Trent Dilfer
Encyclopedia
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football
quarterback
in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft
and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens
, Seattle Seahawks
, Cleveland Browns
and San Francisco 49ers
. He played college football
at Fresno State University. Dilfer was a Pro Bowl
selection with the Buccaneers in 1997
and earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV
. He currently serves as an analyst for ESPN
.
as a starter for seasons. Dilfer helped Fresno State win or share the conference title for three straight seasons and started in two bowl games. In his junior season, Dilfer led the nation in pass efficiency en route to being named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year. He also set the NCAA record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception (271) that would stand until 2007, when Kentucky
quarterback Andre' Woodson broke it. He would then forgo his senior season to declare himself eligible for the 1994 NFL Draft
.
heavily criticized their decision. This led to Colts GM Bill Tobin responding on television by asking "Who in the hell is Mel Kiper" and challenged Kiper's credentials to evaluate the draft. This exchange is often shown as one of the classic moments of ESPN draft coverage.
Enlisted as the starter in his second year, after seeing spot duty in his rookie year, Dilfer really struggled during what was still a dark period for the Buccaneers as a whole, when in 1995 he threw only 4 TD passes but 18 interceptions. The following year, he showed moderate improvement by upping his TD production, but failed to improve his turnover numbers (recording a career-high 19).
The following season, a year that Tampa's offense was aided by the arrival of rookie Warrick Dunn
and the emergence of Mike Alstott
, Dilfer was the first Tampa Bay quarterback to ever go to the Pro Bowl
, which some say was a reward for a highly efficient season in the Buccaneers' limited offense
. In the first 12 games of that year Dilfer passed
for 2213 yards, 19 touchdown
s and five interceptions. However, Dilfer's performance was perceived to decline in his last four games. In the playoffs the Buccaneers defeated their NFC Central rivals, the Detroit Lions
, before losing to their long-time division
rivals, and defending Super Bowl
champions, the Green Bay Packers
. While with the Bucs, he won more games than any quarterback in franchise history and took the team to their first playoff game in 15 years.
Dilfer threw for 21 touchdowns with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in both the 1997 and the 1998 NFL seasons. In the 1996-1999 NFL seasons, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dilfer averaged 2,729 yards a season and had a total of 58 touchdowns. His inconsistent play continued and in Week 10 of 1999 he was injured severely, missing the rest of the season.
In the playoffs, Dilfer went 3-0, and the Ravens advanced to Super Bowl XXXV
in Tampa, Florida
to meet the New York Giants
. Halfway through the first quarter Dilfer connected with Brandon Stokley
on a deep post for a 38-yard touchdown, badly beating Jason Sehorn
. A third down 44-yard pass to Qadry Ismail
would set up a field goal
before halftime, to give Baltimore a 10-0 lead. The Ravens eventually won easily, 34-7. Dilfer's game stats were 12 completions for 153 yards and 1 TD.
whom Dilfer to this day calls by his given name Matthew. Dilfer saw his first action when Hasselbeck injured his groin in week three against the Oakland Raiders. Dilfer started and won the next two games, before being replaced by a healthy Hasselbeck. Dilfer came on in a relief role against the Washington Redskins
, when Hasselbeck struggled. He continued as the starter when Hasselbeck suffered a separated left shoulder. Dilfer started the final two games of the season, and with Seattle in the playoff hunt, won them both. He ended the season by throwing five touchdowns and two interceptions in two three-point victories. The Seahawks' AFC (they were still in the AFC in 2001) wild-card hopes ended when the Ravens beat the Minnesota Vikings
19-3 on Monday Night Football
. At the end of the season, Dilfer's passer rating was 92.0 and he had won 15 straight starts.
Partially because the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback, Hasselbeck, was coming off a season where he went 5-7 as a starter and threw eight interceptions and seven touchdowns, Dilfer was re-signed by the team to a four-year deal on March 1, and was slated as the starter heading into training camp. However, in an exhibition game against Indianapolis, Dilfer sprained his medial collateral ligament
in his right knee. With the injury, Dilfer lost the starting job to Hasselbeck. Dilfer returned to the starting position against the Arizona Cardinals
with a 13-24 loss. On October 28, 2002, in week 8, he suffered a season-ending torn achilles tendon
against the Dallas Cowboys
on the synthetic turf at Texas Stadium
. At that point in the season, the Seahawks were 2-5.
