Rich Gannon
Encyclopedia
Richard Joseph Gannon is a former football
quarterback
, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders
in the National Football League
. He was the quarterback of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII
.
s each in football
and crew
, and twice in basketball
. Gannon exploded in his senior season, winning first team All-City as a punter and quarterback. He threw for 1,567 yards his senior season.
, was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon
, and played under Tubby Raymond and ran Raymond's Wing-T offense. When he led the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII
in 2003, he was the second of three players from the University of Delaware to go to the Super Bowl
.
by the New England Patriots
, who envisioned converting him to a defensive back
. Gannon balked at the idea, and he was quickly traded to the Minnesota Vikings
. After two years of playing sparingly, in 1990 Gannon became the Vikings' starting
quarterback, displacing incumbent Wade Wilson. Gannon was passed over for Sean Salisbury
at the start of the postseason, after having led the team to an 11-5 record.
after coming off rotator cuff
surgery. Gannon started three games for Washington and was released at season's end.
, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs
in 1995
. For two years he served as a backup to Steve Bono
. In 1997
a quarterback controversy was created when the Gannon-led Chiefs excelled in the absence of the injured Elvis Grbac
. In the playoffs, coach Marty Schottenheimer
elected to play Grbac instead of Gannon and the Chiefs lost 14-10. The two ended up splitting snaps in 1998
, after Grbac was injured in Week 1.
Gannon was signed as a free agent
by the Oakland Raiders
. He excelled in Jon Gruden
's West Coast offense
and was voted to the Pro Bowl
in his first year as a Raider - the first of four straight selections. In 2001 and 2002 he won the Pro Bowl
MVP award consecutively, a feat achieved by no other NFL player. Gannon won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award after a record-setting 2002 season
, throwing for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns, which helped the Raiders advance to Super Bowl XXXVII
. He led the league with 418 completions on 618 attempts.
In the Super Bowl, Gannon threw a Super Bowl-record five interceptions - three of which were run back for touchdowns - in a 48-21 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. The Bucs' defense was aided by the fact that their new head coach was Jon Gruden, who had knowledge of the Raiders' playbook as well as Gannon's mannerisms and even some audibles, which Oakland coach Bill Callahan had left unchanged since Gruden's departure.
Gannon's 2003 season
was ended by a shoulder injury in Week 7 after a 2-5 start. A serious neck injury in 2004
effectively ended his career. Gannon was hurt in Week 3 when he scrambled
, and slid into a helmet-to-helmet
collision with Tampa Bay linebacker
Derrick Brooks
.
When the Raiders signed Kerry Collins
prior to the 2004 season, some thought that Gannon would be cut in favor of the strong-armed Collins, whom skeptics thought was a better fit in new coach Norv Turner
's vertical offense. Gannon not only kept his starting QB spot, but thrived. He threw for 305 yards in the season opener against Pittsburgh
, including a 40-yard touchdown strike to Doug Gabriel
. The Raiders nearly won the game over a Steelers team that finished the 2004 season with 15 victories. The Raiders were a competitive team with Gannon as their QB, going 2-1 when he started and 3-10 after his injury.
television as an NFL analyst. He retired as an Oakland Raider and was inducted into the University of Delaware athletics hall of fame the same year.
preseason games. As of 2009, Gannon also cohosts NFL Radio's "The SIRIUS Blitz" on SIRIUS
Satellite Radio with Adam Schein weekdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Eastern time.
running back Bill Brown
.
He and his wife Shelly have two daughters, Alexis and Danielle. Danielle has been diagnosed with celiac disease. The Gannons are big supporters of research for the disease by hosting a Celiac Walk at Holy Family Catholic High School
in Victoria, Minnesota
.
It has been well documented that Gannon is an outspoken "born-again" Christian.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland 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 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 the quarterback of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
.
Early life
Gannon attended Saint Joseph's Preparatory School and won three varsity letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s each in 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....
and crew
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, and twice in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. Gannon exploded in his senior season, winning first team All-City as a punter and quarterback. He threw for 1,567 yards his senior season.
