Joey Harrington
Encyclopedia
John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. (born October 21, 1978) 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. He played college football
at the University of Oregon
.
Harrington has also played briefly for the Miami Dolphins
, Atlanta Falcons
, and New Orleans Saints
.
, where he has resided his entire life. He graduated from Central Catholic High School
in Portland, and finished his high school career with more than 4,200 yards and 50 TDs rushing and passing.
His grandfather and father played quarterback for the universities of Portland
and Oregon
, respectively, and upon hearing of Joey's birth, legendary Oregon Ducks
' coach Len Casanova
jokingly sent his parents a letter-of-intent.
, and was a three year starter on the Oregon Ducks
football
team. In his senior season at Oregon, he threw for 2,415 yards and 23 touchdowns, and he finished his college career with a 25-3 record (including bowl wins against 12th-ranked Texas and 3rd-ranked Colorado), 512 completions in 928 attempts (55.2%), 6911 passing yards, 59 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, and 210 rushing yards and 18 scores on 145 carries. A Business Administration major with a 3.23 GPA (twice earning honors with a 3.34 GPA), Harrington's 7,121 yards of total offense rank third in University of Oregon history.
Harrington's worst collegiate game came during the 2000 Civil War
game against the Oregon State Beavers
, Oregon's arch rival. Harrington threw 5 interceptions (and fumbled once), earning the Ducks a 23-13 defeat and costing them a trip to the Rose Bowl
.
Harrington finished fourth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
in 2001, following a campaign for the award that included a billboard in Times Square
promoting him as "Joey Heisman." He earned numerous honors, including first-team All-American, Pac 10 Offensive Player of the Year, and second-team honors from The Sporting News
. He was one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
in 2001. EA Sports
selected him for the cover of the 2003 edition of their NCAA Football
video game series.
Harrington's best collegiate game was arguably the 2002 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
at Sun Devil Stadium
in Tempe, Arizona
when he threw for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns and led the Ducks to a 38-16 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes. Harrington was named offensive player of the game.
with the third pick overall in the 2002 NFL Draft
. Harrington took over for incumbent Mike McMahon late in the Lions' week 1 loss against the Miami Dolphins
and became the Lions' starting quarterback shortly thereafter, finishing that year with a 50.1 completion percentage, a ratio of 12 touchdown
s to 16 interceptions, and a 59.9 quarterback rating; the Lions finished the season with a 3-13 record.
Harrington's career in Detroit was largely unsuccessful. Front office mismanagement, woeful offensive line protection, lack of talent at other skill positions, and an erratic philosophical change in the team's identity to a conservative West Coast Offense
(WCO) oriented attack under Head Coach Steve Mariucci
may have played a factor in Harrington not realizing his potential professionally. Harrington's best season as a Lion came in 2004
where he threw for 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Lions started the season with a 4-2 record, but Harrington would lead the team to only two more wins the rest of the season. They finished 6-10 and missed the playoffs for the fifth season in a row.
On October 23, 2005
, Mariucci chose to bench Harrington in favor of Jeff Garcia
for the team's game against the Cleveland Browns
to try and provide a spark to the team's 2-3 start. The Lions won 13-10, and Garcia rushed for Detroit's only touchdown. After yet another dismal offensive performance, Mariucci declared that Garcia would remain the starter. This marked the first time since the 2002 season that Harrington did not appear in a Lions' game, breaking a string of 37 consecutive appearances. Harrington regained the starting role the week after Garcia threw a game ending interception returned for a touchdown in overtime against Chicago. Harrington started again for Detroit on November 13, 2005, against the Arizona Cardinals
, throwing for three touchdowns without an interception in the Lions' 29-21 win. Harrington was voted by Lions fans as their Offensive Player of the Year, according to the Lions' official website. Despite his difficult times in Detroit, he remained unwaveringly optimistic and was thus dubbed "Joey Blue-Skies" and "Joey Sunshine" by sarcastic Lions' fans and beat writers who grew tired of his predictable post-game commentary as the losses continued to mount.
and Josh McCown
, and traded Harrington to the Miami Dolphins on May 12, 2006, for a 5th or 6th round draft pick, depending on performance stipulations in Miami. Harrington started the 2006 season as a backup behind new Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper
. During his tenure with the Lions, Harrington started 55 games and had a record of 18 wins and 37 losses. Without Harrington, the Lions compiled a record of 1 win and 8 losses during those years.
