet squarely in his buttocks, causing a painful deep bruise for which McMahon sought acupuncture treatment. On Thursday of Super Bowl XX week, McMahon was wrongfully accused of "calling the women of New Orleans sluts and the men idiots" on an interview over Chicago's WLS Radio at a restaurant on Bourbon Street, but the interview never happened, and New Orleans Sportscaster Buddy Deliberto was suspended for starting that rumor on his 10pm sportscast the night before. McMahon was cleared of this charge by WLS Sportscaster Les Grobstein, who was supposed to be the person doing the interview. Hundreds of angry women showed up at the Bears hotel to protest until they were informed the whole thing was a hoax.
In an early-season Thursday night game at Minnesota, McMahon was slated to back up Steve Fuller, as McMahon had missed practice time earlier in the week due to a neck injury that required an overnight hospital stay. Midway into the third quarter, the Vikings held a 17–9 lead. McMahon lobbied to get into the game until well into the third quarter. Once finally on the field, his first play was an opportunistic 70 yard touchdown pass to Willie Gault
. His very next offensive play was a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dennis McKinnon
, making him 2–2 for 95 yards and two touchdown
s. He followed up with another successful offensive drive, including a crucial third and short sneak to set up another 43-yard touchdown pass to McKinnon. The Bears led 30–17 and went on to win the game 33–24.
, defensive lineman Charles Martin
grabbed McMahon from behind and body-slammed him to the ground (after McMahon had passed the ball for an interception and officials had turned their attention downfield). The incident happened at least two seconds after the ball was away. McMahon landed full force on his previously-injured shoulder, a situation magnified by Soldier Field
's artificial surface of the time, and was knocked out for the rest of the season. Martin was ejected from the game and suspended for two games--at the time, the longest suspension for an on-field incident in modern NFL history. McMahon battled injuries for the rest of his career although at one point between the 1984 and 1987 seasons, he won 22 consecutive regular-season (25 including playoffs, & The Super Bowl) starts, the longest "regular season winning streak" by an NFL quarterback at the time, now held by Peyton Manning
, who won 23 in 2009 (but lost a Super Bowl during his "winning streak").
In 1987 he came back from injury in a classic game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. "Mad Mac" brought the Chicago Bears back in the first game following the 1987 NFL players strike to defeat the Buccaneers, 27-26. The Bears went on to an 11-4 record with many expecting McMahon to lead the Bears back to the Super Bowl - however as in 1986 they fell short against the Washington Redskins
, this time 21-17 in the NFC divisional playoff game.
1988 saw McMahon return for the Bears with a much more serious attitude. His main offensive weapon in Walter Payton had retired and McMahon publicly expressed his desire to win a Super Bowl again. The Bears looked strong all season ending 1988 with a 12-4 record, again winning the NFC Central. They were many peoples favourite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XXIII
and after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles
, 20-12 in the 1988 NFC Divisional playoff game - otherwise known as the Fog Bowl
, they faced the San Francisco 49ers
in the bitter cold of the Chicago's Soldier Field
. In what many people thought could be McMahon's finest hour, it was his opposite number, Joe Montana
who shined, as he led the 49ers to a 28-3 victory over the Bears as they went on to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals
20-16 in the twenty-third Super Bowl.
After a falling out with Head Coach Mike Ditka, and to a larger extent team presidentMichael McCaskey, McMahon was traded to the San Diego Chargers.
team in 1989. He went 4–8 in the games he started, though the team lost 4 of those games by a combined 11 points. He had only 4 games over 200 yards, but had 389 yards against the Houston Oilers in a Week 2 loss. He also had a falling out with team players, management and Coach Dan Henning
in his year with San Diego. He was benched for the final four games and finished the year with 2,132 yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was released and moved on to back up Randall Cunningham
on the Philadelphia Eagles
in 1990.
(with the Philadelphia Eagles
, where he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award) and 1993
(with the Minnesota Vikings
and led them to the playoffs), then spent three more years as a backup. He also played for the Cleveland Browns in 1995, was cut during the pre-season, and then signed with the Packers. He retired following the 1996
season, in which he won a second Super Bowl
ring with the Green Bay Packers
. This would be the second time McMahon won a Super Bowl at the New England Patriots' expense, incidentally at the same location of the Louisiana Superdome. When it was time for the Super Bowl Champs to visit the White House, McMahon wore his Chicago Bears #9 jersey, which did not go over too well with Green Bay Packer fans. McMahon would later explain that the reason behind this was that the Bears never got to go to the White House after they won Super Bowl XX
, due to the event being canceled after the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy. (The 1985 Bears would have to wait until October 2011 for the official visit.)