In 2003, Dilfer played sparingly in a relief role, and was primarily used to mentor Hasselbeck.
In 2004, Dilfer started in only two games, and won them both: November 28 versus the Miami Dolphins
, 24-17, and December 26 versus the Arizona Cardinals
, 24-21.
Hasselbeck and Dilfer remain close friends since their time together in Seattle.
where it was hoped he would mentor rookie quarterback Charlie Frye
. Naming Dilfer the starting quarterback for the 2005 NFL season, the idea was to work Frye into the lineup under the veteran's tutelage, but a behind-the-scenes dispute with then-offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon
resulted in Dilfer's wanting out of Cleveland almost immediately. In his lone season for the Browns, Dilfer passed for 2,321 yards and 11 touchdowns, throwing 12 interceptions and fumbling 9 times (losing 7 of those). His passer rating was 76.9. He did however have the highest completion percentage of his career at 59.8 percent. The Browns would fall to 6-10.
, this time to serve as a mentor to the 2005 first round draft pick Alex Smith
. In return, the 49ers gave the Browns Ken Dorsey
and a 7th round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. A close friend of former 49ers quarterback John Brodie
, Dilfer received permission from Brodie and the 49ers to wear his retired number 12 in support of Brodie eventually going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
.
On September 30, 2007, Dilfer took over from Alex Smith following Smith's grade three shoulder separation. He would go on to start for the 49ers in games against the Seahawks, Ravens and Giants before conceding the starting back to Smith. However with Smith's effectiveness in question coming back from injury, coach Mike Nolan announced on November 14, 2007 that Dilfer would be the starting quarterback. Dilfer would go on to start in games against the Rams, in victory over the Cardinals in overtime, and against the Panthers. On December 9 in a home game against the Vikings, Dilfer suffered a head injury resulting in a concussion while diving for a 1st down on 4th and 2 that took him out of the game and subsequently the season. He was succeeded by third string backup Shaun Hill
.
earlier in the offseason with his wife, Dilfer stated that he was planning to retire anyway.
as a guest analyst in 2006. On September 15, 2007 he appeared on the NFL Network's pregame show. He was the NFL Network's color analyst for the 2008 Senior Bowl
as well as a studio analyst during the 2008 NFL playoffs. On July 14, 2008 Dilfer signed on as an NFL analyst for ESPN
. In 2010 it was announced that he would join Brad Nessler
to call the second game of the network's Monday Night Football
doubleheader on September 13 of that year. Dilfer has also coined the phrase "turned a stinky sandwich into an ice cream cone," which means that a player has turned a potentially negative play into a positive one.
, Dilfer's alma mater, named their football field Trevin Dilfer Field.
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...
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 drafted by 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...
sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 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 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, 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...
and 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...
. 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 Fresno State University. Dilfer was a 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...
selection with the Buccaneers in 1997
1998 Pro Bowl
The 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...
and earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
. He currently serves as an analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
College career
Dilfer attended Fresno State UniversityCalifornia State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
as a starter for seasons. Dilfer helped Fresno State win or share the conference title for three straight seasons and started in two bowl games. In his junior season, Dilfer led the nation in pass efficiency en route to being named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year. He also set the NCAA record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception (271) that would stand until 2007, when Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
quarterback Andre' Woodson broke it. He would then forgo his senior season to declare himself eligible for the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 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 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dilfer's professional football career began when he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with their 1st pick in the 1994 NFL Draft (6th overall) after his junior season at Fresno State. When the Indianapolis Colts passed on Dilfer in the draft, ESPN Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr.Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
heavily criticized their decision. This led to Colts GM Bill Tobin responding on television by asking "Who in the hell is Mel Kiper" and challenged Kiper's credentials to evaluate the draft. This exchange is often shown as one of the classic moments of ESPN draft coverage.
Enlisted as the starter in his second year, after seeing spot duty in his rookie year, Dilfer really struggled during what was still a dark period for the Buccaneers as a whole, when in 1995 he threw only 4 TD passes but 18 interceptions. The following year, he showed moderate improvement by upping his TD production, but failed to improve his turnover numbers (recording a career-high 19).
