Dan Orlovsky
Encyclopedia
Daniel John Orlovsky is an American football
quarterback
for the Indianapolis Colts
of the National Football League
. The Detroit Lions
drafted Orlovsky in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Connecticut.
Orlovsky attended Shelton High School
and became the starting quarterback during his sophomore year. As a senior, he threw for 2,489 yards and 58 touchdowns as the Gaels went 12-0, winning the state championship. His overall record as a high school quarterback was 28-4. He earned All-American honors from Prep Football Report, SuperPrep and Prep Star, and was also named Connecticut all-state, Class LL MVP, the New Haven Register's Connecticut Player of the Year and winner of the McHugh Award.
Despite offers from Purdue and Michigan State, Orlovsky committed to play at Connecticut, where he wanted the challenge of elevating the Huskies into a Big East contender.
Starting every game as a sophomore, Orlovsky hit on 221 of 366 attempts (60.4 percent), with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 2,488 yards passing rank fourth on the school's season-record list.
As a junior, he ranked seventh in the nation in passing, hitting on 279 of 475 passes (58.7 percent) for 3,485 yards, 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 33 scoring tosses ranked fifth in the NCAA Division I-A ranks.
Orlovsky did not match his 2003 figures as a senior, but guided the team to victory in its inaugural bowl appearance. He gained 3,354 yards with 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on 288 of 456 throws (63.0 percent) in 2004.
Orlovsky holds the school record for most pass completions (916), pass attempts (1,567), yards passing (10,706), touchdown passes (84), interceptions (51), total plays (1,710) and total yards (10,421).
Orlovsky, along with head coach Randy Edsall
, served as the "face" of the UConn football program durings the early 2000s. Orlovsky was the starting quarterback during the Huskies transitional period from Division I-AA football, to independent Division I team, to full fledged member of the Big East.
went down with an injury in the '05 preseason, Orlovsky emerged as the Lions' primary backup. He played in two regular season contests in 2005, including the nationally-televised Thanksgiving
Day game against the Atlanta Falcons
. In the two contests combined, Orlovsky completed 7-of-17 passes for 63 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Prior to the 2006 season the Lions traded Joey Harrington
and released Jeff Garcia
, while signing Jon Kitna
and Josh McCown
. Orlovsky spent the 2006 season as the third-string QB. Orlovsky was projected to be the second-string quarterback in 2007 because Drew Stanton
, who was picked in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft
, was placed on injured reserve
; however, the Lions acquired J. T. O'Sullivan, who bumped Orlovsky back to third on the depth chart. Orlovsky did not take a regular season snap in either 2006 or 2007; in 2008, O'Sullivan went to the San Francisco 49ers
and emerged as the starting QB there.
On September 15 against the Green Bay Packers
, he finished the game, completing two of four attempts for six yards.
Orlovsky made his first career NFL start on October 12, 2008, in a 12-10 Lions loss against the Minnesota Vikings. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 150 yards, with one touchdown and no turnovers. However, he inadvertently ran out of the back of his own end zone for a safety early in the first quarter, in what turned out to be the margin of victory. "When they started blowing the whistle, I was like, 'Did we false start, or were they offsides or something?'" Orlovsky said. "And I looked, and I was just like, 'You're an idiot.'"
Orlovsky also started the final game of the 2008 season, but was unable to lead his team to their first victory of the season; the Lions finished 0-16. Orlovsky announced his intention to explore the free agent market at the end of the 2008 season rather than accept a contract as a backup quarterback in Detroit.
for the backup quarterback position during the preseason, and served as the Texans number three quarterback. After the 2009 season, Grossman signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins, making Orlovsky the backup quarterback for the Texans.
as a free agent on July 30, 2011. He was one of the final cuts as NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53. The Colts later resigned Orlovsky on September 27, 2011. He was named the starter over the benched Curtis Painter on November 30, 2011.
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...
for 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 ....
of 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...
. 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...
drafted Orlovsky in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. 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 the University of Connecticut.
Early years
Born in Connecticut, Orlovsky played high school football. "When I was younger, I would have garbage cans set up all around the yard," Orlovsky recalled. "And I would have like 20 balls and just fire them into the cans. I really had nothing else to do back then."Orlovsky attended Shelton High School
Shelton High School (Connecticut)
Shelton High School is a public high school in Shelton, Connecticut. The school is located in eastern Fairfield County, Connecticut. It has a student body of approximately 1700 from grades 9 through 12. Other nearby High Schools are Trumbull High School & St...
and became the starting quarterback during his sophomore year. As a senior, he threw for 2,489 yards and 58 touchdowns as the Gaels went 12-0, winning the state championship. His overall record as a high school quarterback was 28-4. He earned All-American honors from Prep Football Report, SuperPrep and Prep Star, and was also named Connecticut all-state, Class LL MVP, the New Haven Register's Connecticut Player of the Year and winner of the McHugh Award.
