Cullen Finnerty
Encyclopedia
Cullen Finnerty is an American football
quarterback
whose most recent team in the National Football League
was the Denver Broncos
. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Grand Valley State.
Finnerty led the Grand Valley football team to NCAA Division II national championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006.
at Brighton High School
in Brighton, Michigan
, located in Livingston County
. He was awarded the Livingston County Football Player of the Year award as a senior, and was named to the Ann Arbor News All-Area First-Team, and Michigan All-State Honorable Mention. Finnerty threw for 1,954 yards and rushed for 636 yards. As a junior, he was named the Ann Arbor
News Player of the Year, as well as all-area, all-league and all-Livingston county. Finnerty threw for 459 yards, and kicked three field goals, in his first playoff game as a junior. Finnerty also lettered in baseball
. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.html
his true freshman year at the University of Toledo
.
in 2002, but he did not play that season. In 2003 he joined the Grand Valley Football team for his first year of eligibility as a freshman.
conference Freshman of the Year award, and was named GVSU
's Rookie of the Year. He was a two-time GLIAC Player of the Week, and was named Football.com Div II Player of the Week. Finnerty earned his first varsity letter as a freshman after starting 14 games. He completed 230-of-363 passes for 2,764 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 63.4% of his passes. Finnerty was ranked 12th in pass efficiency rating (144.02) and 26th in total offense (256.9) in NCAA Div. II. He rushed for 822 yards and nine TDs himself, and also caught one pass as a receiver, for nine yards. Finnerty completed 20 or more passes in a game three times in the season, and broke the 200-yard passing mark six times, including two games of over 300 yards. He completed 19-of-29 passes for 149 yards and rushed for 78 yards on 19 carries in the NCAA Div II National Championship game vs. North Dakota. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.html
, Finnerty completed 12-of-19 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown, while rushing himself for 59 yards and two TDs on 14 carries in the win. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.html
Through his first 3 seasons, Finnerty recorded a 36-4 record as a starting QB, and produced a 9-1 NCAA Div. II playoff record. He achieved 9,488 offensive yards and 92 career touchdowns, passing for 7,685 yards and 69 TDs, while rushing for 1,803 yards and 23 TDs. Finnerty ranked second in career total offense at GVSU with 9,488 yards, and third in career passing yards with 7,685 yards, and all with another season yet to play.
All America Team http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121306aac.html. Finnerty also earned Daktronics
First Team All American honors http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121206aac.html. He finished the 2006 GVSU season with a 15-0 record, completing 195 of 343 passes for 3,220 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, and leading the nation in quarterback efficiency with 169.32. Finnerty also rushed for 580 yards and 8 touchdowns himself, totalling 3,800 offensive yards and 49 touchdowns on the season, for an average offense of 253.3 yards per game http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2006-2007/teamcume.html#TEAM.IND . Finnerty was awarded second place for the Harlon Hill Trophy
award http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121506aab.html, just prior to the NCAA Div II national championship match in Florence, Alabama
. In the title match versus Northwest Missouri State University
, Finnerty completed 15-of-33 passes for 225 yards and rushed for 115 yards on 22 carries for 340 yards of total offense, passing for one TD and running for another. Finnerty became the first quarterback in NCAA Div. II Championship game history to pass for over 200 yards and also rush for over 100. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/121606aae.html
, Finnerty was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
as an undrafted free agent. However, he was released by the team in July before the preseason.
Finnerty was re-signed to the practice squad during the season, and was promoted to the active roster for the final two games of the season after an injury to Kyle Boller
.
An exclusive-rights free agent
in the 2008 offseason, Finnerty was not tendered a contract by the Ravens. He is currently a free agent.
.
On June 13, 2008, Finnerty was placed on waivers by the Denver Broncos.
Finnerty lead the team to win the Bodensee Cup tournament. He threw three touchdown passes, ran for a touchdown, and kicked a 26-yard field goal in a 31-13 win over the Swiss national team in the Bodensee Cup title game.
Finnerty was named MVP of the tournament.
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...
whose most recent team 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...
was the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was originally signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. 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 Grand Valley State.
Finnerty led the Grand Valley football team to NCAA Division II national championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006.
Early years
Finnerty preppedHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at Brighton High School
Brighton High School (Michigan)
Brighton High School is located in Brighton, Michigan which is part of the Detroit Metro Area. It is part of Brighton Area Schools which are located in Livingston County.-Athletics:...
in Brighton, Michigan
Brighton, Michigan
Brighton is a principal satellite city of Metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area...
, located in Livingston County
Livingston County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 156,951 people, 55,384 households, and 43,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 276 people per square mile . There were 58,919 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
. He was awarded the Livingston County Football Player of the Year award as a senior, and was named to the Ann Arbor News All-Area First-Team, and Michigan All-State Honorable Mention. Finnerty threw for 1,954 yards and rushed for 636 yards. As a junior, he was named the Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
News Player of the Year, as well as all-area, all-league and all-Livingston county. Finnerty threw for 459 yards, and kicked three field goals, in his first playoff game as a junior. Finnerty also lettered in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.html
High school accolades
- Livingston County Player of the Year (Senior year)
- Ann Arbor News All-Area First-Team
- Ann Arbor News Player of the Year (Junior year)
- Honorable mention all-state
- All-area, all-league and all-county - Junior year
Toledo
In 2001, Cullen Finnerty redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his true freshman year at the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
.
Grand Valley State
Finnerty transferred to Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
in 2002, but he did not play that season. In 2003 he joined the Grand Valley Football team for his first year of eligibility as a freshman.
Freshman season
Finnerty was awarded 2003 GLIACGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate...
conference Freshman of the Year award, and was named GVSU
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
's Rookie of the Year. He was a two-time GLIAC Player of the Week, and was named Football.com Div II Player of the Week. Finnerty earned his first varsity letter as a freshman after starting 14 games. He completed 230-of-363 passes for 2,764 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 63.4% of his passes. Finnerty was ranked 12th in pass efficiency rating (144.02) and 26th in total offense (256.9) in NCAA Div. II. He rushed for 822 yards and nine TDs himself, and also caught one pass as a receiver, for nine yards. Finnerty completed 20 or more passes in a game three times in the season, and broke the 200-yard passing mark six times, including two games of over 300 yards. He completed 19-of-29 passes for 149 yards and rushed for 78 yards on 19 carries in the NCAA Div II National Championship game vs. North Dakota. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.html
Sophomore season
In his sophomore year, Finnerty started all 11 games at quarterback. He completed 192-of-333 passes for 2,462 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 189.4 yards passing per game. He rushed for 458 yards and five TDs on 139 carries. Finnerty tallied 224.6 yards of total offense (passing and rushing) per game. He was ranked 26th in the nation in passing efficiency (138.5), and 42nd in NCAA Division II in total offense per game at 225.4. He was fourth in the GLIAC in both passing yards (189.4) and total offense (225.4) per game. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.htmlJunior season
With GVSU winning the NCAA Division II National Championship, as a junior Finnerty was named the 2005 GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year, and First-Team All-GLIAC Quarterback. Finnerty was given Honorable Mention on Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-American Team. Finnerty completed 157-of-273 passes for 2,459 yards and 22 TDs, while rushing for 523 yards and nine TDs himself on the season. In the National Championship match versus Northwest Missouri State UniversityNorthwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a state university in Maryville, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, it offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus, based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, is the official Missouri State Arboretum....
, Finnerty completed 12-of-19 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown, while rushing himself for 59 yards and two TDs on 14 carries in the win. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/finnerty_cullen00.html
Through his first 3 seasons, Finnerty recorded a 36-4 record as a starting QB, and produced a 9-1 NCAA Div. II playoff record. He achieved 9,488 offensive yards and 92 career touchdowns, passing for 7,685 yards and 69 TDs, while rushing for 1,803 yards and 23 TDs. Finnerty ranked second in career total offense at GVSU with 9,488 yards, and third in career passing yards with 7,685 yards, and all with another season yet to play.
Senior season
As a senior quarterback, Finnerty became the winningest quarterback in NCAA history for all divisions, with a career record as a starting quarterback of 51-4, and he was named to the 2006 American Football Coaches AssociationAmerican Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
All America Team http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121306aac.html. Finnerty also earned Daktronics
Daktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
First Team All American honors http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121206aac.html. He finished the 2006 GVSU season with a 15-0 record, completing 195 of 343 passes for 3,220 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, and leading the nation in quarterback efficiency with 169.32. Finnerty also rushed for 580 yards and 8 touchdowns himself, totalling 3,800 offensive yards and 49 touchdowns on the season, for an average offense of 253.3 yards per game http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2006-2007/teamcume.html#TEAM.IND . Finnerty was awarded second place for the Harlon Hill Trophy
Harlon Hill Trophy
The Harlon Hill Trophy is an award in American college football given to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II. The award is named for former University of North Alabama and National Football League player Harlon Hill...
award http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121506aab.html, just prior to the NCAA Div II national championship match in Florence, Alabama
Florence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
. In the title match versus Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a state university in Maryville, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, it offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus, based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, is the official Missouri State Arboretum....
, Finnerty completed 15-of-33 passes for 225 yards and rushed for 115 yards on 22 carries for 340 yards of total offense, passing for one TD and running for another. Finnerty became the first quarterback in NCAA Div. II Championship game history to pass for over 200 yards and also rush for over 100. http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/121606aae.html
Awards and honors
- GLIAC Freshman of the Year 2003
- GVSU Rookie of the Year 2003
- GLIAC Player of the Week (2 times) 2003
- D2Football.com Player of the Week 2003
- 2006 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' All-America Team.
- 2006 Daktronics First Team All American
- Finalist, 2006 Harlon Hill TrophyHarlon Hill TrophyThe Harlon Hill Trophy is an award in American college football given to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II. The award is named for former University of North Alabama and National Football League player Harlon Hill...
- 2nd Place
Baltimore Ravens
After going undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
, Finnerty was signed by 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...
as an undrafted free agent. However, he was released by the team in July before the preseason.
Finnerty was re-signed to the practice squad during the season, and was promoted to the active roster for the final two games of the season after an injury to Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
.
An exclusive-rights 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....
in the 2008 offseason, Finnerty was not tendered a contract by the Ravens. He is currently a free agent.
Denver Broncos
On March 27, 2008, Finnerty was signed by the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
On June 13, 2008, Finnerty was placed on waivers by the Denver Broncos.
Cineplexx Blue Devils
In October, 2008, Finnerty joined the Cineplexx Blue Devils of Austria.Finnerty lead the team to win the Bodensee Cup tournament. He threw three touchdown passes, ran for a touchdown, and kicked a 26-yard field goal in a 31-13 win over the Swiss national team in the Bodensee Cup title game.
Finnerty was named MVP of the tournament.