BRADY QUINN

'Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn' (born October 27, 1984, Columbus, Ohio) is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft with the number 22 pick overall. He attended the University of Notre Dame and set many school records for the Fighting Irish.

Contents

High school career

College career

Statistics

Professional career

NFL Draft

Cleveland Browns

Personal life

References

High school career

Quinn attended Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio and ranked sixth on the Detroit Free Press "Best of the Midwest" team and was listed at number 20 on ESPN's list of the nation's top 100 players as a preparatory student. Cleveland Browns – Players – Brady Quinn
As a high school junior in 2001 , Quinn threw for 2,200 yards and 21 touchdowns to go along with 15 interceptions, posting a 9-4 record with which Coffman reached the Division I state semi-finals. As a senior in 2002 , he threw for 2,149 yards, completing 143 of 258 pass attempts, and he threw 25 touchdowns with only four interceptions while also rushing for 108 yards and six touchdowns. Quinn helped his team post an 8-3 record and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Brady was named the Columbus Dispatch and Ohio Capital Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was an All-State choice.
Brady was also named an All-Conference player in baseball as a junior and lettered three times. He was also a member of Young Life, the Rock Solid Club and Who's Who Among America High School Students.
In the fall of 2002, then-Notre Dame head coach Tyrone Willingham offered Quinn a scholarship, acting on a tip from fellow recruit Chinedum Ndukwe's father.^[1]

College career

Quinn accepted Willingham's scholarship and attended the University of Notre Dame, where he "shattered" 36 Fighting Irish records during his four seasons with the team. There were ten career records, twelve single-season records, four single-game records and ten miscellaneous records broken by Brady throughout those four years, including the record for career pass attempts with 1,602, completions with 929, yards-per-game with 239.6, touchdown passes with 95, and the Irish's lowest interception percentage with 2.43. Quinn also won 29 games as a starter at Notre Dame, which is tied for the most in school history. He also ranks in the top ten in NCAA Division I history in career pass attempts (ranked seventh), passing yards (ranked tenth) and touchdown passes (ranked ninth).
For his college career, Quinn also had 32 interceptions in three years. Comparing Quinn to other Notre Dame top-10 quarterbacks, that is in line with Steve Beurelein (44 in four years), Terry Hanratty (34 in three years) and Joe Theismann (35 in three years). It contrasts with other top Notre Dame quarterbacks, such as Ron Powlus (27 in four years), Rick Mirer (23 in four years), Jarious Jackson (21 in four years) and Joe Montana (25 in three years).^[2]
In 2005, under the supervision of Notre Dame's new head coach Charlie Weis, formerly of the New England Patriots, Brady blossomed as a starting quarterback. He averaged more than 110 yards passing per game than he had as a sophomore while nearly doubling his number of touchdown passes, throwing 32 in 2005 compared to 17 in 2004. Quinn placed fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Reggie Bush, Vince Young and Matt Leinart.^[3] Quinn was named to the 2005 AP All-America Team as a third-team quarterback^[4] and the 2006 SI.com All-American Team as a second-team quarterback.^[5] Quinn also received the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top passer of the 2005 season.^[6]

Prior to the start of the 2006 college football season, Brady Quinn was featured on the 2006-08-22 issue of ''Sports Illustrated'''s 2006 College Football Preview issue along with then-teammates Tom Zbikowski and Travis Thomas with the caption "Notre Dame: The Battle For No. 1."^[7] Quinn was expected to lead his Fighting Irish squad as one of the best college football quarterbacks in the country. However, the team's #2 pre-season ranking^[8] was put to the test in games against the Michigan Wolverines on 2006-09-16 in which the Irish lost 47-21^[9] and USC Trojans on 2006-11-25 in which the Irish lost 24-44.^[10] Arguably, these were the team's two biggest games of the season, and proved to be the team's only regular-season losses.^[11]
However, despite the somewhat disappointing season for the Fighting Irish in which the team finished ranked #11,^[12] Quinn posted rather impressive numbers, finishing the season with 3,426 yards on 289 completions out of 467 attempts for a completion percentage of 61.9% and 7.34 yards-per-attempt. Brady Quinn Career Stats He threw 37 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions, and was sacked 31 times. Brady finished the regular season with a passing efficiency rating of 146.65, which ranked him 18th in the country.^[13]
Quinn and the Fighting Irish were invited to the 2007 Sugar Bowl on 2007-01-03, where the team would face off against the LSU Tigers. However, Quinn would prove to be outmatched against the strong LSU defense, which held him to only 148 passing yards. Quinn threw only two touchdown passes, both in the first half, and the Tigers held Notre Dame scoreless through the second half of the game to defeat the Fighting Irish 14-41.^[14]
Following the 2006 season, Quinn won several awards, including the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award^[15] for the best college quarterback in the nation and the Maxwell Award^[16] for the best college football player. Brady finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting behind Troy Smith and Darren McFadden.^[17] He was also named the Cingular All-America Player of the Year^[18] and was named to the 2006 AP All-America Team as a second-team quarterback.^[19]
Following his career at Notre Dame, Quinn was touted as being the "quarterback who helped restore the Irish back to respectability."^[20]

