Doug Flutie

Doug Flutie

Career history
New Jersey Generals Chicago Bears New England Patriots British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Toronto Argonauts Buffalo Bills San Diego Chargers New England Patriots
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie (born October 23, 1962) is an American former professional gridiron football player in the National Football League (American football) and Canadian Football League (Canadian football). Within the United States, he is perhaps best known for his career at Boston College and for the Boston College v. Miami game on November 23, 1984, in which his "Hail Mary" pass won the game for BC 47-45. It is considered among the greatest moments in college football and American sports history[1]. He received the Heisman Trophy later that year. In Canada, he is well known for his three Grey Cup victories (1992, '96, '97) in the CFL. His success as a quarterback is noteworthy due to his unusually small size for a player at that position (5 ft 9 in and 180 pounds (1.75 m, 82 kg)).

Before he announced his retirement on May 15 2006, he was a backup quarterback for New England Patriots of the NFL. Flutie is currently a college football analyst for ABC and ESPN.

Biography

Early years

Doug Flutie was born in Manchester, Maryland to Lebanese-American parents[2]. His family moved to Melbourne Beach, Florida when he was 6, where his father worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry. After the dramatic slow-down of the space program in the mid-1970s, the Flutie family again moved in 1976 to Natick, Massachusetts. His nickname was "The Wee One".

High School Years

Flutie graduated from Natick High School, where he played for the "Redmen". He was an All-League performer in football, basketball and baseball.

College years

File:SI 1984 Doug Flutie.jpg

1984: "BC's Sensational Doug Flutie Stuns Miami"

Flutie played football for Boston College, the only Division I-A school to recruit him, from 1981 to 1984, and won the Heisman Trophy in his senior year. He gained national attention in 1984 when he quarterbacked the Eagles to victory in a high-scoring, back-and-forth game against the Miami Hurricanes (led by QB Bernie Kosar). The game was nationally televised on CBS the day after Thanksgiving and thus had a huge audience. Miami staged a dramatic drive to take the lead, 45-41, in the closing minute of the game. Boston College then took possession at its own 22-yard line with 28 seconds to go. After two passes moved the ball another 30 yards, only 6 seconds remained. On the last play of the game, Flutie scrambled away from the defense and threw a Hail Mary pass that was caught in the end zone by Gerard Phelan, giving BC a 47-45 win. Although many people think that play clinched the Heisman Trophy for Flutie, the voting was already complete before that game.[3]

Flutie left school as the NCAA’s all-time passing yardage leader with 10,579 yards and was a consensus All-America as a senior. He earned Player of the Year awards from UPI, Kodak, The Sporting News and the Maxwell Football Club.

In addition to his collegiate athletic achievement, Flutie maintained a distinguished academic record at Boston College. His scholastic achievements earned him a nomination as a candidate for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, for which he was named a finalist in 1984. Upon graduating, Flutie won a National Football Foundation post-graduate scholarship. His number, 22, has been retired by the Boston College football program.

Flutie's 1984 "Hail Mary" pass, and the subsequent rise in applications for admission to Boston College, gave rise to the admissions phenomenon known as the "Flutie effect." This idea essentially states that a winning sports team can increase the recognition value of a university enough to make it a more elite school. [4]

Early professional career

File:SI 1985 Doug Flutie.jpg

1985: "Flutie to the Rescue"

Doug Flutie started his professional career in the United States Football League (USFL) with the New Jersey Generals. The USFL folded in 1986, and Flutie and punter Sean Landeta were the league's last active players.

Doug Flutie crossed strike lines in the 1987 NFL strike season, and charges of being a scab dogged him thereafter. Flutie signed with the NFL's Chicago Bears in 1986, then went to the New England Patriots 1987-89.

Canadian Football League career

Although his Canadian football career lasted only eight years, Flutie is revered as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play Canadian football. In 1990 he signed with the BC Lions for a two-year contract reportedly worth $350,000 a season. At the time he was the highest paid player in the CFL. Flutie struggled in his first season, which would be his only losing season in the CFL. Over the next seven years he would go 99-27 as a starter.[5] In his second season, he threw for a record 6,619 yards on 466 completions. Flutie was rewarded with a reported million-dollar salary with the Calgary Stampeders.

Flutie won his first Grey Cup in 1992 with the Stampeders. He was named the Grey Cup MVP.

During his last years in Calgary, Flutie's backup was Jeff Garcia, who later went on to star for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Flutie won two more Grey Cups with the Toronto Argonauts, in 1996 (The Snow Bowl) and 1997, before signing with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in 1998. Prior to his final two Grey Cup victories with the Argonauts, Flutie was hampered by the opinion, supported by the media, that he was a quarterback who could not win in cold weather. After an early playoff loss where he refused to wear gloves in freezing temperatures, Flutie in later years adapted to throwing with gloves in cold weather.