Despite offers from Purdue and Michigan State, Orlovsky committed to play at Connecticut, where he wanted the challenge of elevating the Huskies into a Big East contender.
College career
Orlovsky became the starter during his freshman year when Keron Henry suffered a sprained knee. Orlovsky threw for 1,379 yards and nine touchdowns on 128 of 269 passing (47.6 percent) while being intercepted 11 times.Starting every game as a sophomore, Orlovsky hit on 221 of 366 attempts (60.4 percent), with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 2,488 yards passing rank fourth on the school's season-record list.
As a junior, he ranked seventh in the nation in passing, hitting on 279 of 475 passes (58.7 percent) for 3,485 yards, 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 33 scoring tosses ranked fifth in the NCAA Division I-A ranks.
Orlovsky did not match his 2003 figures as a senior, but guided the team to victory in its inaugural bowl appearance. He gained 3,354 yards with 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on 288 of 456 throws (63.0 percent) in 2004.
Orlovsky holds the school record for most pass completions (916), pass attempts (1,567), yards passing (10,706), touchdown passes (84), interceptions (51), total plays (1,710) and total yards (10,421).
Orlovsky, along with head coach Randy Edsall
Randy Edsall
Randy Douglas Edsall is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland. Edsall was the head coach at the University of Connecticut from 1999 until the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, and oversaw the program's promotion from the NCAA Division I–AA level to...
, served as the "face" of the UConn football program durings the early 2000s. Orlovsky was the starting quarterback during the Huskies transitional period from Division I-AA football, to independent Division I team, to full fledged member of the Big East.
Detroit Lions
When Jeff GarciaJeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
went down with an injury in the '05 preseason, Orlovsky emerged as the Lions' primary backup. He played in two regular season contests in 2005, including the nationally-televised Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
Day game against the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In the two contests combined, Orlovsky completed 7-of-17 passes for 63 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Prior to the 2006 season the Lions traded Joey Harrington
Joey Harrington
John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...
and released Jeff Garcia
Jeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
, while signing Jon Kitna
Jon Kitna
Jon K. Kitna is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
and Josh McCown
Josh McCown
Joshua Treadwell McCown is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Sam Houston State.McCown has played for the Detroit Lions, Oakland...
. Orlovsky spent the 2006 season as the third-string QB. Orlovsky was projected to be the second-string quarterback in 2007 because Drew Stanton
Drew Stanton
Drew Emeric Stanton is a quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He played collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans.-Early life:...
, who was picked in the second round of 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...
, 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...
; however, the Lions acquired J. T. O'Sullivan, who bumped Orlovsky back to third on the depth chart. Orlovsky did not take a regular season snap in either 2006 or 2007; in 2008, O'Sullivan went to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and emerged as the starting QB there.
On September 15 against 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...
, he finished the game, completing two of four attempts for six yards.
Orlovsky made his first career NFL start on October 12, 2008, in a 12-10 Lions loss against the Minnesota Vikings. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 150 yards, with one touchdown and no turnovers. However, he inadvertently ran out of the back of his own end zone for a safety early in the first quarter, in what turned out to be the margin of victory. "When they started blowing the whistle, I was like, 'Did we false start, or were they offsides or something?'" Orlovsky said. "And I looked, and I was just like, 'You're an idiot.'"
Orlovsky also started the final game of the 2008 season, but was unable to lead his team to their first victory of the season; the Lions finished 0-16. Orlovsky announced his intention to explore the free agent market at the end of the 2008 season rather than accept a contract as a backup quarterback in Detroit.
Houston Texans
He signed with the Houston Texans for a 3 year, 9 million dollar deal on March 1, 2009. He was beaten out by Rex GrossmanRex Grossman
Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of...
for the backup quarterback position during the preseason, and served as the Texans number three quarterback. After the 2009 season, Grossman signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins, making Orlovsky the backup quarterback for the Texans.
Indianapolis Colts
He signed with the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis 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 ....
as a free agent on July 30, 2011. He was one of the final cuts as NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53. The Colts later resigned Orlovsky on September 27, 2011. He was named the starter over the benched Curtis Painter on November 30, 2011.