Shaun King
Encyclopedia
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University
and National Football League
quarterback
.
).
at Tulane University
from 1995 to 1998, leading Tulane to an undefeated season and a win over Brigham Young University
in the Liberty Bowl
, in the process setting the single-season NCAA Division I-A record for passing efficiency
in 1998 of 183.3. In the same year he became the first player in NCAA history to both pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game against Army
on November 14. His quarterback coach was Rich Rodriguez
and his head coach was Tommy Bowden
. He finished 10th in voting for the 1998 Heisman Trophy
. King is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
fraternity. King co-captained the 1998 12-0 Green Wave along with right tackle Dennis O'Sullivan. The style of offense that King ran at Tulane under Bowden was the Spread offense which is now a very popular style in NCAA football.
College Football Statistics
by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, his hometown team. Near the midpoint of the 1999 season
, quarterback Trent Dilfer
suffered a season-ending injury, thrusting King into the starting
quarterback role.
King took over the offense, and helped rally the team to the NFC Central title, and a victory over the Redskins
in the divisional playoffs. A week later, the team fell just short of Super Bowl XXXIV
when they lost the NFC Championship 11-6 to the St. Louis Rams
with King at the helm.
King's best professional season was in 2000
, when he started all sixteen regular-season games for the Buccaneers. A thrilling rematch against the Rams on Monday Night Football
proved to be one of King's most memorable games. Trailing 35-31 with 1:21 remaining, Tampa Bay faced a 4th and 4 at the 29 yard line. King was tripped up, but scrambled 6 yards for a first down. Four plays later, Tampa Bay scored the game-winning touchdown, the seventh lead change of the game, and clinched a playoff berth. A win in week 17 would clinch a second consecutive division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs, potentially propelling Tampa Bay to their first Super Bowl appearance. King did his part leading the offense into position for a game winning field goal at the end of regulation. However the usually reliable Martín Gramática
missed the kick. The Buccaneers fell in overtime to the Green Bay Packers
, and ultimately lost to the Eagles
in the wild card round. King did have an extremely productive season for a young QB leading his team to a 10-6 record and throwing for 18 tds (with only 13ints) and rushing for 5 more.
After the disappointing end to the 2000 NFL season, King was replaced by Brad Johnson
for 2001
and relegated to a backup role for the following three seasons. In the 2002 season
, Brad Johnson was injured and missed a game against the Carolina Panthers
. Rob Johnson
started at quarterback, but struggled to lead the offense, which managed to tie the game at 9-9 late in the fourth quarter. After a hard hit, Rob Johnson had to sit out a play on the final drive, prompting a cold-off-the-bench Shaun King to run in suddenly and throw an unexpected and decisive first down. A few plays later, Martín Gramática scored the game winning field goal
, which would not have been possible without King's dramatic play.
A few weeks later, starter Brad Johnson was injured once again, and King was placed as the starter against the Pittsburgh Steelers
on Monday Night Football. After some fanfare, King had a dismal first half, falling behind 14-0 after two quick turnovers. King was benched, and Rob Johnson salvaged a 17-7 loss. King would not play another down for the Buccaneers that season, as they advanced to the postseason. He suited up as the #3 quarterback for Tampa Bay's victory in Super Bowl XXXVII
, but did not play in the game. King returned as the backup quarterback in 2003
, but only appeared in three games, starting none. His final game as a Buccaneer was in the final week against the Titans
. The Buccaneers, already eliminated from playoff contention, had fallen behind early, and King took over in the second half to wind up the disappointing season.
, he signed with the Arizona Cardinals
as a free agent
, he started only two games and was released at the end of the season. In his first start against the Carolina Panthers he threw for 343 yards which was a season high for the Cardinals.
He signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Lions
in spring 2006, but asked to be released after the Lions signed Josh McCown
and Jon Kitna
. On Friday June 2, 2006, he signed a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts
, but was then released as a free agent on September 3.
On Friday November 29, 2006, King signed with the Las Vegas Gladiators
of the Arena Football League. He threw 10 touchdowns against the Grand Rapids Rampage
on March 8, 2007, but was released by the team after a 1-5 start on April 10 of the same year.