, forcing Harrington into the starting role. Harrington lost his first three starts, before leading Miami to a 31-13 win over the previously unbeaten (7-0 at the time) Chicago Bears
. Harrington followed that game with four consecutive victories. In perhaps his most memorable game professionally, Harrington capped off this winning streak in front of a national television audience on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit with a 27-10 victory at Ford Field
against his former team. Harrington passed for 3 touchdowns and 213 yards against Detroit, compiling a passer rating of 107.4, his highest single game rating for 2006. Harrington struggled after the Lions' game. Against the Buffalo Bills
in Week 15, Harrington went 5-for-17 for a mere 20 yards, throwing 2 interceptions. His passer rating for the game was 0.0, the minimum possible under the complex NFL formula. Harrington was pulled midway through Miami's next game against the New York Jets
, replaced in the 13-10 Christmas night loss by Cleo Lemon
. Harrington did not appear in Miami's Week 17 finale against the Indianapolis Colts
. Overall, Harrington played in and started eleven games, leading Miami to a 5-6 record (Miami finished 6-10 for the season as a whole).
and Chris Redman
to back up Michael Vick
.
Harrington was elevated to starting QB after the suspension of Michael Vick for the 2007 NFL season. Harrington performed well in the preseason, but after going 0-2, Atlanta signed former Jacksonville starting quarterback Byron Leftwich
as a possible replacement for Harrington. During Week 3 Atlanta home opener against division rivals the Carolina Panthers Harrington completed 31/44 passes with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions for a 110.1 passer rating in a 27-20 loss. In Week 4 Harrington improved on his numbers with a 121.7 passer rating where he completed 23/29 passes for two touchdowns with no interceptions, leading the Falcons to their first win of the 2007 season.
On March 5, 2008, the Atlanta Falcons released Harrington in a salary cap move. He was re-signed by the team seven days later but was again released in August after the Falcons completed their preseason schedule.
on September 19, 2008. He was the third-string quarterback behind Drew Brees
and Mark Brunell
for one game against the Denver Broncos. He was released only five days later on September 24, 2008, due to increasing injuries on the Saints roster. After the Saints' injury situation became more manageable, Harrington was re-signed on October 1, but was cut again on October 6.
He was once again re-signed with the Saints on October 12, 2008, as an inactive third quarterback.
On March 30, 2009, Harrington was re-signed to a one-year deal by the Saints. He was released yet again on September 5, 2009.
was fired by general manager Matt Millen
, Lions Pro Bowl
cornerback and team captain Dré Bly
told Rich Eisen in an NFL Total Access interview that he blamed Harrington for the dismissal of Mariucci. Bly later apologized to the Lions, but not to Harrington, leading many to speculate whether or not Detroit's locker room was divided – as few players spoke publicly in Harrington's defense.
Some fingers were also pointed at the Lions' management and coaching for Harrington's woes in Detroit, which have collectively produced only one playoff victory since the team's last championship in 1957. Jeff Garcia
publicly questioned the Lions' front office, saying on WXYT that "You start to question whether the organization has the people in place who can go about making the proper selections." Howie Long, analyst for Fox Sports
, said that Matt Millen made a mistake by drafting Harrington, and then again in the offseason before the 2005 season by signing Garcia instead of Brad Johnson
.
, Blues Traveler
, and Third Eye Blind
. On February 1, 2008, Harrington appeared as a guest chef on a special Super Bowl
episode of The Rachael Ray Show
. Harrington is a distant cousin of professional golfer Pádraig Harrington
and professional poker player Dan Harrington
. Harrington's brother, Michael, played football at the University of Idaho, and was also a quarterback.
Joey Harrington was the guest on the February 2, 2008, episode NPR's
Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, as a guest during the 'Not My Job' segment.
Harrington and his family moved back to Portland after his release from the Saints in September 2009. He is spending more time with his wife, Emily, and son, Jack, and the numerous charities in which he is involved.
On July 31, 2011, Harrington was struck by an SUV while riding his bicycle in Portland, Oregon. Harrington suffered a broken collarbone and a punctured lung due to the accident.
. In 2010
he will serve as a color analyst for Oregon Ducks football games on Oregon Sports Network
The foundation began with a portion of Joey’s signing bonus with the Detroit Lions
. It raises further money by selling memorabilia items and booking events. After being given the New York Times Square "Joey Heisman" billboard by the former Oregon Ducks
Athletic Director Bill Moos, he proceeded to cut it up and sell the pieces for charity. All the proceeds from the sales went toward scholarships for the University of Oregon
.
