Jason Campbell
Encyclopedia
Jason Campbell is an American football
quarterback
for the Oakland Raiders
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins
in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Auburn
.
A 2000 graduate of Taylorsville High School in Taylorsville, Mississippi
, Campbell went on to play college football
at Auburn
. As a starter he had a different offensive coordinator every year, finally finding success in his senior year when he led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004 and was named the SEC Player of the Year and MVP of the SEC Championship Game
. Campbell held the record for the longest touchdown completion in Auburn football
history, an 87 yard pass to Silas Daniels
in a 2004 matchup versus Louisiana Tech
, until Auburn's 2009 game against LA Tech (93 yards by Chris Todd). That record is now held by Cameron Newton
, completing a 94-yard pass to Emory Blake on October 2, 2010 in their victory over Louisiana-Monroe. Campbell graduated from Auburn with a degree in public administration.
as the 25th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
by the Washington Redskins
under General Manager Vinny Cerrato. The Redskins traded up in the draft to get Campbell, surrendering a third round pick in the 2005 NFL draft, along with first and fourth round picks in 2006.
, Campbell was praised for his poise.
On November 26, 2006, Campbell had his first win of his pro career, leading the Redskins to a 17–13 victory over the Carolina Panthers
. Campbell completed 11 passes on 23 attempts for only 118 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Campbell threw a 66 yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Cooley in the fourth quarter.
On August 18, 2007, Campbell was tackled at the knee by Pittsburgh Steelers
' DE Brett Keisel
in the second preseason game. Initially, the injury looked severe but Campbell eventually walked off the field on his own. Trainers said that Campbell's ligaments were not torn and announced his injury as a bruised knee.
On December 6, 2007 Campbell dislocated the patellar ligament
of his left knee during a game against the Chicago Bears. The injury did not require surgery but Campbell did not play for the remainder of the season.
When Joe Gibbs
retired for a second time at the end of the 2007 season, the Redskins hired Jim Zorn
, first as Offensive Coordinator and then naming him Head Coach. Zorn said at the time he would also serve as Quarterbacks Coach.
The Redskins started the season with 6 wins and 2 losses, prompting observers to declare Campbell one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, and the 'tough love' approach from head coach Jim Zorn
a success. The Redskins then went on to lose 6 of their last 8 games to end the season at 8-8, missing the playoffs. At the end of the season, it was unclear if the Redskins were on the road to improvement or decline. Questions arose on the future of Campbell as the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins
.
Despite pursuing other quarterbacks in the off season, the Redskins were unable to acquire Jay Cutler
or Mark Sanchez
, opting to start Campbell for the last year of his current contract. Campbell and the Redskins ended 2009 with a 4-12 record, one of the worst in Redskins history. The often rocky relationship Campbell had with head coach Jim Zorn came to an end with Zorn's firing. New Washington head coach Mike Shanahan
declared that the Redskins would tender Campbell an offer leading up to the 2010 free agent period, ensuring that if Campbell signed with another team, Washington would receive draft picks in compensation.
, Campbell was traded to the Oakland Raiders
on April 24, 2010 for a fourth round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft
. On the same day, Campbell received a one-year contract extension through the 2011 season. On August 11, 2010, Raiders owner Al Davis
compared Campbell to former Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett
.
In the opening game on the road against the Tennessee Titans
, Campbell had a unspectacular start to his Raiders career as the Raiders were routed 38-13. He would complete 22 of 37 passes for a lowly 180 yards and throw one touchdown and one interception. Campbell and rookie offensive linemen Jared Veldheer
, playing in the unfamiliar role of center, would also suffer multiple miscues and combine for three fumbles, losing one. The offense as a whole would fail to click until the fourth quarter when Campbell completed 7 of 9 passes in a 12 play, 72 yard drive that culminated in a 7 yard touchdown pass to Darren McFadden
. In week two against the St. Louis Rams
Campbell would endure another lackluster performance, completing 8 of 15 passes for a mere 87 yards and an interception. At half-time he was benched in favor of his backup, Bruce Gradkowski
, in the hope of providing the Raiders offense with the spark it desperately needed. Gradkowski would go on to lead the Raiders to a tight 16-13 victory.
Following Campbell's less than inspiring performances in the first two weeks, the Raiders' coaching staff decided to go with Bruce Gradkowski as the starting QB and demoted Campbell to the role of backup. The offense would show a marked improvement in the Week 3 and 4 match-ups against the Arizona Cardinals
and Houston Texans
respectively. Gradkowski would throw for 255 and 278 yards albeit in losing efforts. During the Week 5 home game against the Chargers, Campbell would come off the bench late in the first quarter to replace an injured Gradkowski. Behind a solid game by runningback Michael Bush
, Campbell was vastly improved as he completed 13 of 18 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Aided by a touchdown on a blocked punt in the first quarter and a forced fumble returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the Raiders would win the game 35-27 and snap a 13 game losing streak against the Chargers dating back to 2003.