, he has worked as a restaurant owner and motivational speaker. He also was apprehended in Florida for drunk driving in 2003. Upon being pulled over, McMahon allegedly got out of his car and said to the police, "I'm too drunk; you got me." As of 2009, McMahon serves as an endorser of a male enhancement product.
In December 2006 McMahon went to Iraq
with the USO
to visit American forces in the field.
During Super Bowl XLIV
McMahon joined other members of the 1985 Chicago Bears in resurrecting the Super Bowl Shuffle
in a Boost Mobile
commercial.
In 2010 McMahon became a part owner of the Indoor Football League
's, Chicago Slaughter.
In a November 6, 2010, interview, McMahon admitted to having memory problems due to injuries suffered on the football field. McMahon was quoted as saying, 'There are a lot of times when I walk into a room and forget why I walked in there.'
while on the sidelines once led to him being fined by then NFL commissioner, Pete Rozelle
, as it had an unauthorized corporate logo on it. The next week his headband simply said "Rozelle". Reportedly before Super Bowl XX hundreds of fans mailed McMahon headbands in hopes he would wear them during the game. Pete Rozelle gave him a stern warning not to wear anything "unacceptable". In response McMahon decided to help bring attention to Juvenile Diabetes
by wearing a headband simply stating "JDF Cure", before switching to one stating "POW-MIA", and finally one with the word "Pluto", the nickname of a friend of his stricken with a brain tumor.
He also is known for his trademark sunglasses, which he wears for medical reasons. At age six, while trying to untie a knot in a toy gun holster with a fork, he accidentally severed the retina in his right eye when the fork slipped. While his vision
was saved, the accident left that eye extremely sensitive to light
. On the field he was among the first to wear a helmet fitted with a tinted plastic visor covering the eyes, leading to nicknames like "Darth Vader" and "Black Sunshine."
McMahon occasionally would play wearing gloves, and urged San Francisco 49ers
quarterback David Carr
to also wear gloves.
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...
player. He played college football 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...
, where he was a two-time All-American (1980
1980 College Football All-America Team
The 1980 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
, 1981
1981 College Football All-America Team
The 1981 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
) and later in the professional ranks with 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...
, 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...
, Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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...
, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Cleveland Browns, and 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...
.
Early years
McMahon was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, and moved with his family to San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, when he was three. He played high school football his freshman and sophomore years at Andrew Hill High School
Andrew Hill High School
Andrew Putnam Hill High School is a secondary school located in San Jose, California which opened in 1956, and educates students in grades 9–12. It is part of the East Side Union High School District . As of 2007, the school principal is Ms. Bettina Lopez. Currently, the Associate Principal of...
in San Jose and played his junior and senior years at Roy High School
Roy High School (Utah)
Roy High School is a 5A secondary school founded in 1965 that serves the residents of Roy, UT.-History:Prior to the establishment of Hill Air Force Base in 1940, the city of Roy had only one school that housed students of all ages...
(Roy, Utah), graduating in 1977.
College career
McMahon mainly served as Brigham Young UniversityBrigham 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...
's punter during his freshman season (1977), but he did play enough at quarterback to throw his first-ever collegiate touchdown pass against UTEP
UTEP Miners football
The UTEP Miners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Texas at El Paso . With a history dating back to 1914, UTEP currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of Conference USA . UTEP currently plays their home games at the Sun Bowl...
. He continued as the Cougars' punter as the 1978 season began, but when Marc Wilson was injured in the third game of the season (against Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
), McMahon was elevated to the position of starting quarterback. McMahon led BYU to victory against CSU, accounting for 112 passing yards, 80 rushing yards, and 2 touchdowns along the way. He was named Chevrolet Player of the Game and WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
Player of the Week for his performance. McMahon and Wilson shared quarterback duties for the rest of the season; McMahon played well enough to earn All-WAC honors and 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...
Honorable Mention All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
. The best game of his sophomore year was against Wyoming
Wyoming Cowboys football
The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles...
: he passed for 317 yards and rushed for 49 more yards, earning another WAC Player of the Week award.
McMahon wanted to battle Wilson for the starting position the following season, but he suffered an off-season injury and BYU coaches chose to redshirt him in 1979. McMahon watched from the sidelines as Wilson played spectacular football, setting 9 NCAA records and tying two others. Wilson became the first BYU player to earn consensus First Team All-American honors, and he finished third in 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...
balloting.