His career CFL statistics include 41,355 passing yards and 270 touchdowns. He holds the professional football record of 6,619 yards passing in a single season. He still holds four of the CFL's top five highest single-season completion marks, including a record 466 in 1991. His 48 touchdown passes in 1994 remains a CFL record. He earned three Grey Cup MVP awards, and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player a record six times (1991-1994, and 1996-1997).

Flutie is a figure of national pride to Canadians and Canadian expatriates (this despite having been born and raised in the United States) and has been the subject of a song by the Canadian band Moxy Früvous.

Flutie's success in the National Football League coupled with the revoking of the "marquee player" exemption in the Canadian Football League's salary cap, which allowed one player to be exempt from counting against the CFL's salary cap on each team, resulted in a string of star quarterbacks leaving the CFL and going to the NFL, such as Jeff Garcia and Dave Dickenson. On November 17, 2006, Flutie was named the greatest Canadian Football League player of all time from a top 50 list of CFL players conducted by TSN.[6]

Near return to pro football

Due to injuries with the Toronto Argonauts, Flutie was contemplating a temporary comeback with the team as of July 25, 2006. Flutie did not plan to play long-term, for he had planned on doing college football commentary on ESPN this coming season.[7] On August 18, 2006, a story was published on CFL.ca examining this topic in-depth.[8] Flutie was pondering a return to Canadian Football because of his relationship with Argonauts head coach and former running back Pinball Clemons, and the desire to "say goodbye to the CFL". According to the report, Flutie was poised to return to Toronto on July 22nd, after their victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the injury to backup quarterback Spergon Wynn. Wynn suffered a mild concussion on a hard hit from defensive tackle Scott Schultz, when his helmet flew off on impact.(Click here for image). Flutie states his reason for opting to ultimately stay in retirement as not wanting to "take any more hits on the field" in a professional Canadian Football game.

Return to the NFL

Buffalo Bills

File:SI1998 Doug Flutie.jpg

1998: "NFL Comeback Player of the Year"

Doug Flutie became the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback when the Bills started the 1998 season 1-3. In his first start as a Bill, he passed for two TDs and led a fourth-quarter comeback against the Indianapolis Colts on October 11, 1998. The following week, Flutie scored the winning touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars by rolling out on a naked bootleg and into the end zone on fourth-down play with 13 seconds left. The Bills' success continued with Flutie at the helm; his record as a starter that season was 8-3. The Bills were eliminated in the first round by the Dolphins, as fumbles and - some fans say - questionable officiating gave Flutie his first, and only, loss against both Jimmy Johnson and Dan Marino. Flutie was selected to play in the 1998 Pro Bowl.

Flutie led the Bills to a 10-6 record in 1999 but, in a controversial decision, was replaced by Rob Johnson for the playoffs by coach Wade Phillips. The Bills lost 22-16 to the eventual AFC Champion Tennessee Titans in a game that has become known for the Music City Miracle, where the Titans scored on the final play of the game - a kickoff return following the Bills' apparent game-clinching field goal. In 2000 Flutie was named the Bills' backup and only played late in games or when Johnson was injured, which was often. In fact during the season, Flutie had a 4-1 record as a starter, in comparison to Johnson's 4-7.

San Diego Chargers

In 2001 Flutie signed with the San Diego Chargers, who had gone 1-15 in 2000. After opening 3-0, the Chargers slumped and were 4-2 going into Week 7, when Flutie's Chargers met Rob Johnson's Bills. Johnson took advantage of the weak Charger defense and passed for 310 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception, and he ran for 67 yards and 1 TD. (The Chargers are the only team against which Johnson has passed for 300 yards.) But Flutie prevailed as the new ex-Bill broke a sack attempt and ran 13 yards for the game-winning touchdown. San Diego finished 5-11 on the season, while the Bills finished 3-13. Flutie was Drew Brees' backup in 2002.

In 2003, Flutie replaced a struggling Brees when the Chargers were 1-7. The 41-year-old Flutie became the oldest player to score two rushing touchdowns in a game, the first player over 40 to accomplish that feat. He also became the oldest AFC Offensive Player of the Week, winning the award for the fourth time. Flutie's record as a starter that year was 2-3. Flutie was released from the Chargers on March 13, 2005.

New England Patriots

Flutie Converting a Dropkick

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Flutie surprised many when he signed with the New England Patriots instead of the New York Giants. He became the backup behind Tom Brady and played several times at the end of games to take a few snaps. Flutie has a 37-28 record as an NFL starter, including a 22-9 record in home games.

Referring to his time in the Canadian Football League, television football commentator John Madden once said, "Inch for inch, Flutie in his prime was the best QB of his generation."

In a December 26, 2005 game against the New York Jets, Flutie was sent in late in the game. The Jets also sent in their back-up quarterback, Vinny Testaverde. This was the first time in NFL history that two quarterbacks over the age of 40 competed (Testaverde was 42, Flutie was 43). It is also worth noting that this was the final nationally televised Monday Night Football game on ABC before its move to ESPN.

