Damon Huard
Encyclopedia
Damon Paul Huard is a former American football
quarterback
. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football
at Washington
.
Huard has also played for the Miami Dolphins
, New England Patriots
and Kansas City Chiefs
. He won two Super Bowl rings
with the Patriots.
in Puyallup, Washington
, and was a letterman
in football
and basketball
. In football, as a senior, he was named the Powerade
State Player of the Year and won All-America
honors.
, where he redshirted as a freshman in 1991. He started for the first time in 1993, and continued as a starter through his senior season in 1995. That season, he passed for 2,415 yards and 11 touchdowns. He finished his career as the Huskies' all-time passing leader with 5,692 yards. During his 1994 season he threw an interception against the University of Oregon that led to a touchdown costing them the game. This sent Oregon to the Rose Bowl and is the most famous play in Oregon football history. It is referred to as "the pick."
as an undrafted free agent following the 1996 NFL Draft
. He was waived by the Bengals on August 19, 1996.
on April 24, 1997. He was released during final cuts on August 24, 1997, but was re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later. He was promoted to the active roster on September 6 and spent the remainder of the season as the Dolphins' third quarterback. Following the season, Huard played in NFL Europe for the Frankfurt Galaxy
. In 1998, Huard saw action in two games for the Dolphins as a reserve, while acting as the team's third quarterback in eight games. He finished the season six-of-nine for 85 yards and an interception.
Huard began the 1999 season as the Dolphins' holder on the field goal unit, but following an injury to starter Dan Marino
, in the future Hall of Famer
's final season, Huard started his first NFL game on October 24 after replacing Marino on October 17. He won his first three games that he started, tying a Dolphins record set by Earl Morrall
in 1972
. Huard would post a 4–1 record before Marino returned in November, finishing the regular season with eight touchdowns, four interceptions, and 1,288 passing yards. Huard would also see time in the playoffs, replacing Marino for the second half of a 62–7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars
. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Dolphins on December 3, 1999.
Despite Huard's performance in 1999, Jay Fiedler
was signed to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback in 2000. Huard would start one game in Fiedler's place, on November 26, a win for the Dolphins.
as a free agent. In the team's 2001
training camp, Huard competed with second-year Tom Brady
and Michael Bishop for the backup job behind long-time starter Drew Bledsoe
; Brady would become the team's second quarterback and Huard the third for the start of the season. When Bledsoe was injured in Week 2, Brady became the Patriots' starter for the remainder of the season, while Huard was the backup until Bledsoe returned in Week 10. Huard, as the third quarterback, won his first Super Bowl ring in February 2002 with a Patriots win over the St. Louis Rams
in Super Bowl XXXVI
.
Huard appeared in his first game as a Patriot in 2002, leading a touchdown drive in a blowout win over the Jets on September 15. Later in the season, Huard would enter the game in a punt formation and run a successful quarterback sneak for a first down.
While a backup for the Patriots in 2003, Huard saw time in two more games while also seeing time on the team's scout team during practice. For the AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts
, Huard mimicked the line calls and audibles of Peyton Manning
for the Patriots' defense during practice.
Huard signed with the Kansas City Chiefs
as a free agent following the 2003 season. He did not play in a game for his first two seasons with the Chiefs (2004
and 2005
), acting as the team's third quarterback. In the 2006
season opener, starter Trent Green
left the game after suffering a concussion and was replaced by Huard. He would start the Chiefs' next seven games, posting a 5–3 record until suffering a groin injury. Green started the remainder of the season and the team's playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts
. However, following the season, the Chiefs signed Huard to a three-year contract extension, and Green was traded to the Miami Dolphins.
In the Chiefs' 2007
training camp, Huard competed with second-year Brodie Croyle
, the team's third-round draft choice in the 2006 NFL Draft
. Huard was named the starter on August 25, and started the first nine games of the season, going 4–5. In his final start, Huard suffered a back injury and was replaced by Croyle, but Croyle himself was injured after his second start, both losses, and Huard returned as the starter in Week 13. Huard suffered a hand injury in the game and Croyle started the Chiefs' next two games. In Week 16, Croyle was injured again and Huard saw time in a reserve before Croyle returned to start the last game of the season. Croyle and Huard combined to post a nine-game losing streak to end the season.