As good as Wilson was, McMahon was better in 1980. With Wilson graduated and gone to the NFL
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...
, McMahon beat out Royce Bybee to claim the starting quarterback position. BYU lost the first game of the season (25–21 against New Mexico), but won 11 straight games after that to claim the WAC championship. McMahon was spectacular: He set 32 NCAA records, including single-season records for yards of total offense (4,627), passing yards (4,571), touchdown passes (47), and passing efficiency (176.9). His best game was against Utah State
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
; he completed 21 of 33 passes for 485 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he added 2 rushing touchdowns as well. That performance earned him 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...
's National Player of the Week award. McMahon's season statistics would have been even better, but he spent significant time on the sidelines because the Cougars won many games by wide margins. Although he started all 12 regular season games, he only finished three of them.
With McMahon's leadership, BYU led the nation in passing offense, total offense, and scoring offense during the regular season. McMahon earned a bevy of awards for his individual accomplishments. He was named WAC Player of the Year, unanimous First Team All-WAC, Utah Sportsman of the Year, and Deseret News Athlete of the Year. He was named to four All-America teams and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.
McMahon's finest hour at BYU came in the 1980 Holiday Bowl. The Cougars faced a tough SMU
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
team. Behind star running backs Craig James and Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
, the Mustangs built a 45–25 lead over BYU with just four minutes left in the game. As Cougar fans headed for the exits, McMahon screamed that the game wasn't over yet. He calmly guided BYU's offense to three quick touchdowns, including a 41-yard Hail Mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
to Clay Brown to win the game as time expired. It is regarded as one of the greatest comebacks in college football history; BYU fans refer to it as the "Miracle Bowl".
McMahon's senior season (1981) was not as spectacular, but it was still terrific. Despite missing two games due to injuries, he passed for 3,555 yards and 30 touchdowns in the regular season, again leading BYU to a WAC championship. For his efforts, he was named WAC Player of the Year and unanimous First Team All-WAC. On a national level, he was named First-team All-American
1981 College Football All-America Team
The 1981 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
by five different organizations and finished third in Heisman Trophy balloting. He received the Davey O'Brien
Davey O'Brien
Robert David O'Brien was an American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Texas Christian University and was drafted in the first round of the 1939 NFL Draft. In 1938, O'Brien won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and the...
Trophy and the Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
Award, and he shared the Pigskin Club NCAA Offensive Player of the Year award with USC
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...
's 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...
. He earned Sports Illustrateds Player of the Week award after a spectacular performance against Colorado State (he tied a school record with 7 touchdown passes).
In his last game as a Cougar, McMahon passed for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead BYU over Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
in the 1981 Holiday Bowl. His career totals were 9,536 passing yards and 84 touchdown passes (not including bowl games). McMahon left college with 70 NCAA records and tied for one other. He entered the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1999, but is not a member of the BYU Hall of Fame because he is ten credit hours from a degree. In September 2010, McMahon announced that he would complete his coursework at BYU, which would qualify him for the BYU Hall of Fame.
Chicago Bears
McMahon's spectacular statistics in college caught the attention of the Chicago BearsChicago 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...
, who selected McMahon in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1982 NFL Draft
1982 NFL Draft
The 1982 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 27–28, 1982...
. New head coach Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
made McMahon his first number-one selection. McMahon, thrilled to be "released" from what he considered a restrictive culture in Utah, strolled into his first public function with the Bears holding a cold beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
in his hand. Ditka was unimpressed, as was Bears owner and founder George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. Ever the free spirit, McMahon was to find the atmosphere in Chicago almost as challenging as that at Brigham Young, and he would lock horns with Ditka, his coaches and teammates, and journalists routinely during his six years with the Bears.
McMahon won the Bears' starting quarterback job as a rookie, and was named to several All-Rookie teams when he nearly led the team to the playoffs, despite the NFL only playing two games before a players' strike that cancelled nearly half the season. McMahon quickly displayed a natural ability to read defenses and an athletic versatility that surprised many. He established himself as the best play-action passer
Play action pass
A play-action pass is a type of American football play. The play action, or "PA" for short, appears to be a running play, but is actually a pass play; in this way, it can be considered the opposite of a draw play. Play-action passes are often used against defenses that are presently focused on...
in the game with his nonchalant fake handoffs and coolness in the pocket. Despite having only average arm strength, his situational awareness and superior acting skills made him a fearsome play-action passer.