After his improved play in the relief effort against the Chargers and with Gradkowski injured, Campbell was re-installed as the starter for the Week 6 match-up against the cross-Bay
rival San Francisco 49ers
. The Raiders were unable to find any spark on offense as Campbell once again struggled, completing just 8 of 21 passes for 83 yards and throwing two interceptions. The Raiders would go down 17-9 to then winless 49ers. Although coming off of his worst performance as a Raider, Campbell was assured the start against the division rival Denver Broncos
in Week 7 due to Gradkowski's continuing struggles with the shoulder injury he sustained against the Chargers. Campbell and the Raiders started hot against the Broncos, jumping out to a 24-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and never let up in a 59-14 rout. The 59 points scored was a new franchise record. Campbell would complete 12 of 20 passes for 204 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a QB rating
of 127.9. Campbell would throw a 43 yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Miller
on the game's opening drive and a 19 yard touchdown pass to runningback Darren McFadden
.
Ironically, while Campbell was benched by coach's decision, the Raiders lost all three of the games that Campbell did not play in, as the Raiders finished the season at 8-8 and missed the playoffs. They were able to sweep all six division games, and Campbell ended the season with his second-highest quarterback rating of any season (84.5).
In 2011, Campbell started the first 6 games, leading Oakland to a 4-2 record before suffering an injury (http://www.nfl.com)
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 Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western 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...
. He was drafted by 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,...
in the first round 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 Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
.
College career
Taylorsville, Mississippi
Taylorsville is a town in Smith County, Mississippi, United States. It is the hometown of various professional athletes, including former Auburn Tigers and current Oakland Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell...
, Campbell went on to play 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 Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. As a starter he had a different offensive coordinator every year, finally finding success in his senior year when he led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004 and was named the SEC Player of the Year and MVP of the SEC Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
. Campbell held the record for the longest touchdown completion in Auburn football
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
history, an 87 yard pass to Silas Daniels
Silas Daniels
Silas Daniels III is a professional American football player who plays wide receiver, currently signed to the Carolina Speed of the Southern Indoor Football League. Daniels attended Jean Ribault High School, where he was an honorable mention his senior year for USA Today's 1999 Florida Player of...
in a 2004 matchup versus Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, until Auburn's 2009 game against LA Tech (93 yards by Chris Todd). That record is now held by Cameron Newton
Cameron Newton
Cameron Jerrell "Cam" Newton is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League...
, completing a 94-yard pass to Emory Blake on October 2, 2010 in their victory over Louisiana-Monroe. Campbell graduated from Auburn with a degree in public administration.
Pre-draft
Campbell was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
as the 25th pick in 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...
by 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,...
under General Manager Vinny Cerrato. The Redskins traded up in the draft to get Campbell, surrendering a third round pick in the 2005 NFL draft, along with first and fourth round picks in 2006.
Washington Redskins
On November 13, 2006 Campbell was named the Redskins starting quarterback, and on November 19, 2006, Campbell made his first career start. Despite losing in his first start to the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa 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...
, Campbell was praised for his poise.
On November 26, 2006, Campbell had his first win of his pro career, leading the Redskins to a 17–13 victory over the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Campbell completed 11 passes on 23 attempts for only 118 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Campbell threw a 66 yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Cooley in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
' DE Brett Keisel
Brett Keisel
Brett "The Diesel" Keisel is an American Football player who starts at defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brett hails from Greybull, Wyoming.-College career:...
in the second preseason game. Initially, the injury looked severe but Campbell eventually walked off the field on his own. Trainers said that Campbell's ligaments were not torn and announced his injury as a bruised knee.
On December 6, 2007 Campbell dislocated the patellar ligament
Patellar ligament
The patellar ligament is the central portion of the common tendon of the Quadriceps femoris, which is continued from the patella to the tuberosity of the tibia.-Anatomy:It is a strong, flat, ligament, about 10 cm...
of his left knee during a game against the Chicago Bears. The injury did not require surgery but Campbell did not play for the remainder of the season.
When Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
retired for a second time at the end of the 2007 season, the Redskins hired Jim Zorn
Jim Zorn
James Arthur "Jim" Zorn is an American quarterbacks coach in the National Football League. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs...
, first as Offensive Coordinator and then naming him Head Coach. Zorn said at the time he would also serve as Quarterbacks Coach.
The Redskins started the season with 6 wins and 2 losses, prompting observers to declare Campbell one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, and the 'tough love' approach from head coach Jim Zorn
Jim Zorn
James Arthur "Jim" Zorn is an American quarterbacks coach in the National Football League. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs...
a success. The Redskins then went on to lose 6 of their last 8 games to end the season at 8-8, missing the playoffs. At the end of the season, it was unclear if the Redskins were on the road to improvement or decline. Questions arose on the future of Campbell as the starting quarterback for 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,...
.