College career
Gannon attended the University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
, and played under Tubby Raymond and ran Raymond's Wing-T offense. When he led the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
in 2003, he was the second of three players from the University of Delaware to go to 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...
.
Minnesota Vikings
He was selected in the 4th round (98th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 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 28–29, 1987...
by 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...
, who envisioned converting him to a defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. Gannon balked at the idea, and he was quickly traded to 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...
. After two years of playing sparingly, in 1990 Gannon became the Vikings' 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, displacing incumbent Wade Wilson. Gannon was passed over for Sean Salisbury
Sean Salisbury
Richard Sean Salisbury is an American football analyst, former NFL and CFL quarterback, and actor.-Early life:Salisbury attended Orange Glen High School in Escondido, California...
at the start of the postseason, after having led the team to an 11-5 record.
Washington Redskins
In 1993 Gannon was released and signed with the Washington RedskinsWashington 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,...
after coming off rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
surgery. Gannon started three games for Washington and was released at season's end.
Kansas City Chiefs
Following a hiatus from football for the 1994 season1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in 1995
1995 Kansas City Chiefs season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:...
. For two years he served as a backup to Steve Bono
Steve Bono
Steven Christopher Bono is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Collegiate career:Bono attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he received a degree in sociology. As a Bruins quarterback, Bono posted collegiate career numbers of 177...
. In 1997
1997 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1997 Kansas City Chiefs were an above-average football team without any major flaws. The 1997 Chiefs are widely considered a major disappointment. The Chiefs finished with a 13–3 record and AFC West division champions...
a quarterback controversy was created when the Gannon-led Chiefs excelled in the absence of the injured Elvis Grbac
Elvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
. In the playoffs, coach Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
elected to play Grbac instead of Gannon and the Chiefs lost 14-10. The two ended up splitting snaps in 1998
1998 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1998 Kansas City Chiefs season began with high hopes of the team avenging its loss in the 1998 playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, but instead the Chiefs failed to succeed in the highly competitive AFC West. The team finished with a 7–9 record and 4th place in the AFC...
, after Grbac was injured in Week 1.
Oakland Raiders
In February 19991999 Oakland Raiders season
The 1999 Oakland Raiders season was their 40th in the league. They matched their previous season's output of 8–8. Thirteen of the team's sixteen games were decided by a touchdown or less.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...
Gannon was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Oakland 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...
. He excelled in Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
's West Coast offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
and was voted to the Pro Bowl
2000 Pro Bowl
The 2000 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 2000 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii Attendance— 50,112. The game was broadcast by ABC with a running time of three hours and sixteen minutes. The final score was NFC 51, AFC 31. The AFC coach was Tom Coughlin of Jacksonville.The NFC coach...
in his first year as a Raider - the first of four straight selections. In 2001 and 2002 he won 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...
MVP award consecutively, a feat achieved by no other NFL player. Gannon won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award after a record-setting 2002 season
2002 Oakland Raiders season
-AFC Championship Game:-References:...
, throwing for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns, which helped the Raiders advance to Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
. He led the league with 418 completions on 618 attempts.
In the Super Bowl, Gannon threw a Super Bowl-record five interceptions - three of which were run back for touchdowns - in a 48-21 loss to 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...
. The Bucs' defense was aided by the fact that their new head coach was Jon Gruden, who had knowledge of the Raiders' playbook as well as Gannon's mannerisms and even some audibles, which Oakland coach Bill Callahan had left unchanged since Gruden's departure.
Gannon's 2003 season
2003 Oakland Raiders season
The 2003 Oakland Raiders season was the teams's 44th in the National Football League. They were unable to improve upon their previous season's output of 11–5, instead winning only four games. The team had a five game losing streak in the middle of the season, and they lost seven games by a...
was ended by a shoulder injury in Week 7 after a 2-5 start. A serious neck injury in 2004
2004 Oakland Raiders season
The 2004 Oakland Raiders season was their 45th in the league. They improved upon their previous season's output of 4–12, instead winning five games. The team had a five game losing streak in the middle of the season and only won one game by a touchdown or more, a rematch with their Super Bowl...
effectively ended his career. Gannon was hurt in Week 3 when he scrambled
Quarterback scramble
A quarterback scramble or scramble is an impromptu maneuver or run in American football and Canadian football by a quarterback. If a quarterback is under pressure by an opposing team's defense, he may run forward, backward, or laterally in an attempt to avoid being tackled behind the line of...