McMahon also made a case for being the best rollout passer at that time. He explained that coaching in his youth had taught him to square his shoulders to the direction he wanted to throw the football, and he was thus able to execute passes with tight spirals and a high degree of accuracy when running to either his left or his right. The Bears finished the strike-shortened season at 3–6, but due to an expanded playoff format and conference-wide seeding the Bears missed a playoff berth by only one victory. McMahon was named NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Offensive Rookie of the Year, losing the league-wide honor to 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...
, who was playing for the Los Angeles 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...
at that time.
In 1983 McMahon continued to improve as a passer and as a field general. He made a habit of changing the play both in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage, a practice which frustrated Ditka but usually led to success. His knowledge of the game and an instinctive, intuitive grasp of in-game situations were significant. He became a frequent scorer in goal line situations, after the dying Halas instructed Ditka to make the quarterback sneak a bigger part of the Bears' offense. He also began to catch touchdown passes on option plays, and was the emergency punter. Chicago finished the season at 8-8, missing the division title and a playoff berth by one victory again.
In 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
the Bears broke through, reaching the conference title game before losing to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. McMahon started the season strongly, though nursing minor injuries like those that would plague him throughout his career. In a violent game against the Los Angeles 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...
in Chicago, McMahon sustained a season-ending injury when he was brutally tackled by two Los Angeles defenders. He suffered bruised ribs and a lacerated kidney on the play, but limped to the huddle and breathlessly called the next play, despite difficulty breathing and increasing pain. The players could barely hear him in the huddle, and when McMahon attempted an audible at the line of scrimmage the Bears receivers were unable to hear his call. McMahon was on the verge of collapsing on the field, clutching his flank and rasping in his attempts to convey his situation. Offensive linemen helped McMahon stand and leave the field. McMahon went to the locker room, and reported urine that "looked like grape juice."
1985
In 19851985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
the Bears won their first 12 games and finished 15–1 for the season. McMahon became a media darling, not only for his outstanding play on the field, but also for his personality. He appeared in a rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
record made by the team, "The Super Bowl Shuffle
Super Bowl Shuffle
"The Super Bowl Shuffle" is a rap song performed by players of the Chicago Bears football team during 1985, slightly prior to their win in Super Bowl XX.-Song and video:...
," in which he proclaimed "I'm the punky QB known as McMahon." He ended the season with a strong performance in Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
, which the Bears won 46–10 over the 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...
. In that game McMahon became the first quarterback in the history of the Super Bowl to rush for two touchdowns. McMahon earned a spot in 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...
. He was a point of controversy in New Orleans at the 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...
when he "mooned" journalists who were inquiring as to the status of a minor injury to his buttocks. McMahon was notorious for head-first baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
-style slides when running the football, despite being coached to slide feet-first to protect his body. In the playoffs McMahon heeded this coaching advice and was speared by a defender's helmet squarely in his buttocks, causing a painful deep bruise for which McMahon sought acupuncture treatment. On Thursday of Super Bowl XX week, McMahon was wrongfully accused of "calling the women of New Orleans sluts and the men idiots" on an interview over Chicago's WLS Radio at a restaurant on Bourbon Street, but the interview never happened, and New Orleans Sportscaster Buddy Deliberto was suspended for starting that rumor on his 10pm sportscast the night before. McMahon was cleared of this charge by WLS Sportscaster Les Grobstein, who was supposed to be the person doing the interview. Hundreds of angry women showed up at the Bears hotel to protest until they were informed the whole thing was a hoax.
In an early-season Thursday night game at Minnesota, McMahon was slated to back up Steve Fuller, as McMahon had missed practice time earlier in the week due to a neck injury that required an overnight hospital stay. Midway into the third quarter, the Vikings held a 17–9 lead. McMahon lobbied to get into the game until well into the third quarter. Once finally on the field, his first play was an opportunistic 70 yard touchdown pass to Willie Gault
Willie Gault
Willie James Gault is a former American football wide receiver and Olympic athlete. Gault played in the National Football League for 11 seasons for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX, and was also a member of the U.S. Olympic team...
. His very next offensive play was a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dennis McKinnon
Dennis McKinnon
Dennis Lewis McKinnon is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys....
, making him 2–2 for 95 yards and two 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. He followed up with another successful offensive drive, including a crucial third and short sneak to set up another 43-yard touchdown pass to McKinnon. The Bears led 30–17 and went on to win the game 33–24.