Statistics

'College'

Year	Passing										Rushing
	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP %	YPA	LNG	TD	INT	SK	RAT	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	FD	FUM	LST
2003	157	332	1831	47.3	5.52	85	9	15	13	93.52	48	25	0.5	15	0	0	0	0
2004	191	353	2586	54.1	7.33	54	17	10	25	125.87	54	-4	-0.1	22	3	0	0	0
2005	292	450	3919	64.9	8.71	80	32	7	20	158.40	70	90	1.3	16	1	0	0	0
2006	289	467	3426	61.9	7.34	62	37	7	31	146.65	82	71	0.9	60	2	0	0	0
'Totals'	929	1602	11762	59.9	7.34	85	95	39	89	134.40	254	182	0.7	22	6	0	0	0

Professional career

NFL Draft

Coming into the draft Quinn was considered to be one of the top players in the country and was invited to attend the draft in person. Before the draft started, the NFL Draft, labelled Quinn as a "franchise quarterback in the mold of Carson Palmer."^[21] He was projected to be picked in the top ten and even could have been the number one overall pick.^[22][23][24]
On 2007-02-02, Microsoft announced that it would be chronicling Quinn's workout and training sessions every Friday from February 9 to April 28 on Xbox.com.^[25]
Quinn met with several NFL teams, including the Miami Dolphins. During one meeting, Dolphin coach Cam Cameron asked Quinn how many running plays, pass protections and pass formations the Fighting Irish had. Notes from Indy (Cont'd) Once Quinn answered, and with only seven minutes left in the interview, Cameron asked him to diagram each one on a blackboard. Due to the time constraint and the vast number of diagrams to be drawn, Quinn did not complete the entire task. However, Cameron told Brady that at their next meeting, he wanted him to repeat the task again, only faster, while losing none of the efficiency.
On draft day, the Cleveland Browns selected Joe Thomas, an offensive lineman from Wisconsin, with the third pick of the 2007 NFL Draft.^[26] Many suspected the Browns would select Quinn with the third pick. However, Quinn was told not to be surprised when the Browns did not select him with the third overall pick in the draft by the Browns' general manager, Phil Savage, the night before the draft. Quinn focusing on the positives After several other teams passed Quinn up, including the Dolphins with the number nine pick in the draft (with which they selected Ohio State wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr.), Quinn fell to the 22nd pick in the draft. Browns trade up, get Quinn With the Dallas Cowboys on the clock, the Browns initiated a trade that sent their second-round pick (36th overall) and their first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft to the Cowboys for their first-round pick (22nd overall). Wasting no time, the Browns selected Brady Quinn with that 22nd pick. Brady stated that he was happy to have fallen to number 22, because he ended up with the Browns, which is the team that he had wanted to play for all along.
Following the draft, Quinn was lambasted by Joe Theismann in a radio interview, claiming that Quinn looked "unprofessional" when he was on stage following his name being called. Quinn center of attention at Browns minicamp Theismann was bothered by the appearance of Quinn's hair and the fact that he was chewing gum. Quinn responded by saying that he apologizes to "anyone, obviously, who is a Notre Dame alum, or for those fans who thought I wasn't being very business like" (sic), saying that he was there for a long time and that the last thing that he thought of after his name was called was whether he was chewing gum or straightening his tie. "I was just trying to get on stage as fast as possible and get that Browns jersey in my hand," Quinn said.
When his friends e-mailed Quinn a video clip on YouTube of the Dolphins' draft party fiasco, in which Dolphin fans booed coach Cam Cameron, and walked out of Dolphins headquarters after the team passed on Quinn, Quinn commented, "It feels good that a team's fans would feel that way about you."^[27]