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 drafted by 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...
third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986. 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 Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
.
Harrington has also played briefly 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...
, 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...
, and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
.
Early years
Harrington was born and raised in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, where he has resided his entire life. He graduated from Central Catholic High School
Central Catholic High School (Portland, Oregon)
Central Catholic High School is a co-educational, private high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. Central Catholic is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, and is the only archdiocesan high school in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland....
in Portland, and finished his high school career with more than 4,200 yards and 50 TDs rushing and passing.
His grandfather and father played quarterback for the universities of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
and Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, respectively, and upon hearing of Joey's birth, legendary Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
' coach Len Casanova
Len Casanova
Leonard Joseph "Len" Casanova was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator...
jokingly sent his parents a letter-of-intent.
College career
Harrington is a graduate of the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, and was a three year starter on the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
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...
team. In his senior season at Oregon, he threw for 2,415 yards and 23 touchdowns, and he finished his college career with a 25-3 record (including bowl wins against 12th-ranked Texas and 3rd-ranked Colorado), 512 completions in 928 attempts (55.2%), 6911 passing yards, 59 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, and 210 rushing yards and 18 scores on 145 carries. A Business Administration major with a 3.23 GPA (twice earning honors with a 3.34 GPA), Harrington's 7,121 yards of total offense rank third in University of Oregon history.
Harrington's worst collegiate game came during the 2000 Civil War
Civil War (college football game)
The Civil War is the colloquial name for an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Oregon Ducks football team of the University of Oregon and the Oregon State Beavers football team of the Oregon State University...
game against the Oregon State Beavers
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
, Oregon's arch rival. Harrington threw 5 interceptions (and fumbled once), earning the Ducks a 23-13 defeat and costing them a trip to the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
.
Harrington finished fourth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 2001, following a campaign for the award that included a billboard in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
promoting him as "Joey Heisman." He earned numerous honors, including first-team All-American, Pac 10 Offensive Player of the Year, and second-team honors from The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. He was one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
in 2001. EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
selected him for the cover of the 2003 edition of their NCAA Football
NCAA Football series
NCAA Football is a football video game series in which you play as any current Division I FBS college team. This game is developed by EA Sports. Because of NCAA rules, current college players are not permitted to be used as the cover athletes...
video game series.
Harrington's best collegiate game was arguably the 2002 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
2002 Fiesta Bowl
The 2002 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 2002, was the 31st edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game was played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona between the and the Oregon Ducks...
at Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
when he threw for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns and led the Ducks to a 38-16 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes. Harrington was named offensive player of the game.
Detroit Lions
Harrington was selected by the Detroit LionsDetroit 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...
with the third pick overall in the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. Harrington took over for incumbent Mike McMahon late in the Lions' week 1 loss against 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...
and became the Lions' starting quarterback shortly thereafter, finishing that year with a 50.1 completion percentage, a ratio of 12 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s to 16 interceptions, and a 59.9 quarterback rating; the Lions finished the season with a 3-13 record.
Harrington's career in Detroit was largely unsuccessful. Front office mismanagement, woeful offensive line protection, lack of talent at other skill positions, and an erratic philosophical change in the team's identity to a conservative West Coast Offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
(WCO) oriented attack under Head Coach Steve Mariucci
Steve Mariucci
Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and most recently for the Detroit Lions.-Early career:...
may have played a factor in Harrington not realizing his potential professionally. Harrington's best season as a Lion came in 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
where he threw for 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Lions started the season with a 4-2 record, but Harrington would lead the team to only two more wins the rest of the season. They finished 6-10 and missed the playoffs for the fifth season in a row.
On October 23, 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, Mariucci chose to bench Harrington in favor of 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....
for the team's game against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to try and provide a spark to the team's 2-3 start. The Lions won 13-10, and Garcia rushed for Detroit's only touchdown. After yet another dismal offensive performance, Mariucci declared that Garcia would remain the starter. This marked the first time since the 2002 season that Harrington did not appear in a Lions' game, breaking a string of 37 consecutive appearances. Harrington regained the starting role the week after Garcia threw a game ending interception returned for a touchdown in overtime against Chicago. Harrington started again for Detroit on November 13, 2005, 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...
