Tim Rattay
Encyclopedia
Timothy F. Rattay [rəˈteɪ] (born March 15, 1977) is a former professional American football
quarterback
who played in the National Football League
and United Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Louisiana Tech.
Rattay was also a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, Tennessee Titans
, Arizona Cardinals
, and Las Vegas Locomotives
.
Because he was a backup, Rattay did not play until his senior year at Phoenix Christian, where he set a school record with 40 touchdown passes in 1994.
in the 2000 NFL Draft
. Rattay was a backup to longtime San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia
. When Garcia was released from the team, largely due to salary cap
constraints, Rattay was given the starting
job. He won 2 of 3 games, throwing 7 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions, before getting injured.
for 6th round 2006 NFL Draft
pick from the San Francisco 49ers. This trade has been criticized by many, including former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Late in the 2006 season, Rattay stepped in as the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers due to the poor play of Bruce Gradkowski
. In the week 15 game against the Chicago Bears
, he entered the game with Tampa Bay losing 14-3. Due to his strong performance, Tampa Bay tied the game at 31, but they eventually lost in overtime 34-31. This performance led coach Jon Gruden
to name Rattay as the team's third starting quarterback in the 2006 season.
with the Tennessee Titans
. The following month Gruden would name Jeff Garcia
Rattay's successor as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback. He signed with Tennessee to be a backup before 2007's training camp. He made the team's 53 man roster, but was cut the next day.
as a backup to Kurt Warner
, following a season-ending collarbone injury to starting quarterback Matt Leinart
. Rattay would replace Warner in goal-line situations, where he went 3 for 3 with all 3 being touchdowns. Rattay declined to sign for another year, and decided to test the free agent market.
In September 2008, there were rumors that the New England Patriots considered signing Rattay after Tom Brady
was lost for the entire 2008 season. In the 2000 NFL draft, the Patriots considered drafting Rattay but opted for Brady instead.
The Patriots brought Rattay to Foxboro along with Chris Simms
, but once they arrived, they were told that, since Matt Cassel
had emerged, the situation had changed and Simms and Rattay were no longer needed in New England.
A month later, Rattay worked out with the Detroit Lions
, but they never made an offer to him.
of the United Football League. Head coach Jim Fassel
has said that Rattay will serve as the backup to JP Losman. On November 21, Tim Rattay started for an injured Losman and led the Locomotives with two touchdown passes in a blowout win against the New York Sentinels.
On July 12, Rattay announced his retirement from professional football.
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 played 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...
and United Football League. He was drafted by 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 seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. 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 Louisiana Tech.
Rattay was also a member of 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...
, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, 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...
, and Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
.
Early years
Rattay's high school career began at Mesa High, in Mesa, AZ. He did not take snaps as a sophomore or junior at Mesa High before transferring to Phoenix Christian when his father, Jim, became an assistant.Because he was a backup, Rattay did not play until his senior year at Phoenix Christian, where he set a school record with 40 touchdown passes in 1994.
Scottsdale CC
Rattay was not scouted by a major college, so he played a year at Scottsdale Community College, where he beat out five quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart to earn the starting spot the week of the season opener. He led the nation’s junior-college quarterbacks in touchdown passes (28) and yardage (3,526).Louisiana Tech
Tim Rattay played college football at Louisana Tech, in Ruston. He holds several NCAA records, including the NCAA Division I-A record for average passing yards per game with 386.2, and is in second place in NCAA history with 12,643 yards of total offense. (now surpassed by Colt Brennan of Hawaii) He is also in the top 5 of every offensive category. He was in the top 10 voting for the Heisman in 1998, which is awarded to the best college football player. In 1998, he broke school records as a senior with 4,943 yards and 46 touchdowns to finish second in NCAA history in yardage.San Francisco 49ers
Tim Rattay entered the league as the seventh-round pick (212th overall) of the San Francisco 49ersSan 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 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. Rattay was a backup to longtime San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia
Jeff 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....
. When Garcia was released from the team, largely due to salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
constraints, Rattay was given the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
job. He won 2 of 3 games, throwing 7 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions, before getting injured.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On October 18, 2005, Rattay was acquired by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa 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...
for 6th round 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
pick from the San Francisco 49ers. This trade has been criticized by many, including former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
Late in the 2006 season, Rattay stepped in as the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers due to the poor play of Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
. In the week 15 game against 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...
, he entered the game with Tampa Bay losing 14-3. Due to his strong performance, Tampa Bay tied the game at 31, but they eventually lost in overtime 34-31. This performance led coach 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...
to name Rattay as the team's third starting quarterback in the 2006 season.
Tennessee Titans
On May 9, 2007, Tim signed as a free agentFree 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....
with the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. The following month Gruden would name Jeff Garcia
Jeff 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....
Rattay's successor as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback. He signed with Tennessee to be a backup before 2007's training camp. He made the team's 53 man roster, but was cut the next day.
Arizona Cardinals
On October 9, 2007, Rattay signed a one year contract with the Arizona CardinalsArizona 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...
as a backup to Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis 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...
, following a season-ending collarbone injury to starting quarterback Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
. Rattay would replace Warner in goal-line situations, where he went 3 for 3 with all 3 being touchdowns. Rattay declined to sign for another year, and decided to test the free agent market.
In September 2008, there were rumors that the New England Patriots considered signing Rattay after Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
was lost for the entire 2008 season. In the 2000 NFL draft, the Patriots considered drafting Rattay but opted for Brady instead.
The Patriots brought Rattay to Foxboro along with Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, but once they arrived, they were told that, since Matt Cassel
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
had emerged, the situation had changed and Simms and Rattay were no longer needed in New England.
A month later, Rattay worked out with 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...
, but they never made an offer to him.
Las Vegas Locomotives
In July 2009, Rattay signed with the Las Vegas LocomotivesLas Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
of the United Football League. Head coach Jim Fassel
Jim Fassel
-Professional:-Personal life:Before the 2003 NFL season, Fassel was reunited with a son, John Mathieson, whom he and his wife Kitty gave up for adoption in 1969. The couple was unmarried when he was born....
has said that Rattay will serve as the backup to JP Losman. On November 21, Tim Rattay started for an injured Losman and led the Locomotives with two touchdown passes in a blowout win against the New York Sentinels.
On July 12, Rattay announced his retirement from professional football.
Career achievements
- Rattay is one of only 3 7th-round or undraftedUndraftedAn undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
quarterback since 1995 (out of a pool of 30 such players) to pass for more than 400 yards in a game. Matt CasselMatt CasselMatthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
accomplished this twice in 2008, and Tony RomoTony RomoAntonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
in 2010. Tom BradyTom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
, who also accomplished this feat, was a 6th round pick in 2000.
- Rattay broke the San Francisco 49ers team record for the most completions in a 31-28 win against the Arizona Cardinals on October 10, 2004, when he completed 38 passes, breaking Joe Montana's record of 37.
- Rattay is the only quarterback in NFL history to throw 3 consecutive passes all going for touchdowns, as he did for the Arizona Cardinals in 2007.
- He was responsible for the biggest comeback in Buccaneers history on December 17, 2006, when he led the team back from a 21-point 3rd quarter deficit against the eventual NFC Champion Chicago Bears, throwing for three touchdowns in the 4th quarter and sending the game into overtime before the Buccaneers lost, 34-31.
Las Vegas Locomotives
Following his retirement, Rattay joined the Locomotives coaching staff as wide receivers coach on July 18, 2011.See also
- List of 300-Yard Passing Games by NFL Quarterbacks
- List of NFL Quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards