Tony Eason
Tony Eason (born October, 1959 in Blythe, California) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New England Patriots and New York Jets. Eason retired after the 1990 NFL season and is now living in California.
Eason played college football at the University of Illinois. There, he affectionatly earned the nickname "Champaign Tony", based upon the city in which the University is located. He was drafted in the first round of the famous 1983 NFL Draft, along with John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly. In fact, Eason was drafted above Marino (as well as future Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green).
Eason became the starting QB for the Patriots in 1984, taking over for longtime starter Steve Grogan. The following season, he started the season, but got injured. He returned towards the end of the season and helped the Patriots clinch a playoff berth with a 34-23 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the season finale. Tony led the Patriots offense as they became the first team to win three games on the road to reach the Super Bowl. Eason threw three touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins, led by Marino, in the AFC Championship Game, the first time New England had beaten the Dolphins at the Orange Bowl since 1966. Thanks to Eason, the Patriots made their first appearance in a Super Bowl, against the Chicago Bears. However, the Bears' famed "46" defense demolished Eason and the Patriots in Super Bowl XX, as Eason became the first starting quarterback in Super Bowl history not to complete a pass, going 0-for-6. Eason was replaced with Grogan, but it was too late, and the Patriots lost 46-10. He led the Patriots to the AFC East title the following season, but the team was defeated by the Denver Broncos, led by Elway.
After he had passed his prime, Eason struggled for several seasons in New England before being traded to the New York Jets during the 1989 NFL season. Ironically, Eason would share quarterback duties his final season with yet another member of the "Class of '83", Ken O'Brien.
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