The following season, a year that Tampa's offense was aided by the arrival of rookie Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
and the emergence of Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
, Dilfer was the first Tampa Bay quarterback to ever go to 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...
, which some say was a reward for a highly efficient season in the Buccaneers' limited offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
. In the first 12 games of that year Dilfer passed
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
for 2213 yards, 19 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 and five interceptions. However, Dilfer's performance was perceived to decline in his last four games. In the playoffs the Buccaneers defeated their NFC Central rivals, 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...
, before losing to their long-time division
Division (sport)
In sports, a division is a group of teams who compete against each other for a championship.-League system:In sports using a league system , a division consists a group of teams who play a sport at a similar competitive level...
rivals, and 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...
champions, 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...
. While with the Bucs, he won more games than any quarterback in franchise history and took the team to their first playoff game in 15 years.
Dilfer threw for 21 touchdowns with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in both the 1997 and the 1998 NFL seasons. In the 1996-1999 NFL seasons, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dilfer averaged 2,729 yards a season and had a total of 58 touchdowns. His inconsistent play continued and in Week 10 of 1999 he was injured severely, missing the rest of the season.
Baltimore Ravens
Dilfer signed with the Ravens on March 8, 2000 and became the backup for Tony Banks. After two straight losses and four straight weeks without an offensive touchdown, the Ravens replaced Banks with Dilfer. The Ravens would lose their third straight game and fail to score a touchdown for the fifth straight week. It would be the last time the Ravens would lose a game that season, or go without a touchdown. The Ravens finished the season winning seven straight to earn a wild card berth at 12-4. The 7-1 run also gave Dilfer a 45-39 record as a starter at that point.In the playoffs, Dilfer went 3-0, and the Ravens advanced to Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
to meet the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Halfway through the first quarter Dilfer connected with Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley
Brandon Stokley is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
on a deep post for a 38-yard touchdown, badly beating Jason Sehorn
Jason Sehorn
Jason Heath Sehorn is a former professional American football defensive back in the National Football League.-Early years:Sehorn was born in Sacramento, California...
. A third down 44-yard pass to Qadry Ismail
Qadry Ismail
Qadry "The Missile" Ismail is a former National Football League wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts in a 10 year career that lasted from 1993 to 2002...
would set up a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
before halftime, to give Baltimore a 10-0 lead. The Ravens eventually won easily, 34-7. Dilfer's game stats were 12 completions for 153 yards and 1 TD.
Seattle Seahawks
On August 3, 2001, the Seattle Seahawks signed Dilfer as a back-up quarterback to starter Matt HasselbeckMatt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
whom Dilfer to this day calls by his given name Matthew. Dilfer saw his first action when Hasselbeck injured his groin in week three against the Oakland Raiders. Dilfer started and won the next two games, before being replaced by a healthy Hasselbeck. Dilfer came on in a relief role 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,...
, when Hasselbeck struggled. He continued as the starter when Hasselbeck suffered a separated left shoulder. Dilfer started the final two games of the season, and with Seattle in the playoff hunt, won them both. He ended the season by throwing five touchdowns and two interceptions in two three-point victories. The Seahawks' AFC (they were still in the AFC in 2001) wild-card hopes ended when the Ravens beat 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...
19-3 on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. At the end of the season, Dilfer's passer rating was 92.0 and he had won 15 straight starts.
Partially because the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback, Hasselbeck, was coming off a season where he went 5-7 as a starter and threw eight interceptions and seven touchdowns, Dilfer was re-signed by the team to a four-year deal on March 1, and was slated as the starter heading into training camp. However, in an exhibition game against Indianapolis, Dilfer sprained his medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
in his right knee. With the injury, Dilfer lost the starting job to Hasselbeck. Dilfer returned to the starting position against 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...
with a 13-24 loss. On October 28, 2002, in week 8, he suffered a season-ending torn achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on the synthetic turf at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
. At that point in the season, the Seahawks were 2-5.
In 2003, Dilfer played sparingly in a relief role, and was primarily used to mentor Hasselbeck.