Croyle started the first game of the 2008
season for the Chiefs, but again suffered an injury and was replaced by Huard. In Week 2, Huard started but suffered a concussion and was replaced by Tyler Thigpen
, a seventh-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft
. Thigpen started the Chiefs' Week 3 game before Huard returned for Weeks 4 and 5. Croyle returned after the bye week in Week 7 to start, was injured again, and replaced by Huard, who suffered a thumb injury. He was placed on injured reserve
the next week, ending his season. The same week, Croyle was also placed on injured reserve, leaving Thigpen as the Chiefs' starter for the remainder of the season.
Following the season, Scott Pioli
, the Patriots' director of player personnel during Huard's tenure in New England, was hired to be the Chiefs' general manager
. Huard was released by the Chiefs on February 24, 2009, roughly a week before Pioli traded for Matt Cassel
, a Patriots backup who replaced an injured Brady in 2008, to be the Chiefs' starter.
on March 4, 2009, competing for a job behind Alex Smith and Shaun Hill
with 2009
fifth-round pick Nate Davis
. Huard lost the job and was released on September 1, 2009.
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...
. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
as an undrafted free agent in 1996. 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 Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
.
Huard has also played for 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...
, 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...
and 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...
. He won two Super Bowl rings
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...
with the Patriots.
Early years
Huard attended Puyallup High SchoolPuyallup High School
Puyallup High School is a high school in the Puyallup School District in Pierce County, Washington state, commonly referred to as PHS. Originally founded in 1890 as Central High School, PHS has survived several earthquakes, a fire, and numerous renovations and additions...
in Puyallup, Washington
Puyallup, Washington
Puyallup, Washington is a city in Pierce County, Washington about five miles east of Tacoma. The population was 37,022 at the 2010 Census. Named after the Puyallup Tribe of Native Americans, Puyallup means "the generous people."-History:...
, and was a letterman
Varsity 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 :...
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 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...
. In football, as a senior, he was named the Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
State Player of the Year and won All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors.
College career
After graduating from high school, Huard attended the University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, where he redshirted as a freshman in 1991. He started for the first time in 1993, and continued as a starter through his senior season in 1995. That season, he passed for 2,415 yards and 11 touchdowns. He finished his career as the Huskies' all-time passing leader with 5,692 yards. During his 1994 season he threw an interception against the University of Oregon that led to a touchdown costing them the game. This sent Oregon to the Rose Bowl and is the most famous play in Oregon football history. It is referred to as "the pick."
Cincinnati Bengals
Huard was signed by the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
as an undrafted free agent following the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 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 20–21, 1996...
. He was waived by the Bengals on August 19, 1996.
Miami Dolphins
After spending the 1996 season out of football, Huard signed with the Miami DolphinsMiami 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...
on April 24, 1997. He was released during final cuts on August 24, 1997, but was re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later. He was promoted to the active roster on September 6 and spent the remainder of the season as the Dolphins' third quarterback. Following the season, Huard played in NFL Europe for the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
. In 1998, Huard saw action in two games for the Dolphins as a reserve, while acting as the team's third quarterback in eight games. He finished the season six-of-nine for 85 yards and an interception.
Huard began the 1999 season as the Dolphins' holder on the field goal unit, but following an injury to starter Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
, in the future Hall of Famer
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...
's final season, Huard started his first NFL game on October 24 after replacing Marino on October 17. He won his first three games that he started, tying a Dolphins record set by Earl Morrall
Earl Morrall
Earl Edwin Morrall is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Morrall, who also occasionally punted, played 21 seasons in the National Football League as both a starter and reserve. In the latter capacity, he became known as the greatest backup quarterback in NFL...
in 1972
1972 Miami Dolphins season
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only National Football League team to win the Super Bowl with a perfect season. The undefeated campaign was led by coach Don Shula and notable players Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, and Larry Csonka...
. Huard would post a 4–1 record before Marino returned in November, finishing the regular season with eight touchdowns, four interceptions, and 1,288 passing yards. Huard would also see time in the playoffs, replacing Marino for the second half of a 62–7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Dolphins on December 3, 1999.
Despite Huard's performance in 1999, Jay Fiedler
Jay Fiedler
Jay Brian Fiedler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life and high school years:Fiedler was born to a Jewish family on Long Island in Oceanside, New York...
was signed to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback in 2000. Huard would start one game in Fiedler's place, on November 26, a win for the Dolphins.