On May 30, 2007, King signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
of the Canadian Football League
. King was released eighteen days later, citing an inability to adapt to the CFL game in the short time frame.
, is the principal supporter for the Kings Kids program in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast
, St. Petersburg, Florida
In July 2008, King, working as an ESPN analyst, commented that it was "outside of normal" that recently released African-American NFL quarterbacks like Daunte Culpepper
, Aaron Brooks, Byron Leftwich
and himself were not signed to new teams.
King is currently hosting the mid-day sports talk radio show "The King David Show" on 1010AM in the Tampa market where he mentions how small Jimmy Clausen's face is. King is also married and has one daughter with his wife.
Tulane Green Wave football
The Tulane Green Wave football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents Tulane University in New Orleans. The team is a member of Conference USA and is led by interim head coach Mark Hutson, who took over on October 18, 2011, when fifth-year head coach Bob Toledo resigned...
and 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...
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...
.
High School
King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School (Saint Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
).
College
King played college footballCollege 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 Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
from 1995 to 1998, leading Tulane to an undefeated season and a win over Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
, in the process setting the single-season NCAA Division I-A record for passing efficiency
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...
in 1998 of 183.3. In the same year he became the first player in NCAA history to both pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game against Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
on November 14. His quarterback coach was Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
and his head coach was Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden is an American football coach who served as the head coach at Clemson University from 1999 until October 13, 2008...
. He finished 10th in voting for the 1998 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...
. King is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
fraternity. King co-captained the 1998 12-0 Green Wave along with right tackle Dennis O'Sullivan. The style of offense that King ran at Tulane under Bowden was the Spread offense which is now a very popular style in NCAA football.
College Football Statistics
- 1997: 199/363 (54.8%) for 2577 yards and 24 TD vs. 14 INT. 124 carries for 511 yards and 5 TD.
- 1998: 244/364 (67.0%) for 3495 yards and 38 TD vs. 6 INT. 156 carries for 633 yards and 11 TD.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
King subsequently was drafted in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa 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...
, his hometown team. Near the midpoint of the 1999 season
1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 8-8 season. Rookie Shaun King replaced the injured and inconsistent Trent Dilfer late in the season...
, quarterback Trent Dilfer
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer is a former football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football...
suffered a season-ending injury, thrusting King into the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback role.
King took over the offense, and helped rally the team to the NFC Central title, and a victory over the Redskins
1999 Washington Redskins season
The 1999 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1998.-NFL Draft:The New Orleans Saints traded all of their draft picks to the Washington Redskins for running back Ricky Williams, the first time ever that an NFL team has had only one pick in a...
in the divisional playoffs. A week later, the team fell just short of Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
when they lost the NFC Championship 11-6 to the St. Louis Rams
1999 St. Louis Rams season
The 1999 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 62nd year with the National Football League and the fifth season in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams finished the regular-season with a record of 13-3, and the NFC West Championship. The Rams were undefeated at home for the first time since 1973. On the...
with King at the helm.
King's best professional season was in 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, when he started all sixteen regular-season games for the Buccaneers. A thrilling rematch against the Rams on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
proved to be one of King's most memorable games. Trailing 35-31 with 1:21 remaining, Tampa Bay faced a 4th and 4 at the 29 yard line. King was tripped up, but scrambled 6 yards for a first down. Four plays later, Tampa Bay scored the game-winning touchdown, the seventh lead change of the game, and clinched a playoff berth. A win in week 17 would clinch a second consecutive division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs, potentially propelling Tampa Bay to their first Super Bowl appearance. King did his part leading the offense into position for a game winning field goal at the end of regulation. However the usually reliable Martín Gramática
Martin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
missed the kick. The Buccaneers fell in overtime to the Green Bay Packers
2000 Green Bay Packers season
The 2000 Green Bay Packers season was the first season for which Mike Sherman was the head coach of the team. Sherman was the thirteenth head coach in franchise history. The Packers finished 9-7, failing to qualify for the playoffs...
