Max Hall
Encyclopedia
Max Hall is an American football
quarterback
for the Arizona Cardinals
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football
at BYU.
, and he led the team to the state championship (14-0), earning MVP, offensive player of the year as well as other honors. As a senior in 2003 he led his team to another state title game only to lose the game in triple overtime (an Arizona 5A state record), and broke several Toro career passing yards and other records just two years after Beck had broken several of them. Hall was named as the All-Arizona quarterback his senior year by the Arizona Republic.
He also lettered twice as a guard on the Toro's top-ranked basketball team
In 2007, John Beck's departure from BYU left a wide open competition for the starting quarterback position. Cade Cooper, a junior college transfer from Snow College, and Brenden Gaskins, a junior college transfer from Glendale Community College, joined Hall and Jacob Bower to compete for the position. Bower transferred out to Bakersfield College soon after, and the competition came down to Hall and Cooper. Cooper suffered a season-ending injury in the annual Spring game. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall
immediately named Hall as the starting quarterback and Gaskins as the backup for the 2007 season.
Hall was named first-team All-Mountain West Conference as a sophomore after throwing for 3,848 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only 12 interceptions. His 137.7 rating was the 21st best in BYU history, and the fifth best by a sophomore. His 3,848 yards ranked 8th in the NCAA and his 26 touchdown throws tied Hall for 22nd in the NCAA. His record in his first season as BYU starting quarterback was 11-2, with a Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl victory over UCLA.
On November 22, 2008 Hall was intercepted five times and lost one fumble, contributing to a 24-48 loss to the University of Utah. After the game he proclaimed that Utah didn't beat BYU but that BYU beat themselves. On September 5, 2009 Hall led his team to a win over then third-ranked Oklahoma, throwing for 328 yards and two touchdowns in a 14-13 victory. This performance garnered the Cougars a No. 9 ranking in the following AP poll. However, BYU was then beaten by Florida State and TCU at home.
On December 1, 2009, Hall was named to the Mountain West Conference football All-Conference Second Team.On December 22, 2009, Hall led his team to a 44-20 win over 18th-ranked Oregon State
, completing 19 out of 30 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns to end his senior season.
, Hall signed as a free agent with the Arizona Cardinals
. In the preseason Hall competed with John Skelton
, another rookie and a 5th round selection from Fordham
, for the third-string quarterback spot behind veterans Derek Anderson
and Matt Leinart
. On September 4, the Cardinals released Leinart and told Hall that he would be the primary backup quarterback behind Anderson for 2010.
While playing the Atlanta Falcons
on September 19, 2010 Hall relieved Anderson, throwing two passes for three yards and one interception. In an October 3 game against the San Diego Chargers
, Anderson threw two interceptions and was taken out in favor of Hall. Hall completed 8 of his 14 passes for 82 yards.
On October 10, Hall was named the starting quarterback for the Cardinals, and won the first NFL game he started, against the defending Super Bowl
champion New Orleans Saints
. He completed 17 of his 27 passes and passed for 168 yards and 0 touchdowns. He also threw 1 interception and fumbled twice. The Cardinals won the game 30–20. After this performance, Hall was named the Pepsi Rookie of the Week for Week 5.
On October 31, Hall threw his first career touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The score came off of a 3 yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald in the first quarter. Hall would be pulled in the second quarter though in favor of Derek Anderson. Hall would complete 8 of 16 passes passing for 71 yards with two interceptions.
Hall was waived/injured on August 24, 2011, and was reverted to injured reserve
after passing through waivers unclaimed on August 25.
and grandson of Wilford White, ASU Hall-of-Famers. He is also the second cousin to the Arizona Cardinals
tight end Todd Heap
. Hall is married to Mckinzi Gissel, and is also the brother in-law of his former BYU teammate and current Ravens tight end, Dennis Pitta
. He is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
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 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...
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 signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. 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 BYU.
Early years
Hall went to the same high school as the quarterback he took over for at BYU, John Beck. As a junior in 2002, he earned the starting quarterback job for the Mountain View High School TorosMountain View High School (Mesa)
Mountain View High School is a high school in Mesa, Arizona. It was established in 1976. It is known for its numerous athletic and academic accomplishments...