, and slid into a helmet-to-helmet
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
collision with Tampa Bay linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks
Derrick Dewan Brooks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
.
When the Raiders signed Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
prior to the 2004 season, some thought that Gannon would be cut in favor of the strong-armed Collins, whom skeptics thought was a better fit in new coach Norv Turner
Norv Turner
Norval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
's vertical offense. Gannon not only kept his starting QB spot, but thrived. He threw for 305 yards in the season opener against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, including a 40-yard touchdown strike to Doug Gabriel
Doug Gabriel
Douglas Gabriel is an American football wide receiver currently playing for the Orlando Predators an Arena Football League team in Orlando Florida. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
. The Raiders nearly won the game over a Steelers team that finished the 2004 season with 15 victories. The Raiders were a competitive team with Gannon as their QB, going 2-1 when he started and 3-10 after his injury.
Retirement
On August 6, 2005, Gannon officially retired from football and joined CBSNFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
television as an NFL analyst. He retired as an Oakland Raider and was inducted into the University of Delaware athletics hall of fame the same year.
Broadcasting
Gannon joined CBS Sports as an NFL game analyst in August 2005. He also works as a game analyst for Green Bay PackersGreen 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...
preseason games. As of 2009, Gannon also cohosts NFL Radio's "The SIRIUS Blitz" on SIRIUS
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
Satellite Radio with Adam Schein weekdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Eastern time.
Personal
Gannon's father-in-law is former 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...
running back Bill Brown
Bill Brown (football)
William Dorsey Brown is a former American football player. Brown was a running back in the National Football League for 14 seasons, including 13 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.Brown attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign...
.
He and his wife Shelly have two daughters, Alexis and Danielle. Danielle has been diagnosed with celiac disease. The Gannons are big supporters of research for the disease by hosting a Celiac Walk at Holy Family Catholic High School
Holy Family Catholic High School
Holy Family Catholic High School is a Catholic comprehensive school situated in Thornton, Merseyside, England, catering for mixed pupils aged 11-18...
in Victoria, Minnesota
Victoria, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,025 people, 1,367 households, and 1,141 families residing in the city. The population density was 575.4 people per square mile . There were 1,410 housing units at an average density of 201.6 per square mile...
.
It has been well documented that Gannon is an outspoken "born-again" Christian.
Awards
- Pro BowlPro BowlIn 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...
selections - 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002 - Pro Bowl MVPMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
- 2000 & 2001 - NFL MVPNFL Most Valuable Player AwardThe National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...
- 2002 - Voted into University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005
NFL Records
- Most completions, season - 418 (2002 — record broken by Drew BreesDrew BreesDrew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
during the 2007 season) - Most 300+ yard passing games, season - 10 (2002)
- Most consecutive 300+ yard passing games - 6 (2002; tied with Steve Young, 1998 and Kurt WarnerKurt WarnerKurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
, 2000) - Single-game record for most consecutive completions - 21 (at Denver, 2002 — record broken by Mark BrunellMark BrunellMark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
during the 2006-2007 season) - Most completions in a non-overtime game - 43 (vs. Pittsburgh, 2002)
Raiders Franchise Records
- Most completions, career - 1533
- Most completions, season - 418 (2002)
- Most attempts, season - 618 (2002)
- Most passing yards, season - 4689 (2002)
- Highest completion percentage, career (min. 500 attempts) - 62.6%
- Highest completion percentage, season (min. 200 attempts) - 67.6% (2002)
- Highest passer rating, career (min. 500 attempts) - 91.2
- Most 300-yard passing games - 20
See also
- List of NFL on CBS commentator pairings
- Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)This is a list of the most consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL. Only six quarterbacks in NFL history have been able to achieve regular season streaks of at least 100 games, with only two of those with a regular season streak of at least 200 games....
External links
- Career statistics at pro-football-reference.com