Mike McMahon (football player)
Encyclopedia
Michael Edward "Mike" McMahon (born February 8, 1979) is an American football
quarterback
for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions
in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Rutgers
.
McMahon has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles
, Minnesota Vikings
, Toronto Argonauts
, Montreal Alouettes
, and California Redwoods.
, Pennsylvania
.
. He is third all time passing and started all four years (1997–2000). He was the first Scarlet Knight quarterback to be drafted.
by the Detroit Lions
. He made eight appearances and started three games for Detroit in his rookie campaign, leading them to their first victory of the season against the Minnesota Vikings
on December 16, 2001. Detroit drafted University of Oregon
quarterback Joey Harrington
with their first pick in the ensuing NFL Draft
, relegating McMahon to a back-up role until his contract expired in 2005.
, who was now working as the Eagles' Assistant Head Coach. With Donovan McNabb
out in 2005 after season-ending hernia surgery, McMahon took over the reins of the Eagles for the remainder of the season. On December 24, 2005 he became the first Eagles quarterback to rush for two touchdowns in a single game since Randall Cunningham
in 1992. After taking over for McNabb, McMahon compiled a record of two wins and five losses in the games he started. His quarterback rating was 55.2 for the season.
. He was then signed by the Minnesota Vikings on March 23, 2006 - a move which reunited him with then Vikings head coach Brad Childress
, who was previously the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. McMahon lost a training camp battle for the third-string job with fellow quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson
and Brooks Bollinger
. He was cut on September 2, 2006 after posting a 23.7 passer rating in the preseason - the 2nd worst in the league. He was worked out by the Cleveland Browns
a few days later but not signed.
of the Canadian Football League. McMahon started the 2007 CFL season as the third-string quarterback despite a strong showing in the pre-season. However, an injury to Michael Bishop
bumped McMahon to starting quarterback. His stint as a starter lasted only two games before being replaced by Damon Allen
as the acting starting quarterback for the team.
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 Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. 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 Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
.
McMahon has also been a member of 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...
, 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...
, Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, and California Redwoods.
Early years
McMahon played at North Allegheny High School in WexfordWexford, Pennsylvania
Wexford is an unincorporated community in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The area known as Wexford is split among multiple municipalities, including Franklin Park, McCandless, Pine Township, and Marshall Township...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
College career
McMahon attended college at Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
. He is third all time passing and started all four years (1997–2000). He was the first Scarlet Knight quarterback to be drafted.
Detroit Lions
McMahon was drafted in the fifth round in the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He made eight appearances and started three games for Detroit in his rookie campaign, leading them to their first victory of the season against 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...
on December 16, 2001. Detroit drafted University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
quarterback Joey Harrington
Joey Harrington
John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...
with their first pick in the ensuing NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
, relegating McMahon to a back-up role until his contract expired in 2005.
Philadelphia Eagles
McMahon signed with Philadelphia during the offseason, reuniting him with former Lions' Head Coach Marty MornhinwegMarty Mornhinweg
Marty Mornhinweg is the offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, having joined the Eagles in 2003 as the assistant head coach. He was named offensive coordinator on January 6, 2006, after the Eagles previous offensive coordinator Brad Childress was hired as the head coach of the...
, who was now working as the Eagles' Assistant Head Coach. With Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
out in 2005 after season-ending hernia surgery, McMahon took over the reins of the Eagles for the remainder of the season. On December 24, 2005 he became the first Eagles quarterback to rush for two touchdowns in a single game since 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...
in 1992. After taking over for McNabb, McMahon compiled a record of two wins and five losses in the games he started. His quarterback rating was 55.2 for the season.
Minnesota Vikings
McMahon was released a week after the Eagles signed quarterback Jeff GarciaJeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
. He was then signed by the Minnesota Vikings on March 23, 2006 - a move which reunited him with then Vikings head coach Brad Childress
Brad Childress
Brad "Chilly" Childress is the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He attended high school at the Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois...
, who was previously the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. McMahon lost a training camp battle for the third-string job with fellow quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson
Tarvaris Jackson
Tarvaris DeAndre Jackson is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
and Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger is a retired American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
. He was cut on September 2, 2006 after posting a 23.7 passer rating in the preseason - the 2nd worst in the league. He was worked out by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
a few days later but not signed.
Toronto Argonauts
On February 20, 2007, McMahon signed with the Toronto ArgonautsToronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League. McMahon started the 2007 CFL season as the third-string quarterback despite a strong showing in the pre-season. However, an injury to Michael Bishop
Michael Bishop (football player)
Michael Paul Bishop is a professional football quarterback who is currently on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Practice Squad. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots....
bumped McMahon to starting quarterback. His stint as a starter lasted only two games before being replaced by Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
as the acting starting quarterback for the team.