1986-1988
In a late-season game against the Green Bay Packers1986 Green Bay Packers season
The 1986 Green Bay Packers season was their 66th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 4–12 record under coach Forrest Gregg, earning them 4th place finish in the NFC Central division.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:...
, defensive lineman Charles Martin
Charles Martin (football player)
-External links:*...
grabbed McMahon from behind and body-slammed him to the ground (after McMahon had passed the ball for an interception and officials had turned their attention downfield). The incident happened at least two seconds after the ball was away. McMahon landed full force on his previously-injured shoulder, a situation magnified by Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
's artificial surface of the time, and was knocked out for the rest of the season. Martin was ejected from the game and suspended for two games--at the time, the longest suspension for an on-field incident in modern NFL history. McMahon battled injuries for the rest of his career although at one point between the 1984 and 1987 seasons, he won 22 consecutive regular-season (25 including playoffs, & The Super Bowl) starts, the longest "regular season winning streak" by an NFL quarterback at the time, now held by 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...
, who won 23 in 2009 (but lost a Super Bowl during his "winning streak").
In 1987 he came back from injury in a classic game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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...
. "Mad Mac" brought the Chicago Bears back in the first game following the 1987 NFL players strike to defeat the Buccaneers, 27-26. The Bears went on to an 11-4 record with many expecting McMahon to lead the Bears back to the Super Bowl - however as in 1986 they fell short against 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,...
, this time 21-17 in the NFC divisional playoff game.
1988 saw McMahon return for the Bears with a much more serious attitude. His main offensive weapon in Walter Payton had retired and McMahon publicly expressed his desire to win a Super Bowl again. The Bears looked strong all season ending 1988 with a 12-4 record, again winning the NFC Central. They were many peoples favourite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
and after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 20-12 in the 1988 NFC Divisional playoff game - otherwise known as the Fog Bowl
Fog Bowl (American football)
In American football, the Fog Bowl was the name given to the December 31, 1988 National Football League playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears. A heavy, dense fog rolled over Chicago's Soldier Field during the 2nd quarter, cutting visibility to about 10-20 yards for the...
, they faced the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the bitter cold of the Chicago's Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. In what many people thought could be McMahon's finest hour, it was his opposite number, Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
who shined, as he led the 49ers to a 28-3 victory over the Bears as they went on to defeat 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...
20-16 in the twenty-third Super Bowl.
After a falling out with Head Coach Mike Ditka, and to a larger extent team presidentMichael McCaskey, McMahon was traded to the San Diego Chargers.
San Diego Chargers
He started 12 games for the 6–10 ChargersSan 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...
team in 1989. He went 4–8 in the games he started, though the team lost 4 of those games by a combined 11 points. He had only 4 games over 200 yards, but had 389 yards against the Houston Oilers in a Week 2 loss. He also had a falling out with team players, management and Coach Dan Henning
Dan Henning
-External links:...
in his year with San Diego. He was benched for the final four games and finished the year with 2,132 yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was released and moved on to back up Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
on the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1990.
Later career
He managed two more full seasons as a starter, in 19911991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
(with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award) and 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
(with 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...
and led them to the playoffs), then spent three more years as a backup. He also played for the Cleveland Browns in 1995, was cut during the pre-season, and then signed with the Packers. He retired following the 1996
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
season, in which he won a second Super Bowl
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
ring with the 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...
. This would be the second time McMahon won a Super Bowl at the New England Patriots' expense, incidentally at the same location of the Louisiana Superdome. When it was time for the Super Bowl Champs to visit the White House, McMahon wore his Chicago Bears #9 jersey, which did not go over too well with Green Bay Packer fans. McMahon would later explain that the reason behind this was that the Bears never got to go to the White House after they won Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
, due to the event being canceled after the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy. (The 1985 Bears would have to wait until October 2011 for the official visit.)
After retirement
Since retiring from football in 19971997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, he has worked as a restaurant owner and motivational speaker. He also was apprehended in Florida for drunk driving in 2003. Upon being pulled over, McMahon allegedly got out of his car and said to the police, "I'm too drunk; you got me." As of 2009, McMahon serves as an endorser of a male enhancement product.
In December 2006 McMahon went to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
with the USO
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
to visit American forces in the field.
During Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
McMahon joined other members of the 1985 Chicago Bears in resurrecting the Super Bowl Shuffle
Super Bowl Shuffle
"The Super Bowl Shuffle" is a rap song performed by players of the Chicago Bears football team during 1985, slightly prior to their win in Super Bowl XX.-Song and video:...
in a Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is a brand of wireless prepay service run by Sprint Nextel, operating within the Sprint Prepaid Group along with Virgin Mobile USA, Assurance Wireless, and payLo by Virgin Mobile. Boost Mobile uses GSMand iDEN networks...
commercial.
In 2010 McMahon became a part owner of the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
's, Chicago Slaughter.
In a November 6, 2010, interview, McMahon admitted to having memory problems due to injuries suffered on the football field. McMahon was quoted as saying, 'There are a lot of times when I walk into a room and forget why I walked in there.'
Style
Throughout his career, McMahon was known for both on- and off-field antics. Most famously, his wearing of a headbandHeadband
A headband is a clothing accessory worn in the hair or around the forehead, usually to hold hair away from the face or eyes. Headbands generally consist of a loop of elastic material or a horseshoe-shaped piece of flexible plastic or metal...
while on the sidelines once led to him being fined by then NFL commissioner, Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
, as it had an unauthorized corporate logo on it. The next week his headband simply said "Rozelle". Reportedly before Super Bowl XX hundreds of fans mailed McMahon headbands in hopes he would wear them during the game. Pete Rozelle gave him a stern warning not to wear anything "unacceptable". In response McMahon decided to help bring attention to Juvenile Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
by wearing a headband simply stating "JDF Cure", before switching to one stating "POW-MIA", and finally one with the word "Pluto", the nickname of a friend of his stricken with a brain tumor.
He also is known for his trademark sunglasses, which he wears for medical reasons. At age six, while trying to untie a knot in a toy gun holster with a fork, he accidentally severed the retina in his right eye when the fork slipped. While his vision
Visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...
was saved, the accident left that eye extremely sensitive to light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
. On the field he was among the first to wear a helmet fitted with a tinted plastic visor covering the eyes, leading to nicknames like "Darth Vader" and "Black Sunshine."
McMahon occasionally would play wearing gloves, and urged San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
quarterback David Carr
David Carr
David Duke Carr is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans first overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
to also wear gloves.
Career stats
| Year | Team | G | Passing Att.-Comp. |
Yards | Pct. | TD | Int. | Sacks-Lost | Pass Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Chicago | 8 | 210-120 | 1,501 | .571 | 9 | 7 | 27-196 | 79.9 |
| 1983 | Chicago | 14 | 295-175 | 2,184 | .593 | 12 | 13 | 42-266 | 77.6 |
| 1984 | Chicago | 9 | 143-85 | 1,146 | .594 | 8 | 2 | 10-48 | 97.8 |
| 1985 | Chicago | 13 | 313-178 | 2,392 | .569 | 15 | 11 | 26-125 | 82.6 |
| 1986 | Chicago | 6 | 150-77 | 995 | .513 | 5 | 8 | 6-40 | 61.4 |
| 1987 | Chicago | 7 | 210-125 | 1,639 | .595 | 12 | 8 | 22-136 | 87.4 |
| 1988 | Chicago | 9 | 192-114 | 1,346 | .594 | 6 | 7 | 13-79 | 76.0 |
| 1989 | San Diego | 12 | 318-176 | 2,132 | .553 | 10 | 10 | 28-167 | 73.5 |
| 1990 | Philadelphia | 5 | 9-6 | 63 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 1-7 | 86.8 |
| 1991 | Philadelphia | 12 | 311-187 | 2,239 | .601 | 12 | 11 | 21-128 | 80.3 |
| 1992 | Philadelphia | 4 | 43-22 | 279 | .512 | 1 | 2 | 4-25 | 60.1 |
| 1993 | Minnesota | 12 | 331-200 | 1,968 | .604 | 9 | 8 | 23-104 | 76.2 |
| 1994 | Arizona | 3 | 43-23 | 219 | .535 | 1 | 3 | 3-23 | 46.6 |
| 1995 | Green Bay | 1 | 1-1 | 6 | 1.00 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 91.7 |
| 1996 | Green Bay | 5 | 4-3 | 39 | .750 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 105.2 |
| Totals | 120 | 2,573-1,492 | 18,148 | .580 | 100 | 90 | 226-1,344 | 78.2 | |
| Playoff Totals | 8 | 82-155 | 1,112 | .643 | 5 | 4 | n/a-n/a | 76.1 | |