In 2004, Dilfer started in only two games, and won them both: November 28 versus the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 24-17, and December 26 versus 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...
, 24-21.
Hasselbeck and Dilfer remain close friends since their time together in Seattle.
Cleveland Browns
In March 2005 Dilfer was traded to the Cleveland BrownsCleveland 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...
where it was hoped he would mentor rookie quarterback Charlie Frye
Charlie Frye
Charles Frye, , is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Akron.-Early years:...
. Naming Dilfer the starting quarterback for the 2005 NFL season, the idea was to work Frye into the lineup under the veteran's tutelage, but a behind-the-scenes dispute with then-offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon
Maurice Carthon
Maurice Carthon is a National Football League coach as well as a former professional football running back.Carthon is currently an assistant head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs...
resulted in Dilfer's wanting out of Cleveland almost immediately. In his lone season for the Browns, Dilfer passed for 2,321 yards and 11 touchdowns, throwing 12 interceptions and fumbling 9 times (losing 7 of those). His passer rating was 76.9. He did however have the highest completion percentage of his career at 59.8 percent. The Browns would fall to 6-10.
San Francisco 49ers
In May 2006, Dilfer was traded to 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...
, this time to serve as a mentor to the 2005 first round draft pick Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
. In return, the 49ers gave the Browns Ken Dorsey
Ken Dorsey
Kenneth Simon "Ken" Dorsey is a former football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami. A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami, Dorsey played for the Cleveland Browns from 2006–2008...
and a 7th round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. A close friend of former 49ers quarterback John Brodie
John Brodie
John Riley Brodie is a former professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years and education:...
, Dilfer received permission from Brodie and the 49ers to wear his retired number 12 in support of Brodie eventually going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
On September 30, 2007, Dilfer took over from Alex Smith following Smith's grade three shoulder separation. He would go on to start for the 49ers in games against the Seahawks, Ravens and Giants before conceding the starting back to Smith. However with Smith's effectiveness in question coming back from injury, coach Mike Nolan announced on November 14, 2007 that Dilfer would be the starting quarterback. Dilfer would go on to start in games against the Rams, in victory over the Cardinals in overtime, and against the Panthers. On December 9 in a home game against the Vikings, Dilfer suffered a head injury resulting in a concussion while diving for a 1st down on 4th and 2 that took him out of the game and subsequently the season. He was succeeded by third string backup Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
.
Retirement
Dilfer officially announced his retirement on July 9, 2008. Though he had suffered an Achilles' tendon injury playing basketballBasketball
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...
earlier in the offseason with his wife, Dilfer stated that he was planning to retire anyway.
Broadcasting
Dilfer joined the NFL NetworkNFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
as a guest analyst in 2006. On September 15, 2007 he appeared on the NFL Network's pregame show. He was the NFL Network's color analyst for the 2008 Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
as well as a studio analyst during the 2008 NFL playoffs. On July 14, 2008 Dilfer signed on as an NFL analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. In 2010 it was announced that he would join Brad Nessler
Brad Nessler
Bradley "Brad" Nessler is an American sportscaster, who currently calls college basketball and college football games for ESPN with occasional appearances on ESPN on ABC. He will also call Thursday Night Football on NFL Network beginning in 2011, and appears annually as a commentator in EA Sports'...
to call the second game of the network's Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
doubleheader on September 13 of that year. Dilfer has also coined the phrase "turned a stinky sandwich into an ice cream cone," which means that a player has turned a potentially negative play into a positive one.
Personal
He is married to Cassandra Dilfer, a former Fresno State swimmer, and they have three daughters (Madeleine, Victoria & Delaney) and a son, now deceased (Trevin); on April 27, 2003, Trevin lost his 40-day battle with heart disease at the age of 5. On June 2, 2003 Trent made his first public comments regarding his family's loss and, still grieving, openly wept. Aptos High SchoolAptos High School
Aptos High School is a comprehensive secondary school in Aptos, California, USA in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Aptos High serves the communities of Rio Del Mar, Corralitos, Seacliff, Seascape, La Selva Beach, Buena Vista and Watsonville....
, Dilfer's alma mater, named their football field Trevin Dilfer Field.