New England Patriots
Following the 2000 season, Huard was signed by the New England PatriotsNew 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...
as a free agent. In the team's 2001
2001 New England Patriots season
The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
training camp, Huard competed with second-year 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,...
and Michael Bishop for the backup job behind long-time starter Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
; Brady would become the team's second quarterback and Huard the third for the start of the season. When Bledsoe was injured in Week 2, Brady became the Patriots' starter for the remainder of the season, while Huard was the backup until Bledsoe returned in Week 10. Huard, as the third quarterback, won his first Super Bowl ring in February 2002 with a Patriots win over the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
.
Huard appeared in his first game as a Patriot in 2002, leading a touchdown drive in a blowout win over the Jets on September 15. Later in the season, Huard would enter the game in a punt formation and run a successful quarterback sneak for a first down.
While a backup for the Patriots in 2003, Huard saw time in two more games while also seeing time on the team's scout team during practice. For the AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Huard mimicked the line calls and audibles of Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
for the Patriots' defense during practice.
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...
as a free agent following the 2003 season. He did not play in a game for his first two seasons with the Chiefs (2004
2004 New England Patriots season
The 2004 New England Patriots season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League and 45th season overall. They finished with their second straight 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years.Following a Super Bowl...
and 2005
2005 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2005 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 10–6 record, but no playoff berth. The Chiefs became the sixth 10–6 team to fail to qualify for the playoffs since the NFL introduced the wild card....
), acting as the team's third quarterback. In the 2006
2006 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2006 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the team looking to improve on their 10–6 record in 2005 under new head coach Herman Edwards.The team battled many obstacles during the 2006 season, including the loss of starting quarterback Trent Green in the first game, the readjustment of a...
season opener, starter Trent Green
Trent Green
Trent Jason Green is a retired professional American football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University....
left the game after suffering a concussion and was replaced by Huard. He would start the Chiefs' next seven games, posting a 5–3 record until suffering a groin injury. Green started the remainder of the season and the team's playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. However, following the season, the Chiefs signed Huard to a three-year contract extension, and Green was traded to the Miami Dolphins.
In the Chiefs' 2007
2007 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2007 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the team looking to improve on their 9-7 record in 2006 and attempting to secure the franchise's first back-to-back playoff berth since 1995. The season ended with a nine game losing streak, the team's first since 1987 and a 4-12 record...
training camp, Huard competed with second-year Brodie Croyle
Brodie Croyle
John Brodie Croyle is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Alabama from 2002 to 2005...
, the team's third-round draft choice in the 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...
. Huard was named the starter on August 25, and started the first nine games of the season, going 4–5. In his final start, Huard suffered a back injury and was replaced by Croyle, but Croyle himself was injured after his second start, both losses, and Huard returned as the starter in Week 13. Huard suffered a hand injury in the game and Croyle started the Chiefs' next two games. In Week 16, Croyle was injured again and Huard saw time in a reserve before Croyle returned to start the last game of the season. Croyle and Huard combined to post a nine-game losing streak to end the season.
Croyle started the first game of the 2008
2008 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2008 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 49th season, and third with head coach Herman Edwards at the helm. The Chiefs failed to improve on their 4-12 record from 2007 with the youngest team in the NFL as part of their "youth movement." The season turned out to be the worst in the...
season for the Chiefs, but again suffered an injury and was replaced by Huard. In Week 2, Huard started but suffered a concussion and was replaced by Tyler Thigpen
Tyler Thigpen
Tyler "Dirty Pigpen" Thigpen is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.Tyler Thigpen was the first quarterback to play for...
, a seventh-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 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...
. Thigpen started the Chiefs' Week 3 game before Huard returned for Weeks 4 and 5. Croyle returned after the bye week in Week 7 to start, was injured again, and replaced by Huard, who suffered a thumb injury. He was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
the next week, ending his season. The same week, Croyle was also placed on injured reserve, leaving Thigpen as the Chiefs' starter for the remainder of the season.
Following the season, Scott Pioli
Scott Pioli
Scott Pioli is a professional American football executive, currently serving as the general manager for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . Pioli was previously a front office executive for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, and New England Patriots...
, the Patriots' director of player personnel during Huard's tenure in New England, was hired to be the Chiefs' general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
. Huard was released by the Chiefs on February 24, 2009, roughly a week before Pioli traded for 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...
, a Patriots backup who replaced an injured Brady in 2008, to be the Chiefs' starter.
San Francisco 49ers
Huard signed with 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...
on March 4, 2009, competing for a job behind Alex Smith and 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...
with 2009
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
fifth-round pick Nate Davis
Nate Davis (quarterback)
Nate Charles Davis is an American football quarterback with the Kansas City Command of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft...
. Huard lost the job and was released on September 1, 2009.