, throwing for three touchdowns without an interception in the Lions' 29-21 win. Harrington was voted by Lions fans as their Offensive Player of the Year, according to the Lions' official website. Despite his difficult times in Detroit, he remained unwaveringly optimistic and was thus dubbed "Joey Blue-Skies" and "Joey Sunshine" by sarcastic Lions' fans and beat writers who grew tired of his predictable post-game commentary as the losses continued to mount.
Trade
After the 2005 season, Detroit signed free agents Jon KitnaJon 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...
, and traded Harrington to the Miami Dolphins on May 12, 2006, for a 5th or 6th round draft pick, depending on performance stipulations in Miami. Harrington started the 2006 season as a backup behind new Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
. During his tenure with the Lions, Harrington started 55 games and had a record of 18 wins and 37 losses. Without Harrington, the Lions compiled a record of 1 win and 8 losses during those years.
Miami Dolphins
In 2006, Harrington did not play in the Dolphins' first four games, backing up Culpepper. Culpepper injured his shoulder prior to Miami's fifth game against 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...
, forcing Harrington into the starting role. Harrington lost his first three starts, before leading Miami to a 31-13 win over the previously unbeaten (7-0 at the time) Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Harrington followed that game with four consecutive victories. In perhaps his most memorable game professionally, Harrington capped off this winning streak in front of a national television audience on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit with a 27-10 victory at Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
against his former team. Harrington passed for 3 touchdowns and 213 yards against Detroit, compiling a passer rating of 107.4, his highest single game rating for 2006. Harrington struggled after the Lions' game. Against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Week 15, Harrington went 5-for-17 for a mere 20 yards, throwing 2 interceptions. His passer rating for the game was 0.0, the minimum possible under the complex NFL formula. Harrington was pulled midway through Miami's next game against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, replaced in the 13-10 Christmas night loss by Cleo Lemon
Cleo Lemon
Cleo "Cleonardo" Lemon, Jr. is a Canadian football quarterback in the Canadian Football League who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. Harrington did not appear in Miami's Week 17 finale 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 ....
. Overall, Harrington played in and started eleven games, leading Miami to a 5-6 record (Miami finished 6-10 for the season as a whole).
Atlanta Falcons
On April 9, 2007, Harrington agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons to compete with D. J. ShockleyD. J. Shockley
Donald Eugene "D. J." Shockley is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia....
and Chris Redman
Chris Redman
Chris James Redman is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Louisville.Redman earned a Super Bowl ring with the...
to back up Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
.
Harrington was elevated to starting QB after the suspension of Michael Vick for the 2007 NFL season. Harrington performed well in the preseason, but after going 0-2, Atlanta signed former Jacksonville starting quarterback Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich
Byron Antron Leftwich is an American football quarterback in the National Football League who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall University.Leftwich has also played...
as a possible replacement for Harrington. During Week 3 Atlanta home opener against division rivals the Carolina Panthers Harrington completed 31/44 passes with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions for a 110.1 passer rating in a 27-20 loss. In Week 4 Harrington improved on his numbers with a 121.7 passer rating where he completed 23/29 passes for two touchdowns with no interceptions, leading the Falcons to their first win of the 2007 season.
On March 5, 2008, the Atlanta Falcons released Harrington in a salary cap move. He was re-signed by the team seven days later but was again released in August after the Falcons completed their preseason schedule.
New Orleans Saints
Harrington signed with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
on September 19, 2008. He was the third-string quarterback behind Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
and Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
for one game against the Denver Broncos. He was released only five days later on September 24, 2008, due to increasing injuries on the Saints roster. After the Saints' injury situation became more manageable, Harrington was re-signed on October 1, but was cut again on October 6.
He was once again re-signed with the Saints on October 12, 2008, as an inactive third quarterback.
On March 30, 2009, Harrington was re-signed to a one-year deal by the Saints. He was released yet again on September 5, 2009.
Performance questions
When Lions head coach Steve MariucciSteve Mariucci
Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and most recently for the Detroit Lions.-Early career:...
was fired by general manager Matt Millen
Matt Millen
Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
, Lions Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
cornerback and team captain Dré Bly
Dré Bly
Donald André "Dré" Bly is a former American football cornerback who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League. After playing college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Bly was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
told Rich Eisen in an NFL Total Access interview that he blamed Harrington for the dismissal of Mariucci. Bly later apologized to the Lions, but not to Harrington, leading many to speculate whether or not Detroit's locker room was divided – as few players spoke publicly in Harrington's defense.