Despite pursuing other quarterbacks in the off season, the Redskins were unable to acquire Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
or Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
, opting to start Campbell for the last year of his current contract. Campbell and the Redskins ended 2009 with a 4-12 record, one of the worst in Redskins history. The often rocky relationship Campbell had with head coach Jim Zorn came to an end with Zorn's firing. New Washington head coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
declared that the Redskins would tender Campbell an offer leading up to the 2010 free agent period, ensuring that if Campbell signed with another team, Washington would receive draft picks in compensation.
Oakland Raiders
After the Redskins acquired Donovan McNabbDonovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
, Campbell was traded to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on April 24, 2010 for a fourth round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft
2012 NFL Draft
The 2012 NFL Draft will be the 77th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players.-Trades:...
. On the same day, Campbell received a one-year contract extension through the 2011 season. On August 11, 2010, Raiders owner Al Davis
Al Davis
Allen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1970 to 2011...
compared Campbell to former Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
.
In the opening game on the road against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, Campbell had a unspectacular start to his Raiders career as the Raiders were routed 38-13. He would complete 22 of 37 passes for a lowly 180 yards and throw one touchdown and one interception. Campbell and rookie offensive linemen Jared Veldheer
Jared Veldheer
Jared Veldheer is an American football offensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Raiders in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Hillsdale....
, playing in the unfamiliar role of center, would also suffer multiple miscues and combine for three fumbles, losing one. The offense as a whole would fail to click until the fourth quarter when Campbell completed 7 of 9 passes in a 12 play, 72 yard drive that culminated in a 7 yard touchdown pass to Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
. In week two against 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,...
Campbell would endure another lackluster performance, completing 8 of 15 passes for a mere 87 yards and an interception. At half-time he was benched in favor of his backup, Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
, in the hope of providing the Raiders offense with the spark it desperately needed. Gradkowski would go on to lead the Raiders to a tight 16-13 victory.
Following Campbell's less than inspiring performances in the first two weeks, the Raiders' coaching staff decided to go with Bruce Gradkowski as the starting QB and demoted Campbell to the role of backup. The offense would show a marked improvement in the Week 3 and 4 match-ups 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...
and Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
respectively. Gradkowski would throw for 255 and 278 yards albeit in losing efforts. During the Week 5 home game against the Chargers, Campbell would come off the bench late in the first quarter to replace an injured Gradkowski. Behind a solid game by runningback Michael Bush
Michael Bush
Michael Bush is an American football running back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, Campbell was vastly improved as he completed 13 of 18 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Aided by a touchdown on a blocked punt in the first quarter and a forced fumble returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the Raiders would win the game 35-27 and snap a 13 game losing streak against the Chargers dating back to 2003.
After his improved play in the relief effort against the Chargers and with Gradkowski injured, Campbell was re-installed as the starter for the Week 6 match-up against the cross-Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
rival 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...
. The Raiders were unable to find any spark on offense as Campbell once again struggled, completing just 8 of 21 passes for 83 yards and throwing two interceptions. The Raiders would go down 17-9 to then winless 49ers. Although coming off of his worst performance as a Raider, Campbell was assured the start against the division rival 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...
in Week 7 due to Gradkowski's continuing struggles with the shoulder injury he sustained against the Chargers. Campbell and the Raiders started hot against the Broncos, jumping out to a 24-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and never let up in a 59-14 rout. The 59 points scored was a new franchise record. Campbell would complete 12 of 20 passes for 204 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a QB rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 127.9. Campbell would throw a 43 yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Miller
Zach Miller
Zachary Joseph Miller is an American football tight end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Arizona State.-Early years:Miller Attended Desert Vista High School in...
on the game's opening drive and a 19 yard touchdown pass to runningback Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
.
Ironically, while Campbell was benched by coach's decision, the Raiders lost all three of the games that Campbell did not play in, as the Raiders finished the season at 8-8 and missed the playoffs. They were able to sweep all six division games, and Campbell ended the season with his second-highest quarterback rating of any season (84.5).
In 2011, Campbell started the first 6 games, leading Oakland to a 4-2 record before suffering an injury (http://www.nfl.com)
Career statistics
Passing| Year | Team | G | GS | Cmp | Att | Yds | Cmp% | TD | Int | Rat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | WAS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | WAS | 7 | 7 | 110 | 207 | 1,297 | 53.1 | 10 | 6 | 76.5 |
| 2007 | WAS | 13 | 13 | 250 | 417 | 2,700 | 60.0 | 12 | 11 | 77.6 |
| 2008 | WAS | 16 | 16 | 315 | 506 | 3,245 | 62.3 | 13 | 6 | 84.3 |
| 2009 | WAS | 16 | 16 | 327 | 507 | 3,618 | 64.5 | 20 | 15 | 86.4 |
| 2010 | OAK | 13 | 12 | 194 | 329 | 2,387 | 59.0 | 13 | 8 | 84.5 |
| Total | WAS/OAK | 65 | 64 | 1,196 | 1,966 | 13,247 | 60.8 | 68 | 46 | 82.6 |