In the Patriots' regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2006, Flutie successfully drop kicked a football for an extra point, something that had not been done in a regular-season NFL game since 1941. The ball went straight through the uprights for the extra point. It was Flutie's first kick attempt in the NFL. Patriots head coach and football historian Bill Belichick made comments that suggested that the play was a retirement present of sorts for his veteran quarterback, although Flutie had made no comment on whether or not 2005 would be his last season [9].

During the 2006 offseason, Flutie's agent, Kristen Kuliga, stated he was interested in returning to the Patriots for another season; as a result he was widely expected to return, despite his age. But on May 15, 2006, Flutie announced his decision to "hang up his helmet" at the age of 43 and retire [10].

Personal life

Doug Flutie is the older brother of the CFL's second all-time receptions leader, Darren Flutie. Doug is married to the former Laurie Fortier, his high school sweetheart. They have a daughter, Alexa, and a son, Doug Jr. Their son has autism, and the Fluties established The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. in honor of him. Doug also created a cereal, Flutie Flakes, with the benefits going toward his organization. In his free time, Flutie often attends college football and basketball games at his alma mater Boston College. He campaigned for Hillary Clinton in her 2000 United States Senate race and is a Democrat. Doug spends his summers in Bethany Beach, Delaware, frequenting the local basketball court. Flutie also works with local Massachusetts bank Eastern Bank and is a spokesman for Framingham's Metrowest Medical Center.

The town of Natick, Massachusetts, has named a street "Flutie Pass" in his honor.

Career Statistics

				Passing								Rushing				Kicking
Season	Team	League		GP	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	INT		Att	Yds	TD		XP	XP Att	FG	FG Att	FG Long
1985	New Jersey Generals	USFL		-	134	281	47.6	2109	13	14		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1986	Chicago Bears	NFL		4	23	46	50.0	361	3	2		9	36	1		-	-	-	-	-
1987	Chicago Bears	NFL		1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0		0	0	0		-	-	-	-	-
1987	New England Patriots	NFL		1	15	25	60.0	199	1	0		6	43	0		-	-	-	-	-
1988	New England Patriots	NFL		11	92	179	51.4	1150	8	10		38	179	1		-	-	-	-	-
1989	New England Patriots	NFL		5	36	91	39.6	493	2	4		16	87	0		-	-	-	-	-
1990	British Columbia Lions	CFL		-	207	392	52.8	2960	16	19		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1991	British Columbia Lions	CFL		-	466	730	63.8	6619	38	24		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1992	Calgary Stampeders	CFL		-	396	688	57.5	5945	32	30		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1993	Calgary Stampeders	CFL		-	416	703	59.1	6092	44	17		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1994	Calgary Stampeders	CFL		-	403	659	59.1	5726	48	19		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1995	Calgary Stampeders	CFL		-	223	332	67.1	2788	16	5		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1996	Toronto Argonauts	CFL		-	434	667	65.0	5720	29	17		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1997	Toronto Argonauts	CFL		-	430	673	63.9	5505	47	24		-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1998	Buffalo Bills	NFL		13	202	354	57.1	2711	20	11		48	248	1		-	-	-	-	-
1999	Buffalo Bills	NFL		15	264	478	55.2	3171	19	16		88	467	1		-	-	-	-	-
2000	Buffalo Bills	NFL		11	132	231	57.1	1700	8	3		36	161	1		-	-	-	-	-
2001	San Diego Chargers	NFL		16	294	521	56.4	3464	15	18		53	192	1		-	-	-	-	-
2002	San Diego Chargers	NFL		1	3	11	27.3	64	0	0		1	6	0		-	-	-	-	-
2003	San Diego Chargers	NFL		7	91	167	54.5	1097	9	4		33	168	2		-	-	-	-	-
2004	San Diego Chargers	NFL		2	20	38	52.6	276	1	0		5	39	2		-	-	-	-	-
2005	New England Patriots	NFL		5	5	10	50.0	29	0	0		5	-1	0		1	1	-	-	-

See also

• Flutie Flakes
• Flutie effect

External links

• Doug Flutie CFL Legends
• Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
• Doug Flutie Official Website- includes News, Stats, Merchandise and Autographed Memorabilia
• ESPN Write-up of Flutie's Hail Mary - 100 Most Memorable Moments of the Past 25 Years
• 2004 preseason MMQ article from Sports Illustrated
• ESPN.com Flutie signs with Pats
• SI: Top 10 Scrambling Quarterbacks of the Modern Era
• More Career Stats
• Template:Pro-football-reference.
• USFL, CFL Stats
• The Flutie Brothers Band
• FOX Sports - Ten Best Damn unforgettable sports moments
• Video clip of Doug Flutie's Hail Mary touchdown pass with Boston College on YouTube