Some fingers were also pointed at the Lions' management and coaching for Harrington's woes in Detroit, which have collectively produced only one playoff victory since the team's last championship in 1957. 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....
publicly questioned the Lions' front office, saying on WXYT that "You start to question whether the organization has the people in place who can go about making the proper selections." Howie Long, analyst for Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
, said that Matt Millen made a mistake by drafting Harrington, and then again in the offseason before the 2005 season by signing Garcia instead of Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
.
Career statistics
| Year | Games | Games Started | Completions | Attempts | Completion % | Yards | Yards/Attempt | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 14 | 12 | 215 | 429 | 50.1 | 2,294 | 5.3 | 12 | 16 | 59.9 |
| 2003 | 16 | 16 | 309 | 554 | 55.8 | 2,880 | 5.2 | 17 | 22 | 63.9 |
| 2004 | 16 | 16 | 274 | 489 | 56.0 | 3,047 | 6.2 | 19 | 12 | 77.5 |
| 2005 | 12 | 11 | 188 | 330 | 57.0 | 2,021 | 6.1 | 12 | 12 | 72.0 |
| 2006 | 11 | 11 | 223 | 388 | 57.5 | 2,236 | 5.8 | 12 | 15 | 68.2 |
| 2007 | 12 | 10 | 215 | 348 | 61.8 | 2,215 | 6.4 | 7 | 8 | 77.2 |
| Total: | 81 | 76 | 1,424 | 2,538 | 56.1 | 14,693 | 5.8 | 79 | 85 | 69.4 |
Personal
Harrington married Emily Hatten on March 10, 2007. They have known each other since high school but did not begin dating until after he had graduated from college. They have one son, John "Jack" Patrick Harrington, born in 2009. Emily is a nurse practitioner, and Harrington spoke about them opening a medical clinic to serve the homeless in Portland, after he retired from football. One of Harrington's nicknames is "Piano Man," referring to the fact that he is an accomplished jazz pianist who has occasionally performed with artists such as Jason MrazJason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
, Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band has been influenced by a variety of genres, including blues-rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock...
, and Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
. On February 1, 2008, Harrington appeared as a guest chef on a special Super Bowl
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...
episode of The Rachael Ray Show
Rachael Ray (TV series)
Rachael Ray, also known as The Rachael Ray Show, is a talk show starring Rachael Ray that debuted in syndication in the United States and Canada on September 18, 2006....
. Harrington is a distant cousin of professional golfer Pádraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington
Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:...
and professional poker player Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington is a professional poker player, best known for winning the main event world championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. He has earned one World Poker Tour title, two WSOP bracelets, and over six million dollars in tournament cashes in his poker career...
. Harrington's brother, Michael, played football at the University of Idaho, and was also a quarterback.
Joey Harrington was the guest on the February 2, 2008, episode NPR's
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, as a guest during the 'Not My Job' segment.
Harrington and his family moved back to Portland after his release from the Saints in September 2009. He is spending more time with his wife, Emily, and son, Jack, and the numerous charities in which he is involved.
On July 31, 2011, Harrington was struck by an SUV while riding his bicycle in Portland, Oregon. Harrington suffered a broken collarbone and a punctured lung due to the accident.
Broadcasting
In 2009 Harrington worked as an NFL and college football commentator for Fox Sports RadioFox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
. In 2010
2010 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2010 college football season. The team was led by Chip Kelly in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 44th straight year....
he will serve as a color analyst for Oregon Ducks football games on Oregon Sports Network
Oregon Sports Network
The Oregon Sports Network is a local sports network made up of radio stations and TV network CSN Northwest. The channel is the official flagship for the University of Oregon's athletic program. The network began in 1987 including radio...
Philanthropy
Harrington established the Harrington Family Foundation in 2003 as a nonprofit organization with the goal of supporting youth education and activities as well as other miscellaneous benefits. Busy with a professional football career, his parents, John and Valerie Harrington run the foundation.The foundation began with a portion of Joey’s signing bonus with 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...
. It raises further money by selling memorabilia items and booking events. After being given the New York Times Square "Joey Heisman" billboard by the former Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
Athletic Director Bill Moos, he proceeded to cut it up and sell the pieces for charity. All the proceeds from the sales went toward scholarships for the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.