, and he led the team to the state championship (14-0), earning MVP, offensive player of the year as well as other honors. As a senior in 2003 he led his team to another state title game only to lose the game in triple overtime (an Arizona 5A state record), and broke several Toro career passing yards and other records just two years after Beck had broken several of them. Hall was named as the All-Arizona quarterback his senior year by the Arizona Republic.
He also lettered twice as a guard on the Toro's top-ranked basketball team
College career
Hall redshirted at ASU in 2004. In 2006, after returning home early from his LDS mission to Iowa, Hall transferred to BYU and quarterbacked the scout team while sitting out the season.In 2007, John Beck's departure from BYU left a wide open competition for the starting quarterback position. Cade Cooper, a junior college transfer from Snow College, and Brenden Gaskins, a junior college transfer from Glendale Community College, joined Hall and Jacob Bower to compete for the position. Bower transferred out to Bakersfield College soon after, and the competition came down to Hall and Cooper. Cooper suffered a season-ending injury in the annual Spring game. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall
Bronco Mendenhall
-Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :...
immediately named Hall as the starting quarterback and Gaskins as the backup for the 2007 season.
Hall was named first-team All-Mountain West Conference as a sophomore after throwing for 3,848 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only 12 interceptions. His 137.7 rating was the 21st best in BYU history, and the fifth best by a sophomore. His 3,848 yards ranked 8th in the NCAA and his 26 touchdown throws tied Hall for 22nd in the NCAA. His record in his first season as BYU starting quarterback was 11-2, with a Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl victory over UCLA.
On November 22, 2008 Hall was intercepted five times and lost one fumble, contributing to a 24-48 loss to the University of Utah. After the game he proclaimed that Utah didn't beat BYU but that BYU beat themselves. On September 5, 2009 Hall led his team to a win over then third-ranked Oklahoma, throwing for 328 yards and two touchdowns in a 14-13 victory. This performance garnered the Cougars a No. 9 ranking in the following AP poll. However, BYU was then beaten by Florida State and TCU at home.
On December 1, 2009, Hall was named to the Mountain West Conference football All-Conference Second Team.On December 22, 2009, Hall led his team to a 44-20 win over 18th-ranked Oregon State
2009 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 2009 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State University in the college football 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach, in his second stint with the Beavers, was Mike Riley who was in his seventh straight season and ninth overall with the football...
, completing 19 out of 30 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns to end his senior season.
Arizona Cardinals
After not being selected in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, Hall signed as a free agent with the 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...
. In the preseason Hall competed with John Skelton
John Skelton (American football)
-2010 season:Skelton was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed on July 14. After Matt Leinart was released, he was named the 3rd-string quarterback for the Cardinals....
, another rookie and a 5th round selection from Fordham
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
, for the third-string quarterback spot behind veterans Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
and Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
. On September 4, the Cardinals released Leinart and told Hall that he would be the primary backup quarterback behind Anderson for 2010.
While playing the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 19, 2010 Hall relieved Anderson, throwing two passes for three yards and one interception. In an October 3 game against the 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...
, Anderson threw two interceptions and was taken out in favor of Hall. Hall completed 8 of his 14 passes for 82 yards.
On October 10, Hall was named the starting quarterback for the Cardinals, and won the first NFL game he started, against the defending Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He completed 17 of his 27 passes and passed for 168 yards and 0 touchdowns. He also threw 1 interception and fumbled twice. The Cardinals won the game 30–20. After this performance, Hall was named the Pepsi Rookie of the Week for Week 5.
On October 31, Hall threw his first career touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The score came off of a 3 yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald in the first quarter. Hall would be pulled in the second quarter though in favor of Derek Anderson. Hall would complete 8 of 16 passes passing for 71 yards with two interceptions.
Hall was waived/injured on August 24, 2011, and was reverted to injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
after passing through waivers unclaimed on August 25.
Personal
Hall is a nephew to Danny WhiteDanny White
Wilford Daniel "Danny" White is a former quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion...
and grandson of Wilford White, ASU Hall-of-Famers. He is also the second cousin to the 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...
tight end Todd Heap
Todd Heap
Todd Benjamin Heap is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State-Early years:At Mountain View High School, in Mesa, Arizona,...
. Hall is married to Mckinzi Gissel, and is also the brother in-law of his former BYU teammate and current Ravens tight end, Dennis Pitta
Dennis Pitta
-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...
. He is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.