, and ultimately lost to the Eagles
2000 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2000 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in a postseason appearance. The season started in Dallas famously known for the onside kick that the Eagles kicked and recovered to start the game. This game is known as the Pickle Juice Game.-NFL Draft:...
in the wild card round. King did have an extremely productive season for a young QB leading his team to a 10-6 record and throwing for 18 tds (with only 13ints) and rushing for 5 more.
After the disappointing end to the 2000 NFL season, King was replaced by 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...
for 2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
and relegated to a backup role for the following three seasons. In the 2002 season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
, Brad Johnson was injured and missed a game against the Carolina Panthers
2001 Carolina Panthers season
-Regular season:-References:...
. Rob Johnson
Rob Johnson (football player)
Rob Garland Johnson is a former professional American football quarterback who played for 10 seasons in the National Football League .-College career:...
started at quarterback, but struggled to lead the offense, which managed to tie the game at 9-9 late in the fourth quarter. After a hard hit, Rob Johnson had to sit out a play on the final drive, prompting a cold-off-the-bench Shaun King to run in suddenly and throw an unexpected and decisive first down. A few plays later, Martín Gramática scored the game winning field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, which would not have been possible without King's dramatic play.
A few weeks later, starter Brad Johnson was injured once again, and King was placed as the starter against the Pittsburgh Steelers
2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season had the team coming off a 13–3 record and making an appearance in the AFC Championship Game. The team fell off slightly to a 10–5–1 record, although it was still good enough for a division championship. With their finish the Steelers became the first champions of...
on Monday Night Football. After some fanfare, King had a dismal first half, falling behind 14-0 after two quick turnovers. King was benched, and Rob Johnson salvaged a 17-7 loss. King would not play another down for the Buccaneers that season, as they advanced to the postseason. He suited up as the #3 quarterback for Tampa Bay's victory in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
, but did not play in the game. King returned as the backup quarterback in 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
, but only appeared in three games, starting none. His final game as a Buccaneer was in the final week against the Titans
2003 Tennessee Titans season
The 2003 Tennessee Titans season was the team's 44th season and their 34th in the National Football League. At 12–4 the Titans posted the 15th season with at least ten wins in the franchise's history dating to their Houston Oilers days...
. The Buccaneers, already eliminated from playoff contention, had fallen behind early, and King took over in the second half to wind up the disappointing season.
After Tampa Bay
In 20042004 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...
, he signed with 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...
as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, he started only two games and was released at the end of the season. In his first start against the Carolina Panthers he threw for 343 yards which was a season high for the Cardinals.
He signed a free agent contract 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...
in spring 2006, but asked to be released after the Lions signed 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 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...
. On Friday June 2, 2006, he signed a free agent contract with 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 ....
, but was then released as a free agent on September 3.
On Friday November 29, 2006, King signed with the Las Vegas Gladiators
Las Vegas Gladiators
The Cleveland Gladiators are an arena football franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio which plays in the Arena Football League. The team is part of the East division of the AFL's American Conference. The Gladiators play all of their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, which they share with the NBA's...
of the Arena Football League. He threw 10 touchdowns against the Grand Rapids Rampage
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
on March 8, 2007, but was released by the team after a 1-5 start on April 10 of the same year.
On May 30, 2007, King signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. King was released eighteen days later, citing an inability to adapt to the CFL game in the short time frame.
Post-playing
The Shaun King Foundation, headquartered in Winter Haven, FloridaWinter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, is the principal supporter for the Kings Kids program in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast
Florida Suncoast
The Florida Suncoast is a colloquial name for the west-central and southwest peninsular Florida coastal area between Tarpon Springs to the north, and Naples to the south, and includes the Tampa Bay Area. This region is sometimes also referred to as the Sun Coast...
, St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
In July 2008, King, working as an ESPN analyst, commented that it was "outside of normal" that recently released African-American NFL quarterbacks like 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...
, Aaron Brooks, 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...
and himself were not signed to new teams.
King is currently hosting the mid-day sports talk radio show "The King David Show" on 1010AM in the Tampa market where he mentions how small Jimmy Clausen's face is. King is also married and has one daughter with his wife.