Cleveland Browns

Brady is expected to compete with fellow quarterbacks Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson for the starting job in Cleveland. However, head coach Romeo Crennel is not so straightforward as to simply hand the reigns over to Quinn, saying that he is going to put Quinn "out there and let [him] compete. If [he] wins the [job, he plays]. If [he doesn't, he'll] sit and hopefully play somewhere down the road."^[28]
Excitement is building around Cleveland with the team's drafting of Thomas and Quinn: WMMS, the radio home of the Browns, placed a billboard in downtown Cleveland on 2007-05-08 that reads: "WELCOME JOE AND BRADY/THANK U PHIL."^[29] to show the station and the city's support of Phil Savage's first round draft picks in 2007.
The fall in the draft from #3 to #22 "cost Quinn millions of dollars," who held out for more money "than is typical of a 22nd pick."^[30] Following rumors that Quinn may hold out from the training camp,^[31], the holdout began with the Associated Press reporting on July 22, 2007 that Quinn would likely be out for "some time," and would fail to report to training camp, thus likely costing Quinn any shot at a starting position. The cause for the delay was pinned on the view of Quinn's agent that Quinn is "worthy of Top 10 money, and that because the Browns had him rated high on their draft board, they should pay him like a top pick."^[32] Another source states various reports of "Quinn's side" expecting top-10 money as the Browns had rated Quinn in the top 10, something the Browns have been careful to counter stating they have always rated Quinn 22nd.^[33] Reportedly, the Browns and Quinn were at odds on Quinn desiring a $5 million increase in guaranteed pay if Quinn takes "55 percent of the snaps in any two of the first three years or 70 percent in any one of the first three,"^[34] however, 10 days into the holdout the two camps finally reached an agreement. On August 7, 2007, Quinn signed a five-year deal with the Browns worth a reported $20.2 million, with $7.5 million guaranteed. He could make up to $30 million with incentives.^[35] Although early reports expected a long holdout,^[36] Browns GM Phil Savage had stated that if Quinn signed a contract in time for training camp, that he had a shot at starting quarterback.^[37] Quinn's 10-day absence from training camp has "all but ensured he will not win the Browns' starting job."^[38]
Quinn's first NFL action came in the 4th quarter of the second game of the 2007 preseason. He was 13/20 (65%) for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Personal life

Brady's sister, Laura, is married to A. J. Hawk, a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers and a former All-American at Ohio State. Cleveland Browns – Players – Brady Quinn He is a second cousin to Zachary Ty Bryan, who starred as Brad on the television show ''Home Improvement''. Quinn graduated from Notre Dame with dual degrees in political science and finance,^[39] and currently resides in Dublin, Ohio, but during the Browns season resides in Avon Lake, Ohio.

References

1. American dream, Part II: Ndukwe's children carry parents' goals
2. Notre Dame Football - All Time Leaders, http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/FBRecSuppAll-TimeLeaders (Last viewed July 23, 2007)
3. 2005 Heisman Trophy Candidates: The Final Ballot
4. Young, Bush headline AP All-America team
5. 2006 Sports Illustrated All-American Team
6. Touchdown Club Awards – Sammy Baugh Trophy Recipients
7. Sports Illustrated Covers – August 22, 2006
8. 2006 College Football Rankings – Week 1
9. Michigan Wolverines at Notre Dame Fighting Irish boxscore
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish at USC Trojans
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – 2006 Archives – 2006 Schedule
12. 2006 College Football Rankings – Week 17
13. NCAA Division-I Passing Leaders
14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish at LSU Tigers
15. Notre Dame's Brady Quinn Wins 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
16. Maxwell Award: College Football Player of the Year
17. Ohio State's Smith Wins 2006 Heisman In A Landslide
18. College Football Fans Select Notre Dame Quarterback Brady Quinn as the Cingular All-America Player of the Year
19. 2006 AP All-America Team
20. Quinn comes up short again in big game
21. Brady Quinn Scouting Report
22. ESPN.com's 2007 mock draft
23. SportsNation NFL Mock Draft
24. 2007 Mock Draft
25. Brady Quinn Teams Up With Xbox to "Kick Off" his Pro Career
26. Browns select Joe Thomas
27. Andrew Abramson, Quinn Gets Past Free Fall in Draft'', http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/football/nfl/cleveland_browns/17429096.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_cleveland_browns (Last visited July 12, 2007)
28. Competition starting for rookies
29. You might have seen this:
30. Andrew Abramson, Palm Beach Post, ''Quinn's draft drop still'' stings, http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2007/06/27/a1c_quinn_0627.html (last visited July 12, 2007)
31. Browns sign seventh-round pick DL Pittman
32. ''Browns sign 3, not Thomas or Quinn'', Sporting News, July 22, 2007, http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=243534 (Last viewed July 24, 2007).
33. Patrick McManamon, ''Pressure on Quinn to Rise'', The Beacon Journal, July 24, 2007, http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/17536509.htm (Last visited July 25, 2007)
34. ''Quinn, Browns haggling over escalator clauses''[1]
35. Quinn, Browns agree on five year, M contract
36. Adam Schein, ''Rookie Signing Watch -- What's the Holdup?'', Fox Sports (Last visited July 25, 2007).
37. Tracy Boulian, The Plain Dealer, ''Trouble looms in signing Thomas'', http://www.cleveland.com/browns/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1182673895106490.xml&coll=2&thispage=3 last visited June 27, 2007)
38. Quinn agrees to five-year contract with Browns, ends holdout
39. Sandy Mitchell, Profile of Cleveland Browns Quarterback Brady Quinn, accessed May 16 2007.